On a point of order, Madam Deputy Speaker. Next week we mark St David’s day, and the relevant flag will fly on the parliamentary estate. Similarly, the relevant symbols fly on St George’s day and St Andrew’s day. However, this does not happen on St Patrick’s day, which occurs in three weeks’ time. I have… raised this matter on numerous occasions inside and outside the Chamber. Mr Speaker kindly responded to my latest letter to him and said that responsibility with regard to this issue rests with both the Department for Culture, Media and Sport and the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office. I have written to both Departments and am awaiting a response. Has Mr Speaker received any indication from either Department of their intention to come to the House in advance of 17 March to indicate that this issue will be remedied as soon as possible? What might I do if they do not do that?
Hansard · 24 Feb 2026 · parliament.uk
JC
Judith Cummins
I thank the hon. Member for giving notice of his point of order. I have received no notice from Ministers that they intend to make a statement on this matter. However, Ministers on the Front Bench will have heard his point of order. He is of course free to pursue the matter by other means, including parliamentary quest…
Education11 Feb 2026
GC
Gregory Campbell
At last year’s spending review, the Northern Ireland Office announced a £2 million allocation to support the integrated education sector. Given that a range of schools in Northern Ireland have been offering an integrated educational ethos for many years, will the Government review that policy to support integrated education per se across a number of… schools in Northern Ireland?
Hansard · 11 Feb 2026 · parliament.uk
SH
Sarah Hall
What recent discussions he has had with the Northern Ireland Executive on education.
JA
Jas Athwal
What recent discussions he has had with the Northern Ireland Executive on education.
MP
Matthew Patrick
Chances in life are set early. Although education is devolved in Northern Ireland, we must work together. That is why it was my privilege to bring the Minister for Early Education to Belfast recently to visit schools and to present to Northern Ireland Ministers at the East-West Council. We discussed the school twinning…
SH
Sarah Hall
As chair of the inclusion and nurture in education all-party group, I welcome the Northern Ireland Department of Education’s independent research showing that nurture provision delivers measurable improvements in pupils’ behaviour, attendance and attainment. What discussions are being had to share this good practice in…
MP
Matthew Patrick
Just last month, I went with the early years Minister to visit schools that are really focused on being inclusive and nurturing for pupils, and my hon. Friend is totally right to highlight how this work can have such a positive impact on the children in our schools.
Great British Energy: Bills10 Feb 2026
GC
Gregory Campbell
There have been numerous references to the cost of energy and reducing that cost in the United Kingdom. Has any assessment been made by the Minister or the Department of the comments made by the International Energy Agency in the past few days, which seem to indicate we have one of the highest prices in… the western world?
Hansard · 10 Feb 2026 · parliament.uk
WJ
Warinder Juss
What estimate he has made of the potential impact of Great British Energy on energy bills for public services.
MM
Martin McCluskey
Great British Energy’s mission is to power Britain with clean, secure and home-grown energy. It has already started that work, with Great British Energy and the Government funding around 250 school and 260 hospital solar installations, including at Rakegate primary school and Ormiston NEW Academy in my hon. Friend’s co…
WJ
Warinder Juss
In my constituency, almost one in five households have been living in fuel poverty, struggling to heat their homes this winter. I welcome the Government’s commitment to lifting 1 million more households out of fuel poverty by 2030, which will have a significant impact on my constituents. Will the Minister please outlin…
MM
Martin McCluskey
I thank my hon. Friend for that question. I know that he is focused, as I am, on reducing energy bills for his constituents and people across the country. I have already spoken about the extensive investment in solar not just in his constituency but across the country. People in Wolverhampton and across the country wil…
MM
Martin McCluskey
I think where the IEA and I would agree is that we need to get off the rollercoaster of fossil fuels and ensure we are investing in clean home-grown energy that people across the country can take advantage of to lower their bills.
Topical Questions3 Feb 2026
GC
Gregory Campbell
A transparency campaigner who availed himself of legal aid to take a case against the Government 17 years ago has appealed and reviewed my attempts to have the total cost of legal aid he received made public and, ironically, transparent. The case is still ongoing six and a half years later. Will the Justice Secretary… have discussions with the Justice Minister in Northern Ireland to stop this attempt to prevent transparency?
Hansard · 3 Feb 2026 · parliament.uk
MV
Martin Vickers
If he will make a statement on his departmental responsibilities.
DL
David Lammy
Since the last session of Justice questions, the Government have delivered the landmark Sentencing Act 2026 to implement punishment that works to cut crime and make our streets safer. It will ensure that we have enough prison cells for the most serious criminals, incentivise good behaviour in prisons and introduce toug…
MV
Martin Vickers
Could I return the Secretary of State to the issue of jury trials? I have received an email from a constituent who is a practising barrister, who points to the issues, which have already been mentioned, of poor prisoner transport, the cap on sitting days and the condition of many courtrooms. Could the Secretary of Stat…
DL
David Lammy
The hon. Gentleman really should read Sir Brian Leveson’s report. We have to do all of it. Sir Brian will be publishing the second part of the report, which deals with the issues the hon. Gentleman mentions, but if we did only that, we would not see the backlog fall in his constituency. We have to invest in more sittin…
JN
Josh Newbury
As a survivor of rape, I know that the time it takes to get to court, if people even get that far, was one of the things that put me off reporting what happened to me. When people talk about changes to jury trials being justice denied, I understand their concerns, but I do not think it is always appreciated that, for v…
Regional Funding27 Jan 2026
GC
Gregory Campbell
I know the Chancellor would say that the Northern Ireland budget was an exceptionally good one, but would she agree that there are extreme circumstances pertaining to three areas in particular—policing, education and health—at the moment? Will she at least get into discussions with the First and Deputy First Ministers in Northern Ireland to see… what can be done to alleviate the problems that are coming towards us?
Hansard · 27 Jan 2026 · parliament.uk
KS
Kirsteen Sullivan
What steps she is taking to provide regional funding.
EF
Emma Foody
What steps she is taking to provide regional funding.
ES
Elaine Stewart
What steps she is taking to provide regional funding.
RR
Rachel Reeves
I am very sorry to see your leg in such a way, Mr Speaker. We are committed to driving growth everywhere. The Budget ensured that Scottish public services are fairly funded, with an extra £820 million for the Scottish Government through the Barnett formula, on top of a record settlement in June this year. We are also i…
KS
Kirsteen Sullivan
I welcome the fantastic news that Edinburgh and south-east Scotland will receive £37.8 million from the new local growth fund, supporting infrastructure, business support and skills development. However, I consistently hear from businesses that they struggle to recruit people with the skill sets needed to grow their op…
Erasmus+ Programme22 Jan 2026
GC
Gregory Campbell
The Minister has mentioned apprenticeships. Does he agree that there should be opportunities through the future town funding that the Government have announced? Coleraine and Londonderry, in my area, should enable young people to take advantage of the opportunities and ensure that local employers offer more training and apprenticeships.
Hansard · 22 Jan 2026 · parliament.uk
MR
Matt Rodda
What steps he is taking to help increase the number of education and training opportunities for young people through the Erasmus+ programme.
CW
Chris Ward
I am delighted that the Government have negotiated associate membership of the Erasmus+ programme from 2027. That could open up opportunities for more than 100,000 young people from all backgrounds to learn, train, study or volunteer abroad. It is good news for further education colleges, universities and businesses, a…
MR
Matt Rodda
I thank the Minister for his answer and warmly welcome the Government’s new commitment to this scheme. It is hugely important to my residents in Reading, for families and young people, for employers and for science and technology. Could the Minister say a little more about how this wonderful scheme will help employers …
CW
Chris Ward
I know that the scheme has been welcomed at many universities, including Reading. I know that my hon. Friend has campaigned on this for a long time. In my constituency, Sussex University was home to the first Erasmus student. When I visited last week, the university was delighted that it will have more students soon. I…
CW
Chris Ward
As I have just said, this is about apprenticeships as well as universities. The hon. Gentleman should write to me and the Minister for the Cabinet Office about how we can roll this out. It is a UK-wide programme that will benefit all parts of the United Kingdom. The Minister for the Cabinet Office met the devolved Gove…
Engagements21 Jan 2026
GC
Gregory Campbell
I have a constituent who, although not yet 30 years old, has just been diagnosed with a terminal illness. She has been told that she has a very short time to live. Because of her condition, she was given a retirement date—she is a civil servant—which was just last week. She has not received notification… of any actual pension payment, and she has spent long hours trying to contact Capita. HM Revenue and Customs has claimed that all outstanding documentation was supplied to Capita in November. I have written to the Chancellor, and contacted the MPs’ hotline and Capita, but the issue remains unresolved. Will the Prime Minister, along with the Chancellor, help to get the issue resolved immediately?
Hansard · 21 Jan 2026 · parliament.uk
JS
Jeevun Sandher
If he will list his official engagements for Wednesday 21 January.
KS
Keir Starmer
In recent days, I have spoken extensively to our international allies, including European leaders and others, the US and NATO. We will continue to engage constructively to resolve issues, particularly those relating to international security, applying the principles and values that I set out on Monday. In addition, thi…
JS
Jeevun Sandher
We face an affordability crisis in this country. In the short term, our dependence on fossil fuels has led to a rise in energy bills, and in the longer term, the aftershocks of Thatcher mean that there are not enough good, non-graduate jobs. That is why today’s warm homes plan is such good news: batteries, solar, home …
KS
Keir Starmer
I thank my hon. Friend. I know how much he cares about making life affordable. We are taking £150 off energy bills. That is £300 for the 6 million poorest families, including almost 3,700 households in his constituency. The warm homes plan we are announcing today is the biggest ever public investment in upgrading Briti…
LH
Lindsay Hoyle
I call the Leader of the Opposition.
Northern Ireland Troubles: Legacy and Reconciliation21 Jan 2026
GC
Gregory Campbell
Does the right hon. Gentleman accept that a classic example of what he is saying was the Shankill bomb? The perpetrator of that bomb was an IRA terrorist. He was killed along with the innocent people whom he murdered, yet Sinn Féin and republicans insist on trying to portray him as a victim, as opposed… to those who he genuinely caused to be victims.
Hansard · 21 Jan 2026 · parliament.uk
HB
Hilary Benn
I beg to move, That the draft Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Act 2023 (Remedial) Order 2025, which was laid before this House on 14 October 2025 , be approved. As every one of us knows, Northern Ireland continues to live with the legacy of the troubles. Over 3,500 people lost their lives during t…
FA
Fleur Anderson
I commend the Secretary of State for the careful and thoughtful work that he has done to bring the House to this place today. Does he agree that, with this remedial order, he is doing the right thing for victims? That means ordinary people, including veterans and the wider armed forces community, all of whom were injur…
CN
Caroline Nokes
Order. This is a very long intervention. Many speakers wish to get in this afternoon, so I urge Members to keep interventions short.
HB
Hilary Benn
I agree with my hon. Friend that the legacy Act needed dealing with. Any Government that came into office in summer 2024 would have to be doing what we are doing.
AM
Andrew Murrison
It is worth bringing to the House’s attention again the fact that the legacy Act, whatever its legality or otherwise, was predicated on our membership of the European convention on human rights. Does the Secretary of State agree, and will he reflect on the fact, that there was an appeal against the supposed illegality …
Northern Ireland Troubles Bill7 Jan 2026
GC
Gregory Campbell
Engaging with and listening to stakeholders is good, but there needs to be a positive outcome to both. There also needs to be specific and clear references in the Bill to paramilitaries not being permitted to serve on the victims and survivors advisory group. Will that be the case?
Hansard · 7 Jan 2026 · parliament.uk
LA
Luke Akehurst
What steps he has taken to engage with relevant stakeholders on the Northern Ireland Troubles Bill.
PF
Paul Foster
What steps he has taken to engage with relevant stakeholders on the Northern Ireland Troubles Bill.
HB
Hilary Benn
I regularly meet a variety of stakeholders to talk about the Northern Ireland Troubles Bill, including veterans groups, political parties in Northern Ireland, and victims and families who are still living with the effects of those decades of terrible violence.
LA
Luke Akehurst
No matter what unit they served in, veterans in North Durham are particularly concerned about the impact of the new legislation on those who served in the special forces. Can the Secretary of State reassure me that he has met the Special Air Service Regimental Association and is responding to its specific concerns?
HB
Hilary Benn
I am very happy to give my hon. Friend that assurance. I did indeed meet the Special Air Service Regimental Association recently, as part of the discussions that I and my colleagues in the Ministry of Defence are having with veterans. We are listening to the concerns being expressed and, as I have said to the House on …
Topical Questions16 Dec 2025
GC
Gregory Campbell
Both this Government and the previous Government tried to get to grips with the increasing problem of the smuggling of illegal drugs into prisons. Can the Secretary of State indicate that, this time, this Government will get to grips with the problem so that people can be reassured that it is not a continuing and… escalating issue?
Hansard · 16 Dec 2025 · parliament.uk
UK
Uma Kumaran
If he will make a statement on his departmental responsibilities.
DL
David Lammy
I pay tribute to Lenny Scott, who was a dedicated prison officer and much-loved family man. In 2020, he seized an illicit mobile phone from a prisoner, who took revenge four years later by taking his life in broad daylight. Perpetrators of heinous killings like that must feel the full force of the law. I can announce t…
UK
Uma Kumaran
I thank my right hon. Friend for that clarification. By the time my constituent gets her day in court, she will have waited nearly a decade for justice. That is the cost of the Tories’ broken court system—unacceptable waits, contributing to a tragically high number of victims not proceeding to trial. The result is near…
DL
David Lammy
I am truly grateful to my hon. Friend for once again raising the voice of victims in this House. I hope that over the coming months, as we debate our courts Bill, hon. Members will keep in mind those victims, and the voices that we often hear, via female Members of Parliament. The £550 million of multi-year funding tha…
LH
Lindsay Hoyle
I call the shadow Justice Secretary.
Northern Ireland Troubles: Operation Kenova9 Dec 2025
GC
Gregory Campbell
In analysing the report and the Secretary of State’s statement, people will be looking to the future as we try to ensure that no one rewrites the past. However, in trying to do that, does he agree that the murky world people such as Scappaticci inhabited brought about the consequences of 1994, when both the… IRA and loyalists declared ceasefires, and that now is the time for the leaders of the political republican movement to say that what happened in the past was wrong and should not have happened, and to issue an unequivocal apology for the actions of the Provisional IRA?
Hansard · 9 Dec 2025 · parliament.uk
LH
Lindsay Hoyle
Before we come to the urgent question on Operation Kenova, I remind the House that there is an ongoing waiver to allow limited reference to any active legal proceedings relating to the historical troubles-related deaths. Any references to such cases should be limited to the context and to the events that led to the cas…
GR
Gavin Robinson
(Urgent Question): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the latest publication from Operation Kenova and the Government’s response to its findings.
HB
Hilary Benn
I am grateful to the right hon. Gentleman for his question. I inform the House that I will lay a written ministerial statement on this matter later today. Operation Kenova has published its final report, which covers the activities of the alleged agent Stakeknife, as well as other investigations referred to it by the P…
GR
Gavin Robinson
I am grateful to you, Mr Speaker, for granting this urgent question. I thank the Secretary of State for his response, and for being in the Chamber this afternoon to discuss Operation Kenova. I know that since he was appointed, he has spent an inordinate amount of time on legacy, and I know he is committed to the princi…
HB
Hilary Benn
I am grateful to the right hon. Gentleman for those points. I join him in recognising the huge contribution that was made by the intelligence services, the Army, the RUC and other security forces during the troubles to try to keep people safe and defeat those who were trying to destroy society through their terrorism. …
Modern Slavery: Global Supply Chains2 Dec 2025
GC
Gregory Campbell
Will the Minister have discussions with some of the large retail chains in which we often see occasions of misuse of labour in overseas territories, particularly in Africa and the far east?
Hansard · 2 Dec 2025 · parliament.uk
MR
Mike Reader
What diplomatic steps she is taking with international partners to help tackle modern slavery and unethical labour practices in global supply chains.
SM
Seema Malhotra
Modern slavery refers to horrific situations in which individuals are exploited through coercion, threats, deception, forced labour and human trafficking. We are determined collectively to do all we can to end it. That is why we work through a range of multilateral bodies, such as the United Nations, the G7 and the Org…
MR
Mike Reader
As the chair of the international trade and investment all-party parliamentary group, I have heard at first hand how new technology is making it easier to track supply-chain risks. What is the Minister doing to support better monitoring and data sharing with our international partners to ensure that we can identify for…
SM
Seema Malhotra
My hon. Friend is right to raise that issue. We are clear that no company in the UK should have forced labour in its supply chain. We work with our partners to promote the role that new technologies can play in reducing forced labour risks in supply chains. That includes developing an interactive tool to identify child…
SM
Seema Malhotra
I thank the hon. Member for raising that issue. He will be aware that we believe that no company in the UK should have forced labour in its supply chain. He may also be aware that in the trade strategy, the Government launched a review of their approach to responsible business conduct policy. It is important that we co…
Men’s Health Services25 Nov 2025
GC
Gregory Campbell
I welcome the Secretary of State’s indication that he is awaiting the outcome of that report on screening for prostate cancer. If that report recommends what many of us hope it will recommend, will he act quickly to develop the report’s recommendations, whatever they are?
Hansard · 25 Nov 2025 · parliament.uk
JN
Josh Newbury
What assessment he has made of the adequacy of the provision of health services for men.
WS
Wes Streeting
May I first commend my hon. Friend not just on leading the recent International Men’s Day debate, but on his courage in speaking so openly about his own experience of sexual assault and the need to tackle the stigma surrounding it? [Hon. Members: “Hear, hear.”] For too long, men’s health has been overlooked, with a rel…
JN
Josh Newbury
The publication of the first ever men’s health strategy for England was a historic step forward, including the drive to improve care for men with prostate cancer, the most common form of cancer in men under 50. I place on record my admiration for the right hon. Lord Cameron for speaking publicly about his diagnosis and…
WS
Wes Streeting
I join my hon. Friend in commending Lord Cameron on his openness. Raising awareness, as we know, encourages men to come forward and leads to more diagnosis. He has done a great public service in talking about his own experience. We are improving care for men diagnosed with prostate cancer and undergoing active monitori…
WS
Wes Streeting
We are expecting the draft recommendations, and then a three-month consultation period will follow, but I want to act quickly on the evidence and what the recommendations contain, not least because we know that as well as it being a prevalent form of cancer, some groups—particularly black men, men with a family history…
Businesses with Supply Chains in Great Britain19 Nov 2025
GC
Gregory Campbell
What progress he has made in supporting businesses in Northern Ireland that have supply chains in Great Britain.
Hansard · 19 Nov 2025 · parliament.uk
HB
Hilary Benn
I have met a range of businesses and representative bodies, including the Federation of Small Businesses and the Northern Ireland Business Brexit Working Group, to discuss supply chains and how the Government could improve guidance and support on the Windsor framework. I will continue to take that feedback into account…
HB
Hilary Benn
I join the hon. Gentleman in drawing attention to the wonderful zero emission buses being produced at Wrightbus, which I have had the pleasure of visiting two or three times. They are brilliant, one sees them on the streets in the rest of the United Kingdom and there is a very good reason to buy UK-made buses from Nort…
LH
Lindsay Hoyle
I call the Chair of the Northern Ireland Affairs Committee.
TA
Tonia Antoniazzi
The Northern Ireland Affairs Committee has taken evidence from Lord Murphy on his review of the Windsor framework, which has made important recommendations that could support GB businesses moving goods to Northern Ireland. Will the Secretary of State update the House on his considerations on the Murphy review?
HB
Hilary Benn
I continue to give careful consideration to what Lord Murphy has said, along with what has been said by the independent monitoring panel and the FSB and other recommendations. There is a lot of similarity in the points that have been made about steps the Government could take to provide better, easier-to-access guidanc…
GC
Gregory Campbell
Will the Secretary of State step up his efforts to ensure that there is no disadvantage to companies trading within Northern Ireland? Further to that, he will be aware of the potential threat posed by Chinese-built buses. Given that excellent UK-made zero emission buses are built in Northern Ireland at Wrightbus, will …
Clean Energy Transition: New Nuclear Power18 Nov 2025
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.
Hansard · 18 Nov 2025 · parliament.uk
AG
Allison Gardner
What steps he plans to take to support the clean energy transition through the adoption of new nuclear power.
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 …
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…
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…
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…
Prison Officers: Pension Age11 Nov 2025
GC
Gregory Campbell
Given the existing retirement age for prison officers and the increase in the number of violent offenders in prison, along with the increase in illegal substances getting into prison, does the Minister not agree that it is time urgently to review the age at which prison officers retire, as many older prison officers are looking… to retire?
Hansard · 11 Nov 2025 · parliament.uk
MF
Mary Foy
What recent assessment he has made of the potential merits of lowering the pension age of prison officers.
JR
Jake Richards
The Government recognise that pension age is an important issue for frontline staff and our recognised trade unions that represent the views of their members. Officials met POA representatives earlier in the autumn to discuss pension age and will continue to engage with them on this important issue.
MF
Mary Foy
The prison officers association recently launched its “68 is Too Late” pensions report, based on the largest member survey in POA history. The report is a heartbreaking read: prison officers describe how unrealistic and, frankly, cruel it is to expect them to walk the landings until they are almost 70 years old and the…
JR
Jake Richards
I am grateful for my hon. Friend’s question, and I take this opportunity to praise and thank the prison officers who do a remarkable job in what are often trying and appalling circumstances. As I said, the Government will continue to engage with the relevant and recognised unions, as well as with prison officers themse…
JR
Jake Richards
As I have already said, it is absolutely right that we continue to have those discussions with the relevant trade unions. Let me be absolutely clear on behalf of the Government: we understand that the work and working conditions of prison officers are getting harder, and we are in the business of trying to help them.
