As someone with personal experience of AI-generated images, the recent AI images shared on X, particularly those of children, sicken me. Yet the Leader of Reform, the hon. Member for Clacton (Nigel Farage), continues to defend Elon Musk. Anyone who defends platforms linked to the sexual exploitation of children forfeits any right to give lectures… about protecting women and girls. What will the Prime Minister do to stop any political party from putting tech billionaires ahead of protecting our children?
Hansard · 14 Jan 2026 · parliament.uk
LJ
Lincoln Jopp
If he will list his official engagements for Wednesday 14 January.
KS
Keir Starmer
May I start by condemning, in the strongest possible terms, the sickening repression and murder of protesters in Iran? The contrast between the courage of the Iranian people and the brutality of their desperate regime has never been clearer. We have called out this brutality face-to-face. We are working with allies on …
LJ
Lincoln Jopp
I associate myself with the Prime Minister’s remarks, particularly about Iran. Visiting schools in my Spelthorne constituency is one of the great joys of this job, so I was, frankly, appalled to hear that the Labour Member of Parliament for Bristol North East (Damien Egan) was prevented from visiting a school in his co…
KS
Keir Starmer
Can I start by thanking the hon. Gentleman for raising this case, because it is very serious and very concerning? All Members of Parliament should be able to visit anywhere in their constituency, schools or other places, without any fear of antisemitism. We do take this seriously. We are providing more funding for secu…
AM
Anneliese Midgley
I thank the Prime Minister for his commitment to delivering the Hillsborough law, but it has been proven that MI5 spent six years misleading the public and concealing information following the Manchester Arena bombing. There was no risk to national security because it was a closed hearing, so will the Prime Minister de…
Renewable Energy Jobs6 Jan 2026
LM
Llinos Medi
The contracts for difference budget is vital for job creation and the growth of the marine energy sector, yet the latest round removed the tidal stream ringfence and cut emerging technology funding. Can the Minister explain why these changes were made, and will he meet me to discuss how marine energy projects, such as Morlais… in Ynys Môn, can get the support they need to succeed?
Hansard · 6 Jan 2026 · parliament.uk
CJ
Christine Jardine
What steps he is taking to support job creation in the renewable energy sector.
CM
Chris McDonald
The transition to clean energy is the greatest opportunity we have for good job creation across the whole country, with 40,000 extra clean energy jobs in Scotland alone. That is why we published the clean energy jobs plan in October, which sets out how we will work in partnership with industry and trade unions to deliv…
CJ
Christine Jardine
I appreciate the Minister’s answer. Those 40,000 jobs are vital, but they are still outnumbered by the many thousands of jobs in the oil and gas sector. The rate of job losses there is accelerating, and people are increasingly going abroad, creating a concern that the skills necessary for the green transition will be l…
CM
Chris McDonald
This Government recognise the importance of the North sea oil and gas industry, and the importance of oil and gas for decades to come, but we also recognise that the North sea is a declining basin. That is why we published our North sea plan, which supports the transition of workers in the North sea into clean energy j…
TC
Torcuil Crichton
When it comes to creating clean jobs and local wealth, there is no better example than the community-owned wind farm sector in my Na h-Eileanan an Iar constituency. I welcome what the Government have done to clean up the grid connection queue, but the community-owned wind farm sector in my constituency is still stalled…
Business of the House4 Dec 2025
LM
Llinos Medi
Diolch yn fawr, Llefarydd. Ahead of the Budget, I wrote to the Chancellor outlining the desperate economic situation facing hospitality businesses in Wales. I was disheartened that the Chancellor ignored those warnings, adding pressure to the ongoing struggles of the industry, with business property relief a key concern for businesses like Anglesey Taverns on Ynys… Môn. Will the Leader of the House make time for a debate on how the Government can work with business owners in Wales to find sustainable solutions to increasingly unmanageable costs?
Hansard · 4 Dec 2025 · parliament.uk
JN
Jesse Norman
Will the Leader of the House give us the forthcoming business?
AC
Alan Campbell
The business for the week commencing 8 December will include: Monday 8 December —Consideration of Lords message to the Employment Rights Bill, followed by consideration of Lords message to the Planning and Infrastructure Bill, followed by consideration of Lords message to the Mental Health Bill [Lords]. Tuesday 9 Decem…
JN
Jesse Norman
If I may, I would like to express my personal sorrow at the death of Sir John Stanley this week. The House may not know that he was the first person to reach and to comfort the dying Airey Neave, after Neave had been the victim of a bomb from the Irish National Liberation Army, a spin-off of the IRA. Sir John was also …
AC
Alan Campbell
First of all, I join the shadow Leader of the House in paying tribute to Sir John Stanley, who was a committed and long-standing Member of Parliament and a highly respected Minister. He gave 41 years of continuous service to this House and to his constituents. Let me also congratulate one of our senior Doorkeepers, Pau…
JB
Jonathan Brash
Last week was Parliament Week, and like Members across the House I had the chance to visit some of the brilliant schools in my constituency, to hear from Hartlepool children about the things that matter to them at St Teresa’s, St Peter’s Elwick, West View, and Eldon Grove academy, where pupils showed me their brilliant…
War in Ukraine4 Dec 2025
LM
Llinos Medi
That former leader in Wales of Reform UK was a constituent of mine. We have been calling on the Prime Minister for an independent review and an investigation into Russian interference in our democracy. Does the hon. Member support that?
Hansard · 4 Dec 2025 · parliament.uk
NG
Nusrat Ghani
I call Sir Bernard Jenkin, who will speak for around 15 minutes.
BJ
Bernard Jenkin
I beg to move, That this House again condemns President Putin’s war of aggression in Ukraine, which is nowin its fourth year of tragedy and destruction; condemns the atrocities committed by Russia in Ukraine, in particular the abduction of Ukrainian children; supports efforts to negotiate a durable and lasting peace ag…
DB
David Burton-Sampson
Will the hon. Gentleman give way?
BJ
Bernard Jenkin
Briefly, but I have a lot to say.
DB
David Burton-Sampson
The hon. Gentleman is giving a great speech, and I agree with his points. With spy ships through the channel and submarines off the coast of Scotland, does he agree that it is vital for not only Ukraine but the rest of Europe that we work closely with the coalition of the willing throughout this conflict?
Income Tax (Charge)26 Nov 2025
LM
Llinos Medi
Today should have been an opportunity to offer some hope, and to deliver for Wales. Unfortunately, the Chancellor has failed to do that, and our communities will still feel vulnerable. We have been promised action on the cost of living, but nothing has been said about the unfair standing charges that see communities like mine… on Ynys Môn pay £58 a year more than the UK average. On the cost of energy, one way to offer families immediate relief is to cut VAT on energy bills and review unfair standing charges. The Budget has not addressed a travesty: Wales is a net exporter of energy, yet 25% of all Welsh households are in fuel poverty. To change that, Wales should have powers over the Crown Estate, equivalent to those in Scotland, so that the millions generated in profit from our natural resources can be returned to our communities, rather than going to Whitehall. Money for the NHS in the Budget is always welcome, but this money must be put into context. The lowest day-to-day spending increases from recent Westminster Governments for Wales’s public services have come from Labour. Today was another missed opportunity for this Government to deliver for Wales. Classifying High Speed 2 and Oxford-Cambridge rail as “England and Wales projects” is denying Wales £4 billion. Rail spending per capita in Wales stands at £307, while in England the figure is £432. That is a clear injustice that the Government have failed to address today. The leaking and briefing in the run-up to the Budget, and today’s unprecedented early publication of the OBR’s “Economic and fiscal outlook”, has made a mockery of the process. The speculation has caused unhelpful volatility for businesses and the markets. Uncertainty about borrowing costs for business and Government, and delays to interest rate cuts, are undermining the growth that our public services need, and provide no stability for businesses to flourish. That comes at a time when businesses in Wales are already suffering from the incoming
Hansard · 26 Nov 2025 · parliament.uk
NG
Nusrat Ghani
I call the Leader of the Opposition.
KB
Kemi Badenoch
May I congratulate the right hon. Lady on delivering her second Budget? I hope she enjoyed it, because it really should be her last. What a total humiliation—[Interruption.]
NG
Nusrat Ghani
Order. Can colleagues who are exiting the Chamber do so swiftly and quietly, so that we can focus on the Leader of the Opposition?
KB
Kemi Badenoch
It is a total humiliation. Last year, the Chancellor put up taxes by £40 billion—the biggest tax raid in British history. She promised that she would not be back for more. She swore that it was a one-off. She told everyone that from now on, there would be stability and she would pay for everything with growth. Today, s…
NG
Nusrat Ghani
Order. The Chief Whip in particular knows that we do not allow clapping in the Chamber.
LM
Llinos Medi
I am grateful for the opportunity to answer that question. Small businesses are the majority of our economy in Wales. While it is extremely important that they can offer apprenticeships, they need to be able to afford to employ people, and we need a skilled workforce if we are to give apprentices training opportunities…
COP3025 Nov 2025
LM
Llinos Medi
I thank the Secretary of State for the recent decision on the small modular reactor at Wylfa. To stay committed to the goals of the Paris agreement, we need to speed up the roll-out of technologies such as marine energy. Ynys Môn is home to the world-leading, community-owned Morlais tidal stream project. However, developers require… a strategic vision from the Government to develop at pace. Will he consider setting a £40 million tidal stream and a £7 million wave energy ringfence in the next renewable auctions, as advocated for by the UK Marine Energy Council?
Hansard · 25 Nov 2025 · parliament.uk
EM
Ed Miliband
With permission, I would like to make a statement about the COP30 climate summit. The climate crisis represents the greatest long-term threat we face as a world, but the transition also represents the greatest economic opportunity of our time. At home, we are driving for clean energy and climate action, because it is r…
JC
Judith Cummins
I call the shadow Secretary of State.