BBC Leadership11 Nov 2025
GC
Gregory Campbell
Sometimes when assessing things like the BBC, there is the Westminster bubble and then the real world outside. Some of us in Northern Ireland have been pressing the BBC for many years to be more transparent, independent and impartial, so this latest debacle is but one in a long line. We are not talking about… light entertainment or drama—no one questions that, and that by and large gets a green light from most people—it is news and current affairs. There is no point in people distracting by introducing a conspiracy within the BBC board. Is now not the time to start afresh with a transformed BBC service to give us the impartial news service that many of us have demanded for years?
Hansard · 11 Nov 2025 · parliament.uk
LN
Lisa Nandy
With permission, Madam Deputy Speaker, I will make a statement about the BBC. As the House will be aware, this weekend, the director general and the chief executive officer of BBC News tendered their resignations, following concerns about accuracy and impartiality at the BBC. This has sparked intense debate across the …
JC
Judith Cummins
I call the shadow Secretary of State.
NH
Nigel Huddleston
I thank the right hon. Lady for giving advance notice of her statement. The BBC is in a sorry mess—sadly, one of its own making—that has resulted in the resignation of the director general and its CEO of news. Those recent leadership changes are a response to the growing number of examples of bias in the BBC, one of wh…
LN
Lisa Nandy
May I thank the hon. Gentleman? I know that the situation that has unfolded over the past week has been of serious concern to him. I say from the outset that I strongly agree with him that two resignations are not the answer to the challenges that the BBC has faced, not just over the last week, but in recent months. I …
SO
Sarah Owen
Whatever the position regarding Donald Trump, who has said far worse than what was shown in the wrongly edited clip, the only ones rubbing their hands with glee during this debacle are those who do not want a free press—those politicians who have deep pockets lined by goodness knows who, and who cosplay as journalists …
Topical Questions28 Oct 2025
GC
Gregory Campbell
Can the Foreign Secretary help with the context of the middle east conflict? I have been endeavouring to establish an independent verifiable number for the rocket attacks into Israel that were carried out in the 12 months before 7 October and the 12 months after 7 October to give some context to what has happened… since. Is she able to assist?
Hansard · 28 Oct 2025 · parliament.uk
JN
James Naish
If she will make a statement on her departmental responsibilities.
YC
Yvette Cooper
Hurricane Melissa is expected to make landfall in Jamaica shortly. It is potentially the most severe storm ever to hit the country. Sadly, seven people across the region have already reportedly lost their life, and thousands are in shelters as they wait for the storm’s arrival. Many people will be thinking of family an…
JN
James Naish
I thank the Foreign Secretary for that update on Jamaica and the diligence of the FCDO in preparing for events there. Tomorrow I am hosting Hong Kong Watch in Parliament as it releases its latest report on the erosion of Hong Kong’s autonomy. The report highlights how Beijing has increasingly sought to dismantle Hong K…
LH
Lindsay Hoyle
Order. Can you help me to help everybody else to get in? In topicals, we have to be short and punchy.
YC
Yvette Cooper
We strongly condemn China’s non-compliance with the joint declaration, as described in the latest published six-monthly report, which details the continued deterioration of rights and freedoms in Hong Kong. We have continually pressed China to uphold the rights of Hongkongers; its non-compliance is one of the reasons w…
Topical Questions21 Oct 2025
GC
Gregory Campbell
Some progress has been made in the early diagnosis of prostate cancer. Will the Secretary of State ensure that when the further progress that we all hope to see is made, it will be shared quickly and efficiently with the devolved regions?
Hansard · 21 Oct 2025 · parliament.uk
GJ
Gurinder Josan
If he will make a statement on his departmental responsibilities.
WS
Wes Streeting
Since I last answered questions in this House, the Government have announced: half a billion pounds for a fair pay agreement for care workers; NHS Online, the first ever online-only hospital trust; and £80 million for children’s hospices. We have announced an independent inquiry into maternity services in Leeds, introd…
GJ
Gurinder Josan
We promised 2 million more appointments, and we have delivered 5 million, along with 2,000 extra GPs, 6,500 more mental health workers, 7,000 more doctors, and 13,000 more nurses and midwives. The cancer diagnosis standard has been met, GP satisfaction is up and waiting lists are down. The brand-new Midland Metropolita…
WS
Wes Streeting
Why stop there? We have 15,000 more home adaptations for disabled people through the disabled facilities grant and 135,000 more suspected cancer patients receiving a diagnosis on time. We have more than 200,000 cases off the waiting list, £500 million for the first ever fair pay agreement for care workers and the bigge…
LH
Lindsay Hoyle
I call the shadow Secretary of State.
Defence Industrial Strategy15 Oct 2025
GC
Gregory Campbell
I welcome both the Minister to his place and the defence growth deal. Does he agree that he now needs to work with the Northern Ireland Executive to ensure that the supply chain in Northern Ireland extends beyond Harland & Wolff and the greater Belfast area, so that everyone in Northern Ireland can benefit from… what is potentially a life-changing development for industry there?
Hansard · 15 Oct 2025 · parliament.uk
KB
Kevin Bonavia
What assessment he has made of the potential impact of the defence industrial strategy on Northern Ireland.
AB
Alex Ballinger
What assessment he has made of the potential impact of the defence industrial strategy on Northern Ireland.
MP
Matthew Patrick
In this role, I am committed to supporting all people across Northern Ireland. From its businesses to its community groups, there is much to champion. I will do all that I can to build on the excellent work of my predecessor, my hon. Friend the Member for Putney (Fleur Anderson) . The defence industrial strategy is gre…
KB
Kevin Bonavia
Airbus, which manufactures satellites in my Stevenage constituency, will soon integrate the civil aircraft wing business at the historical Shorts site in Belfast, close to where Thales tests its satellites and produces vital missiles for Ukraine. Will the Minister work with colleagues across Government and the Northern…
MP
Matthew Patrick
My hon. Friend is right to highlight the rich expertise in Northern Ireland’s defence sector, which brings benefits right across the UK, including to Stevenage. I assure him that the Secretary of State and I will work across Government and with the Executive to ensure a joined-up approach that benefits Northern Ireland…
Warm Home Discount: Fuel Poverty14 Oct 2025
GC
Gregory Campbell
Despite the oil price being at a six-month low this week, energy prices remain stubbornly high. Given the onset of winter, what further steps will the Minister and his Department take by way of a warm home scheme?
Hansard · 14 Oct 2025 · parliament.uk
PW
Paul Waugh
What assessment he has made of the potential impact of extending the warm home discount on levels of fuel poverty.
AJ
Adam Jogee
What assessment he has made of the potential impact of extending the warm home discount on levels of fuel poverty.
MM
Martin McCluskey
From this winter, an additional 2.7 million households across the UK will receive £150 off their energy bills, which makes a total of nearly 6 million low-income households receiving this vital support. That is the difference that this Government are making to our communities.
PW
Paul Waugh
I am delighted that thanks to this Government and the warm home discount eligibility extension, thousands more Rochdale families will be eligible for £150 off their bills this winter. It will ensure that young and old alike get more help with their bills this winter. I would like to raise the case of my constituent Kei…
MM
Martin McCluskey
I pay tribute to my hon. Friend for all his work championing causes for his constituents. He will know that an extra 280,000 households in the north-west will be eligible for the warm home discount, and that 2.7 million households across the country will be helped this year. I would be more than happy to meet my hon. F…
Northern Ireland Troubles14 Oct 2025
GC
Gregory Campbell
The Secretary of State indicated that the Government are introducing what he described as “strong safeguards”, and he says that the legacy commission will be “under a duty not to duplicate aspects of any previous investigations unless there are compelling reasons that make it essential.” What will he do when—not if, but when—the Republic of… Ireland’s Government come under severe pressure from other sources to make compelling reasons to him that there has to be something investigated that the person who is the subject of that investigation believed they would be excluded from? What will he do then?
Hansard · 14 Oct 2025 · parliament.uk
HB
Hilary Benn
With permission, Madam Deputy Speaker, I would like to make a statement on the legacy of the troubles, which still hangs heavily over the lives of so many people in Northern Ireland and across the United Kingdom. The Good Friday agreement—that extraordinary act of political courage—brought peace. Although its architect…
CN
Caroline Nokes
I call the shadow Secretary of State.
AB
Alex Burghart
I thank the Secretary of State for advance sight of his statement. The last Government legislated to draw a line under troubles-era litigation. That litigation was inevitably weighted against those who sought to protect our country from terrorism. It was inevitably weighted against those who keep records, and whose ser…
HB
Hilary Benn
I am grateful to the hon. Gentleman for his response. He says that the last Government sought to draw a line, but it did not work. In the act of seeking to do that—this is the one question that the now Opposition have never been able to answer—they decided that they would give terrorists immunity from prosecution. [Hon…
CN
Caroline Nokes
I call the Chair of the Northern Ireland Affairs Committee.
Court Estate: Restoration and Renewal16 Sep 2025
GC
Gregory Campbell
Does the Minister agree that access to justice is very important, particularly in rural areas, where sometimes witnesses or those offering family support have to travel to court appearances? Is it not vital to maximise accessibility for such people?
Hansard · 16 Sep 2025 · parliament.uk
BG
Becky Gittins
What steps his Department is taking to maintain courtrooms.
CS
Cat Smith
What steps he is taking to improve the court estate through restoration and renewal.
SS
Sarah Sackman
For years, our court buildings under the last Government were left to crumble and decay. This Government have boosted capital funding from £120 million last year to over £148 million for this year. From Reading to Blackpool, we are building new courts and restoring old ones.
LH
Lindsay Hoyle
I look forward to Chorley’s then.
BG
Becky Gittins
Prestatyn justice centre and its hard-working staff provide a vital service to my constituents, but on a recent visit it was clear that the building needs investment. Can the Minister update the House on what the Government are doing to repair and modernise our court estate, and will she look at what can be done to sup…
Planning Reform: Economic Growth9 Sep 2025
GC
Gregory Campbell
As the Chancellor tries to cut through the bureaucratic red tape around planning outlines, can she undertake that, if successful over the course of the next six to 12 months, she will share that success with the other regions and nations in the United Kingdom, so that we can all benefit from simplified planning procedures,… which will bring benefits for all our constituents?
Hansard · 9 Sep 2025 · parliament.uk
JA
Jas Athwal
What steps she is taking with Cabinet colleagues to help increase economic growth through reforms to the planning system.
RR
Rachel Reeves
In the spending review, we put significant money into building more houses as part of our commitment to build 1.5 million homes during the course of this Parliament. The Planning and Infrastructure Bill is currently making its way through the House of Lords, but more than 600 amendments have been tabled to it, mainly b…
JA
Jas Athwal
I have been banging the drum for some time now that Ilford is the best place to live, and with four Elizabeth line stations, that has never been more true than now. Barking and Dagenham council and Redbridge council are both capitalising on ambitious regeneration plans, like the developments at Billet Road and Padnall …
RR
Rachel Reeves
I thank my hon. Friend for everything that he is doing to champion Ilford South and to bring more investment into his local community. It is great to have Labour councils working with a Labour Government to bring investment to local communities through housing and, crucially, through infrastructure—the schools and the …
RR
Rachel Reeves
Over the summer, I had the opportunity to spend some time in Belfast, where I visited Thales, the defence manufacturer, and Studio Ulster, where I saw some of the fantastic work in the creative industries. I also had the opportunity to talk about some of the blockers to growth. We need to better reform our planning sys…
Topical Questions2 Sep 2025
GC
Gregory Campbell
The Secretary of State reiterated the issue of the conditional recognition of the state of Palestine. If the Government want to do that, would it not be better equally to make it a condition that any future state of Palestine does not threaten the right of the state of Israel to exist, and that if… anyone carries out terrorist actions from any future state, they will be handed over to the international authorities?
Hansard · 2 Sep 2025 · parliament.uk
AF
Ashley Fox
If he will make a statement on his departmental responsibilities.
DL
David Lammy
Yesterday I updated the House on the unimaginably bleak situation in Gaza and the Occupied Palestinian Territories. I shared the latest on Iran’s dangerous nuclear programme, and my right hon. Friend the Defence Secretary set out Britain’s unwavering support for Ukraine. May I also mention the tragic earthquake in Kuna…
AF
Ashley Fox
The Foreign Secretary wants to pay a huge amount of taxpayers’ money to Mauritius to lease back a military base that we already own. Why is he afraid of holding a vote on this policy?
DL
David Lammy
I know that the hon. Gentleman has not been in Parliament very long, but he will see that there is a Second Reading next week, and of course there will be a vote.
BL
Brian Leishman
For Palestinians, if suffering decades of oppression and apartheid, thousands being killed, and millions confined in an ever-reducing area as their homes are stolen and communities are destroyed was not bad enough, now the American President is devising a plan to carve up what is left of Palestinian territory for prime…
Mental Health Research Funding: Eating Disorders22 Jul 2025
GC
Gregory Campbell
The eating disorder issue is escalating, as the Minister rightly points out. Will he agree to hold discussions and consultations with the devolved structures in Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales, so this issue goes to the top of the list of issues that have not really been dealt with in the past but need dealing… with now?
Hansard · 22 Jul 2025 · parliament.uk
RQ
Richard Quigley
What recent estimate his Department has made of the proportion of mental health research funding allocated to eating disorders.
SK
Stephen Kinnock
Through the National Institute for Health and Care Research, the Department is committed to finding new ways of tackling eating disorders through research. We are supporting research projects, including the eating disorders genetics initiative—one of the largest studies of its kind—and have a £4.25 million collaboratio…
RQ
Richard Quigley
Eating disorders cost the UK an estimated £9 billion each year, yet research into these serious conditions receives just 1% of all mental health research funding. That is despite eating disorders affecting around 9% of people with mental health conditions, the consequences of which are delayed diagnosis and treatment a…
SK
Stephen Kinnock
I know that this subject is close to my hon. Friend’s heart, and I pay tribute to him for his work on it. We recognise the devastating impact that an eating disorder can have, and the earlier the treatment is provided, the greater the chance of recovery. The Department continues to work closely with NHS England, which …
SK
Stephen Kinnock
We remain in close contact with all our colleagues in all the devolved Administrations. I will certainly be following up with officials as we develop the research programmes that we are working on, and as we integrate eating disorders into the broader work we are doing around mental health. Getting 8,500 more mental he…
Sudan16 Jul 2025
GC
Gregory Campbell
The unfolding scenario in Sudan almost defies description. The Minister has quite rightly spoken about the importance of accessibility. Does she agree that, for accessibility to work in terms of aid, resources and assistance, there needs to be a comprehensive international approach in order even to offer the prospect of hope and delivery within the… next few months?
Hansard · 16 Jul 2025 · parliament.uk
AM
Andrew Mitchell
(Urgent Question): To ask the Minister if she will make a statement on Britain’s response to the worsening situation in Sudan.
CW
Catherine West
Sudan is the worst humanitarian crisis on record. Over 30 million people need aid, and 12 million people have been displaced. Famine is spreading fast, and new reports confirm that the situation will deteriorate in the next three months. Cholera is also now widespread. Lifesaving assistance continues to be blocked by t…
AM
Andrew Mitchell
Thank you very much, Mr Speaker, for granting this urgent question today. I make no apologies for raising the dire and desperate straits of the Sudanese people again in this House, not least because Britain leads on the Sudanese situation at the United Nations on behalf of all other nations. As the Minister said, the p…
CW
Catherine West
I thank the right hon. Member for Sutton Coldfield (Sir Andrew Mitchell) for his questions and his long-standing interest not just in Africa in general, but particularly in this awful conflict in Sudan. Of course, Sudan is also a personal priority for the Foreign Secretary, which is why he brought together Foreign Mini…
AM
Abtisam Mohamed
Not a single person in my Sudanese diaspora community in Sheffield has not been affected by the horrific violence in Sudan, but the most harrowing part for them is not the regular communication jams blocking parent from child and brother from sister, or the multiple displacements of millions of the most vulnerable peop…
Financial Services Reform16 Jul 2025
GC
Gregory Campbell
In her statement, the Economic Secretary was right when she alluded to the FTSE being at a record high yesterday, though many international indices, whether in the US, the far east or Europe, are also at record highs since the April low. She also alluded to the cash ISA problem. What will be done to… instil confidence among the wider public who hold money and cash assets but are reluctant and fearful of investing, even in lower-risk collective investments that, over the longer term, would produce much better returns than cash ISAs, which are subject, as she rightly says, to inflation?
Hansard · 16 Jul 2025 · parliament.uk
ER
Emma Reynolds
With permission, Mr Speaker, I shall update the House on the content of the Leeds reforms. The reforms encompass the Government’s financial services growth and competitiveness strategy, which is our 10-year plan for financial services. This plan will make the UK the global centre of choice for financial services invest…
LH
Lindsay Hoyle
I call the shadow Economic Secretary.
MG
Mark Garnier
I am very grateful to the Minister for advance sight of her statement. There is much in these Leeds reforms—many of which were formerly known as the Edinburgh reforms—that can be welcomed, and some of the details were laid out by the Chancellor in her Mansion House speech last night. The Conservatives will always suppo…
ER
Emma Reynolds
Well, half of that was all right, I suppose. I do want to start constructively and thank the hon. Member for his welcome for some of the reforms. I will answer some of his specific questions before I come to the wider points. On the Financial Ombudsman Service, we have set out in great detail what we will do. As he wil…
LH
Lindsay Hoyle
I call the Chair of the Treasury Committee.
Warm Home Discount15 Jul 2025
GC
Gregory Campbell
The Minister will be aware that many homes, particularly in rural areas, are older properties that are difficult to insulate. Does she agree that we all need to concentrate on those older types of properties, many of which are the homes of elderly people who cannot afford expensive energy? We need to concentrate on ensuring… that those homes are properly insulated and that the warm home discount scheme is extended to such properties.
Hansard · 15 Jul 2025 · parliament.uk
LA
Luke Akehurst
What assessment he has made of the potential impact of extending the warm home discount to all households in receipt of means-tested benefits on people receiving those benefits.
MF
Miatta Fahnbulleh
We know that households are under huge pressure with the cost of living, and energy costs are a big part of that. The expansion of the warm home discount scheme will mean that nearly 3 million more families will receive vital support with their energy bills this winter. This will provide much-needed help at a time when…
LA
Luke Akehurst
Will the Minister confirm how many residents in my North Durham constituency will benefit from the extension of the warm home discount to all households in receipt of means-tested benefits?
MF
Miatta Fahnbulleh
Sadly, we do not have data at constituency level, but I can tell my hon. Friend, who is a brilliant champion for his constituency, that around 100,000 extra households in the north-east will benefit from the expansion—an increase of around 50%.
MF
Miatta Fahnbulleh
The hon. Member makes an important point. We are very clear that we need to make sure that we have the right solutions for every household, including those in rural communities. I have met representatives from rural communities, councils, Members and some of the companies that are trying to do work in rural communities…
Broadcasting: Scotland9 Jul 2025
GC
Gregory Campbell
There have been a number of co-productions by BBC Northern Ireland and BBC Scotland. Does the Minister agree that we should develop and promote co-productions throughout the nations and regions of the United Kingdom, so that we can see excellence and best practice everywhere in the UK?
Hansard · 9 Jul 2025 · parliament.uk
TC
Torcuil Crichton
What recent discussions he has had with representatives of the broadcasting sector in Scotland.
KM
Kirsty McNeill
The Secretary of State and I are committed to supporting a flourishing broadcasting sector in Scotland and regularly meet its representatives. I know that my hon. Friend the Member for Na h-Eileanan an Iar was part of a recent engagement that the Scotland Office was delighted to co-host with MG Alba, where he spoke pas…
TC
Torcuil Crichton
We islanders have always been international ambassadors, and I am delighted that some of the Lewis chess pieces are going to France—a little bit of Gaelic Scotland in President Macron’s pocket. Gaelic broadcasting also has a global reach: 1.8 million viewers watched “An t-Eilean”, MG Alba’s detective series. Gaelic is …
KM
Kirsty McNeill
That is an interesting point. My hon. Friend has been advancing this case, and he is right: the whole objective of the growth deals is to enable people to live well in the places that they love. As he knows, the UK Government have delivered a historic spending review for Scotland, which includes ambitious plans for loc…
KM
Kirsty McNeill
I do agree that we should be co-operating as far as possible. Steps have already been taken to preserve the future of home-grown content and talent through initiatives such as the UK Government’s independent film tax credit and high-end tax relief, providing a real opportunity for the industry to grow, but I should cer…
Prison Officer Morale: Pension Age8 Jul 2025
GC
Gregory Campbell
There is a problem in our prisons across the United Kingdom. It is a two-spectrum problem, in that there is an increase in turnover, with prison officers leaving early, while the problem of the pension continues. Can the Minister increase the intensity of discussions with the POA to try to reach a more satisfactory outcome… to which the Department and the prison officers concerned are amenable?
Hansard · 8 Jul 2025 · parliament.uk
BL
Brian Leishman
What recent assessment she has made of the potential impact of lowering the pension age of prison officers on prison officer morale.