CC
Claire Coutinho
I thank the Secretary of State for advance sight of his statement. Let us be clear: when this Secretary of State resumed office, he decided to impose the most punishing climate policies at home, because according to his argument, if we lead, others will follow. That is why we are the only country in the world to be shu…
EM
Ed Miliband
Oh dear, oh dear! I remember a time when the Conservative party was serious about the COP negotiations. The shadow Secretary of State had advance sight of the statement, but she did not ask any questions about it. I have to say that there is a fundamental issue here: do we engage internationally on how we drive forward…
JC
James Cartlidge
Because Putin invaded Ukraine!
Ministerial Code24 Nov 2025
LM
Llinos Medi
The Welsh Local Government Association has warned today that next year’s Welsh local government settlement still fails to meet structural pressures on Welsh councils. That is the stark backdrop to the upcoming Budget. Does the Minister recognise that the pre-Budget circus of leaks, briefings and chaotic U-turns in No. 10 has only made it harder… for already struggling councils to plan ahead and deliver their essential services?
Hansard · 24 Nov 2025 · parliament.uk
AB
Alex Burghart
(Urgent Question): To ask the Prime Minister to make a statement on the ministerial code.
JS
Josh Simons
Trust in Government and in politics is at an all-time low. For my constituents in Makerfield, Wigan and for others across the country, there is a crisis of faith and trust, and it is incumbent on all of us across this House to fix and restore it. The Prime Minister has always been clear: serving this country is what we…
LH
Lindsay Hoyle
Order. I thank the Minister who has been sent here, for coming to the House. Once again I must remind Ministers of the requirement in the Government’s own ministerial code that major announcements should be made in the House in the first instance, not in the media. I understand that media announcements must be managed …
AB
Alex Burghart
Thank you for granting this urgent question, Mr Speaker. I mean no offence to the Parliamentary Secretary, because I have been in his shoes, but when the Government send out a junior Minister to answer a very serious question, it is normally because they have something to hide. In this case, it is clear that the Govern…
JS
Josh Simons
I thank the hon. Member for his series of questions—connected, I think, by virtue of being in relation to the ministerial code. Things happen in politics. Things go wrong and people misbehave. But the difference between us and the Conservatives is that whenever something has come up, we have always followed processes a…
Small Modular Nuclear Reactor Power Station: Wylfa17 Nov 2025
LM
Llinos Medi
(Urgent Question): To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero if he will make a statement on the development of the UK’s first small modular nuclear reactor power station at Wylfa.
Hansard · 17 Nov 2025 · parliament.uk
MS
Michael Shanks
I welcome the hon. Lady’s commitment to securing a new nuclear project in her constituency. She and I have had a number of discussions about nuclear power and other energy projects. Nuclear energy provides the stable low-carbon baseload we need to keep the lights on and to support our economy. It is central to our clea…
MS
Michael Shanks
The hon. Lady is right that the community in Ynys Môn faced a number of false starts under the previous Government. This is an historic opportunity—a huge moment—as the project moves forward with tangible timelines in place and the £2.5 billion that she mentioned. Rolls-Royce is taking forward three SMRs initially, but…
LC
Lizzi Collinge
My constituency hosts Heysham 1 and 2 nuclear power stations, and provides the cleanest energy of any UK constituency, so obviously I am keen that Heysham continues to be part of our golden nuclear future. Is the Minister, like me, eagerly awaiting the report of the regulatory review—particularly on the outdated semi-u…
MS
Michael Shanks
My hon. Friend rightly highlights the huge economic advantage of nuclear. I grew up in Ayrshire, next to Hunterston, so I know how important nuclear power stations are for the communities that grow up around them. We are considering existing sites. This is not, of course, the end of our nuclear ambitions; we have been …
LH
Lindsay Hoyle
I call the shadow Secretary of State.
LM
Llinos Medi
Diolch yn fawr, Llefarydd, for granting the urgent question. Last week’s announcement that nuclear power will return to Wylfa is hugely welcome. I am pleased that the Government have backed the site. As I have mentioned several times in this Chamber, Wylfa is recognised as the best site in Europe. May I pay tribute to …
Remembrance Day: Armed Forces11 Nov 2025
LM
Llinos Medi
Today’s Remembrance Day debate is an important opportunity to pause and reflect—on the sacrifices of generations before us, and on those who have been impacted by war and conflict. The veterans’ community in Wales is widespread. We are a nation with a greater proportion of veterans and people who have experienced service: 4.5% of Wales’s… civilian population have served in the armed forces, compared with 3.8% in England. Supporting our veterans is an important issue in Wales, particularly those carrying trauma, both visible and hidden. One pressing issue facing our veterans is access to financial support for those with medical conditions. Veterans with life-changing service-related injuries should be exempt from repeat disability assessments in future. It is unfair to force people to undergo reassessments for permanent conditions and disabilities in order to access financial support. I therefore urge the UK Government to exempt veterans from disability reassessments. Research by Age Cymru has suggested that almost one in five veterans in Wales who could be entitled to the armed forces pension are not claiming it. Many veterans are therefore missing out on financial support later in life. As such, I also urge the UK Government to address the issue of unclaimed pensions among the armed forces community in Wales. Plaid Cymru will continue to support the application of the armed forces covenant to treat veterans in Wales and their families fairly. I ask this Government to look at how the covenant is working in Wales, not only to raise awareness of the covenant and its principles, but to ensure that it is being applied in the interface between reserved and devolved services. We know there are risks that people will fall between the gaps of support services. We owe it to the generations who have come before us to build a more peaceful and just world. While we live in a period of increasing uncertainty, it is imperative that we support global efforts to resolve conflicts an
Hansard · 11 Nov 2025 · parliament.uk
AC
Alistair Carns
I beg to move, That this House has considered Remembrance and the contribution of the armed forces. On Sunday, His Majesty the King led the nation in commemorating generations of men and women who served, fought and, in many cases, did not return home. About 10,000 veterans gathered at the Cenotaph on Whitehall to obse…
CA
Catherine Atkinson
Support for our veterans is essential. I am proud that the Royal British Legion is growing in Derby. Will the Minister join me in wishing good luck to those who have set up a new branch in Mackworth? Does he agree that this Government’s veterans strategy, including the £13.8 million to address homelessness, shows that …
AC
Alistair Carns
I thank my hon. Friend for her contribution, and I definitely wish good luck to the RBL on expanding its portfolio, which is fantastic. I hear that the Derbyshire RBL has raised the most of any RBL in the country.
AJ
Adam Jogee
On that point, will the Minister give way?
AC
Alistair Carns
Let me finish my point, and then my hon. Friend can jump in. I put on record my personal thanks to the Royal British Legion for its work on the poppy appeal this year, and every year. I am sure that hon. Members across the House echo that appreciation and I look forward to hearing their contributions to the debate. 202…
Huntingdon Train Attack3 Nov 2025
LM
Llinos Medi
My thoughts and those of my Plaid Cymru colleagues are with everyone affected by this appalling attack. They are also with the train driver, the crew and the staff, whose quick thinking and decisive action helped protect many from the worst of outcomes. Will the Secretary of State join me in expressing gratitude for their… bravery, and for showing us all how crucial the presence of officers and sufficient staffing are to our public safety? Surveillance can help catch criminals, but staff on the ground save lives.
Hansard · 3 Nov 2025 · parliament.uk
LH
Lindsay Hoyle
Before the Home Secretary makes her statement, I must advise the House that charges have been brought against a named individual and the matter is now sub judice. Members should take care not to say anything in the House that might prejudice a criminal trial. I therefore urge Members to avoid speculating about the guil…
SM
Shabana Mahmood
With your permission, Mr Speaker, I would like to make a statement on the horrific events that took place on the east coast main line on Saturday evening. I am sure that I speak for everyone in this House when I say that my thoughts today are first and foremost with the victims, their families and their friends, and al…
NG
Nusrat Ghani
I call the shadow Secretary of State.
CP
Chris Philp
I thank the Home Secretary for advance sight of her statement. Our thoughts are with the victims of this appalling attack and their families, as the Home Secretary rightly says. I join her in paying tribute to the emergency services who responded so fast and the brave interventions by members of the public and the trai…
SM
Shabana Mahmood
I thank the shadow Home Secretary for his remarks, in particular his opening remarks; I know that the bravery of all those who faced this attack on Saturday has unanimous support across the House, and I thank him for the spirit in which he reflected that. As I said in my statement, the events in Peterborough are now th…
North Sea Oil and Gas Industry27 Oct 2025
LM
Llinos Medi
Job losses in the North sea come from the lack of a strategic energy transition plan. The same applies to nuclear in Wales, where the lack of a plan for Wylfa has seen nuclear jobs in Ynys Môn fall to a record low. Does the Minister agree that future-proofing our energy industries against job losses… and rising costs requires a clear strategy and timely decisions from this Government?
Hansard · 27 Oct 2025 · parliament.uk
AB
Andrew Bowie
(Urgent Question): To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero if he will make a statement on the future of the North Sea oil and gas industry.
MS
Michael Shanks
The North sea will be at the heart of Britain’s energy future. For decades its workers, business and communities have helped to power our country and our world, and they will do so for decades to come. The oil and gas industry has lost around a third of its entire workforce in the last decade as oil and gas production …
AB
Andrew Bowie
Another week and yet another hammer blow to our North sea oil and gas industry, another gut punch to energy workers and another blow to our energy security. Whatever the Minister says today, the blame lies squarely with this Labour Government. [Interruption.] They do not like to hear it, but it is true. Today, the ener…
MS
Michael Shanks
On Petrofac, the hon. Gentleman should be careful with his tone. To come here and try to undermine efforts to find a buyer for the UK arm and to talk down a business, which, as I just outlined, is a successful and growing business in the North sea, is deeply irresponsible. There have been long-standing issues at the co…
PF
Patricia Ferguson
Will my hon. Friend outline to the House how the Government are delivering the clean energy jobs plan, which will see 40,000 new jobs in the clean energy industries in Scotland by 2030? I am sure that move will be welcomed around the Chamber. Will he advise us what support will be given to that plan by the Scottish Gov…
Devolution in Scotland22 Oct 2025
LM
Llinos Medi
After a quarter of a century of Labour rule, child poverty in Wales is the worse than in all other nations of the UK. Is that the reason for the collapse in support for Labour in Caerphilly, and why, tomorrow, people will turn to Plaid Cymru?