ND
Nicholas Dakin
Prison officers benefit from the civil service pension scheme, which offers excellent public sector terms, low employee contributions and a 28.97% employer contribution, but we recognise that pension age is an important issue for prison officers. That is why we are fully engaged with the unions on this issue.
BL
Brian Leishman
The last Government hiked up prison officers’ pension age to 68, and then walked away from negotiations that were set up to partially reverse that unfair and unrealistic policy. This devastated morale, which is now worse than ever, especially with violence against staff at record highs. Are this Government prepared to …
ND
Nicholas Dakin
My hon. Friend is absolutely right to point to the fact that this is yet another Tory mess that we have inherited. As I have said, we value the work of the POA, and we recognise the significant work of prison officers and the strength of feeling on this issue. We will continue to engage with the POA and others to try t…
ND
Nicholas Dakin
The hon. Gentleman makes a fair point. We need to make progress on this issue, and we are determined to do so.
Investment: Technology Businesses2 Jul 2025
GC
Gregory Campbell
Tech businesses in Northern Ireland could take advantage of a Heathrow logistics hub. Ballykelly in my constituency has a large available land base, a seaport close by, an airport next door to it, and a railway line that runs through it. Does the Minister think that is an excellent location for such a hub and… tech business?
Hansard · 2 Jul 2025 · parliament.uk
SY
Steve Yemm
What recent discussions he has had with technology businesses on investing in Northern Ireland.
ED
Emily Darlington
What recent discussions he has had with technology businesses on investing in Northern Ireland.
NC
Neil Coyle
What recent discussions he has had with technology businesses on investing in Northern Ireland.
FA
Fleur Anderson
I take every opportunity to promote investment into Northern Ireland, and our tech companies in particular. I recently spoke at the Big Data conference in New York and at London Tech Week to highlight our cutting-edge companies in Northern Ireland. I held a roundtable with tech business leaders and visited Catagen in B…
SY
Steve Yemm
I wonder if the Minister might outline the many good reasons for technology companies to invest in Northern Ireland and tell us what she has done to promote that great opportunity?
Glastonbury Festival: BBC Coverage30 Jun 2025
GC
Gregory Campbell
I thank the Secretary of State for her statement and the sentiments contained therein, but would she agree that in the run-up to the festival it was clear to many of us, given the track record of some of the participants, that this, or something like it, was going to happen? The Government were aware… that something was going to happen, as was the BBC, yet still it happened. Where does the sanction lie, who is going to implement the sanction, and when are we going to know what it is?
Hansard · 30 Jun 2025 · parliament.uk
LN
Lisa Nandy
With permission, Madam Deputy Speaker, I would like to make a statement about the events at Glastonbury over the weekend. Members of Parliament will have seen, as I have, the appalling and unacceptable scenes at Glastonbury on Saturday, where chants of “death to the IDF” and “river to the sea” among others were broadca…
CN
Caroline Nokes
I call the shadow Secretary of State.
SA
Stuart Andrew
I thank the Secretary of State for her statement, for advance sight of it and for her tone. I have always been a strong advocate for the BBC, which is a cornerstone of British public life with a proud history of cultural contribution. The events of the weekend, however, have made that incredibly difficult. During cover…
LN
Lisa Nandy
All those involved in the events of this weekend will hear the very strong feelings on both sides of the House, so I am grateful to the right hon. Gentleman for that. I share his view about the importance of the BBC. Those of us who believe in the importance of our national broadcaster are probably more angry than anyb…
GS
Gareth Snell
As well as the despicable chants, the monologue that preceded them by the artist in question clearly drew on the influence of Jewish power in music, an age-old antisemitic trope. Could the Secretary of State say a bit more about what conversations she will have with the BBC, not just on what it broadcasts but on what w…
Health Science and Innovation25 Jun 2025
GC
Gregory Campbell
The Minister will be aware that the life and health sciences launchpad in Northern Ireland has so far funded 32 business-led projects. That is good news, but 23 of the projects are in the Greater Belfast area. Will the Minister join me and others in our efforts to ensure that there is greater knowledge about… the launchpad across the whole of Northern Ireland so that we can all benefit from this very worthwhile project?
Hansard · 25 Jun 2025 · parliament.uk
ED
Emily Darlington
What assessment he has made of the potential impact of funding for health science and innovation on the UK’s global influence.
CB
Chris Bryant
From the development of vaccines to the discovery of the structure of DNA, British medical innovation has played a fundamental role in changing the lives of people globally and extending the UK’s global influence. Our industrial strategy and forthcoming life sciences sector plan will put the UK at the very centre of gl…
ED
Emily Darlington
As the Minister will know, Gavi and the Global Fund not only provide a global vaccine programmes and programmes on saving lives from malaria and HIV, but provide us with biosecurity and jobs in the UK, not least over 500 research and development jobs and funding for the institute of tropical medicine. What assessment h…
CB
Chris Bryant
Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance is absolutely essential, not only for other countries in the world, where we have managed to save many lives by introducing vaccines, but for UK innovation. We are fully committed to Gavi. We will be producing our life sciences sector plan soon, and we want to celebrate the sector, which repr…
CB
Chris Bryant
Yes, indeed. When I was talking about the creative industries sector plan as part of the industrial strategy last week, exactly the same point was made. Belfast is obviously a great centre for innovation and the creative industries, but we need to make sure that the sector extends across the whole of Northern Ireland. …
Topical Questions24 Jun 2025
GC
Gregory Campbell
Can the Foreign Secretary declare from the Dispatch Box that an Iran with no nuclear weapons is now a more likely prospect as a result of the actions of the Israeli and American forces over the past 10 days?
Hansard · 24 Jun 2025 · parliament.uk
DF
Daniel Francis
If he will make a statement on his departmental responsibilities.
DL
David Lammy
Britain is at the heart of diplomatic efforts to de-escalate the situation in the middle east. We are clear that Iran must never have a nuclear weapon. While at the UK, EU, G7 and NATO summits and in my engagements from the high north to north Africa, the Government have been delivering security and growth for the Brit…
DF
Daniel Francis
I know that this House, alongside my constituents across Bexleyheath and Crayford, welcomes the sanctions taken against two Israeli officials earlier this month. What discussions are the UK Government holding with our international partners regarding further actions that could be taken in relation to the incitement of …
DL
David Lammy
My hon. Friend will have seen that we worked with Australia, Canada, New Zealand and Norway on taking those sanctions against Ben-Gvir and Smotrich. I cannot speculate on future sanctions, but I reassure him that we are co-ordinating with our allies. He will know that on the issue of humanitarian aid, for example, 26 c…
LH
Lindsay Hoyle
I call the shadow Foreign Secretary.
UK Modern Industrial Strategy23 Jun 2025
GC
Gregory Campbell
The Secretary of State will be aware of the future towns funds, one of which is in Coleraine in my constituency. I want to see many more apprenticeships created through that fund. Will the modern industrial strategy that he has unveiled today be flexible enough to allow funds like that to utilise it to get… additional resources, to make them even more successful than they have been so far?
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.
Public Bodies: British Produce19 Jun 2025
GC
Gregory Campbell
Many GB-based horticultural companies, as well as other companies, want to supply British produce into Northern Ireland, but have difficulty with the bureaucracy and paperwork required by the procedures implemented some years ago. Will the Minister operate in concert with his colleagues in Cabinet and Government to eliminate the bureaucratic problems that are preventing those… companies from supplying UK citizens in Northern Ireland?
Hansard · 19 Jun 2025 · parliament.uk
RH
Rachel Hopkins
What steps he is taking to encourage public bodies to prioritise the purchase of British produce.
DZ
Daniel Zeichner
We have a strong ambition that half of all food purchased across the public sector should be locally produced or certified to higher environmental standards. The new national procurement policy statement requires Government contracts to favour products that are certified to higher environmental standards, which we beli…
RH
Rachel Hopkins
Both beef and crop farmers in my constituency tell me how important it is to produce high-quality food and contribute to UK food security. Can the Minister outline what conversations he has had with public bodies to encourage them to prioritise purchasing local British produce, and to maximise the social value of UK fo…
DZ
Daniel Zeichner
I thank my hon. Friend and relatively near neighbour for her question. We are in constant dialogue to achieve exactly that objective. She will have noticed last week’s announcement on the extension of free school meals to everyone on universal credit, which is a key plank of our food strategy. It is exactly those kinds…
DZ
Daniel Zeichner
The hon. Gentleman makes an important point. It is exactly why we wanted to improve our relationship with the European Union. We have negotiated and are undertaking further negotiations to improve those systems to very much help people to achieve that. We genuinely believe there are real opportunities here if we can el…
People Smugglers: Prosecution19 Jun 2025
GC
Gregory Campbell
Does the Solicitor General understand the frustration, annoyance and anger of many people in the United Kingdom about the fact that we are paying the French authorities many millions of pounds to do what appears—at the moment anyway—to be very little to smash the gangs that we keep being told will be smashed?
Hansard · 19 Jun 2025 · parliament.uk
DR
Dave Robertson
What steps she is taking to help ensure the effective prosecution of people smugglers.
LR
Lucy Rigby
The Government are taking the serious, robust and tough action needed to secure our borders. That is why we are giving the police counter-terror powers to deal with people-smuggling gangs. We have backed that with a funding boost to the CPS to enhance its capacity to prosecute cases involving these appalling cross-bord…
DR
Dave Robertson
People across Lichfield, Burntwood and the villages want the Government to get a grip on people-smuggling in the channel after the previous Government’s dereliction of duty. Too many lives are at risk; too many people are making that dangerous crossing. Although it is great news that police are working hard, and have a…
LR
Lucy Rigby
My hon. Friend is absolutely right: it is vital that police and prosecutors work together to bring people smugglers to justice, and that our criminal justice system sends a clear message that people smuggling will be met with hefty jail terms. I am pleased to tell him that an offender who played a leading role in an or…
LR
Lucy Rigby
International partnerships are an incredibly important part of our plan to smash the gangs. Our recent work with the French Government in particular is bearing a great deal of fruit. In fact, we hope that the French will soon be able to address the situation that they currently cannot: when would-be migrants are in sha…
Business of the House19 Jun 2025
GC
Gregory Campbell
Electronic travel authorisations were first introduced in Northern Ireland just six months ago. Despite having put down several written parliamentary questions, I cannot seem to establish from the Home Office how many people have not had a valid ETA in the past six months. May we have a debate in Government time to establish the… veracity of the numbers of ETAs that have been issued and of those who have not had them in the past six months?
Hansard · 19 Jun 2025 · parliament.uk
LH
Lindsay Hoyle
I call the acting shadow Leader of the House.
JM
Joy Morrissey
Will the Leader of the House give us the forthcoming business?
LP
Lucy Powell
The business for the week commencing 23 June includes: Monday 23 June —General debate on Pride Month. Tuesday 24 June —Estimates day (2nd allotted day). There will be debates on estimates relating to the Department for Education; the Department of Health and Social Care; and the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Loc…
JM
Joy Morrissey
I would like to start by congratulating the right hon. Lady. This is the third time I have had the pleasure of responding to her at business questions, and they have proved to be remarkably fruitful encounters. At our first encounter, I asked her to press the Chancellor to U-turn on winter fuel payments. The Leader of …
LP
Lucy Powell
I know the whole House will be following the unfolding events in the middle east carefully and with a great deal of concern. I assure the House that the Government are working with our partners to urge de-escalation and diplomacy, as well as continuing to engage very closely on the situation in Gaza, for aid to get in …
Warm Home Discount: Extension10 Jun 2025
GC
Gregory Campbell
Happy birthday to you, Mr Speaker. The Government are targeting measures based on people’s income, but will they look at the issue of rural homes? Many thousands of people live in poorly insulated homes in isolated areas; families there are left in the cold in the winter.
Hansard · 10 Jun 2025 · parliament.uk
SB
Sureena Brackenridge
What assessment he has made of the potential impact of extending the warm home discount to all households in receipt of means-tested benefits on people receiving those benefits.
DA
Debbie Abrahams
What assessment he has made of the potential impact of extending the warm home discount to all households in receipt of means-tested benefits on people receiving those benefits.
NC
Nesil Caliskan
What assessment he has made of the potential impact of extending the warm home discount to all households in receipt of means-tested benefits on people receiving those benefits.
MF
Miatta Fahnbulleh
Happy birthday, Mr Speaker. We are extending the warm home discount to more than 6 million households, doubling the number of families that will get support this winter. That is the difference that a Labour Government make. We are providing support for those who need it while we sprint to clean power by 2030, so that w…
SB
Sureena Brackenridge
A very happy birthday to you, Mr Speaker. I welcome the extension of the warm home discount to all households on means-tested benefits from this winter. Many low-income households were excluded because their homes were not classed as having a high cost to heat. In Wolverhampton North East, only 18% of households benefi…
Economic Growth21 May 2025
GC
Gregory Campbell
Economic growth will be supported by physical connectivity. One example is the new Grand Central station in Belfast, where there is some controversy over Irish language signage. The Secretary of State has commented that there are “so many more important things” in which to be involved, but, setting that view to one side, can he… confirm that if there were no Executive at Stormont, he, as Secretary of State, would be in a position to make decisions on that and other equally important issues?
Hansard · 21 May 2025 · parliament.uk
KM
Katrina Murray
What assessment he has made of the adequacy of economic growth in Northern Ireland.
HB
Hilary Benn
Economic growth is this Government’s priority, and our industrial strategy is central to that. It will be published in June, and will support the Executive’s plans for growth. The latest figures from the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency show that Northern Ireland experienced stronger growth than the Unit…
KM
Katrina Murray
Northern Ireland has a long and proud history of advanced engineering industries. What discussions has my right hon. Friend had with the Ministry of Defence to ensure that companies such as Spirit AeroSystems have access to the Government’s increased investment in defence?
HB
Hilary Benn
I am sure that my hon. Friend, and the whole House, welcomes the recently announced increase in defence expenditure. Northern Ireland has a strong and significant defence sector, and Spirit is part of that. The Secretary of State for Defence has made it very clear that he wants the increased expenditure to result in mo…
HB
Hilary Benn
The new Grand Central station is a magnificent piece of infrastructure, and I recommend any Members who have not yet had a chance to visit it to do so. I am not contemplating for one second that there will not be an Executive in place. Perhaps the single most important contribution that the Executive can make to contin…
Topical Questions20 May 2025
GC
Gregory Campbell
The roll-out of banking hubs is helping to a small degree, but what plans do the Government have to increase the number of banking hubs beyond those in the pipeline?
Hansard · 20 May 2025 · parliament.uk
RD
Rosie Duffield
If she will make a statement on her departmental responsibilities.
RR
Rachel Reeves
This Government are securing economic growth. Last week, the numbers published showed that the economy grew by 0.7% in the first quarter of this year, including an 8% increase year on year in investment spending. We are now the fastest-growing economy in the G7. Since the general election, there have been four cuts in …
RD
Rosie Duffield
Westminster is once again buzzing with the latest U-turns, speculation and briefings over the Chancellor’s policies on the winter fuel allowance and the two-child benefit cap. There is less of a buzz for the visitors to Canterbury food bank, however, which last month distributed enough food to make 13,545 meals, in a 4…
RR
Rachel Reeves
The only reason that we have been able to grow the economy and get those cuts in interest rates, which help working families in Canterbury and right across our country, is because we have returned stability to our economy. That means never making a policy commitment without being able to say where the money comes from,…
DJ
Darren Jones
I join my hon. Friend in welcoming the official opening of the Charles Hammond berth. As she knows, we set up Great British Energy in Scotland, bringing forward £300 million of investment ahead of the spending review to secure jobs and supply chains. Funding for the Port of Cromarty Firth, announced in March, is expect…
UK-EU Summit20 May 2025
GC
Gregory Campbell
The Prime Minister has spent the past hour and a half indicating the benefits that he sees from the deal. Does he recognise that a potentially toxic side effect of the deal is that some on the left of UK politics will see this as the first step towards rowing back on what the people… voted for nine years ago, while those on the right of UK politics will see a determination to stop them? Rather than the deal bringing people together, it could therefore cause toxic division.
Hansard · 20 May 2025 · parliament.uk
KS
Keir Starmer
With permission, I will update the House on the three recent trade deals that we have struck in the national interest. First, however, I would like to say something about the horrific situation in Gaza, where the level of suffering, with innocent children being bombed again, is utterly intolerable. Over the weekend we …
LH
Lindsay Hoyle
Order. The Prime Minister is correct.
KS
Keir Starmer
This is not the full list, but the new partnership has been backed by the Federation of Small Businesses, the CBI, the British Retail Consortium, Asda, Morrisons, Salmon Scotland, the Food & Drink Federation, the British Chamber of Commerce, Ryanair, Vodafone and producers of meat, milk and poultry—the list goes on and…
LH
Lindsay Hoyle
I call the Leader of the Opposition.
KB
Kemi Badenoch
When Labour negotiates, Britain loses. The Prime Minister talks about a hat trick of deals—they are own goals. In 2020, the Conservatives concluded the trade and co-operation agreement, the largest and most comprehensive free trade agreement in the world. We agreed to come back in five years with improved terms. This r…
Points of Order20 May 2025
GC
Gregory Campbell
On a point of order, Madam Deputy Speaker. You will be aware that I and other colleagues have been raising the issue of UK residents in Northern Ireland, many of whom have lived here for decades as taxpayers and voters, but who were born a few miles across the border in the Irish Republic. They… have not been able to avail themselves of a UK passport in the same way as others who live in Northern Ireland can obtain an Irish passport. This was brought to a head by my right hon. Friend the Member for Belfast East (Gavin Robinson) exactly one year ago this week, when his Bill received Royal Assent and became law. Despite my repeated parliamentary questions to the Home Secretary, I have been unable even to get a date by which the first UK passports will be issued to people in Northern Ireland. Has the Home Secretary or a Home Office Minister indicated to the Speaker’s Office their intention to make a statement to the House, to finally announce when this injustice will end?
Hansard · 20 May 2025 · parliament.uk
MP
Mark Pritchard
On a point of order, Madam Deputy Speaker. I think that today we have had the heavy assent from the Foreign Secretary that, ahead of the Palestinian state discussions led by Saudi Arabia and France at the UN in June, the British Government are on their way to recognising a Palestinian state, which I would welcome. But …
NG
Nusrat Ghani
I think the right hon. Member knows that that point of order is a matter not for the Chair, but for the Government. No doubt the Foreign Secretary and those on the Front Bench will have heard him and will respond in due course.
KM
Kit Malthouse
Further to that point of order, Madam Deputy Speaker. I wonder whether you can remind the House what the processes are for us to obtain an emergency debate under Standing Order No. 24 , on the basis that this situation is so dire and so acute that a number of us may wish to apply for such a debate.
NG
Nusrat Ghani
I and the right hon. Member both came into Parliament together. He knows how to obtain a Standing Order No. 24 debate, so he does not need me to remind him of the process. He will get much advice from the Speaker’s Office. Without doubt, the strength of feeling has been heard repeatedly, in the statement and in those t…
NG
Nusrat Ghani
I am grateful to the hon. Member for giving notice of this point of order. I have had no indication from Ministers that they intend to come to the House to make a statement on this matter, but I note that it is Home Office questions on Monday and he still has time to table an oral question to the Home Secretary.
Counter Terrorism Policing: Arrests6 May 2025
GC
Gregory Campbell
I join the Minister in paying tribute to our security services and their endeavours to keep us all safe. Does he agree that the issue of how these suspects get into the United Kingdom in the first place is crucial? Has he addressed with the Irish Republic’s Government the issue of people who come here… not directly, but under the radar, via Dublin, and who then go into Northern Ireland and to mainland GB?
Hansard · 6 May 2025 · parliament.uk
DJ
Dan Jarvis
With permission, Mr Speaker, I will make a statement on the series of national security-related arrests that took place on Saturday 3 May . Protecting our national security is the first duty of Government, and it is a testament to our world-leading law enforcement and intelligence services that, through their tireless …
MV
Matt Vickers
I thank the Minister for providing advance sight of his statement on this critical issue. People will have read the deeply concerning report suggesting that an attack may have been just hours away, and this will understandably be worrying to people across the country. This statement reminds us of the tragic incidents t…
DJ
Dan Jarvis
I thank the shadow Minister for the sensible, reasonable and constructive tone of his response. He is absolutely right to draw the House’s attention to the tragic death of Lee Rigby, the tragic bombing in Manchester and, of course, the 20th anniversary of the 7/7 bombings that we will be commemorating in a couple of mo…
BG
Barry Gardiner
The Minister will be aware that a number of Iranian citizens in this country still have relatives in Iran, and it is not beyond the wit of the Iranian Government to use that pressure on them. In requiring the citizens of Iran in this country to report to our Government if they are in any way connected to the Iranian Go…
DJ
Dan Jarvis
My hon. Friend raises a very important point, and I can give him the assurances he seeks. The Government have been very carefully considering the matter of transnational repression. The Home Secretary and I will have more to say in the near future, but I can give him absolute assurance that we have been thinking carefu…
UN Climate Change Conference 202529 Apr 2025
GC
Gregory Campbell
Given the sheer scale of the outages in Portugal and Spain over the past few days, is it likely that the conference will consider and possibly conclude that there is some correlation between the obsession with net zero and what happened in Portugal and Spain?
Hansard · 29 Apr 2025 · parliament.uk
MY
Mohammad Yasin
What discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on the UK’s priorities for the UN Climate Change Conference 2025.
KM
Kerry McCarthy
We are working closely with the Brazilian presidency to support a high-ambition outcome at COP30 in Belém which reflects the scale of the challenge and our shared 1.5° goal. That includes ambitious new nationally determined contributions and the effective implementation of the global stocktake commitments, as well as a…
MY
Mohammad Yasin
It was encouraging to see the Prime Minister’s commitment to going further and faster towards net zero at the international energy summit last week, because not taking action on climate change will cost us much more. Does the Minister agree that clean energy is not only good for the planet, but can give my constituents…
KM
Kerry McCarthy
My hon. Friend is right. Other countries are looking to us. The conference last week was a good example of us being back in the business of global leadership. Whether it is through the Global Clean Power Alliance or our national mission to be a clean energy superpower, we are spearheading the transition because it is c…
TT
Thomas Tugendhat
I welcome the announcement made only a few days ago that the Government will adopt the amendment to the Great British Energy Bill to prevent slave-made goods, meaning that they will not be balancing their environmental consciences on the backs of some of the world’s most endangered and troubled individuals in the Uyghu…
Irish Republican Alleged Incitement29 Apr 2025
GC
Gregory Campbell
The Minister has responded to the urgent question and given an unequivocal condemnation, which I am sure is shared across the House. Does he understand, though, that many of us have suffered threats down through the years? We have the plaques in the Chamber for those who have suffered and paid the ultimate sacrifice. Does… he agree that while that condemnation is universal across the Chamber, our comments amount to diddly squat for the group concerned, but the actions that follow from the Minister’s words would matter? Will he come back to the House after he has taken the actions he has undertaken to take to update Members and the general public on them?
Hansard · 29 Apr 2025 · parliament.uk
MF
Mark Francois
(Urgent Question): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if she will make a statement on the alleged incitement to murder Members of Parliament by the Irish republican group Kneecap.
DJ
Dan Jarvis
I thank the right hon. Gentleman for his urgent question. Let us never forget that we lost two Members of this House, Jo Cox and Sir David Amess, in tragic circumstances. Both Jo and Sir David were passionate advocates for their constituents, and they cared deeply about a range of issues and embodied the finest democra…
MF
Mark Francois
Two MPs—Jo Cox and Sir David Amess—have been murdered within the past decade, in the line of duty while meeting their constituents. Frankly, that could have been any of us. I should like to ask the Home Secretary, albeit in absentia, four specific questions. First, how long is this counter-terrorist police inquiry like…
DJ
Dan Jarvis
I am genuinely grateful to the right hon. Gentleman for bringing forward this matter, because it provides us with an opportunity to discuss these issues, which is something I have been keen to do for some time. Let me gently say to him that he mentioned the name of the band on a number of occasions. I deliberately did …
DJ
Dan Jarvis
If the right hon. Gentleman can be patient, he will hear the entirety of my response. It is not for Government Ministers to say who is going to appear at Glastonbury; it is for the organisers of the festival. As I have said, there is a live police investigation ongoing, so the Government urge the organisers of Glastonb…
Wealth Tax: Potential Merits8 Apr 2025
GC
Gregory Campbell
We support the Government in trying to determine a fair level of tax, especially for the very wealthy. However, will the Minister establish, if he can, the number of people who might leave the country as a result of a wealth tax, and therefore pay no income tax whatsoever?
Hansard · 8 Apr 2025 · parliament.uk
ND
Neil Duncan-Jordan
What recent assessment she has made of the potential merits of introducing a wealth tax.
BL
Brian Leishman
If she will make an assessment of the potential implications for her policies of the findings of Oxfam’s poll on taxation, published on 25 March 2025.
JM
James Murray
This Government are committed to ensuring that the wealthiest in our society pay their fair share of tax. The Chancellor announced a series of reforms at autumn Budget 2024 to help fix the public finances as fairly as possible. Those reforms included increasing the rates of capital gains tax, increasing air passenger d…
ND
Neil Duncan-Jordan
Analysis from a number of disability groups shows that the “Pathways to Work” Green Paper will have a detrimental effect on more than 3 million people, while polling from Oxfam shows that 77% of the public would rather the UK Government increased taxes on the very richest than cut the benefits of the poorest in society…
JM
James Murray
As I made clear earlier, the Government have already made changes to make the tax system fairer, and to ensure that the wealthiest pay their fair share. The reforms to the welfare system are principled reforms to tackle perverse incentives that encourage inactivity. We need to support those in most need, get people bac…
EU Tariffs: United States and Northern Ireland Economy8 Apr 2025
GC
Gregory Campbell
Businesses require clarity and certainty. Will the Secretary of State undertake to come back to the House as soon as we have that clarity and certainty? Will he ensure that the EU understands that the open border he keeps talking about is an unclosable border and tries to give businesses more certainty so that they… can develop in the future?
Hansard · 8 Apr 2025 · parliament.uk
AB
Alex Burghart
(Urgent Question): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will update the House on the likely impact on the Northern Irish economy of EU tariffs on the US.
HB
Hilary Benn
I am grateful to the hon. Gentleman for his question. As the Prime Minister has said, tariffs are not good news for anyone and no one wants a trade war. The Government are doing everything possible to keep Britain secure during this new era of global instability, and we will always act in the best interests of business…
LH
Lindsay Hoyle
I call the shadow Secretary of State.
AB
Alex Burghart
Thank you very much, Mr Speaker, for granting this urgent question. It is incredibly important that this House has the opportunity to question the Government on this issue before the Easter break and before the implementation of these tariffs. I have enormous respect for my opposite numbers in the Northern Ireland Offi…
HB
Hilary Benn
I am grateful to the hon. Gentleman for his questions. I am slightly surprised by his initial comment, because of course we touched on this matter in Northern Ireland oral questions—
Public Sector Reform2 Apr 2025
GC
Gregory Campbell
Will the Minister ensure that any future discussions with Northern Ireland Ministers about public sector reform include the need for employment practices and procedures in many parts of the public sector to result in workforces that are more broadly representative of the working-age population? The Unionist community has been under-represented in many sectors, including for… many years in the public sector.
Hansard · 2 Apr 2025 · parliament.uk
JR
Jenny Riddell-Carpenter
What discussions he has had with the Northern Ireland Executive on best practice for public sector reform.
FA
Fleur Anderson
Public sector reform is a priority for this Government, and I regularly meet with Northern Ireland Executive Ministers, unions and public service providers. Most recently, the Government and Executive agreed £129 million of funding for public service transformation for health, special educational needs, justice and was…
JR
Jenny Riddell-Carpenter
I welcome what the Minister said about public service reform being a shared challenge. Does she agree that it is in the interests of patients and people in Northern Ireland and England for the Executive and the Government to share knowledge and best practice?
FA
Fleur Anderson
I absolutely agree. Public service transformation is not just about funding; it is about how to spend the money that the Northern Ireland Executive has with the record £18.2 billion settlement. Health is devolved, but we work together to share best practice and expertise, as well as recently agreeing £61 million of fun…
FA
Fleur Anderson
Workforce challenges are a huge part of public service transformation. Workers across Northern Ireland do fantastic work in health, education and justice, and they need to be supported to do that and to be representative of the community. Workforce issues are devolved, but they are important, and supporting our workfor…
Topical Questions11 Mar 2025
GC
Gregory Campbell
If she will make a statement on her departmental responsibilities.
Hansard · 11 Mar 2025 · parliament.uk
SM
Shabana Mahmood
The Government inherited prisons on the point of collapse and a record and rising backlog in our courts. Eight months into office, the work of restoring justice in this country is well under way. Since the last Justice questions, I have announced record investment in our courts, and next year Crown courts will sit for …
SM
Shabana Mahmood
The hon. Gentleman makes an incredibly important point. Fixing the problems that he notes requires work by not just the Ministry of Justice, but the devolved Administrations and the Home Office. I will ensure that he can engage with the relevant Ministers on the issues he raises.
IL
Ian Lavery
Last year, assaults on prison staff were up by 19% and serious assaults were up by 22%, yet the pensionable age of prison officers is still 68—it is simply too late. Can the Minister update the House on any discussions he may have had with officials regarding that industrial injustice and say when these loyal public se…
ND
Nicholas Dakin
We recognise the unique and challenging role that prison officers play in protecting the public and reducing reoffending. The Lord Chancellor has requested advice from officials on the pension age of prison officers, and we will continue to engage with trade unions as we work through this complex issue while considerin…
LH
Lindsay Hoyle
I call the shadow Secretary of State.
GC
Gregory Campbell
On average, more than 130 people every week across the UK die from drug-related causes. That is more than 6,500 families and homes devasted each year by that tragic loss of life, including more than 200 in Northern Ireland alone. Will the Secretary of State commit to working with each of the devolved Administrations to…
European Remembrance Day for Victims of Terrorism11 Mar 2025
GC
Gregory Campbell
What concerns many people in Northern Ireland is that often, when things happen in Northern Ireland that are of a particular disposition, the Republic of Ireland’s Government will weigh in heavily to press our Government to do certain things. However, it seems that on many occasions when things happen on which our Government should make… representations to the Republic’s Government, they fail adequately to do so.
Hansard · 11 Mar 2025 · parliament.uk
GR
Gavin Robinson
Through you, Madam Deputy Speaker, may I thank Mr Speaker for selecting this Adjournment debate? Today is 11 March , and on every 11 March since the dreadful bombings in Madrid in 2004, it has been the European Remembrance Day for Victims of Terrorism. This occasion gives us the opportunity to reflect on terror and the…
JS
Jim Shannon
I commend my right hon. Friend for bringing forward this issue. His passion for victims is long-standing and admirable. Does he agree that we need to set in stone the truth about victims in Northern Ireland? For all the attention that is given to 10% of victims, the families of the 90% suffer in silence. Will this day …
GR
Gavin Robinson
I appreciate the intervention because there is a task on the part of the Government, with the legislation they are considering at the moment, on storytelling, reconciliation and the narrative that people wish to share. Their truth must be told and their truth known.
CH
Claire Hanna
I thank the right hon. Member for giving way; I know his time is precious. I want to associate myself with the remarks he made about Members of this House who were lost and about the moving visit we had last week with victims in Belfast and Fermanagh in relation to people who were murdered by perpetrators from various …
GR
Gavin Robinson
I am very grateful for the intervention from the hon. Lady. I think she is right that we cannot squander the opportunity, but for too long now I have heard voices within the Government say that the one thing the parties of Northern Ireland can agree on is their opposition to the Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Re…
Economic Growth: New Transport Infrastructure4 Mar 2025
GC
Gregory Campbell
Economic growth through infrastructure development could be helped in Scotland and Northern Ireland with more money going to Cairnryan port and the road infrastructure to it. Allied to that, any help that the Department, the Minister and the Chancellor could give in resolving EU-related trading issues would considerably help Northern Ireland business as well as… Scottish business.
Hansard · 4 Mar 2025 · parliament.uk
KB
Kevin Bonavia
What steps she is taking with Cabinet colleagues to increase economic growth through new transport infrastructure.
DR
Dave Robertson
What steps she is taking with Cabinet colleagues to increase economic growth through new transport infrastructure.
DJ
Darren Jones
The growth mission is the central mission of this Government, and transport is an important enabler of that growth. The spending review delivered a £1.1 billion cash increase to the transport budget in 2025-26 compared with 2024-25, representing 1.5% real-terms growth with record spending. Further announcements will be…
KB
Kevin Bonavia
In my constituency, Stevenage borough council is working to secure jobs and opportunity, with town centre regeneration under way and over 590 council homes delivered, but outdated infrastructure is holding back growth. Businesses have been clear with me that upgrading Stevenage station gateway would unlock growth, with…
DJ
Darren Jones
My hon. Friend is absolutely right that investing in infrastructure will enable growth in cities, towns and villages across the whole of our United Kingdom. We will set out further detail alongside the spending review in our 10-year infrastructure strategy in June. No doubt Stevenage, being sited between London and the…
Plan for Neighbourhoods4 Mar 2025
GC
Gregory Campbell
I welcome the Minister’s statement. It is indeed very welcome in Northern Ireland, where it affects Coleraine and Londonderry in my patch. The 10-year period is particularly welcome as it allows for planning and for proposals to be put in place. Can he assure us that, towards the end of this Parliament, we will review… the plan to see if it is possible to develop it and to become very focused on trying to get benefit for our constituents?
Hansard · 4 Mar 2025 · parliament.uk
AN
Alex Norris
With permission, Madam Deputy Speaker, I shall make a statement about the Government’s plan for neighbourhoods. The defining mission of this Government is delivering economic growth and driving up living standards. In that pursuit we are determined that nowhere is left behind, because, as every Member of this House wil…
DS
David Simmonds
Much in this statement builds on the work of the previous Government, and we share the new Government’s ambitions for the growth and renewal of our neighbourhoods and high streets, which are so fundamental to our constituents’ quality of life. As the Minister knows, there is a history behind this statement that links b…
AN
Alex Norris
I am grateful to the Opposition spokesperson for those questions. He is right to say that this plan builds on the previous long-term plan for towns commitment, which is why we thought it prudent to retain the same recipient areas. That promise has been made, and it should be kept. However, when I entered the Department…
AN
Alex Norris
I believe that the best value for money is when communities have the tools and resources to shape place themselves, according to their criteria, rather than mine. That is how we drive change.
CN
Caroline Nokes
I call the Chair of the Select Committee.
Trade Diversion and Windsor Framework4 Mar 2025
GC
Gregory Campbell
The Secretary of State has outlined that on a number of occasions, both he and the Under-Secretary have responded to issues that the hon. and learned Member for North Antrim (Jim Allister) has raised. He will be aware that I wrote to him about a month ago about the problems with horticultural industry trade between… Scotland and Northern Ireland, but I have yet to get a response.
Hansard · 4 Mar 2025 · parliament.uk
JA
Jim Allister
The issue of diversion of trade is becoming an increasing problem of manifold proportions for Northern Ireland. Before the protocol, goods could be moved from Birmingham to Belfast as easily as they could be moved from Gloucester to Glasgow, but no more. The resulting Irish sea border, and all that comes with it, has c…
JS
Jim Shannon
Will the hon. Member give way?
JA
Jim Allister
Perhaps in a moment. We also see that in the purchase of goods figures that NISRA reports. It has given us figures from 2020, contrasting them in a table with those for 2023. The year 2023 was only the beginning of things getting difficult, as the Irish sea border did not in effect come into place until October 2023 be…
RS
Robin Swann
Will the hon. and learned Gentleman give way?
JA
Jim Allister
In a moment, perhaps. I need to make sure I get through what I need to say. It is beyond doubt, I would respectfully say, that there has been trade diversion. Back in September, the Road Haulage Association gave evidence to a parliamentary Committee of this House. It told the Committee that 30% of haulage lorries that …
GC
Gregory Campbell
The Secretary of State is being very generous with his time. He just said most goods are flowing freely. Does he not agree that he should amend that to say, “In certain sectors, most goods are flowing freely, but in certain other sectors, they most certainly are not”?
Movement of Horticultural Goods26 Feb 2025
GC
Gregory Campbell
Whether he has had recent discussions with horticultural suppliers in Great Britain on the supply of goods to consumers in Northern Ireland.
Hansard · 26 Feb 2025 · parliament.uk
FA
Fleur Anderson
The Secretary of State has met suppliers, and my officials meet regularly with horticultural industry representatives. The next meeting of the horticultural working group is in two days’ time, and the Government are committed to addressing the outstanding issues on horticultural products to ensure that these can move s…
FA
Fleur Anderson
Officials from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs are following up specifically with the companies that are most affected, such as seed shipping companies. Shipping seeds is allowed, using phytosanitary certificates, but business-to-business posting is currently smoother than business-to-consumer po…
LH
Lindsay Hoyle
I call the Chair of the Select Committee.
TA
Tonia Antoniazzi
I thank the Minister for her answer, but we want to know more detail of the progress that the horticultural working group is making on resolving the issues to do with the movements of plants and cut flowers from GB to NI under the Windsor framework. Can she please update us on that as a matter of urgency?
FA
Fleur Anderson
I can provide more updates. The banned plants are being worked through species-by-species. There were 11 in 2023 and 10 in 2024, and we are working through each one of those. The working group is taking each of those on a case-by-case basis and working through each issue as it arises.
GC
Gregory Campbell
The situation remains difficult. In fact, the Horticultural Trades Association said that it remains “impossible” for some retailers who are trying to order products from GB-based companies for consumers in Northern Ireland. Everyone can complain about that, but some of us are trying to do something about it. The Govern…
Conflict in Sudan25 Feb 2025
GC
Gregory Campbell
The Foreign Secretary indicated that he would engage in further discussions, along with the African Union. Given that there are about 9 million displaced people in one of the most significant, if not the most significant, humanitarian catastrophes that the world faces today, will he impress on the African Union and partners the need for… urgent action to try to resolve this situation?
Hansard · 25 Feb 2025 · parliament.uk
RM
Rachael Maskell
What steps he is taking with his international counterparts to help de-escalate the conflict in Sudan.
DL
David Lammy
Ending the conflict in Sudan is a personal priority for me. I recently visited the Adré border with the Chadian Foreign Minister to increase international attention on Sudan, and to meet Sudanese civilians who are bearing the brunt of this crisis. I am happy to announce that I will convene Foreign Ministers in London i…
RM
Rachael Maskell
I thank the Foreign Secretary for all that he is doing. As in so many conflicts, the discourse about this brutal Sudanese war is being fuelled by external actors with economic and mineral interests in Sudan, and with interests in wider geopolitical agitation, such as Russia; Egypt, with its support for the Sudanese Arm…
DL
David Lammy
My hon. Friend will be pleased to hear that I raised these issues in my contribution at the G20. I had a lengthy discussion with Amina Mohammed of the United Nations, with the Foreign Minister of Angola, and with President Ramaphosa on the situation in Sudan. I am looking forward to convening this conference in London,…
DL
David Lammy
The hon. Gentleman is right to ask that question. I went to the Adré crossing not just to spend time with the overwhelming number of women and children who are fleeing the conflict, but to announce £20 million in additional support for refugees and, in particular, for access to reproductive and sexual health services o…
Points of Order25 Feb 2025
GC
Gregory Campbell
On a point of order, Madam Deputy Speaker. Many people will have become aware of the recent controversy regarding the BBC’s decision to broadcast on its iPlayer service the documentary “Gaza: How to Survive a Warzone”. It only withdraw it after public outcry. It featured the son of a Hamas deputy Minister, and there has… been the further revelation in the past 24 hours that the cameraman on the film put up a celebratory tweet after the 7 October massacre. The Culture Secretary has already indicated publicly that she wants to speak to the director general of the BBC about this outrageous lack of due diligence, but has she indicated to the Speaker’s Office that she intends to make a statement to the House, to allow right hon. and hon. Members to seek further clarification and get answers for the wider public?
Hansard · 25 Feb 2025 · parliament.uk
LA
Lee Anderson
On a point of order, Madam Deputy Speaker. During the statement on defence and security, the leader of the Scottish National party, the right hon. Member for Aberdeen South (Stephen Flynn) , described Reform UK MPs as Putin’s puppets and said that they were missing from the Chamber during the statement. That is not tru…
NG
Nusrat Ghani
I am grateful to the hon. Member for giving notice of his point of order, although it was slightly longer than what he provided notice of. I have no doubt that he let the right hon. Member for Aberdeen South (Stephen Flynn) know that he would be speaking about him. The hon. Member should know that it is not appropriate…
NG
Nusrat Ghani
I am grateful to the hon. Member for giving notice of his point of order. I have not received any indication that a Minister intends to make a statement to the House on this matter, but Department for Culture, Media and Sport questions will be on Thursday, and I am sure that the Table Office can advise him on how to pu…
Hospices11 Feb 2025
GC
Gregory Campbell
The magnificent work done by those who work in hospices, including the four in Northern Ireland, needs to be reflected in the funding formula. Will the Minister undertake to discuss with ministerial colleagues the need for the Treasury to review that funding formula, particularly in relation to devolved settlements?
Hansard · 11 Feb 2025 · parliament.uk
JN
James Naish
What steps his Department is taking to support hospices.
KO
Kate Osamor
What steps his Department is taking to support hospices.
HU
Harpreet Uppal
What assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of long-term funding for hospices.
SK
Stephen Kinnock
Hospices provide vital care and support for patients and their families at the most difficult time. I am very proud that this Government have provided a £100 million capital funding boost for adult and children’s hospices over this year and next. We are currently finalising the delivery mechanism for this funding, and …
JN
James Naish
While I wholeheartedly welcome the £100 million capital funding boost for hospices announced before Christmas, 17 members of staff at Nottinghamshire hospice, which is a large community-based hospice serving my constituency that provides care for family members in their own homes, have recently been told they are at ri…
Clonoe Inquest11 Feb 2025
GC
Gregory Campbell
Compounding the problems that the coroner has created with his comments is the fact that in the past whenever innocent people were killed, the judiciary has commented that attention should be drawn to those behind the scenes who send young men out to carry out the killing. These young men were sent out to kill;… they had murder in their minds. It is a pity that the coroner did not mention who was behind that—why are their names not being brought to public light? Does the Secretary of State agree that something like that might have helped a little to minimise the compounding problem created by the coroner’s comments at the time?
Hansard · 11 Feb 2025 · parliament.uk
LH
Lindsay Hoyle
Before I call the right hon. Member for Goole and Pocklington (David Davis) to ask his urgent question, I must remind hon. Members of the House’s rule relating to matters sub judice: Members should not refer to any matter that is currently before the courts. On 19 November , I granted a waiver in respect of the case of…
DD
David Davis
(Urgent Question): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland to make a statement on the coroner’s ruling in the Clonoe inquest.