Hansard · 22 Oct 2025 · parliament.uk
JS
Jamie Stone
I beg to move, That this House has considered devolution in Scotland. I am jolly glad I came to the Chamber when I did. [Laughter.] I thank the Backbench Business Committee for making time available for this debate and for recognising that it is a debate that holds great significance for the whole House. I thank those …
JL
John Lamont
The hon. Member is making a very good speech. As a fellow Member of the Scottish Parliament for 10 years, I concur completely with his comments regarding the Committee structure. There are many faults about the other place, but it is significantly better at scrutinising Government, holding Government to account and imp…
JS
Jamie Stone
I thank the hon. Member, who, like me, was an MSP all those years ago. Why, to take up his point, is the Scottish Parliament not working the way it is intended to? I think part of the answer lies in the fact that making someone the Chair of a Committee in the Scottish Parliament is in the gift of the party leaders. Tha…
CN
Caroline Nokes
Beautifully timed, Mr Stone. I call Patricia Ferguson.
PF
Patricia Ferguson
Thank you, Madam Deputy Speaker. I nearly lapsed into old habits and called you Deputy Presiding Officer, but that is a title for another place some 500 miles up the road. I thank the hon. Member for Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross (Jamie Stone) for procuring this debate, and for arriving when he did; some of us …
Rape Gangs: National Statutory Inquiry21 Oct 2025
LM
Llinos Medi
The credibility of the national inquiry rests on placing the voices, experiences and needs of victims and survivors at its very centre. Can the Minister show victims in Wales how this inquiry will be guided by their best interests, given that survivors have such grave concerns that they feel they must resign from the panel?
Hansard · 21 Oct 2025 · parliament.uk
CP
Chris Philp
(Urgent Question): To ask the Home Secretary to make a statement on the recent criticism of the statutory inquiry into the rape gang scandal.
JP
Jess Phillips
As stated in my previous statement to the House on 2 September and in my letter to the Home Affairs Committee yesterday, the Government remain resolute in delivering Baroness Casey’s recommendations following her national audit of group-based child sexual exploitation and abuse. These crimes committed by grooming gangs…
CP
Chris Philp
This scandal arose because young, mainly white girls were systematically gang-raped and it was covered up by those in authority because the perpetrators were mainly of Pakistani origin. It is all the more shocking that when calls for a national inquiry became public in January, the Prime Minister smeared campaigners as…
JP
Jess Phillips
The right hon. Gentleman cannot have listened to my remarks at all if he is suggesting that the Government have silenced anybody. The Government have not handled the process; it has been handled by a grooming gang charity. He cited and named a victim of crime. If the right hon. Gentleman had done anywhere near the leve…
JM
Jim McMahon
Oldham has stepped forward to take on a local inquiry, and it has been waiting to understand what the move to the national inquiry means for its work. The same is true of victims and survivors, whose bravery and strength in the most difficult circumstances have been truly remarkable. What arrangements have been put in …
Alleged Spying Case: Home Office Involvement20 Oct 2025
LM
Llinos Medi
I would like to ask the Minister about another case of foreign interference in our politics. Nathan Gill, the former leader of Reform UK in Wales and a constituent of mine, pleaded guilty to accepting bribes from Russia. He was stopped by the police in September 2021, but only charged in February this year. Reports… now suggest that the Kremlin operation targeted not only him but at least two other Members of the European Parliament and a Member of the House of Lords. What steps are the Government taking to ensure that Russian networks cannot continue to influence UK politics?
Hansard · 20 Oct 2025 · parliament.uk
LH
Lindsay Hoyle
Before we come on to the urgent question on the Chinese spy case, I would like to reiterate my remarks from last week. I remain disappointed by what has happened in this case. I am, alongside the Lord Speaker, continuing to seek advice from officials and specialist legal advice on what further steps might be taken to p…
CP
Chris Philp
(Urgent Question): To ask the Home Secretary to make a statement about Home Office involvement in the alleged China spying case.
DJ
Dan Jarvis
I thank the shadow Home Secretary for the question, and I thank you, Mr Speaker, for the opportunity to respond to it today. As I have repeatedly set out to the House, the Prime Minister, the Home Secretary and the wider Government are extremely disappointed that this case will not be heard in court. I have heard the s…
LH
Lindsay Hoyle
Order. I do not need any help from the Government Front Bench. This is a very important statement that really does affect Members of this House.
DJ
Dan Jarvis
As I have repeatedly made clear in this House, Ministers and special advisers were not involved in any aspect of the production of the evidence, and I stand by that statement today. The Prime Minister has also made clear that he was informed of the CPS’s decision only a matter of days before the case collapsed. There i…
Pride in Place15 Oct 2025
LM
Llinos Medi
The Government are presenting the pride in place programme as a win for communities across the UK, but the focus of this particular scheme is on neighbourhoods of around 10,000 people. On Ynys Môn, only one town even meets that population threshold. That is not unique to my constituency; it is the case across Wales.… Will the Minister explain why rural communities are excluded by design from this specific programme?
Hansard · 15 Oct 2025 · parliament.uk
NG
Nusrat Ghani
Order. Mr Waugh, you do not cross the Front Bench, even to take a shortcut. It is not on.
MF
Miatta Fahnbulleh
With permission, Madam Deputy Speaker, I wish to make a statement on the action we are taking to restore pride in place. Britain’s renewal is a driving mission of this Labour Government, and we know that that must be seen, felt and heard in every single neighbourhood. Our identity, sense of patriotism and feeling of be…
DS
David Simmonds
This statement speaks of pride. Conservative Members have pride in our local pubs, 200 of which have closed in the past six months, hammered by the Labour party’s business rates rises. We have pride in our restaurants, which are closing in record numbers under the business rates burden imposed by this Government. We ar…
MF
Miatta Fahnbulleh
I am disappointed by the hon. Member’s lack of contrition and his failure to say sorry. The Conservatives presided over 14 years of failure, during which, over a period of austerity, local government and local civic institutions were denuded and deprived communities were hollowed out. He says that we are funding areas …
NG
Nusrat Ghani
Order. “Because of your record”? My record? “Because of you”? Me? Let us temper our language, lower the temperature and continue.
Digital ID13 Oct 2025
LM
Llinos Medi
Thirty-one per cent of children in Wales live in poverty, and 25% of households in Wales are in fuel poverty. Given the scale of the crisis facing people, does the Minister honestly believe that an intrusive and unpopular digital ID system should be a priority?
Hansard · 13 Oct 2025 · parliament.uk
LK
Liz Kendall
I have always believed in giving people power and control over their lives: control over the public services they use and how they access childcare, benefits and housing support; control over their data, and who sees it; and control over the choices they make to rent or buy a home, apply for a job, open a bank account,…
NG
Nusrat Ghani
I call the shadow Secretary of State.
JL
Julia Lopez
Nearly three weeks ago, the Prime Minister unveiled a plan for mandatory digital identity that will fundamentally shift the balance of power between citizen and state. He did not announce it here in this House, but at a love-in of the progressive left, sponsored by Labour Together and haunted by the ghost of Tony Blair…
LK
Liz Kendall
Well, Madam Deputy Speaker, that is definitely the first time I have been called a big fat socialist. [Laughter.] The hon. Lady asks how it will help crack down on illegal immigration. Making ID mandatory and digital will really help us to get, much more swiftly and automatically, more actionable intelligence about rog…
NG
Nusrat Ghani
I call the Select Committee Chair.
Defence Industrial Strategy8 Sep 2025
LM
Llinos Medi
SMEs like Affinity at RAF Valley, in my constituency, offer apprenticeships that equip young people with crucial engineering skills. It is vital that the defence industrial strategy’s new clearing-style system for apprenticeships works with local SMEs and colleges to expand these opportunities. Can the Minister clarify how the system will operate in Wales, where apprenticeships… are devolved?
Hansard · 8 Sep 2025 · parliament.uk
LP
Luke Pollard
With permission, Madam Deputy Speaker, I wish to make a statement on the defence industrial strategy. Today we fulfil another manifesto commitment by publishing our plan to strengthen our security and grow our economy. It is a plan to back British-based industry, create British jobs and drive British innovation. Before…
NG
Nusrat Ghani
I call the shadow Secretary of State for Defence.
JC
James Cartlidge
I am grateful to the Minister for early sight of both his statement and the hard copy document. Before I respond to the statement, may I express on behalf of the Opposition our wholehearted condemnation of the latest drone attack on Kyiv, the largest of the war, with small children among the dead? It is a reminder of w…
LP
Luke Pollard
I think the shadow Defence Secretary really wanted to welcome this strategy, but is finding it difficult, because the politics have got in the way. I will deal with some of that, but first let me say that I am grateful to him for his words about the attack in Kyiv. It is so important that, although we may disagree abou…
NG
Nusrat Ghani
I call the Chair of the Defence Committee.
Hospitality Sector3 Sep 2025
LM
Llinos Medi
Diolch, Madam Dirprwy Lefarydd. I declare an interest as the chair of the all-party parliamentary group for hospitality, events, major food and drink businesses in Wales. The hospitality sector in Wales has enormous economic value. It contributes £4 billion to the Welsh economy and employs more than 165,000 people. It also has immense social value,… creating strong communities and providing opportunities for local people, often young people whose first job is in hospitality. However, the tax changes introduced by this Government have placed huge pressure on the sector. This summer, a report by Family Business UK showed that on Ynys Môn changes to business property relief and agricultural property relief could result in a more than £10 million reduction in gross value added, as well as the loss of 167 local full-time equivalent jobs. That pattern is seen across Wales. The report also finds that Wales will see some of the steepest forecast declines in investment, turnover and employment due to the changes to BPR and APR. Beyond the statistics are the real impacts on family-run businesses, such as Kingsbridge caravan park in Beaumaris, which has been family-owned for 26 years. Those running it say that the increases to employer national insurance have already forced them to reconsider employing wardens next year and have affected their ability to reinvest in the caravan park. Analysis by UKHospitality Cymru shows that of the 164,641 job losses in the UK since the Budget last October, some 89,000 have been in hospitality. About 2,600 of those are in Wales—roughly equivalent to the number of jobs lost at Port Talbot due to the closure of the blast furnace, but spread across our communities throughout Wales. The sector is crying out for the Government to recognise the urgent situation and to acknowledge that many businesses are barely treading water, unable to invest or grow. Hospitality is an important source of skills and growth for Ynys Môn and Wales, yet this Governmen
Hansard · 3 Sep 2025 · parliament.uk
NG
Nusrat Ghani
We now come to the second Opposition Day motion. I inform the House that Mr Speaker has not selected any amendments. I call the shadow Secretary of State to move the motion.
AG
Andrew Griffith
I beg to move, That this House regrets the combination of catastrophic choices made by the Government causing the closure, downsizing and lack of hiring by pubs, restaurants, hotels and hospitality businesses across the United Kingdom, with an estimated 84,000 job losses over the last 12 months and an average of two si…
GS
Graham Stuart
My hon. Friend might have been like me: the first job I ever had was as a porter, and then a barman, at the Crown and Mitre hotel in Carlisle. These are opportunities for people who are coming into the labour market for the first time or trying to get back into the labour market. The hospitality sector offers opportuni…
AG
Andrew Griffith
My right hon. Friend is exactly right. Opportunity is a word we are going to hear again and again, because of the huge contribution that the hospitality sector makes to the economy and to getting people on the ladder of opportunity with their first job in life.
AG
Andrew Griffith
The hon. Gentleman is trying to get his first opportunity, and I will give him that. We are going to have a good debate, and I will make some progress after this.
Speciality Steel UK: Insolvency2 Sep 2025
LM
Llinos Medi
The Government have made direct interventions for steel jobs in Scunthorpe and now in Rotherham. That is no comfort for steelworkers in Wales; no similar measures were taken to protect their jobs. Can the Minister explain why her Government will save jobs in Yorkshire and Lincolnshire, but will only help workers in Port Talbot to… write CVs and search for new jobs?
Hansard · 2 Sep 2025 · parliament.uk
SJ
Sarah Jones
I would like to make a statement regarding the insolvency of Speciality Steel UK Ltd, which is part of the Liberty Steel Group. Hon. Members will have seen that the High Court granted a compulsory winding-up order against Liberty Speciality Steels on 21 August , and the company has now entered liquidation. First and fo…
GD
Gareth Davies
I am grateful to the Minister for giving me advance sight of her statement today, but here we are again: another day, another Government takeover of a key British manufacturing plant, another 1,500 jobs—1,500 people—facing an incredibly uncertain future, and the prospect of significant job losses alongside the wider ec…
LH
Lindsay Hoyle
Order—[Interruption.] No, it’s no use nodding at me. I have not gone over time; it is the shadow Minister himself. I am sure he is now coming to a conclusion.
GD
Gareth Davies
I am, Mr Speaker. Although I have lots of questions, I will ask just two very quick ones, if that is okay.
LH
Lindsay Hoyle
You must ask them now, otherwise I am going to stop you.
Solar Development: Newark2 Sep 2025
LM
Llinos Medi
Communities in Newark are affected like communities on Ynys Môn. Productive land on Ynys Môn creates good agricultural outcomes and means a good rural economy. Productivity on Ynys Môn is £4,000 below the Welsh average, and building new large-scale solar will have an impact on that. Does the right hon. Member agree that the Government… should reject projects such as Maen Hir and undertake economic impact assessments on such developments to safeguard rural economies?
Hansard · 2 Sep 2025 · parliament.uk
RJ
Robert Jenrick
Madam Deputy Speaker, can I begin by thanking you—and, through you, Mr Speaker—for granting me this Adjournment debate? It is unusual to allocate Adjournment debates to members of the shadow Cabinet, but I want to raise this important matter on behalf of my constituents. I have written to the Secretary of State for Ene…
JS
Jim Shannon
Will the right hon. Gentleman give way?
NG
Nusrat Ghani
I call Jim Shannon to intervene, on large-scale solar development in the Newark constituency.
JS
Jim Shannon
This is not just about Newark; it affects its neighbours as well. It is an issue across the whole of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and these large-scale plans will definitely affect us all. I understand the need for renewable energy, but our farmers and their needs, and the food security of …
RJ
Robert Jenrick
The hon. Member is always welcome to come up a ladder with me in Newark. Perhaps I will pay him a visit as well to fix some Union flags. The hon. Member is right to say that these projects affect constituencies the length and breadth of the United Kingdom. Many of them—all three projects I am raising today—are treated …
Ukraine1 Sep 2025
LM
Llinos Medi
Ukraine needs a just peace. It also needs financial support to rebuild. The EU has said that it will allow frozen Russian assets to be used in higher risk investments to generate more money. What discussions has the Secretary of State had on supporting the EU’s latest effort to use Russia’s assets to provide vital… funding for Ukraine?
Hansard · 1 Sep 2025 · parliament.uk
JH
John Healey
With permission, Madam Deputy Speaker, I shall make a statement about Ukraine. Before I begin, I inform the House that yesterday we secured a £10 billion contract to supply Norway with at least five Type 26 frigates. This is the biggest British warship deal in our history. It strengthens NATO and our northern flank, an…
NG
Nusrat Ghani
I call the shadow Secretary of State.
JC
James Cartlidge
I am grateful to the Secretary of State for advance sight of his statement. I join him in paying tribute to the outgoing Chief of the Defence Staff, Admiral Sir Tony Radakin, who, as he says, has given such impactful leadership and support for Ukraine. I also send my best wishes to his successor as CDS, Air Chief Marsh…
JH
John Healey
I welcome the hon. Gentleman’s endorsement of the success in securing the Norway deal. Groundwork was certainly done under the last Government, and he led a lot of that as the Defence Procurement Minister, but I have to say that we had a great deal more to do when we took over in July last year. Frankly, we had to rebo…
CN
Caroline Nokes
I call the Chair of the Select Committee.
Topical Questions15 Jul 2025
LM
Llinos Medi
Solar developers are not playing by the rules when it comes to accessing the land of people on Ynys Môn. Government guidance states that developers must act reasonably when trying to obtain permission to access the land, but my constituents have received threatening emails and there have even been cases of developers trespassing on land.… Does the Minister condone such behaviour, and does he believe that current guidance is strong enough to protect constituents such as mine?
Hansard · 15 Jul 2025 · parliament.uk
GS
Graham Stuart
If he will make a statement on his departmental responsibilities.
EM
Ed Miliband
Since the last oral question time for the Department, the spending review announced the largest investment in clean energy in our country’s history—investment in new nuclear; in carbon, capture and storage; and in hydrogen transport and storage. We are investing £8.3 billion through Great British Energy and £13.2 billi…
GS
Graham Stuart
Evidence from the National Grid, Ofgem and Imperial College London shows that locational or zonal pricing would save billions of pounds a year, lower bills and reduce the need for expensive and often unpopular grid infrastructure. Why has the Secretary of State ruled it out?
EM
Ed Miliband
I made a comprehensive statement to the House on this last Thursday, and the grounds for the decision are these: first, there is the question of fairness, and secondly, there is the question of the cost of the transition and what would happen in the meantime. We need investment in our clean energy infrastructure, and w…
BG
Ben Goldsborough
In the fight for energy security, every area of our country must play its part, but that means energy infrastructure projects should be distributed evenly. What is the Department doing to ensure that no community will be asked to do more than its fair share?
Taxes15 Jul 2025
LM
Llinos Medi
Despite promises of economic competence and a brighter future at the election, the tax choices that this Government have made have undermined economic growth in Wales. Over 99% of all businesses in Wales are small and medium sized, and the increase in employer national insurance contributions has hit them incredibly hard. It has raised operating… costs, meaning that businesses are less able to weather times of hardship, and it limits their ability to invest and expand. The impact has also been felt in our hospices. Yesterday, we received the devastating news of the temporary closure of the hospice on Ynys Môn due to financial pressures. This one decision is having a direct impact on our communities. One policy that the Government could stop before it is implemented is the proposed changes to agricultural and business property relief, which are set to take effect in April 2026. Having listened to the voices of family farmers and local businesses, it is clear to me that this policy will cause huge damage. As the Farmers Union of Wales says, if the reforms to agricultural property relief remain unchanged, the consequences for farmers, rural communities and food production in Wales could be devastating and irreversible. Plaid Cymru has been clear that there should be a Wales-specific impact assessment before this policy is pursued further, given the importance of agricultural and small businesses to our economy and communities. Instead of damaging policies such as raising national insurance and cutting agricultural and business property relief, we should be making the tax system fairer. We must follow the principle that those with the broadest shoulders should carry the largest burden. Instead of taxing small businesses and trying to plunder benefits, the Government should look at a wealth tax on assets over £10 million to raise the billions in revenue that are needed to support the public finances. Taxes are a political choice. Plaid Cymru would make choices that are on
Hansard · 15 Jul 2025 · parliament.uk
CN
Caroline Nokes
I must inform the House that Mr Speaker has not selected any amendment. I call the shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer.
MS
Mel Stride
I beg to move, That this House notes that the Government was elected on the basis of a manifesto commitment not to increase taxes on working people and not to increase National Insurance or the basic, higher, or additional rates of Income Tax, or VAT; accordingly regrets the decision to raise employers’ National Insura…
LE
Luke Evans
I am grateful to the shadow Chancellor for making that point. Does he believe that a humble toolmaker who happens to own a small business is a working person?