HB
Hilary Benn
On 16 February 1992 , a heavily armed unit of the Provisional IRA carried out an attack on Coalisland police station armed with a 12.7 mm heavy machine gun and three AKM rifles. Approximately 60 rounds were fired, but thankfully no one was injured. Following the attack, the IRA unit proceeding to a car park where they …
LH
Lindsay Hoyle
Order. There is no sub judice to the case that you have just mentioned. We must be clear on that. So please let us not try to use that as a barrier. I just want to be clear on that.
HB
Hilary Benn
I accept that entirely, Mr Speaker. I was merely pointing out, as I think your statement alluded to, that there is an ongoing civil case. We owe a great debt to our armed forces. The vast majority of those who served in Operation Banner during the troubles did so with distinction. They operated in the most dangerous an…
Scrutiny of European Statutory Instruments11 Feb 2025
GC
Gregory Campbell
On the lack of scrutiny, does the hon. and learned Member agree that as time goes on and the American Administration begin to look at what they may or may not do vis-à-vis trading arrangements with the EU, it is all the more important—it was important anyway—that we have close scrutiny, because of the deals… that may come about between the American Administration, the UK and possibly the EU?
Hansard · 11 Feb 2025 · parliament.uk
JA
Jim Allister
Scrutiny of the laws that we make and that bind us is very important, and it is exceedingly important when the origins of the laws are not within our own parliamentary framework. Of course, in the part of the United Kingdom from which I come, Northern Ireland, in over 300 areas the laws are made not by this House or th…
GS
Greg Smith
Does the hon. and learned Gentleman agree with me, as someone who sat on the European Scrutiny Committee in the last Parliament, that it is no surprise that the Labour Government do not want to scrutinise this legislation coming from the European Union, because for much of the last Parliament, with the exception of the…
JA
Jim Allister
I hear what the hon. Gentleman says and I do not gainsay it. If that is so, it is a very poor reflection on the interest in scrutiny. Not only do we have this lacuna in scrutiny of a year or more; we have the very unsatisfactory position of there being no transparency—there is no public list of all the imposed EU laws.…
JA
Jim Allister
Yes, and there is much talk about tariffs. Think of the conundrum that would be created if President Trump imposed tariffs on the EU. Northern Ireland, treated as EU territory, would, I presume, be subject to those tariffs, yet we are told that we are part of the United Kingdom. That is all because of the application t…
SW
Sammy Wilson
Does the hon. and learned Member accept that even when we had the European Scrutiny Committee, which was able to deal exclusively with such issues, there were many EU regulations that it did not have the opportunity to discuss? Given the importance of such regulations not just to Northern Ireland but, as he pointed out…
CPS Prosecutors6 Feb 2025
GC
Gregory Campbell
Given the backlog in Crown court appearances, and the increasing tide of knife crime as well as criminal activity against women and girls, what steps are the Department taking to ensure that the Crown Prosecution Service is adequately provided for so that justice is seen to be done in the wider community?
Hansard · 6 Feb 2025 · parliament.uk
DM
Douglas McAllister
What steps she is taking to ensure adequate numbers of Crown Prosecution Service prosecutors.
LR
Lucy Rigby
I would like to start by congratulating US Attorney General Pam Bondi on her confirmation yesterday. The Attorney General and I look forward to working closely with her on our long list of shared priorities. CPS prosecutors perform vital work to serve the public and deliver justice for victims. We have taken steps to s…
DM
Douglas McAllister
Will the Solicitor General join me in welcoming this Government’s increased funding of the Crown Prosecution Service for specialist sexual offence prosecution units? Does she agree that we must continue to tackle violence against women and girls across our nation, and will she join me in paying tribute to the dedicatio…
LR
Lucy Rigby
Absolutely; I am delighted to join my hon. Friend in paying tribute to police and prosecutors not only in his constituency, but right across the United Kingdom. He is right to welcome the increased funding that we have secured for the CPS. Our recently agreed settlement will ensure that the CPS can recruit more special…
LR
Lucy Rigby
The hon. Member makes an important point; this Government are working very hard to do that. The settlement for the CPS that I referred to was an extra £49 million, and it is spending some of that on increasing the number of prosecutors who are able to do the important work to which he refers.
Sentencing: Attendance of Offenders28 Jan 2025
GC
Gregory Campbell
There are a small number of people who, through due process, appear in court and are convicted, but who decline to come up to the court room for sentencing. The Secretary of State has indicated her intention to move on this. Does she agree that the Government need to show a very robust approach, so… that people who show disdain and contempt for the rule of law are shown that there is no room for manoeuvre and that they must and will appear in court?
Hansard · 28 Jan 2025 · parliament.uk
AM
Anneliese Midgley
If she will bring forward legislative proposals to enable courts to order the attendance of offenders at sentencing hearings.
SM
Shabana Mahmood
By failing to attend their sentencing hearings, criminals add insult to injury and deny victims and their families a vital part of seeing justice done. Iusb will be legislating to give judges the power to order attendance at sentencing hearings, and I will make it clear in the law that reasonable force can be used to m…
AM
Anneliese Midgley
I thank the Secretary of State for that positive response, and I thank her and the Prime Minister for meeting me and my constituent Cheryl Korbel, the mother of Olivia Pratt-Korbel, the nine-year-old who was tragically murdered in 2022. Cheryl is pleased that the Government have committed to implementing Olivia’s law w…
SM
Shabana Mahmood
I pay tribute to my hon. Friend for the work she is doing on behalf of her constituents. I was pleased to be able to discuss these matters with her. She is absolutely right, and it is crucial that we make progress in this area. We have committed to introducing that legislation before the summer, and I will, as I promis…
SM
Shabana Mahmood
The hon. Member is right. It is already expected that defendants will attend sentencing hearings, but we know that some take the opportunity not to face the families of their victims, which causes huge trauma to some of the families. We will clarify and put on a statutory footing the expectation of attendance at senten…
Sudan and Eastern DRC28 Jan 2025
GC
Gregory Campbell
The horrendous situation in Sudan, as the Foreign Secretary rightly said, calls for a common vision for a peaceful Sudan. Will he outline what detailed talks he has had with other nations outside of Russia and the UN, in order that that vision of a peaceful Sudan can be realised more quickly than would otherwise… be the case?
Hansard · 28 Jan 2025 · parliament.uk
DL
David Lammy
With permission, Madam Deputy Speaker, I will make a statement on the situation in Sudan and eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo. The latest conflict in Sudan has now lasted 21 months. This weekend, the Rapid Support Forces attacked the last functional hospital in the besieged city of El Fasher, in Darfur. The Wor…
CN
Caroline Nokes
I call the shadow Foreign Secretary.
PP
Priti Patel
I am grateful to the Foreign Secretary for advance sight of his statement and for the way he has spoken about Sudan and the DRC. Both conflicts are truly shocking, and are resulting in an ongoing displacement crisis, with millions of innocent people having to flee their homes. As he has highlighted in his statement and…
DL
David Lammy
I am grateful to the right hon. Lady. Of course, I know that she too draws some heritage from the African continent and so will take these issues very seriously. I also know the work of the right hon. Member for Sutton Coldfield (Mr Mitchell) before coming to office. He did a lot on the humanitarian aid side, particula…
LK
Laura Kyrke-Smith
I thank the Foreign Secretary for his updates, and for his clear and deeply felt commitment to Sudan. It is the largest humanitarian crisis on record, yet both of the warring parties are choking humanitarian access. The SAF have blocked the UN from reaching areas controlled by the RSF, while the RSF is increasingly imp…
Points of Order28 Jan 2025
GC
Gregory Campbell
On a point of order, Madam Deputy Speaker. You will be aware that there has been major disruption in Northern Ireland and, indeed, in parts of Scotland due to last week’s storms. Hundreds of thousands of homes, businesses and families were left without electricity, and some without water. Tens of thousands are still in the… same position five days later. I know the matter was raised yesterday in the House, but in rural areas, along with major disruption, they have no online facilities, meaning no business can be done, including last-minute tax returns to His Majesty’s Revenue and Customs. Has the Prime Minister, the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland or the Secretary of State for Scotland indicated that they will come to the House to spell out what additional steps they are proposing to help us bring this crisis to a speedy but overdue end?
Hansard · 28 Jan 2025 · parliament.uk
LT
Laura Trott
On a point of order, Madam Deputy Speaker. I seek your advice. The Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill is making its way through the House of Commons—indeed, we are well into the Committee stage—yet still we do not have an impact assessment to show what effect it will have. That impedes the ability of Members to prop…
NG
Nusrat Ghani
I am grateful to the right hon. Member for giving notice of her point of order. The Government’s own “Guide to Making Legislation” makes it clear that a final impact assessment must be made available alongside Bills introduced to Parliament. I do not know why that has not happened in this case, but clearly it is unsati…
NG
Nusrat Ghani
I am grateful to the hon. Member for giving notice of his point of order. I have had no indication that any Minister is coming to the House to make a statement today, but he will recall that the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster made a statement to the House yesterday, in which he described the measures the UK Gover…
CM
Chris McDonald
On a point of order, Madam Deputy Speaker. On 8 January , in response to a question on child protection, the Prime Minister told this House: “Reasonable people can agree or disagree on whether a further inquiry is necessary.”—[Official Report, 8 January 2025 ; Vol. 759, c. 836.] Yet over the past week, the hon. Member …
NG
Nusrat Ghani
I thank the hon. Member for giving notice of his point of order, and I note that he informed the hon. Member for Stockton West that he intended to refer to him in the Chamber. The Chair is not responsible for comments made by Members on social media, but I urge all Members to reflect carefully on the likely impact of w…
Legacy Discussions15 Jan 2025
GC
Gregory Campbell
Does the Secretary of State agree that the job of the commission in helping people to deal with the past is made much more difficult when we have reprehensible incidents such as Sinn Féin First Minister Michelle O’Neill attending and speaking at a commemoration of three IRA terrorists who died when the bomb they were… transporting through County Londonderry in 1971 exploded prematurely, killing them rather than the innocent people they intended to murder, and when we now have the possibility that the former Sinn Féin leader and terrorist Gerry Adams may be about to receive compensation?
Hansard · 15 Jan 2025 · parliament.uk
CH
Claire Hanna
What progress his Department has made on reforming the Independent Commission for Reconciliation and Information Recovery.
DS
David Smith
What discussions he has had with stakeholder groups on Northern Ireland's legacy.
HB
Hilary Benn
As I set out on 4 December , the Government have now begun the process of repealing and replacing the Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Act 2023 through a proposed remedial order, and we will bring forward primary legislation, including to reform the Independent Commission for Reconciliation and Inf…
CH
Claire Hanna
Nobel laureate Seamus Heaney described Sean Brown as a man of “goodwill and integrity” who represented something better than we have grown used to. We meet the day before his family are forced back to court, and in the week of the anniversary of the Kingsmill massacre; the sole survivor, brave Alan Black, is waiting fo…
HB
Hilary Benn
I have met both the Brown family and Alan Black, the sole survivor of the Kingsmill massacre. The trauma they have been through is hard for anyone else to appreciate. We all look forward to the publication of the ombudsman’s report on the Kingsmill massacre. I want to see a full investigation into the murder of Sean Br…
Care Quality Commission7 Jan 2025
GC
Gregory Campbell
Is the Minister indicating today that there will be a new start in the Care Quality Commission, and that things will change for both staff and the recipients of care?
Hansard · 7 Jan 2025 · parliament.uk
JF
Josh Fenton-Glynn
Whether he has made an assessment of the effectiveness of improvements made to the Care Quality Commission.
KS
Karin Smyth
In response to the report by Dr Penny Dash, we have made it clear that the CQC is not fit for purpose and requires significant reform. We have increased our oversight of the CQC to ensure implementation of the recommendations in Dr Dash’s review, and we will continue to monitor the CQC’s progress through this period of…
JF
Josh Fenton-Glynn
It is inarguable that the CQC needs improvement. Many who run care services in local authorities have little confidence in its performance. Does my hon. Friend agree that we could go some way to improving how it is viewed by looking at the use of single-word assessments, which create undue stress for social services le…
KS
Karin Smyth
My hon. Friend is right that confidence is the key word in the huge agenda that the CQC has to deliver. Dr Dash and Professor Mike Richards highlighted serious failings that need to be re-addressed. As one of our predecessors said, priorities are our language. Currently, a review of one or two-word ratings is not a pri…
KS
Karin Smyth
The hon. Gentleman makes an excellent point, particularly with regard to staff, who need support to continue their important work. A new start with new leadership is what they need, as well as implementation of the recommendations.
Banning Conversion Practices18 Dec 2024
GC
Gregory Campbell
In rolling out any legislation, will the Minister ensure that mature adults who, of their own volition, want to take part in discussions of gender issues in faith-based settings will not be restricted or inhibited from so doing?
Hansard · 18 Dec 2024 · parliament.uk
DA
Dan Aldridge
What steps she is taking to ban conversion practices.
KO
Kate Osborne
What steps she is taking to ban conversion practices.
NG
Nia Griffith
Conversion practices are abuse. They have no place in society and must be stopped. The Conservatives promised to ban conversion practices six years ago and failed to deliver. They then dropped it from their manifesto this summer. We are getting on with the job and working hard on legislation to deliver a trans-inclusiv…
DA
Dan Aldridge
Conversion practices trade and prosper on fear, prejudice and intolerance. Charities in Weston-super-Mare and across this country do amazing work to bring communities together to promote tolerance and tackle prejudice. Will the Minister outline what support the Government are providing to help charities deliver that vi…
NG
Nia Griffith
My hon. Friend is right that civil society plays a unique role in challenging prejudice and enabling more people to access the opportunities they deserve. A good example is Galop, the UK’s leading LGBT+ anti-violence charity, which provides a number of Government-funded support services, including on conversion practic…
National Wealth Fund: Opportunities for Industry17 Dec 2024
GC
Gregory Campbell
The fund’s title is the national wealth fund. Will the Minister outline what she intends to do to ensure that industries across the nation of the United Kingdom will benefit from it?
Hansard · 17 Dec 2024 · parliament.uk
JK
Jayne Kirkham
What discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on potential opportunities for industry under the national wealth fund.
LB
Lorraine Beavers
What discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on potential opportunities for industry under the national wealth fund.
ES
Euan Stainbank
What discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on potential opportunities for industry under the national wealth fund.
SJ
Sarah Jones
The national wealth fund is delivering a key manifesto commitment to set up a Government-backed investor—in some ways like the sovereign wealth funds we see in other countries—that will support the UK’s industrial strategy and economic growth. It will play a central role in our clean power mission by creating jobs in r…
JK
Jayne Kirkham
As the Minister knows, I am concerned about kick-starting floating offshore wind in the Celtic sea. The infrastructure and supply chain need building out quickly, but in a co-ordinated way, and the previous Government’s floating offshore wind manufacturing investment scheme was not enough to do that. Will the Minister …
Women’s State Pension Age Communication: PHSO Report17 Dec 2024
GC
Gregory Campbell
Many, many WASPI women will be appalled by the Secretary of State’s statement. When they look at today’s proceedings, would they be right in concluding that this Government were prepared to resolve the pensions of mineworkers, but not those of WASPI women?
Hansard · 17 Dec 2024 · parliament.uk
LK
Liz Kendall
With permission, Mr Speaker, I would like to make a statement on the investigation by the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman into the way that changes in the state pension age were communicated to women born in the 1950s. The state pension is the foundation for a secure retirement. That is why this Government a…
LH
Lindsay Hoyle
I call the shadow Secretary of State.
HW
Helen Whately
I thank the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions for advance sight of her statement, and I thank the ombudsman and his team for their work on this important matter. In March this year, the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman published its final report into the way that changes to the state pension age were c…
LK
Liz Kendall
I welcome the overall tone of the hon. Lady’s comments. I am glad that she is finally considering her party’s response to the ombudsman’s report, and I am sure that the whole House looks forward to its detailed response to the findings and recommendations, which were not provided when the Conservatives were in Governme…
GG
Gill German
This is clearly not a decision that the Secretary of State has taken lightly, and an apology on behalf of the Department for Work and Pensions is long overdue, but let us make no mistake: the responsibility for this lies squarely with the Conservative party, which oversaw the maladministration and kicked the can down t…
Points of Order17 Dec 2024
GC
Gregory Campbell
On a point of order, Madam Deputy Speaker. Claimants of pension credit, which gives entitlement to the winter fuel allowance, have to apply by this weekend to qualify for this year’s winter fuel allowance. Has the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions indicated that she will come to the House today or tomorrow to… make a statement about the urgent need for those on pension credit to apply—tens of thousands have not yet done so—if they are to avail themselves of what they appear to be denied?
Hansard · 17 Dec 2024 · parliament.uk
CN
Caroline Nokes
I thank the hon. Member for giving notice of his point of order, which reiterates a point that came up yesterday in Work and Pensions oral questions—and, indeed, in the Chamber this afternoon. I am sure that all Members will play their part in ensuring that constituents are aware of the benefits, including pension tax …
GW
Gavin Williamson
On a point of order, Madam Deputy Speaker. I am sorry for not giving you advance notice of this. The ombudsman of this House has been completely ignored, as was demonstrated by the statement. How can this House hold the Government to account and make sure that we hear the voice of every single Member on whether they ar…
CN
Caroline Nokes
I thank the right hon. Member for that point of order. He has put his point on the record, and he will be aware that the Secretary of State specifically responded to that point throughout the statement.
BBC Charter Review17 Dec 2024
GC
Gregory Campbell
The outcome of the BBC charter review has been awaited for a considerable time. Let me begin by quoting a sentence that has been quoted on many previous occasions: “The Mission of the BBC is to act in the public interest, serving all audiences through the provision of impartial, high-quality and distinctive output and services… which inform, educate and entertain.” As someone said in a different context many years ago, that would be a very good idea.
Hansard · 17 Dec 2024 · parliament.uk
JS
Jim Shannon
I will not detain the House too long, but as my hon. Friend will know, many of our constituents who are put off by BBC bias—but who watch, for example, the BBC Parliament channel, and are probably watching it at this moment—are astounded that they will now pay £174.50 for the privilege of, in the words of one of my con…
GR
Gavin Robinson
My hon. Friend mentions information that should be shared, and accountability. What about transparency in commissioning? He has raised this issue on a number of occasions over the years. Is he satisfied that there is transparency in the commissioning process? Is there opportunity and fairness in the process, or is ther…
SP
Stephanie Peacock
I am pleased to respond to this debate, and I congratulate the hon. Member for East Londonderry (Mr Campbell) on securing it. The debate is a good opportunity to discuss the upcoming charter review, which we intend to launch next year. He has raised a number of important areas related to the BBC, which I will respond t…
SP
Stephanie Peacock
Yes, I do accept that, and it is something we can look at as part of the charter review. Of course, Ofcom, as the BBC’s independent regulator, holds the BBC to account on its performance and its commissioning practices, and on the market impact of those. The hon. Gentleman mentioned BBC pay, which I appreciate is a mat…
JS
Jim Shannon
In my intervention on my hon. Friend the Member for East Londonderry (Mr Campbell) , I referred to impartiality and BBC bias. Many of my constituents feel that the BBC is not impartial. Under the charter, is it possible for people to express such concerns, and for those concerns to be investigated?
GC
Gregory Campbell
Given that my hon. Friend is a master of both taking and making interventions, I agree with his comment. The previous Government made a statement in April, which was just six or seven months ago. It explained that the purpose of the charter review was: “To take stock, at the Charter’s half-way point, and evaluate the e…
GC
Gregory Campbell
My right hon. Friend is absolutely correct: there is a lack of transparency. I and others have raised the issue of presenters who do their BBC work and so know what kinds of programmes the BBC is looking for. They have an inside track, because they have a private company that is advantageously placed to get a contract.…
GC
Gregory Campbell
The Minister talks about the BBC needing to open up contracts to non-BBC personnel. Does she accept that this needs to be seen to be done on an equitable and fair basis, so that people beyond the reach of the BBC, as well as internals, have an equal opportunity to bid for contracts?
Topical Questions10 Dec 2024
GC
Gregory Campbell
The smuggling of illegal drugs into prisons has been a problem for many years. The last Government spent over £100 million trying to deal with the issue; what plans do the current Government have to try to comprehensively deal with it?
Hansard · 10 Dec 2024 · parliament.uk
AB
Antonia Bance
If she will make a statement on her departmental responsibilities.
SM
Shabana Mahmood
Last week, the National Audit Office released a damning report on the previous Government’s record on prison building, showing that their promise of 20,000 prison places by the mid-2020s was hollow. Unwilling to face down opposition on their own Back Benches, the last Government dithered and delayed, ultimately buildin…
AB
Antonia Bance
I thank the Justice Secretary for that answer. In common with many Members of the House, I have heard horrific stories of perpetrators breaching orders to which they are subject, giving them further opportunity to terrorise, injure, or in some cases kill women protected by those orders—may Harshita Brella and so many o…
SM
Shabana Mahmood
My hon. Friend will know that this Government have launched a pilot of domestic abuse protection orders in a number of areas, which will bring together the strongest possible protections for victims in other existing protective orders into a single order. Breaching such orders will be a criminal offence punishable by u…
LH
Lindsay Hoyle
I call the shadow Secretary of State.