MS
Mel Stride
Indeed, my hon. Friend is absolutely right. We need to stand up for everybody—even our toolmakers. Let us be frank: we have had to table this motion today, which seeks to do nothing other than reaffirm the commitments that the Labour party has already made, because of the litany of broken promises that I have just shar…
JH
Jeremy Hunt
Does the shadow Chancellor agree that, following the welfare U-turns, public finances today are in a far worse state than they were a year ago when the Government came into office? There is a crucial difference: a year ago, the Conservative Government were taking difficult decisions to bring taxes down in order to grow…
State of Climate and Nature14 Jul 2025
LM
Llinos Medi
Diolch, Madam Ddirprwy Lefarydd. Climate change is a huge threat to food security. In 2018, losses in the Welsh livestock sector due to extreme weather reached £175 million, which is equivalent to 9% of the total Welsh agricultural output. Farmers need support to protect their livestock and crops. Will the Secretary of State listen to… the concerns of the farming unions about the removal of the ringfence for Welsh agricultural funding? It could mean less money for climate adaptations, at a time when they are most needed to safeguard food security.
Hansard · 14 Jul 2025 · parliament.uk
EM
Ed Miliband
With permission, Mr Speaker, I would like to make a statement about the climate and nature crisis. On the day that the Met Office publishes its “State of the UK Climate” report for 2024, the Environment Secretary and I want to share with the British people what we know about the scale of the crisis and explain the acti…
AB
Andrew Bowie
It is a rare pleasure to see the Secretary of State at the Dispatch Box today, given that he turned down the opportunity to defend his plan for clean power by 2030 or the report from the National Energy System Operator that was published earlier in the year. Perhaps that is why we are being given a slightly longer stat…
LH
Lindsay Hoyle
Order. We need to be careful about what we say. I think that the hon. Gentleman has suggested that the Secretary of State was not honest, and I think we are all honest Members here.
AB
Andrew Bowie
I completely agree, Mr Speaker, and I apologise if I insinuated the opposite in any way. The UK accounts for less than 1% of global emissions. That is also the truth. In fact, now that I come to think of it, it is rather shameful that the Secretary of State should be using this report from the Met Office as cover, whil…
CD
Carla Denyer
Will the hon. Gentleman give way?
Business of the House10 Jul 2025
LM
Llinos Medi
Diolch, Dirprwy Lefarydd. This month, Ynys Môn’s status as a UNESCO global geopark is due its revalidation process to assess the functionality and quality of its status. The island is a globally significant site for geological study and appreciation, with a vast geological history spanning four eras, twelve geological periods and 1.8 billion years. Will… the Leader of the House join me in commending the trustees and volunteers at the GeoMôn centre in Porth Amlwch, whose hard work ensures that Ynys Môn maintains its world-renowned status?
Hansard · 10 Jul 2025 · parliament.uk
JN
Jesse Norman
Will the Leader of the House give the House the forthcoming business?
LP
Lucy Powell
The business for the week commencing 14 July includes: Monday 14 July —Committee of the whole House and remaining stages of the Deprivation of Citizenship Orders (Effect during Appeal) Bill, following which the Chairman of Ways and Means is expected to name opposed private business for consideration. Tuesday 15 July —O…
LH
Lindsay Hoyle
I call the shadow Leader of the House.
JN
Jesse Norman
I am not going to let this moment pass—I am sure no colleague would wish me to—without again reminding everyone present that this week marks the 20th anniversary of the 7/7 bombings. On 7 July 2005 , 52 people were killed in four separate attacks and 700 more were injured, many of them grievously. I know that the whole…
LP
Lucy Powell
May I join the shadow Leader of the House in marking the 20th anniversary of the 7/7 bombings? We all remember that day well, and I am sure that the whole House will want to remember all those who died and those who were affected by it. May I also take this opportunity to welcome the newly announced new director of the…
Electricity Market Review10 Jul 2025
LM
Llinos Medi
The strategic spatial energy plan must ensure that new large energy projects in Wales work with and not against communities. There must also be a role for local small-scale projects, as these can deliver the large amounts of clean energy we need, with far less impact on our communities and the national grid. Can the… Secretary of State say how the upcoming SSEP will put the needs of communities at its heart, and how it will support the expansion of small-scale energy projects?
Hansard · 10 Jul 2025 · parliament.uk
EM
Ed Miliband
With permission, Madam Deputy Speaker, I shall make a statement about the review of electricity market arrangements. The central challenge that we face is the urgent need to get off expensive, insecure fossil fuels and to deliver an energy system that meets at least double the level of current electricity demand by 205…
CN
Caroline Nokes
I call the shadow Secretary of State.
CC
Claire Coutinho
I thank the Secretary of State for advance sight of his statement. I know that this has been a difficult decision for him. He told everyone that his flagship mission was to commission more renewable power than ever before by 2030—more wind than ever before and faster than ever before in a market that was already facing…
EM
Ed Miliband
This is the first time I am at the Dispatch Box opposite the shadow Secretary of State; I congratulate her on her new baby boy and welcome her back to the House of Commons. I know from my own personal experience that crying at night is challenging, but who is surprised, given the state of the Conservative party? I thin…
CN
Caroline Nokes
I call the Chair of the Select Committee.
Topical Questions24 Jun 2025
LM
Llinos Medi
Holyhead Towing in my constituency has vessels in the middle east, specifically in Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the UAE. The company is keeping its crew updated to the best of its knowledge. What official advice or guidance is available for UK maritime operators working in the region?
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
LM
Llinos Medi
The industrial strategy has a commitment to increase R&D to drive growth. However, Wales has consistently missed out on its population share of UK R&D funding for years, receiving around 2% rather than the 5% we should be receiving. What are the Government doing to ensure that Wales gets its fair share under this strategy,… given that research and development is vital for Welsh business to grow?
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.
Pride Month23 Jun 2025
LM
Llinos Medi
Let me start by wishing a happy Pride Month to members of the LGBT+ community on Ynys Môn and beyond. Pride Month is, of course, a time for celebration, a time to reflect on the vital contributions of members of the LGBTQ+ community to our society, and a time to renew our conviction that everyone… deserves to love and live freely and openly, without the threat of bigotry. But this Pride Month is also a time of deep unease for many members of the community; in the wake of the Supreme Court’s ruling on sex and gender in the Equality Act 2010 and the ensuing interim guidance published by the Equality and Human Rights Commission, many trans people are living in fear of what the future holds. The words of the trailblazing Welsh trans author Jan Morris seem particularly pertinent today. She found fame in 1953 as the sole reporter on the successful British Everest expedition, and became a prolific historian and travel writer. In her groundbreaking 1974 autobiography, she wrote: “I never did think that my own conundrum was a matter either of science or of social convention...What was important was the liberty of us all to live as we wished to live, to love however we wanted to love, and to know ourselves, however peculiar, disconcerting or unclassifiable, at one with the gods and angels.” It is, of course, in this place that many of the landmark decisions on allowing people to live and love freely have taken place, but work remains to create a society that is fairer and more inclusive for all. One of my constituents is an LGBTQ+ veteran, discharged from the military owing to his sexuality—before 2000, when the ban on open service of LGBTQ+ people was lifted. The late Lord Etherton reported on a number of recommendations in 2023 to provide redress for the injustice, but shockingly, in response to more than 1,000 applications, only 24 payments had been made as at 21 May this year. I urge the Government to do all they can to expedite the process, and to apologise formally for t
Hansard · 23 Jun 2025 · parliament.uk
RG
Roger Gale
I call the Secretary of State to move the motion.
CB
Chris Bryant
Not Secretary of State, Mr Deputy Speaker—well, I don’t think so.
RG
Roger Gale
I should say, I do not know anything that the hon. Gentleman does not know.
CB
Chris Bryant
And the things you do not know, Mr Deputy Speaker—anyway. I beg to move, That this House has considered Pride Month. I should start by declaring an interest in this Pride debate. The Daily Mail once referred to me as an “ex-gay vicar”. I am an ex-vicar, but the other stuff is coming along quite nicely. In fact, I am a …
DB
Dawn Butler
I am sorry to interrupt such a magnificent speech. The first Pride march in London was in 1972, and I have met many people who were on that first Pride march who thought that they would never need to march again, but they still need to march now. Does my hon. Friend feel sorry that Pride organisations have now said tha…
Child Sexual Exploitation: Casey Report16 Jun 2025
LM
Llinos Medi
Plaid Cymru welcomes the Government’s statement and hope that it will lead to concrete, properly funded action. In February, a Plaid Cymru amendment called on the Welsh Government to work with police forces on an all-Wales audit of child abuse cases, and it was backed unanimously. What concrete steps have been taken between the Welsh… and UK Governments since the passing of that vote to bring justice to victims?
Hansard · 16 Jun 2025 · parliament.uk
YC
Yvette Cooper
With permission, I will update the House on the audit the Government commissioned from Baroness Casey on child sexual exploitation and grooming gangs, and on the action we are taking to tackle this vile crime—to put perpetrators behind bars and to provide the innocent victims of those crimes with support and justice. T…
LH
Lindsay Hoyle
Hopefully the report will be available in the Table Office for those Members who wish to see it. The Home Secretary quite rightly took longer than expected, and I have no problem with that. I say to the Leader of the Opposition, and to the Lib Dems, that it is available to them to do the same.
KB
Kemi Badenoch
I thank the Home Secretary for advance sight of the statement, although when I listened to it, I could not believe my ears. It was as if this was the Government’s plan all along, when we all know it is another U-turn. After months of pressure, the Prime Minister has finally accepted our call for a full, statutory, nati…
LH
Lindsay Hoyle
Order. Mr Swallow, I want you to set a good example. This is a very serious statement, and tempers are running high, but I certainly do not want to see you pointing, shouting and bawling in that way.
KB
Kemi Badenoch
Mr Speaker, they can point and shout as much as they like; they know the truth, just as we on the Conservative Benches do. Three times—[Interruption.] I will repeat myself: Labour MPs voted against the reasoned amendment to the children’s Bill; in Committee, they voted against that Bill; and they voted against the Crim…
Nuclear Power: Investment10 Jun 2025
LM
Llinos Medi
The Secretary of State’s message to the private sector is, “If you want to build new nuclear, Britain is open.” Companies have told me that they need decisive and committed leadership from the UK Government to be confident to invest in a new project at Wylfa. I have raised that 11 times in the Chamber,… yet today there was no mention of Wylfa. Will the Secretary of State make it clear that the UK Government support the delivery of new nuclear projects at Wylfa?
Hansard · 10 Jun 2025 · parliament.uk
EM
Ed Miliband
With permission, I would like to make a statement about Government plans for investment in new nuclear power. Sixteen years ago, in 2009, as Energy Secretary I delivered a statement to this House identifying potential sites for new nuclear. I said: “We need to use all available low-carbon sources… New nuclear is right …
NT
Nick Timothy
I thank the Secretary of State for advance sight of his statement. The Conservative party is a pro-nuclear party and we welcome any decisions, backed by investment, that increase Britain’s nuclear capacity, because we cannot deliver cheap, reliable and secure energy without it. Although the investment announced today b…
EM
Ed Miliband
I feel a bit sorry for the hon. Gentleman; it is hard on a day like this to be an Opposition Member. Nevertheless, I will try to answer his questions, such as they are. On the question about the final investment decision, he will be aware that we are currently doing the private sector capital raise. When that is comple…
LH
Lindsay Hoyle
I call the Chair of the Energy Security and Net Zero Committee.
BE
Bill Esterson
I warmly congratulate my right hon. Friend on delivering on his promise from 2009 and confirming Sizewell C, along with the vast array of commitments to a bright nuclear future for this country. The Select Committee looks forward to our inquiry in the autumn into the future of nuclear; we will be taking evidence and ma…
New Clause 69 - Examination of applications for development consent9 Jun 2025
LM
Llinos Medi
I rise to support new clause 39. Building large-scale solar farms on productive agricultural land is short-sighted. The proposed Maen Hir project, classed as a nationally significant infrastructure project, will cover over 3,000 acres of agricultural land on Ynys Môn. This is not just any land; it is land that sustains rural livelihoods and underpins… the economic and cultural identity of the island. Let us not forget why Ynys Môn is known as Môn Mam Cymru—the mother of Wales. Our island has long been the breadbasket of the nation, playing a key role in food production. This land is not just soil; it is security. Replacing it with solar panels serves developers, not communities. The climate crisis will make suitable agricultural land scarcer, which makes protecting what we have now even more important. Once such land is lost to development, we will not get it back. That is not sustainability but short-term gain at long-term cost. We see serious inconsistency in how planning policy is applied. In Wales, under the planning process, good-quality agricultural land is considered for smaller-scale developments, but when it comes to large-scale NSIPs, such as Maen Hir, those protections seem to vanish. The contradiction between Welsh and UK Government policy is unacceptable. There must be a level playing field, regardless of the scale of proposals. We have already felt the impact of energy insecurity in recent years. Let us not repeat the same mistakes with food security. I ask the Government to rethink their approach; to protect our agricultural land, our economy and our communities; and to support new clause 39.
Hansard · 9 Jun 2025 · parliament.uk
MP
Matthew Pennycook
I beg to move, That the clause be read a Second time.
NG
Nusrat Ghani
With this it will be convenient to discuss the following: New clause 1—Steps to be taken when exercising functions under Part 3— “When exercising any function or fulfilling any duty under Part 3 of this Act, the Secretary of State and Natural England must take all reasonable steps to— (a) avoid, prevent and reduce any …
MP
Matthew Pennycook
It is a real pleasure to bring this landmark Bill back to the House on Report. Let me begin by thanking hon. Members on both sides of the Chamber for their engagement with the Bill over recent months. In particular, I thank the hon. Members for Hamble Valley (Paul Holmes), for Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner (David Simmo…
JS
Jim Shannon
I declare an interest as a member of the Ulster Farmers Union, the mother body of which is the National Farmers Union. Others will comment on this, but the UFU has told me that it is concerned about losing farmland for housing. Should it not be the policy of Government to ensure that brownfield sites are used first? If…
MP
Matthew Pennycook
I thank the hon. Gentleman for that intervention—he knows I have great affection for him. He tempts me into a debate that does not directly relate to the Bill, but I can tell him the following: the Government’s position is brownfield-first when it comes to development. He knows that we strengthened the national plannin…
Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories4 Jun 2025
LM
Llinos Medi
We can all see that a genocide is happening in Gaza, and it is about time that this Government called it out for what it is. We are witnessing the systematic dismantling of Gaza’s healthcare system, and the Red Cross has described the situation as “hell on Earth”. What are this Government doing to prevent… Gaza’s healthcare system from being decimated further, and to re-establish hospitals and lifesaving medical services?
Hansard · 4 Jun 2025 · parliament.uk
HF
Hamish Falconer
We are appalled by repeated reports of mass casualty incidents in which Palestinians have been killed when trying to access aid sites in Gaza. Desperate civilians who have endured 20 months of war should never face the risk of death or injury to simply feed themselves and their families. We call for an immediate and in…
JC
Judith Cummins
I call the shadow Foreign Secretary.
PP
Priti Patel
I am grateful to the Minister for advance sight of his statement. The scenes emanating from Gaza are harrowing and the suffering is intolerable. The current situation that we are all witnessing simply cannot continue. The level of humanitarian suffering and desperation continues to be unacceptable, as children, women a…
HF
Hamish Falconer
I thank the shadow Foreign Secretary for her important questions. I confirm that we are working closely with our allies, both in the region and beyond, on this devastating situation. I saw colleagues from Jordan, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Qatar at the Madrid conference 10 days ago, and I will be continuing my consultatio…
PB
Paula Barker
I thank the Minister for his statement, but we have been here countless times before. Last week, Israel approved 22 further settlements in the west bank. Israeli Defence Minister Katz claimed it was “a strategic move that prevents the establishment of a Palestinian state”. What more evidence do we need to call this exa…
Business and the Economy21 May 2025
LM
Llinos Medi
Family Business UK says that 55% of businesses have paused or even cancelled planned investments due to the Government’s plans to cap business property relief. Does the hon. Gentleman agree that the Government should delay the planned BPR changes and conduct a thorough consultation and an impact assessment?
Hansard · 21 May 2025 · parliament.uk
LH
Lindsay Hoyle
I inform the House that I have not selected the amendment. I call the shadow Secretary of State.
AG
Andrew Griffith
I beg to move, That this House regrets that unemployment is rising and causing misery for young people in particular, that this Government has displayed a negligible understanding of business and that investors and entrepreneurs are being driven overseas; further regrets that over 200,000 businesses have closed since L…
CD
Caroline Dinenage
My hon. Friend is so popular. I am interested by how he is starting this debate, because it chimes with what I am hearing in my constituency, where venues such as pubs, restaurants and cafes, which are such a vital part of the effort to regenerate our high streets and local community spaces, are seeing their margins sl…
AG
Andrew Griffith
How tragic is it that from Gosport to Gloucester and everywhere between, businesses on our high streets are closing? This Government do not understand that. If they do understand, they do not care, and if they care, they have not acted. The message from this Government to anyone willing to put their capital, time and e…
LE
Luke Evans
Exactly to that point, is it not a shame that for the first time ever since records began in 2012, the number of new businesses registered at Companies House has fallen? The exact risk-taking behaviour that we need to grow the economy is not taking place; is that not a damning indictment of what this Government are doi…
Solar Farms15 May 2025
LM
Llinos Medi
Ynys Môn is known as “energy island.” However, support for clean energy should not undermine our communities. The current plans for huge solar farms on Ynys Môn do exactly that. At present we have a proposal for the Alaw Môn and Maen Hir solar farms, which would cover 3,700 acres. That is nearly 2% of… the island’s total land—a huge area. Those solar farms would be built on good-quality agricultural land. Ynys Môn is not opposed to solar energy—the island already hosts several solar farms, such as Bryn yr Odyn, Bodorgan and Porth Wen. In addition, Traffwll solar farm awaits construction. We are playing more than our part in the green transition, from solar to wind, from marine to nuclear. Ynys Môn is also known as the mother of Wales, because the island’s fertile land has served as the breadbasket of Wales. Building these projects on good agricultural land undermines food security and the agricultural sector, which is a vital part of our economy.
Hansard · 15 May 2025 · parliament.uk
DJ
Dr Caroline Johnson
I beg to move, That this House has considered solar farms. I must first inform the House that my husband is a farmer and agricultural contractor. I am very grateful to the Backbench Business Committee for allowing me time for a debate on large-scale solar farms. There are some things that Members across the House can a…
JH
John Hayes
There is a further point about suitability. My hon. Friend, as a Lincolnshire MP, will know that our county produces a hugely disproportionate amount of the nation’s food. Compromising food production puts food security at risk, because the solar farms, which are industrial developments, use up land that could otherwis…
DJ
Dr Caroline Johnson
My right hon. Friend is of course right, as usual, and I will address that point in more detail later in my speech. Even if we could resolve all those production, recycling and transportation issues, and so accept that solar is viable for the UK, ground-mounted solar projects are not the right approach. Panels installe…
RG
Rachel Gilmour
Does the hon. Lady agree that solar energy generation is a key stepping stone on our pathway towards a green economy and to reaching net zero, for those of us in this House who still believe in it? However, where possible, we should not take up agricultural land. I am very pleased to say that my office is supporting Fa…
DJ
Dr Caroline Johnson
I agree wholeheartedly that we should not use our best agricultural farmland for solar panels. The previous Government took steps to establish a £50 million fund to incentivise rooftop installations on farm buildings. That is the right measure to maximise the efficient use of land. This Government’s approach, by contra…
LM
Llinos Medi
The current approach to large solar is a sign of a lack of strategic planning, but also of a lack of food security planning. Ynys Môn has UNESCO global geopark status to recognise its outstanding geological heritage and to manage it for conservation, education and sustainable development—“sustainable” being the crucial…
UK-EU Summit13 May 2025
LM
Llinos Medi
Diolch, Dirprwy Llefarydd. The people of Wales have been let down by those who promised that Brexit would lead to a brighter future; instead, it has caused huge damage right across our communities and economy. The hard Brexit pursued by the previous UK Government has cost the Welsh economy up to £4 billion and reduced… the value of Welsh exports by up to £1.1 billion, and post-Brexit trade deals, such as those with New Zealand and Australia, have been unfavourable for Welsh agriculture and manufacturing. Since Brexit, Wales has lost out on £1 billion in European structural and rural development funding, which could have been used to support our deprived communities. That is despite the promise made by the then Conservative UK Government in 2019 to “at a minimum match the size” of former EU funding in Wales and the other nations across the UK. In my constituency, the port of Holyhead, which is a strategically vital port for UK-EU trade, has seen dramatic falls in traffic since Brexit. I note that following the closure of the port after Storm Darragh in December last year, the value of trade going through Holyhead has dropped by £500 million. At the time, I called for the Government to establish a hardship fund to support businesses impacted by the closure of the port. I urge the Government, as part of their strategy towards the EU, to make clear commitments to safeguard the port against future crises, given its strategic importance. We need a relationship with Europe that works for Wales, and the opportunity to improve relations at the upcoming UK-EU summit is welcome. Given that Wales is more reliant on exporting to the EU than the rest of the UK, it is crucial that we make trading between Wales and Europe easier. I have seen the challenges that exporters in my constituency face, with local business The Lobster Pot telling me that it has struggled to export under the post-Brexit system. A veterinary agreement covering plant and animal health to cut red tape and costs
Hansard · 13 May 2025 · parliament.uk
NG
Nusrat Ghani
I inform the House that Mr Speaker has selected amendment (a) in the name of the Prime Minister.