European Union (Withdrawal Arrangements) Bill6 Dec 2024
GC
Gregory Campbell
If the Bill is talked out, as seems almost inevitable given the attitude of Labour Members, the Prime Minister has indicated that he will speak with representatives of Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland in the next few days. If the Labour Government are saying, “Yes, there is an opportunity to make progress and,… yes, there are difficulties to be resolved,” does my right hon. Friend agree that there is an opportunity in the next few days for the Prime Minister to tell us exactly what he is going to do if Labour Members do not support the Bill?
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…
GC
Gregory Campbell
On this mythical hard border, does the right hon. Gentleman agree that it would be impossible to implement such a thing for any land border of 300 miles with 280 crossing points, and that the process we are embarked upon is trying to get a two-way flow of trade that obviates the need for any of those checks anywhere on…
Grassroots Football Clubs: Financial Resilience28 Nov 2024
GC
Gregory Campbell
The Minister will be aware that there is a sub-regional stadia strategy in Northern Ireland. Will she have discussions with my colleague, the Minister for Communities in Northern Ireland, to see what assistance, information and additional resources can be deployed to ensure there is widespread development of grassroots football in Northern Ireland?
Hansard · 28 Nov 2024 · parliament.uk
JG
Jodie Gosling
What steps she is taking to help improve the financial resilience of grassroots football clubs.
SP
Stephanie Peacock
As set out following the Euro 2024 final, the Government are committed to supporting grassroots football clubs and facilities. The Government are investing £123 million this year to deliver pitches for grassroots football across the UK. Alongside that, the Government are supporting the Football Association’s ambition t…
JG
Jodie Gosling
I thank the Minister for her detailed answer, and for all the work the Government are doing to support grassroots football. We have many grassroots football clubs in my constituency, including Nuneaton Town and Nuneaton Griff, and we understand their importance and contribution to the town. Both clubs have struggled re…
SP
Stephanie Peacock
I recognise the huge contribution to communities made by grassroots clubs such as the ones my hon. Friend has mentioned; I have seen that at first hand in my constituency in Barnsley. I appreciate the number of challenges those clubs face, and I would be happy to meet my hon. Friend to discuss the options available.
AS
Andrew Snowden
Grassroots football is supported by medium and large community-based football clubs, such as AFC Fylde in my constituency, Chorley FC in your constituency, Mr Speaker, and Wigan Athletic in the Secretary of State’s constituency. Wigan sadly posted a £13 million loss for the last financial year. How does the Secretary o…
Business of the House28 Nov 2024
GC
Gregory Campbell
Would the Leader of the House grant a general debate in Government time on attitudes to ceasefires? Following the welcome ceasefire in the middle east, Hezbollah supporters there tried to claim a victory yesterday, reminiscent of IRA supporters in west Belfast doing likewise. Could we have a debate to ensure that the general public know… that peace is welcome, but not people trying to turn peace into a victory parade?
Hansard · 28 Nov 2024 · parliament.uk
JN
Jesse Norman
Will the Leader of the House give us the forthcoming business?
LP
Lucy Powell
The business for the week commencing 2 December includes: Monday 2 December —General debate on the Grenfell Tower inquiry phase 2 report. Tuesday 3 December —Second Reading of the National Insurance Contributions (Secondary Class 1 Contributions) Bill. Wednesday 4 December —Opposition day (4th allotted day). Debate on …
JN
Jesse Norman
I am sure that the whole House will want to join me in wishing a very happy Thanksgiving day to all our American friends and family, and a happy big birthday today to the Clerk: the Joe Root of the parliamentary estate. Huge thanks to him for his stylish and expert first century—half-century, I should say! Mr Speaker, …
LP
Lucy Powell
I join the right hon. Gentleman in congratulating the Clerk of the House on his very special birthday. As someone recently on the other side of that same special birthday—obviously, I know I do not look it—I welcome him to the half-century club, and I hope his party is as good as mine was. We will leave that conversati…
SH
Sarah Hall
This year marked the 51st anniversary of the Summerland disaster on the Isle of Man, in which 50 people, including 11 children, lost their lives after a fire engulfed the Summerland leisure complex. My constituent Valerie Daniels and her younger sister were both impacted by that horrifying tragedy. Two young men from W…
Pakistan: Freedom of Religion28 Nov 2024
GC
Gregory Campbell
I pay tribute to my hon. Friend not only for securing the debate, but for his continuing efforts in this regard. He outlined a litany of attacks, which hopefully will be deplored by all, so will he join me in commending groups such as Open Doors, which will publish its annual watch list in January?… That list itemises in good detail the types of attacks, criticisms and human rights violations that exist across the globe, particularly for those persecuted for their religious belief.
Hansard · 28 Nov 2024 · parliament.uk
JS
Jim Shannon
I beg to move, That this House notes reports of deteriorating religious freedom in Pakistan; expresses its concern over the alleged widespread forced conversions and human rights abuses of minority religious groups; deplores the lack of action by the Pakistani government, which represents a serious violation of Article…
JA
Jim Allister
We are familiar with interventions from bodies such as Amnesty International and the United Nations even in our own country. Obviously there is a far more acute need for their attention in places such as Pakistan. Does that seem to be articulated and driven home adequately, and is it having an impact, especially on suc…
JS
Jim Shannon
I would love to say that such interventions are having an impact, but unfortunately I do not see much evidence of it. Our responses have to be evidentially based. Amnesty International is involved, and present, in Pakistan. Is it highlighting these things in Pakistan? Only Amnesty can answer that. We do not see much ev…
PB
Peter Bedford
Does the hon. Member agree that the issue goes beyond religious freedom into other equality matters such as women’s rights and LGBT rights, which go hand in hand?
JS
Jim Shannon
I will mention that later; it is a salient point, because whenever there is persecution based on people’s religious beliefs, there are human rights issues alongside it. The two things are not separate; they are married. If human rights are taken away, so are religious rights. The hon. Gentleman is right to put that on …
Supporting Innovation27 Nov 2024
GC
Gregory Campbell
Across these islands, Northern Ireland is at the forefront for fibre broadband due to our confidence and supply deal with the previous Government. Can the Minister indicate what is being done to promote this golden innovative opportunity nationally, which would help small businesses right across Northern Ireland?
Hansard · 27 Nov 2024 · parliament.uk
CM
Chris Murray
What steps he is taking to help support innovation in Northern Ireland.
DA
Dan Aldridge
What steps he is taking to help support innovation in Northern Ireland.
MW
Matt Western
What steps he is taking to help support innovation in Northern Ireland.
FA
Fleur Anderson
Happy Lancashire Day to you as well, Mr Speaker. The Secretary of State and I were deeply saddened by the recent passing of former UTV political editor Ken Reid, who was a close follower of Northern Ireland oral questions. Our thoughts are with his family and his many peers across journalism. I recently attended the la…
CM
Chris Murray
My constituency in Edinburgh has two universities, both of which do excellent work with our counterparts in Northern Ireland. Can the Minister tell us how the Government are working with universities to support innovation in Northern Ireland?
Point of Order27 Nov 2024
GC
Gregory Campbell
On a point of order, Madam Deputy Speaker. At Northern Ireland Office questions this morning, there was not a single MP from Northern Ireland on the Order Paper. This has happened before. I have no criticism whatsoever of Mr Speaker, who usually succeeds in getting in Northern Ireland MPs on supplementary questions. I understand that… the numbers game works against us, but can the arrangements be reviewed? I notice that almost every person listed on the Order Paper for Scotland Office questions next week is a Scottish MP, which is as it should be. It would be nice if occasionally we got a Northern Ireland MP on the Order Paper for Northern Ireland Office questions.
Hansard · 27 Nov 2024 · parliament.uk
NG
Nusrat Ghani
I am grateful to the hon. Member for giving notice of his point of order. As he knows, the selection of substantive questions on the Order Paper is the outcome of a random shuffle of the names of Members who table a question, which is conducted by the Table Office. Mr Speaker made sure that a number of Northern Ireland…
Asylum Seekers: Hotel Accommodation20 Nov 2024
GC
Gregory Campbell
Two hotels in my constituency of East Londonderry are being used, and we have problems enough trying to provide good-quality hotels, with Royal Portrush coming up next year. We need to see a gradual, continuous reduction in hotel accommodation being used for this purpose. Will the Minister address that and try to show some sense… of direction on when that will be achieved?
Hansard · 20 Nov 2024 · parliament.uk
GW
Gavin Williamson
(Urgent Question): To ask the Home Secretary if she will make a statement on the Government’s decision to recommence the use of hotels as accommodation for asylum seekers.
AE
Angela Eagle
This Government inherited an asylum system under unprecedented strain, with many thousands stuck in a backlog without their asylum claims processed. The Home Secretary has taken immediate action to restart asylum processing and scrap the unworkable Rwanda policy, which will save an estimated £4 billion for the taxpayer…
GW
Gavin Williamson
May I record my appreciation for securing this urgent question, Madam Deputy Speaker? My constituents have had the devastating news that the Roman Way hotel is to be stood up to house asylum seekers. This was after it had been closed last year. Such a move has a significant impact not just on my constituents, but in Ca…
AE
Angela Eagle
As a senior member of the last few Administrations, the right hon. Gentleman will know that we inherited an asylum system that had been ground to a standstill by the previous Government’s pursuit of the Rwanda policy, which was doomed to failure. They spent £700 million over two years to send four volunteers to Rwanda.…
SD
Shaun Davies
I thank the right hon. Member for Stone, Great Wyrley and Penkridge (Sir Gavin Williamson) for securing this question. Under the previous Government, when the current shadow Home Secretary was in the Home Office, two hotels in my constituency were opened. There was no notification to the local authority and no consulta…
Ukraine: 1,000 Days19 Nov 2024
GC
Gregory Campbell
I welcome the Foreign Secretary’s statement. He said that we would provide £3 billion a year in military aid this year, next year and every year that it is needed. That is very much welcome, not least in Ukraine. Equally, eight weeks from today there will be a new Administration in Washington, so Ukraine needs… assistance now. Putin will probably not pay a price in eight weeks’ time because of all the soundings coming out of Washington. Ukraine needs help now to hit back at Putin now.
Hansard · 19 Nov 2024 · parliament.uk
DL
David Lammy
With permission, Mr Speaker, I will make a statement on Ukraine. It has been 1,000 days since Russia’s full-scale invasion stunned the world—1,000 days in which Ukrainian bravery has inspired the world, and 1,000 days whose horror and bloodshed has dismayed the world. This war matters greatly for Britain and the global…
LH
Lindsay Hoyle
I call the shadow Foreign Secretary.
PP
Priti Patel
I am grateful to the Foreign Secretary for advance sight of his statement and, importantly, to the Government for making time to acknowledge and mark this tragic and terrible anniversary. Like so many in this House, I remember the early morning of that dark day in February 2022, 1,000 days ago. As Home Secretary at the…
DL
David Lammy
This is my first opportunity to congratulate the right hon. Lady on taking up her post as shadow Foreign Secretary. We will probably disagree occasionally across the Dispatch Box about a few things, but I hope that we will never disagree on the support that we have to give to Ukraine. Her response to my statement under…
LH
Lindsay Hoyle
I call the Chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee.
Warm Homes Plan12 Nov 2024
GC
Gregory Campbell
Does the Minister agree that we particularly need a comprehensive warm homes plan in rural areas in order to identify very old homes and ensure that insulation is targeted to maximise reduction in their energy usage?
Hansard · 12 Nov 2024 · parliament.uk
PS
Peter Swallow
What steps he is taking to introduce a warm homes plan.
SA
Sadik Al-Hassan
What steps he is taking to introduce a warm homes plan.
AD
Anna Dixon
What steps he is taking to introduce a warm homes plan.
MF
Miatta Fahnbulleh
We are committed to an ambitious warm homes plan, which will upgrade homes across the country, making them warmer and cheaper to run, by installing new insulation and rolling out low carbon heating such as solar and heat pumps. As a first step, the Government have committed an initial £3.4 billion over the next three y…
PS
Peter Swallow
Too many of my constituents are living in poorly insulated social housing. New mother Dionne, for instance, had the insulation from her flat removed last year by her social landlord because it was full of mould and mildew. She is now facing her second winter without insulation. Will the Minister confirm that the warm h…
Income Tax (Charge)6 Nov 2024
GC
Gregory Campbell
On the sectors that will benefit, does the Secretary of State agree that the hospitality sector would benefit more from some honesty and openness? The Government announced a 6% increase for people on the minimum wage, many of whom are employed in the private hospitality sector, but while our constituents will pay for that, the… Treasury will benefit by hundreds of millions of pounds, because almost all those minimum wage earners will become taxpayers overnight.
Hansard · 6 Nov 2024 · parliament.uk
JR
Jonathan Reynolds
It is a pleasure to open this final day of the debate on the Chancellor’s growth Budget. Can I welcome the new shadow team? It is lovely to see them in place. I think many of us on this side would admit that we were shadow Ministers for longer than we ideally would have been, and I know that it is a tough and thankless…
KM
Kit Malthouse
The Secretary of State makes much of growth. Of course we all want growth, but the OBR report actually says that growth in real GDP will start to slow over the next three years and that in years four and five of the Parliament it will go negative. It is telling us that the Government’s Budget is actually going to resul…
JR
Jonathan Reynolds
That is not what it says. First, on the figures, we cannot make a like-for-like comparison because we know that the information provided by the previous Government in their financial information was erroneous. They did not square their own spending pledges with what was in those documents. The analysis by the OBR shows…
GS
Graham Stuart
The right hon. Gentleman will, I hope, be aware that the long-term economic growth of this country relies not primarily on public investment or indeed public infrastructure, but on a healthy private sector—the wealth creators from whom we can take the funding to deliver into those goods that he talks about and that are…
JR
Jonathan Reynolds
I am sorry but, again, the right hon. Gentleman is wrong. I agree with part of his assessment, such as that a strong and thriving private sector is crucial to growth, but I find his analysis a little simplistic. Private firms will say that they also need skilled workers, and that they need a decent transport system so …
Topical Questions5 Nov 2024
GC
Gregory Campbell
In the past week alone, there have been four reported sexual assaults or attempted sexual assaults against women in Londonderry. I know that justice is a devolved matter, but on average 140 women have been killed every year during the past 15 years. It is an issue that we cannot ignore. Will the Minister consider… asking her counterparts in the devolved regions to bring a determined focus and unity of purpose to tackling violence against women and girls, to ensure that they all feel safe, no matter where they live in the country?
Hansard · 5 Nov 2024 · parliament.uk
LH
Lindsay Hoyle
Order. This is the first topical question.
RH
Richard Holden
If she will make a statement on her departmental responsibilities.
SM
Shabana Mahmood
I think Members from all parties need a reminder about the form in this House for oral questions, Mr Speaker. Since the last Justice questions, I have launched an independent review of sentencing. It will ensure that there is always space for dangerous offenders in our prisons and that we expand the use of punishment o…
RH
Richard Holden
One of my constituents has been attending court to resolve a matter around divorce and periodical payments since 2015. Although she has achieved positive results at all the court hearings, with many court orders, sadly there have always been errors and incompetence in the system. Will the Minister meet me to discuss th…
SM
Shabana Mahmood
I am shocked to hear about the extent of the delay in the case of the right hon. Gentleman’s constituent. He is welcome to write to me with the specific details and I will ensure he gets a meeting with the relevant Minister.
Flight Cancellations5 Nov 2024
GC
Gregory Campbell
Everyone understands that there are cancellations due to weather and other issues beyond the control of airlines, but will the Minister meet the likes of BA to ensure that it understands the need for reliability, and for information to be given to customers as quickly and promptly as possible, so that they can take steps… to make alternative arrangements if possible?
Hansard · 5 Nov 2024 · parliament.uk
JS
Jim Shannon
(Urgent Question): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if she will make a statement on the ongoing connectivity issues caused by belatedly announced cancellations of flights, such as those between Belfast and London.
MK
Mike Kane
I thank the hon. Gentleman for an opportunity to talk about these important issues. It is unusual that we are doing so in an urgent question, not in an Adjournment debate, which is the debate in which he normally intervenes.
MK
Mike Kane
I know that the issue of connectivity across the UK is of great interest to the hon. Gentleman and many of his constituents, as connectivity strengthens the bond between our communities. Cancellations affect passengers and businesses, who rely on punctual services and connections, and have an impact on confidence. It i…
JS
Jim Shannon
I thank the Minister for that answer. Northern Ireland is an integral part of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. We would not have a United Kingdom without her, and Members in this Chamber would be a lot poorer for the lack of Northern Ireland. We are thankful to be a part of these British isles,…
LH
Lindsay Hoyle
The limit is normally two minutes. I know you are making up for that flight yesterday, and of course the House missed you—that is why you got the UQ.
Offshore Wind: UNESCO World Heritage Sites30 Oct 2024
GC
Gregory Campbell
Whether he has had discussions with the Scottish Government on the criteria for assessing the potential impact of planning applications for offshore wind near UNESCO world heritage sites.
Hansard · 30 Oct 2024 · parliament.uk
IM
Ian Murray
Scotland is rightly proud of its six world heritage sites. As the hon. Gentleman will appreciate, responsibility for planning decisions for large-scale energy projects in Scotland rests with Scottish Government Ministers. The UK Government work closely with the Scottish Government to deliver for Scotland, while respect…
IM
Ian Murray
I am glad that the hon. Member has not lost any of his popularity in the House. It would be inappropriate for me to comment on planning decisions for large-scale energy projects in Scotland, as it is a devolved responsibility. I recognise the importance of considering the protection of local assets when developing rene…
GC
Gregory Campbell
I thank—[Interruption.] I thank the Secretary of State for his reply. In any discussions he has, will he take account of the fact that I have written to UNESCO about the potential for a huge offshore wind farm very close to the Giant’s Causeway and the UNESCO world heritage site there? The Communities Minister in North…
Topical Questions29 Oct 2024
GC
Gregory Campbell
However “working people” is defined, does the Chancellor not accept that people on low incomes and part-time employees who earn up to £300 a week should be exempt from paying income tax?
Hansard · 29 Oct 2024 · parliament.uk
RL
Rebecca Long-Bailey
If she will make a statement on her departmental responsibilities.
RR
Rachel Reeves
Tomorrow I will present my first Budget. It will be a Budget that fixes the foundations of our economy and delivers on the promise of change. It will turn the page on low growth and will be the start of a new chapter towards making Britain better off. It will mean more pounds in people’s pockets, an NHS that is there w…
RL
Rebecca Long-Bailey
I commend the Chancellor for recently outlining investment in social housing, but in the interim the Joseph Rowntree Foundation has stated that the previous Government’s decision to freeze local housing allowance rates will push 80,000 private renters on housing benefit, including 30,000 children, into deep poverty dur…
RR
Rachel Reeves
My hon. Friend makes a really important point, which I think is familiar to all of us in our communities, about the cost of housing outstretching people’s incomes. In our manifesto we committed to building 1.5 million new homes, including social housing, which is so important and can give security to people who would o…
LH
Lindsay Hoyle
As this is his farewell question time, let us now come to the shadow Chancellor.
Topical Questions22 Oct 2024
GC
Gregory Campbell
The outgoing President of the United States has indicated that he has been told where and when the Israeli Government will respond to the Iranian terror threat. Have our Government been informed?
Hansard · 22 Oct 2024 · parliament.uk
PP
Peter Prinsley
If he will make a statement on his departmental responsibilities.
AD
Anneliese Dodds
Over the last four months, we have been reconnecting Britain for our security and prosperity. Last week I set out my vision for modernising international development, and as I speak the Foreign Secretary is in Samoa, meeting Heads of Government from the Commonwealth, and he has engaged with countries from every contine…
PP
Peter Prinsley
The BBC World Service is vital UK soft power. The Foreign Office’s contribution to its funding is about £100 million per year—about the cost of an F-35 fighter jet. The UK has plans to acquire 74 of these fighter jets. Would the Minister agree that we might consider acquiring only 73 of them, if that was the price of p…
HF
Hamish Falconer
That is a very fine question. The BBC World Service is a UK soft power asset. We give £104 million to the BBC World Service—[Interruption.]
LH
Lindsay Hoyle
Order. Would the hon. Member for Plymouth Moor View (Fred Thomas) please not walk behind the Minister while he is in the middle of his answer? I am really going to have to say something to the Whips.
Gaza and Lebanon15 Oct 2024
GC
Gregory Campbell
We all recognise the horrendous scale of the civilian casualties in the region. Does the Minister agree that the Government need to try and unite international opinion to get the remaining hostages released and deal with the terrorist threat from those who want to annihilate all Israelis?
Hansard · 15 Oct 2024 · parliament.uk
AM
Andy McDonald
(Urgent Question): To ask the Foreign Secretary to make a statement on the situation in Gaza and Lebanon.
AD
Anneliese Dodds
I thank my hon. Friend the Member for Middlesbrough and Thornaby East (Andy McDonald) for raising this important question. We are deeply concerned about the continuing violence; we must avoid this conflict spiralling further out of control and into a wider regional war, which is in no one’s interest. The UK was the fir…
LH
Lindsay Hoyle
Order. The response should be for three minutes. Please can we try to stick to that? I call Andy McDonald, who will give us a fine example of a two- minute speech.