AB
Alex Burghart
I beg to move, That this House recognises that the Conservative Party stands by the result of the 2016 referendum to leave the European Union (EU); calls on the Government to stand by that decision at the summit with the EU on 19 May 2025 , to put the national interest first and not to row back on Brexit, for example b…
MW
Max Wilkinson
Will the hon. Member give way?
AB
Alex Burghart
No. In 2015, UK international trade stood at just over £1 trillion a year, but by 2023, it stood at £1.6 trillion a year—all in spite of Brexit. Our concern is that this Government have proven themselves to be really terrible negotiators. We have previously heard the Administration talk about the need for ruthless prag…
PW
Pete Wishart
I wish I could say that I was enjoying the hon. Gentleman’s speech, but that would be stretching it a bit too far. I do not know why he is presenting all these faux disagreements; does he not appreciate that the Government are as hard Brexiteers as he is? How much damage does this Brexit have to do before both parties …
Victory in Europe and Victory over Japan: 80th Anniversary6 May 2025
LM
Llinos Medi
It is a pleasure to take part in today’s important debate. The end of the second world war in Europe was a defining moment in the history of Wales and Ynys Môn. It brought an end to six years of conflict during which an estimated 300,000 Welshmen served in the military, with 15,000 killed. Ynys… Môn may have been many miles from the frontline of the blitz in south-east England, but it was still targeted by bombing raids, including at the strategic port of Holyhead. The island played a vital part in the war effort. RAF fighter crews flew sorties from the island bases of Mona and Valley against Germany, while an airfield at Bodorgan was used as a storage space. Those airfields were responsible for training and hosting thousands of servicepeople, with 1,378 men of the RAF and 408 officers and women of the WAAF based on RAF Mona by the end of the war. The legacy of the war can still be felt today. Valley remains a centre of military and civil aviation, with Mona now used as a relief landing ground. Valley is a source of highly skilled jobs and education for local people, with a partnership between Grŵp Llandrillo Menai and Babcock delivering apprenticeships to local young people, including aerospace engineering maintenance. The impact was felt on the home front too. The island hosted evacuee children from Liverpool and Manchester, helping to keep them safe during the air attacks by Germany. There were also more than 40,000 Welsh people who could not speak English, especially in the western parts of Wales, such as Ynys Môn. To address that, the BBC broadcast news of the war for around 20 minutes of every day in Welsh; such programming paved the way for S4C decades later. Rationing still impacted the everyday lives of the people of Ynys Môn for many years after the war ended. Those who sacrificed so much both on the home front and in the fields of conflict did so in the name of peace and order. The rules-based international order that emerged from the war is now under incr
Hansard · 6 May 2025 · parliament.uk
SP
Stephanie Peacock
I beg to move, That this House has considered the 80th anniversary of Victory in Europe and Victory over Japan. I am honoured to be opening today’s debate as we come together as a House and a country to mark 80 years since victory in Europe on Thursday 8 May . On 15 August , we will mark victory over Japan. In May 1940…
JS
Jim Shannon
I notice an oversight in the Minister’s contribution: Northern Ireland made a very significant contribution. There was never any conscription needed in Northern Ireland, and the great thing about it was that the women filled the gap. They worked in aircraft factories, at Harland and Wolff, in engineering, on the farms,…
SP
Stephanie Peacock
The hon. Gentleman is absolutely right, and I will come on to speak about Northern Ireland later in my contribution. I was delighted to visit Northern Ireland a few weeks ago to see at first hand how it will commemorate VE Day. I am sure that Members will share how their constituencies or families played their part in …
MP
Mark Pritchard
The Minister talks about victory. Will she join me in paying tribute to Corporal Thomas Priday, from the 1st Battalion of the King’s Shropshire Light Infantry, who was one of the first soldiers killed in world war two? While she is paying tribute to him and his relatives, will she also pay tribute to the Shropshire Roy…
SP
Stephanie Peacock
I join the right hon. Gentleman in paying tribute. He makes an incredibly important point, which he has put on the record, and I am really pleased to echo his sentiments. As I was saying, it is up to all of us to keep the collective memory alive as time marches forward.
Nuclear Power Sector29 Apr 2025
LM
Llinos Medi
Data from the last year showed that Ynys Môn saw a drop of 57% in jobs linked to the nuclear industry; the worst figure for a UK constituency. Despite Wylfa being recognised as the best site for new nuclear in Europe, we saw no development from the last Government. Will the Secretary of State and… the Minister give us the recognition and acknowledgment that Wylfa needs new nuclear and that that will be seen in the near future?
Hansard · 29 Apr 2025 · parliament.uk
DM
Douglas McAllister
What steps he is taking to support the nuclear power sector.
MS
Michael Shanks
Nuclear power is a critical part of our clean power ambitions. We are making strong progress on Sizewell C and Great British Nuclear is driving forward its small modular reactor competition. We have also seen the nuclear regulatory taskforce set up by the Prime Minister, and we are ending the legacy of no new nuclear b…
DM
Douglas McAllister
The transition to net zero is a chance to create decent, high-skilled jobs for the future. That includes the next generation of small nuclear reactors, which could revolutionise our energy market and deliver cleaner affordable energy. The SNP has vetoed nuclear energy projects in Scotland for almost 20 years, determine…
MS
Michael Shanks
Planning matters, including the siting of new nuclear, are devolved to the Scottish Parliament, so it is rightly for it to decide. However, I agree that Scotland is missing out on the huge potential of new nuclear. If the ideological block introduced by the SNP were lifted, billions of pounds could be invested in Scotl…
MS
Michael Shanks
The hon. Lady has raised with me that point and the wider question of energy jobs in her constituency a number of times, and I thank her for that and for the way she has done so. Wylfa is an important site and continues to be one that the Government are considering. We will take forward those decisions in due course. A…
Ukraine War: London Talks24 Apr 2025
LM
Llinos Medi
I welcome the UK Government’s recent commitment to strengthening their energy partnership with Ukraine, which is crucial for Europe’s energy independence. I recently visited Urenco’s Capenhurst site, where an advanced nuclear fuels facility is being developed—a market that is currently dominated by Russia. Could the Minister outline how the UK Government are advancing this technology… and what it means for the UK’s energy partnership with Ukraine?
Hansard · 24 Apr 2025 · parliament.uk
PP
Priti Patel
(Urgent Question): To ask the Foreign Secretary if he will make a statement on the talks held yesterday in London on the war in Ukraine.
SD
Stephen Doughty
I thank the right hon. Lady for her question and for the Opposition’s continued support for the united position that we take in our iron-clad support for Ukraine. We remain fully committed to working with Ukraine and our international partners to secure a just and lasting peace. Our support for Ukraine is iron-clad. Re…
PP
Priti Patel
For all the talks taking place, it is concerning that a clear and unified front in support of Ukraine, to support a peace on its terms, has yet to emerge. The Minister mentioned the E3 statement on yesterday’s talks, but it consisted of three sentences stating that the talks were productive and successful, and that sig…
SD
Stephen Doughty
I thank the right hon. Lady for her questions and for her continued support and unity on these issues. It is crucial that we send a signal not only to our friends in Ukraine but to Putin—that this House will not be divided on these issues. We are united in our support for Ukraine, and I can reassure her of our absolute…
PB
Phil Brickell
As one of the individuals who was sanctioned yesterday by the Kremlin, I ask the Minister whether he agrees that if Putin is serious about securing any sort of lasting peace in Ukraine, he should stop the performative sanctioning of democratically elected Members of this House and focus on stopping the murderous, barba…
Easter Adjournment8 Apr 2025
LM
Llinos Medi
I will focus my remarks on Wylfa and this Government’s approach towards nuclear energy. Ynys Môn has a long history associated with clean nuclear power, with two Magnox reactors constructed at Wylfa in the 1960s and coming online in 1971. By 2015, both reactors had reached the end of their operating life and were shut… down. Despite promises of a new nuclear project at Wylfa, communities on Ynys Môn have been left waiting and waiting, with RWE and E.ON pulling out of developing a new project at Wylfa in 2012, followed by Hitachi in 2018. The Prime Minister has recently said that the world has changed, and that “It’s not the job of governments to sit back and hope for the best, or simply manage the moment.” In that spirit, I ask the Government to look seriously at developing the site at Wylfa. It would provide a reliable, clean source of power that could last for up to 80 years, strengthening our energy security at a time when the world is becoming more uncertain. It is estimated that a large reactor project would create 10,000 jobs during construction in north Wales and 900 long-term jobs during operation—this is in an area of Wales with some of the lowest wages. If the Government are serious about generating growth, they must surely see that developing a site at Wylfa is a no-brainer. The Government have changed their approach to the planning system for nuclear projects. While I recognise the Government’s aim of changing the planning system to make it easier for more sites to host nuclear power, that should not come at the expense of progressing with development at Wylfa. The removal of the preferred site, including Wylfa, in the Government’s nuclear planning policy will likely lead to confusion for developers about where they should prioritise their investments. I urge the Government to reinstate Wylfa as a preferred site in the national policy statement for nuclear energy generation. We also have little clarity from the Government about the role of Great British E
Hansard · 8 Apr 2025 · parliament.uk
BB
Bob Blackman
I beg to move, That this House has considered matters to be raised before the forthcoming Adjournment. The first quarter of this year has flown by, and it seems as though it was only yesterday that we were preparing for Christmas and the new year. I am pleased that the weather has finally indicated that spring has spru…
JS
Jim Shannon
I thank the Chair of the Backbench Business Committee for obliging me with all these debates over the year. There are a couple more coming up, which will keep us busy in a few weeks’ time. On the future of Gaza and Israel, I support the two-state solution as the way forward, but does the hon. Gentleman share my view th…
BB
Bob Blackman
I thank the Backbench Business Committee season ticket holder for his intervention, but I assure him that it will not get him any favours in his applications for further debates. I was saddened to hear that on Sunday night, Hamas yet again fired 10 rockets into Israel in an attempt to cause further harm and destruction…
CN
Caroline Nokes
With a birthday contribution, I call Alan Strickland.