AM
Andy McDonald
I thank the Minister. As Israel cuts off northern Gaza from essential supplies, it continues to strike Palestinian civilians while demanding their displacement. The attacks, such as those on the al-Aqsa hospital in central Gaza on Sunday night, show that there is nowhere safe to go. The sight of a patient on an IV drip…
AD
Anneliese Dodds
I am grateful to my hon. Friend for the number of important points that he makes. First, he referred to footage that has been circulating widely. It is one of many instances of very disturbing footage that many of us and many of our constituents will have seen. Of course, the Government look very closely at all those r…
Northern Ireland City Deals9 Oct 2024
GC
Gregory Campbell
The Secretary of State will remember that when he and I were at the signing of the Londonderry deal in September, I lobbied him strongly to get the other two deals over the line. He has outlined the meetings he has held, but given what he has just said about not meeting and talking with… the Chancellor about this, will he be meeting the Prime Minister? He has met other people, and we need to get these deals up and running—over the line—to get much-needed investment into areas such as mine and the Mid South West.
Hansard · 9 Oct 2024 · parliament.uk
AB
Alex Burghart
(Urgent Question): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the Northern Ireland city deals.
HB
Hilary Benn
As the Chancellor set out in July, the Government have inherited a £22 billion black hole in the public finances. As a result, the Treasury is having to consider a range of measures to deal with this significant problem. Last month, the Treasury informed the Northern Ireland Department of Finance that the UK Government…
LH
Lindsay Hoyle
I call the shadow Secretary of State.
AB
Alex Burghart
As the House will know, on the evening of Friday 13 September —the day after we went into recess—the Government took it upon themselves to make a number of announcements affecting Northern Ireland: the cancellation of the Casement Park project; the decision that Sean Brown’s family will not be given a public inquiry in…
HB
Hilary Benn
I am grateful to the hon. Gentleman for his response. On the matter of Casement Park, since he raised it, I will say that we took the decision for the reason we set out, and I think it is one that he supports. On the question of Sean Brown, I set out in my letter to the family why I had reached the conclusion that I di…
Topical Questions8 Oct 2024
GC
Gregory Campbell
What discussions has the Secretary of State had with the Scottish Government regarding the major planning application for an offshore wind farm between Scotland and Northern Ireland, which may well have significant implications for the Giant’s Causeway world heritage site?
Hansard · 8 Oct 2024 · parliament.uk
TG
Tracy Gilbert
If he will make a statement on his departmental responsibilities.
EM
Ed Miliband
As well as our measures on onshore wind, solar and renewables, this Government have begun legislating for Great British Energy and setting out our plan for proper standards for private and social renters to take 1 million families out of fuel poverty, and on Friday we announced deals to kick-start Britain’s carbon capt…
TG
Tracy Gilbert
I welcome the actions outlined by my right hon. Friend, particularly the recent announcement that GB Energy will be headquartered in Aberdeen, with satellite offices in Edinburgh and Glasgow. Can he outline the role that he expects the satellite offices to take? Given the investment already under way in the port of Lei…
EM
Ed Miliband
My hon. Friend is absolutely right to draw attention to our announcement on Aberdeen as the headquarters of Great British Energy and the important role that it will play, and also to the importance of the satellite offices. I know from my visit to her constituency of the huge potential of her area on these issues, and …
LH
Lindsay Hoyle
I call the shadow Secretary of State.
Point of Order10 Sep 2024
GC
Gregory Campbell
On a point of order, Madam Deputy Speaker. Today the House is to debate and vote on a vital issue that affects millions of our senior citizens: the winter fuel payment. If absentee Sinn Féin Members from Northern Ireland—who have received millions of pounds over recent years for not having done their job and not… taking their seats—were to take their seats today and vote with many of us, including some Labour Members, the outcome might be different. Has the Speaker’s Office been informed that the seven Sinn Féin Members intend to take their seats in the House today and actually vote to oppose austerity, as opposed to just talking about it?
Hansard · 10 Sep 2024 · parliament.uk
JC
Judith Cummins
I am grateful to the hon. Member for giving me notice of his point of order, but that is not a matter for the Chair.
Violent Disorder2 Sep 2024
GC
Gregory Campbell
At the start of the trouble in Northern Ireland, I went to our Deputy First Minister and got her, with the help of the local health trust, to visit our local hospital, where we were able to offer some form of reassurance to people, of whatever background and every country of origin, that they had… our total support. Does the Home Secretary agree that that is a good, positive way to approach this? Does she also agree that we must identify and speak about the issues that many people have with illegal immigration, and try to ensure that we do not see in this country what we have seen in countries across the EU?
Hansard · 2 Sep 2024 · parliament.uk
JC
Judith Cummins
Before I call the Home Secretary to make her statement, I remind the House that several hundred people have been charged with criminal offences relating to these disturbances. Most of those cases are still before the courts. Public order is a matter of national importance, and Mr Speaker has therefore decided to grant …
YC
Yvette Cooper
Before I start, I want to pass our sympathies to the families of Cher Maximen and Mussie Imnetu, who died, sadly, this weekend following violent incidents around the Notting Hill carnival. Our thoughts are with their friends and families at this terrible time, and our thanks go to the police, who have moved swiftly to …
JC
James Cleverly
I thank the Secretary of State for the advance copy of her statement. I wish, once again, to pay my respects to the victims of the Southport attacks. The murder of three young girls in Southport was horrific, and our thoughts are with them, their families and friends, and of course the local community. My thoughts are …
YC
Yvette Cooper
I welcome the shadow Home Secretary’s words of support for the Southport families and his reassertion that there can be no excuse for violent disorder, but I have to say that the rest of his response sounded an awful lot more like a pitch to Tory party members in the middle of a leadership election than a serious respo…
AS
Andrew Slaughter
May I compliment the Home Secretary and the Lord Chancellor on the robust response that the whole criminal justice system took to the recent riots and violent disorder? Was my right hon. Friend, like me, concerned about the number of very young people—pre-teen, in some cases—who took part? What does she think is the so…
Topical Questions30 Jul 2024
GC
Gregory Campbell
Has the Foreign Secretary had an opportunity to meet his counterpart in the Irish Republic, given the ministerial statements there in recent months regarding the thousands of people they believe to be there illegally, who they say have come from the United Kingdom? What can be done to try to resolve that matter in a… way that will satisfy both nations?
Hansard · 30 Jul 2024 · parliament.uk
LH
Lloyd Hatton
If he will make a statement on his departmental responsibilities.
DL
David Lammy
The Government are reconnecting Britain with the world in European capitals, in NATO and at Blenheim, and I have been resetting relations with Europe and reinforcing support for Ukraine. I have also deepened partnerships with the global south to tackle the climate crisis and unlock economic growth, and I am taking a ba…
LH
Lloyd Hatton
A builder living on Portland, a B&B owner in Weymouth and a shopkeeper on Swanage high street all pay their fair share of tax, yet some individuals take advantage of offshore tax havens such as the British Virgin Islands to avoid paying their fair share. My constituents play by the rules; we ought to know a bit more ab…
DL
David Lammy
I raised this issue in opposition—I think it was the subject of the last speech I gave before the election—and it is an issue that I intend to take up with full vigour. We were concerned that parts of the last Government were turning a blind eye to these issues. I hope to come forward with further proposals in the comi…
LH
Lindsay Hoyle
I call the shadow Foreign Secretary.
Relations with Ireland24 Jul 2024
GC
Gregory Campbell
Does the Secretary of State agree with me that it is important that, in discussions with the Irish Government, they understand that the vast majority of people in Northern Ireland, whether they consider themselves to be British, Irish or Northern Irish, can see that it is the United Kingdom context that allows them that diversity,… and that improving the lives of present generations is the best way to preserve the lives of everyone for the future?
Hansard · 24 Jul 2024 · parliament.uk
AG
Allison Gardner
Whether he has had discussions with the Irish Government on UK-Ireland relations.
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…
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…
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…
Topical Questions21 May 2024
GC
Gregory Campbell
There has indeed been a significant increase in domestic insulation schemes in recent years. However, will the Minister agree to increase the number of conversations with devolved institutions, so that we can see a genuinely nationwide revival of insulation schemes that, individually, can do more to reduce the dependency on high energy costs for those… at maximum risk, in social housing and elsewhere?
Hansard · 21 May 2024 · parliament.uk
LT
Liz Twist
If she will make a statement on her departmental responsibilities.
CC
Claire Coutinho
Since I was last at the Dispatch Box, we have been building up Britain’s energy security. We have taken the next step in the biggest expansion of nuclear in 70 years, making Britain a producer of advanced nuclear fuel and pushing Putin out of the global energy market. Just today, Rolls-Royce announced that it will inve…
LT
Liz Twist
Latest figures by National Energy Action show that there are still 1,875 homes in my constituency with legacy prepayment meters. What action are the Government taking to remove this costly burden on families?
CC
Claire Coutinho
I thank the hon. Lady for her question. During my career, I have looked at the issue of prepayment meters for a long time, and one of the things that I am proudest of is our taking out the premium that people on prepayment meters were paying.
JD
James Davies
I welcome Ofgem’s ongoing review of standing charges in electricity bills. In the North Wales and Merseyside region, the standing charge is 67.04p per day, compared to an average of 60.10p across the UK. Will the Minister commit to coming back to the House to provide further comment on this geographical variation once …
Topical Questions15 May 2024
GC
Gregory Campbell
During the Northern Ireland Assembly campaign, some female candidates were subjected to AI-generated deepfakes and grossly offensive content. What action are the Government taking to regulate the dissemination of such imagery where it could affect the otherwise freely expressed choice of voters at the ballot box, especially as we approach a general election in the… coming months?
Hansard · 15 May 2024 · parliament.uk
RH
Rachel Hopkins
If she will make a statement on her departmental responsibilities.
KB
Kemi Badenoch
Institutions should be able to operate free from ideological pressures. I am delighted that the Equality and Human Rights Commission has retained its accreditation as an A-status national human rights institution, denoting full compliance with the Paris principles, despite Stonewall’s attempt to have it stripped of its…
RH
Rachel Hopkins
Data from the Office for National Statistics shows that 25.3% of women are economically inactive, compared with 18.4% of men. Many women say that access to flexible working could see them return to the paid workplace. What steps is the Minister taking alongside her Cabinet colleagues to ensure that all workers have acc…
KB
Kemi Badenoch
There is a lot that my Department in particular is doing. We have put out multiple bits of legislation that will help to entrench workplace equality, whether that is around flexible working rights or sexual harassment in the workplace. We are doing more even on the trade side, where we continue to ensure that we have p…
LH
Lindsay Hoyle
I call Andrew Jones. [Hon. Members: “Hear, hear!”] A popular man.
Ukraine and Georgia15 May 2024
GC
Gregory Campbell
There is growing concern across central and northern Europe about Georgia. Will the Minister have conversations with colleagues in government to ensure that the commitment to NATO of our partners across Europe is increased, to prepare for the undoubted expansionism that Putin is currently engaged in and that he will probably step up in the… coming months?
Hansard · 15 May 2024 · parliament.uk
JS
Jim Shannon
(Urgent Question): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on Russia’s aggression relating to Ukraine and the situation in Georgia.
LD
Leo Docherty
We are on day 811 of Putin’s so-called special military operation—an operation that was supposed to last for three days—and he has failed in all of his objectives. The conflict is, of course, evolving and challenging. Russia’s newly formed northern grouping of forces has attacked Ukraine’s Kharkiv region, taking contro…
JS
Jim Shannon
Thank you, Mr Speaker, for granting a UQ on this important issue; it is much appreciated. I also thank the Minister for his helpful response, and all right hon. and hon. Members who have stayed in the Chamber. We woke up to reports of Ukraine attempting to push back in the Kharkiv region, and then heard the Russian Def…
LD
Leo Docherty
I am grateful to the hon. Gentleman for asking an extremely good and valid question that puts the issue of Ukraine in regional context—in the context of the influence that Russia has sought to exert over its former satellite states. He is right that the frontline in Ukraine is turbulent. A full picture is yet to emerge…
LH
Lindsay Hoyle
I call the Chair of the Intelligence and Security Committee.
Reoffending Rates14 May 2024
GC
Gregory Campbell
Does the Secretary of State agree that reoffending rates would reduce further if we had a more concentrated attack on the illicit substances that continue to go into prisons, as well as the massive use of prescription drugs, which many people in prisons tell me are causing problems for people close to release?
Hansard · 14 May 2024 · parliament.uk
BB
Bob Blackman
What steps he is taking to reduce reoffending.
AC
Alex Chalk
Reducing reoffending is a core mission of these Ministers and this Government. That is why we have prioritised accommodation for prison leavers and why we have invested heavily in employment, with prison employment leads and employment hubs in every resettlement prison. Crucially, the plan is working: in the two years …
BB
Bob Blackman
Clearly, providing safe and secure accommodation for ex-offenders when they leave prison is the first and most important part of getting them on the path to rebuilding their lives. What action is my right hon. and learned Friend taking to ensure that that happens, so that people are not tempted to reoffend?
AC
Alex Chalk
No one in this House has done more than my hon. Friend to look after the plight of people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness. I am proud to say that the proportion of offenders in homes for their first night post release is 86%. That is because we have rolled out 12 weeks of guaranteed community accommodation.…
AC
Alex Chalk
The hon. Gentleman raises an excellent point, and he is right. The reoffending rate is worth focusing on: in 2010 it was around 31%, and now it is 25%. The reason for that is a combination of focusing on accommodation, as we have just discussed, and employment so that people have a stake in society, as well as tackling…
Illegal Migration Act: Northern Ireland14 May 2024
GC
Gregory Campbell
Thus far, the Minister has not taken the opportunity to respond to the query from my right hon. Friend the Member for Belfast East (Gavin Robinson) about why the Government declined the offer made from the DUP Benches, which would have avoided the judgment that we have heard about. Will he do so now? He… has indicated that the Government plan to appeal, but if the appeal fails, what then?
Hansard · 14 May 2024 · parliament.uk
GR
Gavin Robinson
(Urgent Question): To ask the Secretary of State for Home Department if he will make a statement on the High Court judgment in Belfast of 13 May 2024 disapplying the Illegal Migration Act 2023 in Northern Ireland.
TP
Tom Pursglove
Let me start by expressing the Government’s disappointment at this judgment. We continue to believe that our policy is lawful, that our approach is compatible with international law and, specifically, that the Illegal Migration Act proposals are compatible with article 2 of the Windsor framework. The Government will ta…
GR
Gavin Robinson
I am grateful for that response, and I thank the Minister of State in the Northern Ireland Office and the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland for being present today. But we need not be here, as the issues elucidated yesterday by the High Court in Belfast were fairly and thoroughly explored in this House, and in th…
TP
Tom Pursglove
I am very grateful to the right hon. Gentleman for his constructive tone as he eloquently makes his case. I note the narrative that he has advanced. The Government are considering judgment very carefully, as you would expect, Mr Speaker, and we are taking legal advice. I can reconfirm, as the Prime Minister said yester…
LH
Lindsay Hoyle
I call the Chair of the Northern Ireland Affairs Committee.
Illegal Migration: International Co-operation30 Apr 2024
GC
Gregory Campbell
The Irish Republic’s Government and their Justice Minister indicated that they believe that up to 80% or more of those who are illegally in the Republic of Ireland are coming across the land border, but that appears to have been a purely subjective figure. Has the Minister been able to establish the veracity, or otherwise,… of such an exceptionally high figure, which the Justice Minister has claimed to be the case?
Hansard · 30 Apr 2024 · parliament.uk
NF
Nicholas Fletcher
What diplomatic steps he is taking to strengthen international co-operation on tackling illegal migration.
CC
Chris Clarkson
What diplomatic steps he is taking to strengthen international co-operation on tackling illegal migration.
GW
Giles Watling
What diplomatic steps he is taking to strengthen international co-operation on tackling illegal migration.
AM
Andrew Mitchell
Tackling irregular migration is a priority for Foreign Office engagement across our overseas networks, through international forums, including at the G7 and European Political Community, and bilaterally.
NF
Nicholas Fletcher
Given the success of the agreement with Albania, which has considerably reduced the number of illegal immigrants crossing by small boats, does the Minister believe that more of these agreements are necessary, alongside our Rwanda policy?
Topical Questions25 Apr 2024
GC
Gregory Campbell
The Minister for Veterans’ Affairs, the right hon. Member for Plymouth, Moor View (Johnny Mercer) , will know that many councils in Northern Ireland have appointed veterans’ champions. Will he join me in acknowledging the work that many veterans’ champions do? Will he also call on the wide range of political parties on councils in… Northern Ireland to offer their unstinting support to those champions to help to deliver services to veterans?
Hansard · 25 Apr 2024 · parliament.uk
CJ
Christine Jardine
If he will make a statement on his departmental responsibilities.
OD
Oliver Dowden
The Cabinet Office continues to play a central co-ordinating role in protecting our national and economic security. Last week, we published the response to the call for evidence on the National Security and Investment Act 2021, and I set out the steps we will take to fine-tune that system, including honing our approach…
CJ
Christine Jardine
It is often claimed by critics that the continual stream of ineffective and incompetent legislation we see from Holyrood is evidence of the need for a second, democratically elected Chamber to scrutinise properly. We have such an effective Chamber here and this week we have seen how important it can be in legislation. …
OD
Oliver Dowden
I am afraid that I completely disagree with the hon. Lady about having an elected second Chamber. This is the democratic Chamber for our nation. It is the principal voice of the nation. We do not need a second Chamber in conflict with this one, further burdening and complexing legislative processes.
NH
Neil Hudson
The very welcome Windsor framework demonstrated a strong commitment to human and animal health by extending Northern Ireland’s access to veterinary medicines until 2025. I welcome the establishment of the veterinary medicines working group by the Cabinet Office and the Northern Ireland Minister of State. I am pleased t…
The return of devolution has to be built on, particularly as there are still some issues to be resolved. While some in Northern Ireland concentrate on complaining about the outstanding problems, there are those of us who are committed to resolving them. The Secretary of State is in a better position than most to help… to resolve them. Will he recommit today to our seeing further moves in the coming weeks in the direction of resolving all the outstanding issues?
Hansard · 24 Apr 2024 · parliament.uk
AS
Alexander Stafford
What recent assessment he has made of the impact of the restoration of devolved Government on Northern Ireland.
LE
Luke Evans
What assessment he has made of the impact of the restoration of the Northern Ireland Assembly on Northern Ireland.
CH
Chris Heaton-Harris
I am sure that my hon. Friends will welcome the fact that, once again, Northern Ireland has local politicians taking decisions in a local Assembly that is accountable to local people. With a funding package worth over £3 billion, the Executive are taking forward the vital work of public service transformation and deliv…
AS
Alexander Stafford
The commitment that this Government and my right hon. Friend have shown in pushing for the restoration of the Northern Ireland Executive is clearly demonstrated in the £3.3 billion for transforming public services, but what help are the home civil service providing to their colleagues in Northern Ireland to make sure t…
CH
Chris Heaton-Harris
I thank my hon. Friend for his question. I agree that there is a fantastic opportunity, which we are trying to take, for the UK Government to collaborate with and support the Northern Ireland Executive in transforming public services. The UK Government have high hopes that Ministers in the Executive will move quickly t…
Topical Questions17 Apr 2024
GC
Gregory Campbell
Following the confidence and supply agreement with the previous Government, Northern Ireland should have virtually 100% access to fibre broadband, which is a first in any of these islands. Does the Minister agree that Northern Ireland and other regions in the UK should take full advantage of that broadband access to maximise employment opportunities across… these islands?
Hansard · 17 Apr 2024 · parliament.uk
SJ
Simon Jupp
If she will make a statement on her departmental responsibilities.
MD
Michelle Donelan
I want the British people to be able to seize the extraordinary opportunities that AI offers, but that can happen only if we address the risks. At Bletchley Park we kick-started a global conversation and, since then, the Bletchley effect has seen countries from around the world collaborating on the development of safe,…
SJ
Simon Jupp
A fast and reliable internet connection is vital for everyday life and so many local businesses. I conducted a broadband survey in East Devon, which showed that some rural parts of my constituency sadly still lag behind, such as Sidbury, Fluxton, Marsh Green and Talaton. What steps are the Government taking to ensure t…
JL
Julia Lopez
I am glad to say that over 75% of premises in my hon. Friend’s constituency can access gigabit-capable broadband. That is up from 6% in 2019, but we want to do more, so we have included mid and east Devon in our cross-regional framework for Project Gigabit. That is currently undertaking pre-procurement market engagemen…
LH
Lindsay Hoyle
I call the shadow Secretary of State.
Gender Pay Gap20 Mar 2024
GC
Gregory Campbell
If she will make an estimate of when the gender pay gap will be closed.
Hansard · 20 Mar 2024 · parliament.uk
MC
Maria Caulfield
It was this Conservative Government who introduced mandatory gender pay gap reporting for large employers, to shine a light on the gender pay gap and promote action to close it. As a result, the gender pay gap has fallen by approximately a quarter over the past decade.
MC
Maria Caulfield
Actually, the results from our gender pay gap reporting are slightly different: it is in higher-paid professions that the gender pay gap seems to exist, but that is because women are often in low-paid work. The hon. Member is absolutely right to raise the issue. Next month, we are introducing a pay rise of 10% for the …
LH
Lindsay Hoyle
I call the Chair of the Women and Equalities Committee.
CN
Caroline Nokes
The issue is not just the gender pay gap; there is also the gender pension gap, the lack of women on boards, and the importance of making sure that we have a pipeline of talented women at every level. Yesterday, I was with the community interest company, Women on Boards, and its clear message to the Minister is, “Pleas…
MC
Maria Caulfield
We absolutely are taking action. We are planning to introduce the pay transparency pilot, because in high-paid jobs, salaries are often not advertised, and women end up being paid less than men for the same role. It is such action that will make a difference to women across the country.
GC
Gregory Campbell
I thank the Minister for her response. Can she indicate whether the narrowing of the gender pay gap over the past 10 years has been less pronounced, in percentage terms, among women on lower incomes than among those on larger salaries?
Support for Small Businesses19 Mar 2024
GC
Gregory Campbell
Will the Minister have discussions with his counterparts in the devolved institutions to ensure that the likes of sole traders and small businesses see a reduction in bureaucracy to make them more profitable, offering more business opportunities to more people across the United Kingdom?
Hansard · 19 Mar 2024 · parliament.uk
JD
James Davies
What fiscal steps his Department is taking to support small businesses.
PH
Paul Holmes
What fiscal steps his Department is taking to support small businesses.
FD
Flick Drummond
What fiscal steps his Department is taking to support small businesses.
GD
Gareth Davies
Small businesses drive our economy and we support them to thrive using levers across Government, whether that is through our small business rate relief, by increasing the VAT registration threshold, by providing reliefs such as the annual investment allowance or through various programmes offered by the British Busines…
JD
James Davies
The Welsh Government are increasing the burden on small businesses by reducing retail, hospitality and leisure business rates relief from 75% to just 40%, despite the UK Government rightly extending that relief in England in the Budget. That means that businesses in my constituency, such as the Little Cheesemonger, Now…
Falkland Islands12 Mar 2024
GC
Gregory Campbell
Have the very commendable words that the Minister has said at the Dispatch Box today been relayed to the Argentinian authorities?
Hansard · 12 Mar 2024 · parliament.uk
SM
Sheryll Murray
What steps he is taking to uphold the Falkland Islanders’ right of self-determination.
LF
Louie French
What steps he is taking to uphold the Falkland Islanders’ right of self-determination.
DR
David Rutley
The UK Government will always protect and promote the Falkland Islanders’ right of self-determination. Only they can decide their future. We want a good relationship with Argentina, but have been very clear that we will never negotiate away the islanders’ democratic rights. My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary re…
SM
Sheryll Murray
I am the chair of the British overseas territories all-party parliamentary group. I remember watching the ships leave the Tamar in my constituency and head to the Falklands more than 40 years ago. In 1982, our Prime Minister, Maggie Thatcher, said: “Defeat? I do not recognise the meaning of the word.” Do the Government…
DR
David Rutley
I am young enough to remember those days as well, and yes, the UK Government remain steadfast in their resolve to ensure that the Falkland Islanders’ right of self-determination is upheld, and we will continue to use all diplomatic means to that end.
Promoting Trade with Northern Ireland6 Mar 2024
GC
Gregory Campbell
Whether he has had recent discussions with Cabinet colleagues on promoting trade between Scotland and Northern Ireland.
Hansard · 6 Mar 2024 · parliament.uk
AJ
Alister Jack
I am pleased to say that I have had discussions with the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland about maximising trade links, now that the Northern Ireland Executive have been restored. What is more, the UK Government have committed to establishing the East-West Council, which will identify opportunities for deepening…
AJ
Alister Jack
As set out in the Command Paper, the UK Government are working to establish Intertrade UK, which will fulfil our pledge to grow the economy by ensuring that businesses large and small can make the most of the east-west trading opportunities. Implementing the Windsor framework and the Command Paper are the Government’s …
GC
Gregory Campbell
Will the Minister ensure that business bodies in Scotland are fully aware of, for example, the new Intertrade UK body so that business can prosper between Northern Ireland and Scotland? Importantly, will he ensure that people can see the improvement in business trade flows between Scotland and Northern Ireland in six m…
Topical Questions5 Mar 2024
GC
Gregory Campbell
On access to primary care provision, will the Secretary of State assure the House that she will liaise with Health Ministers in the devolved Departments to ensure that rural communities do not lose out because of their isolated locations?
Hansard · 5 Mar 2024 · parliament.uk
JP
John Penrose
If she will make a statement on her departmental responsibilities.
VA
Victoria Atkins
I am committed to making our NHS faster, simpler and fairer for all, including families, which is why the Government have recently introduced baby loss certificates. Nothing can diminish the pain of losing a baby, but we hope that this formal recognition of a life lost can help families to live alongside their grief. I…
JP
John Penrose
Like many people here, I was delighted by last month’s NHS dentistry recovery plan. How many new NHS dental appointments does the Secretary of State expect to be available in my constituency of Weston-super-Mare, and by when?
VA
Victoria Atkins
I thank my hon. Friend for supporting our dental recovery plan. Indeed, he is one of many colleagues who campaigned hard for it. I am pleased to inform him that dental activity, as measured by courses of treatment, has increased by 15% on the previous year in his local integrated care board area, and our plan will supp…
LH
Lindsay Hoyle
I call the shadow Secretary of State.
Economic Growth28 Feb 2024
GC
Gregory Campbell
Will the Minister liaise with the relevant Departments in Northern Ireland to maximise the benefits of promoting and developing the only enterprise zone in Northern Ireland, which is in my constituency, as are excellent broadband facilities—the best in these islands? That way, we can promote our economy, bring inward investment and create prosperity.
Hansard · 28 Feb 2024 · parliament.uk
LR
Laurence Robertson
What steps his Department is taking to help grow the Northern Ireland economy.
ML
Marco Longhi
What steps his Department is taking to help grow the Northern Ireland economy.
BB
Bob Blackman
What steps his Department is taking to help grow the Northern Ireland economy.
SB
Steven Baker
The Government are committed to the economic growth of Northern Ireland, working closely with other UK Departments, the newly formed Executive and NI businesses. Our plan includes boosting trade and investment, building on the success of the Northern Ireland investment summit last year; levelling up Northern Ireland’s …
LR
Laurence Robertson
I thank the Minister for that very full answer. Given that the rest of the United Kingdom—the internal market—is the biggest market for Northern Ireland, what role does he see for the new InterTrade UK, particularly with respect to trade between Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
Use of Agricultural Land for Solar27 Feb 2024
GC
Gregory Campbell
I am delighted to see you in your place, Mr Speaker. Some people have short memories. Bearing in mind the difficulties that farmers are facing, particularly those with rocky or infertile land, will the Minister have discussions with his colleagues in the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs to ensure that some of that… land is used in ways that maximise the benefit to the farming community, as well as contributing to net zero?
Hansard · 27 Feb 2024 · parliament.uk
GS
Greg Smith
What steps she is taking with Cabinet colleagues to help ensure that land used for food production is not used for solar installations.
AB
Andrew Bowie
The planning policy priority is the effective use of land by directing solar projects to locate on previously developed low-grade land, and it is designed to avoid, mitigate and, where necessary, compensate for impacts on the best agricultural land.
GS
Greg Smith
The Prime Minister was very clear that vast swathes of agricultural land would not be lost to solar on his watch, yet I am seeing thousands of acres across my constituency being built out or proposed for solar—from Kimble Wick to Dinton, Ford to Beachampton, and more—including the latest 2,100 acre abomination in the C…
AB
Andrew Bowie
I understand the concern and frustration of my hon. Friend and his constituents. That particular project is at the pre-application planning stage. The application is expected to be submitted to the Planning Inspectorate between January and March 2025. However, as I know he understands, owing to the quasi-judicial role …
WH
Wera Hobhouse
With all due respect to Conservative Members, who always represent the farming industry, as do we in the Liberal Democrats, farmers are not stupid. They will not take high-quality agricultural land out of production, and that is not happening, so I really worry about the argument being made here. We are far behind our …
Northern Ireland26 Feb 2024
GC
Gregory Campbell
On our constitutional future, does my right hon. Friend agree that in the changed Northern Ireland that now exists, there are many of us who are proud of our British nationality and will never yield on that, while others are proud of their Irishness? Also, many do not share either constitutional identity. Only membership of… the United Kingdom allows people to cherish all three.
Hansard · 26 Feb 2024 · parliament.uk
SB
Steven Baker
I beg to move, That an humble Address be presented to His Majesty welcoming the return of the devolved institutions in Northern Ireland, re-affirming the importance of upholding the Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement 1998 in all its strands, acknowledging the foundational importance of the Acts of Union 1800, including th…
CE
Colum Eastwood
This Humble Address reads like a love letter to the DUP—I just caution the DUP not to get too comfortable, because I am not sure that it will be a forever love. A couple of weeks ago, the Secretary of State said in this House that we needed the majority “consent of both” the Unionist community and the nationalist commu…
SB
Steven Baker
I will correct the record: all that is required is a simple majority, just as the hon. Gentleman says. I am sure that we all regret the confusion that has arisen. I will later in my speech address specifically some of the points that he has raised, but I will return them in due course if he will allow me. The restorati…
JR
John Redwood
When I last asked him in the House, the Secretary of State assured us that this House can now legislate for VAT in Northern Ireland, which was a very welcome assurance. Can the Minister explain how far the EU can go in legislating for Northern Ireland if we in the Unionist community are not very happy with that?
SB
Steven Baker
I refer my right hon. Friend to the table on page 4 of the Command Paper, which answers his question somewhat more broadly. That table compares Northern Ireland to Ireland as an illustrative member state and Norway as a European economic area state, and goes through the ways in which the status of Northern Ireland, EU …
GC
Gregory Campbell
My hon. Friend talks about bringing material over himself. Can he imagine the incredulity of citizens of Northern Ireland who hear about the situation? They will say, “What possible risk could that pose to the EU internal market?”.
Rural Connectivity21 Feb 2024
GC
Gregory Campbell
There has been significant improvement in rural broadband connectivity in Northern Ireland as a result of our agreement with the previous Government. Will the Minister take steps to ensure that small businesses in rural areas across the country can further develop themselves by maximising this advantage?
Hansard · 21 Feb 2024 · parliament.uk
RM
Rachel Maclean
What steps her Department is taking to improve rural connectivity.
TH
Trudy Harrison
What steps her Department is taking to improve rural connectivity.
JD
James Davies
What steps her Department is taking to improve rural connectivity.
SA
Sarah Atherton
What steps her Department is taking to improve rural connectivity.
JL
Julia Lopez
We have made huge progress in connecting the countryside. In 2019 only 6% of premises had gigabit-capable broadband; now it is 80%, and the UK is building gigabit networks faster than any country in the EU. This month we launched another six Project Gigabit contracts to connect another 690,000 rural homes. The shared r…
Dangerous Offenders: Increased Sentences20 Feb 2024
GC
Gregory Campbell
Does the Minister agree that wider society’s confidence in the judicial system is often determined by how dangerous offenders are treated? Does he agree that it is vital that we get the message out there, both to wider society and to potential offenders, that there is the ultimate price to pay, which is a long… sentence in prison for criminal offences such as these?
Hansard · 20 Feb 2024 · parliament.uk
NM
Nigel Mills
What steps he is taking to increase sentences for dangerous offenders.
GB
Gareth Bacon
Measures in the Sentencing Bill will ensure that those who commit the worst crimes will receive the most severe punishment. The Bill creates a duty for the court to impose a whole life order for murders currently subject to a whole life order starting point and for those that involve sexual or sadistic conduct, unless …
NM
Nigel Mills
I thank the Minister for his answer and welcome those measures. The two worst cases I have had to deal with as an MP was where women were brutally murdered by a partner or ex-partner. What are the Government going to do in response to the Clare Wade review to increase sentences for people who commit those awful, vile o…
GB
Gareth Bacon
My hon. Friend is quite right to raise the issue of domestic homicide. We are determined to act to protect the victims of domestic abuse and ensure that the appropriate punishments are in place for perpetrators. That is why, following Clare Wade KC’s review, we are increasing sentences by introducing statutory aggravat…
GB
Gareth Bacon
I thank the hon. Gentleman for his question. I agree with those sentiments entirely.
Points of Order20 Feb 2024
GC
Gregory Campbell
On a point of order, Madam Deputy Speaker. You will be aware that the Northern Ireland Assembly was restored two weeks ago. During the period when it was not sitting, Members of the Legislative Assembly were not fulfilling the full range of their functions, and the Secretary of State reduced their salaries. I wrote to… the Leader of the House last week about a matter of which you may well also be aware, Madam Deputy Speaker: the matter of the abstentionist Sinn Féin MPs who have not fulfilled the full range of their own functions, but have received millions of pounds in representative moneys over not two but 22 years. While they receive no salary from the House, the money that they do receive is allocated on the same basis as Short money, namely to assist Opposition parties with such processes as scrutiny and preparation for debates, in none of which Sinn Féin participates. I just wish to ascertain, Madam Deputy Speaker, whether the Leader of the House, having received my letter, has as yet indicated her intention of tabling a motion allowing us to discuss this matter.
Hansard · 20 Feb 2024 · parliament.uk
RW
Rosie Winterton
I thank the hon. Gentleman for his point of order and for giving me notice of it. I have had no indication that the Government intend to table a motion on this matter, and I believe that Mr Speaker has had no such indication either. However, the hon. Gentleman will have an opportunity to ask the Leader of the House a q…
JS
Jim Shannon
Further to that point of order, Madam Deputy Speaker. This is not something that has happened in the last while; as we have just heard from my hon. Friend the Member for East Londonderry (Mr Campbell) , it has been going on for a number of years. Representations have been made to the Government and to the Minister resp…
RW
Rosie Winterton
I do not think there is much that I can add to what I said earlier, but I am confident that those on the Treasury Bench and the Whips have heard what both hon. Gentlemen had to say, and I am sure that they will be reporting back. I urge the hon. Gentlemen to take the matter up on Thursday, when the Leader of the House …
National Living Wage6 Feb 2024
GC
Gregory Campbell
I understand that concerns were expressed some years ago about how a significant increase in the minimum wage may well have a knock-on effect, particularly on the hospitality sector. Given that that did not come about with previous living wage increases, will the Chief Secretary commit her Government to ensuring that future increases will be… monitored closely to enable and assist small businesses to increase wage levels systematically and sustainably over the longer term?
Hansard · 6 Feb 2024 · parliament.uk
LE
Luke Evans
What recent progress he has made on raising the level of the national living wage.
LT
Laura Trott
The Government are committed to ending low pay. From 1 April 2024 , the national living wage will increase by 9.8%, to £11.44. That represents an increase of more than £1,800 to the annual earnings of a full-time national living wage worker and it is expected to benefit about 2.7 million workers.
LE
Luke Evans
I congratulate the Government on increasing the national living wage, because that will make a huge difference. However, after speaking to not only those in the public sector, at the likes of my local Leicestershire County Council and Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council, but small businesses in the private sector, I …
LT
Laura Trott
I thank my hon. Friend for his question, and I will take the two parts of it in turn. The Government continue to support businesses with the higher costs through a generous package of support. At the autumn statement, we showed our commitment to supporting small businesses by extending the 75% retail, hospitality and l…
LT
Laura Trott
I can commit to the hon. Gentleman that we are absolutely monitoring the effects, but, as I said, a good package of support is in place for businesses.
Windsor Framework: Horticulture1 Feb 2024
GC
Gregory Campbell
I apologise for my earlier misdemeanour, Mr Speaker. Now that we have significant progress towards the restoration of devolution, will the Minister agree to work with DUP Members and his ministerial colleagues to ensure that issues such as the horticultural one continue to be resolved, so that we have maximum efficiency across the North channel?
Hansard · 1 Feb 2024 · parliament.uk
PP
Priti Patel
Whether he has had recent discussions with horticultural businesses on the operation of the Windsor framework.
MS
Mark Spencer
DEFRA officials met Kings Seeds on 19 January . The Department regularly meets a range of businesses, including through the working group established with the Horticultural Trades Association, which met most recently on 18 January .
PP
Priti Patel
The Minister will know that Kings Seeds is what is known as a well established local business, having been based in Kelvedon since 1888. It trades in horticultural seeds and is known for its sweet peas, but as he will be aware, it cannot send its products to Northern Ireland, which it says is because of barriers relate…
MS
Mark Spencer
As I said, DEFRA officials met Kings Seeds on 19 January . I am more than happy to meet my right hon. Friend and the company to discuss its concerns and see how we can support it in all its excellent work in her constituency. We appreciate the concerns of Kings Seeds. We are inviting it to the new horticulture working …
MS
Mark Spencer
I am delighted to work with the hon. Gentleman. We have a track record of working with our DUP friends to solve the challenges that we face. That conversation can continue, and I look forward to working with him to continue to solve those challenges.
Business of the House1 Feb 2024
GC
Gregory Campbell
Birthday greetings, Madam Deputy Speaker. Will the Leader of the House endeavour to find Government time for a debate to celebrate sporting excellence in Northern Ireland, given that last night young Conor Bradley scored his first goal for Liverpool football club and that, at the other end of the playing spectrum, we had the announcement… by Steven Davis of his retirement from professional football, which I have alluded to in my early-day motion 333? [That this House notes the announcement of Steven Davis to retire from playing professional football; acknowledges the outstanding achievements of Steven, who at 39 years old holds the UK men’s international caps record with 140 appearances for Northern Ireland as well as 742 club appearances for top flight clubs in England and Scotland, having played for his beloved Glasgow Rangers in two separate spells using the term, it’s such a special football club, in his retirement statement; and wishes him and his family every blessing and good wish as he decides on his post playing career.]
Hansard · 1 Feb 2024 · parliament.uk
LP
Lucy Powell
To ask the Leader of the House if she will give us the forthcoming business.
PM
Penny Mordaunt
The business for the week commencing 5 February will include: Monday 5 February —Remaining stages of the Finance Bill. Tuesday 6 February —Opposition day (4th allotted day). Debate on a motion in the name of the official Opposition, subject to be announced. Wednesday 7 February —Motions related to the police grant and …
LP
Lucy Powell
May I wish you a very happy birthday as well, Madam Deputy Speaker? I start by expressing our profound regret that the hon. Member for Finchley and Golders Green (Mike Freer) has decided to step down due to fears for his safety and that of his family. The recent attack on his office was horrific. That any Member is for…
PM
Penny Mordaunt
From the Government Benches, I say happy birthday to you, Madam Deputy Speaker. This week I met Ashley, the cousin of 19-year-old hostage Agam Berger. She is the girl that many Members will have seen in video footage, playing her violin in happier times. She volunteered with special educational needs children, and was …
WM
Wendy Morton
Best wishes on your birthday, Madam Deputy Speaker. Last week was Neighbourhood Policing Week. I was able to join the local Aldridge and Brownhills neighbourhood teams out in the community. Will my right hon. Friend join me in thanking our local teams for all they do? Does she agree that central to neighbourhood polici…
Northern Ireland1 Feb 2024
GC
Gregory Campbell
I am holding up the piece of paper.
Hansard · 1 Feb 2024 · parliament.uk
LH
Lindsay Hoyle
We now come to motion 1, on the draft Windsor Framework (Constitutional Status of Northern Ireland) Regulations. If the House gives leave, this can be debated with motion 2, on the draft Windsor Framework (UK Internal Market and Unfettered Access) Regulations. Is there an objection?
LH
Lindsay Hoyle
Since there has been an objection to the two motions being debated together, we will take them separately.
CH
Chris Heaton-Harris
I beg to move, That the draft Windsor Framework (Constitutional Status of Northern Ireland) Regulations 2024, which were laid before this House on 31 January , be approved. Getting devolution back up and running has been the principal focus of Government policy in Northern Ireland since February 2022, when the then Fir…
JR
John Redwood
If the Chancellor of the Exchequer wishes to lower the VAT rate or to take something out of VAT altogether, will that be a good law for Northern Ireland as well as for the rest of the UK, and can we now set taxes for the whole country?
CH
Chris Heaton-Harris
On the example my right hon. Friend has given of VAT, that has just been done for a number of different things. I believe the latest one was solar panels, but I will check with those in the Box. There are various other products, and I will get an answer for my right hon. Friend. But, yes, is the answer for VAT, and als…
GC
Gregory Campbell
The hon. Gentleman says that he does not begrudge us the achievement of some of the objectives that we set out to achieve. Does he agree that one of the advantages that we have and Scotland does not have is a 300-mile unclosable land border that makes virtual accommodation with access to the Irish Republic and onwards …
Northern Ireland Executive Formation31 Jan 2024
GC
Gregory Campbell
I thank the Secretary of State for his statement. I remind him that we have been pressing the Government for action rather than words for more than two years, but we welcome the fact that action has been taken, both on trading and the constitutional position. Does he agree that subsequent to the next few… days, we need to continue to work to close the narrow gap that remains? We have made significant and substantial progress towards what we asked the Government to do. Will he also indicate to the wider community in Northern Ireland that even when someone gets a large number of votes, such as Sinn Féin, if they have a mantra that their day will come, it will also go with less fanfare?
Hansard · 31 Jan 2024 · parliament.uk
CH
Chris Heaton-Harris
With permission, I will make a statement on Northern Ireland Executive formation. This Saturday would mark two years without a fully functioning devolved Government in Northern Ireland. That is two years without locally elected Ministers able to take important decisions on Northern Ireland’s schools and hospitals and t…
LH
Lindsay Hoyle
I call the shadow Secretary of State.
HB
Hilary Benn
I am grateful to the Secretary of State for advance sight of his statement. This is a very significant moment. It is our chance to restore to the people of Northern Ireland what they desperately need but have been without for almost two years: a functioning Government. It will also mark a first in Northern Ireland hist…
CH
Chris Heaton-Harris
I thank the shadow Secretary of State for his very kind words and for all the work he has done with me on these matters. I really do appreciate the way we have been able to work together. It has contributed to our getting to this point and it has made a big difference, so I thank him for that. The shadow Secretary of S…
LH
Lindsay Hoyle
I call the Chair of the Northern Ireland Affairs Committee.