AS
Alan Strickland
Thank you, Madam Deputy Speaker. Now that I know I get to go first, I might have birthdays more often. It is a real pleasure to speak in this Easter Adjournment debate. In doing so, I pay tribute to the memory of our late colleague Sir David Amess. I was not a Member of the House at the time, but I hear that the number…
Gaza: Israeli Military Operations2 Apr 2025
LM
Llinos Medi
Nearly 24,000 women and children have been killed in Gaza since 7 October 2023 . In the light of evidence submitted to the UN Human Rights Council showing Israel’s use of starvation as a method of war, the denial of human rights and humanitarian assistance, and a concerted policy of destroying Gaza’s healthcare system, will… the Government take immediate and tangible steps to demonstrate the UK’s commitment to upholding international law by ceasing provision of military support to Israel, suspending all export licences and imposing a two-way arms embargo?
Hansard · 2 Apr 2025 · parliament.uk
CD
Carla Denyer
(Urgent Question): To ask the Foreign Secretary to make a statement about the Israeli Government’s announcement that they are expanding their military operations in Gaza.
HF
Hamish Falconer
We are deeply concerned about the resumption of hostilities in Gaza. The UK does not support an expansion of Israel’s military operations. Continued fighting and more bloodshed is in nobody’s interest. All parties, including Israel, must observe international humanitarian law. We urge all parties to return to dialogue …
CD
Carla Denyer
The Israeli Government’s brutal decision to expand their military operations in Gaza is not about security; it is about domination and erasure. It comes on top of 18 months of collective punishment, including, since 2 March , the longest aid blockade since the war began. I welcome the Minister’s confirmation that the U…
HF
Hamish Falconer
The hon. Lady asked a series of important questions. As I have said to the House on a number of occasions, determinations of breaches of international law are for competent courts and we support those courts in their work. On weapons, I want to be clear that we continue to stand by the assessments that we made soberly …
LH
Lindsay Hoyle
I call the Chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee.
Spring Statement26 Mar 2025
LM
Llinos Medi
Wales has a higher percentage of disabled people and a larger public sector workforce than the UK, so we will be hit hardest by these cruel cuts. All that damage for self-imposed fiscal rules. There have been five major changes to fiscal rules since 1997. Will the Chancellor change the fiscal rules now, so that… she does not impose further austerity?
Hansard · 26 Mar 2025 · parliament.uk
RR
Rachel Reeves
This Labour Government were elected to bring change to our country, to provide security for working people and to deliver a decade of national renewal. That work began in July, and I am proud of what we have delivered in just nine months: restoring stability to our public finances, giving the Bank of England the founda…
MS
Mel Stride
At the last Budget, the right hon. Lady said that she would bring stability to the public finances, but this statement, more appropriately referred to as an emergency Budget, has brought her to a cold—[Interruption.]
LH
Lindsay Hoyle
Order. Rightly, I wanted to hear the Chancellor, and I now want to hear the shadow Chancellor. [Interruption.] I do not need any help.
MS
Mel Stride
This emergency Budget has brought the right hon. Lady to a cold hard reckoning. She has become fond recently of talking about the world having changed, and indeed it has. This country was growing at the fastest rate in the G7 only about a year ago. Just as the OECD, the Bank of England and other forecasters—including, …
LH
Lindsay Hoyle
Order. I am not sure about the language being used. I think there are better and more constructive words that the shadow Chancellor would prefer to use in future.
Planning and Infrastructure Bill24 Mar 2025
LM
Llinos Medi
I appreciate the Government’s intention to speed up the planning and development process to build the clean infrastructure that we need, but we should not be rushing through such a huge Bill, given its impact on our communities. Currently, under the Planning Act 2008, applications for development consent orders on nationally significant infrastructure projects must… include a consultation report that sets out requirements to ensure that that has been carried out robustly. However, clause 4 weakens those requirements, and under the changes, the report will need only to summarise relevant responses and outline any changes made as a result. Summarising is a dangerous game, and I do not believe that summaries have any place in decisions of national significance. I am particularly concerned about the impact that that measure could have on Welsh language considerations, environmental concerns and the voice of local people. When it comes to the Welsh language, there is already a lack of consistency in assessing the impact of developments. The Bill may exacerbate that problem and weaken protections for the language. Concerns raised by communities about environmental impacts could be reduced to a handful of bullet points in a summary. I welcome the Government’s recognition that households living near new transmission developments are affected negatively, but that should go much further than the current proposals. Why is that principle not extended to large-scale energy developments? For example, the proposed Maen Hir project on Ynys Môn will cover over 3,000 acres of the island’s land. Large solar farms are built on agricultural land and frequently sold to communities with the promise of economic benefit. However, replacing agricultural industry with huge solar farms will negatively impact the local economy. I recognise the need to improve our energy security, and to do that the Government should be focusing on innovative solutions to roll out new infrastructure such as under
Hansard · 24 Mar 2025 · parliament.uk
CN
Caroline Nokes
The reasoned amendment in the name of Gideon Amos has not been selected.
AR
Angela Rayner
I beg to move, That the Bill be now read a Second time. It is time to get Britain building again. It is what working people expect of this Government and it is what we will deliver. Our Planning and Infrastructure Bill is critical to achieving economic growth, higher living standards and a more secure future for our co…
MP
Mark Pritchard
I gently say to the Secretary of State that none of my constituents is saying, “In Shropshire, we don’t need any more homes. We don’t want any more homes.” They just want to be consulted. They want the homes in the right place, at the right scale, with the right architecture and in the right numbers. They want their vo…
AR
Angela Rayner
I gently say to the right hon. Member that it is this Government who have brought forward mandatory local plans, and it was his Government who did not. For too long we have left home ownership to collapse, with homelessness soaring and over 160,000 children in temporary accommodation. This is a country that simply is n…
LC
Lewis Cocking
Can the Secretary of State outline what powers in the Bill she will use to take on developers and make sure that they build based on the planning permissions they already have?
Clause 1 - Rate of secondary Class 1 contributions19 Mar 2025
LM
Llinos Medi
I rise to speak in support of these Lords amendments, and I will speak today on those that would protect small businesses with up to 25 employees. In Wales, more than 99% of all businesses are small or medium-sized enterprises. Of those, nearly 95% are micro-sized, meaning that they employ between one and nine people.… For all the protections that the Government say they have put in place for small businesses, the increase to employer national insurance contributions will still hit these enterprises hard. There is a lack of home-grown Welsh businesses developing beyond the micro-enterprise level and becoming larger businesses themselves. We need a Government who will step up and support local businesses to grow. Unfortunately, this Government are doing the exact opposite, as it is estimated that an employer of 40 people on an average salary is about £29,000 worse off a year under the national insurance changes. Why would Welsh businesses now be incentivised to grow and take on more staff given this extra cost? It is worth noting, too, that the OBR forecasts that 76% of the cost of the national insurance contributions increase will be passed on to workers through higher prices and lower pay rises. The Government have said that small businesses will be shielded from the national insurance increases through the changes to employment allowances. However, when asked specifically how many businesses in Wales will benefit, the Government responded by saying that they did not know. This Government like to talk about growth as their central mission, but can they explain how this policy is good for growth for our small businesses in Wales? All I can see is that it is bad for Welsh business, bad for Welsh workers, and bad for the Welsh economy. I urge the Government to support these Lords amendments to at least protect more businesses from the damage that the national insurance hike will cause. I have raised concerns previously in this Chamber that this Labour Government are no
Hansard · 19 Mar 2025 · parliament.uk
JM
James Murray
I beg to move, That this House disagrees with Lords amendment 1.
LH
Lindsay Hoyle
With this it will be convenient to consider Lords amendments 2 to 19 and 21, and Government motions to disagree.
JM
James Murray
I welcome the opportunity to consider the Lords amendment to the Bill. I thank Members of both Houses for their careful scrutiny and consideration of the Bill, and I place on record particular thanks to the Financial Secretary to the Treasury, Lord Livermore, for his invaluable support and for so expertly leading the B…
LE
Luke Evans
The Minister has talked about the growth mission, which is the Government’s raison d’être, but last week we found out that the economy had shrunk. Has he done any work to find out how much that 0.1% drop will cost the Government? It will have huge tax implications.
JM
James Murray
As I have set out to the hon. Gentleman in a number of debates in recent weeks, the Government have had to take difficult but necessary decisions to restore fiscal responsibility after the completely unsustainable situation that we inherited from the Conservative party. That fiscal responsibility and economic stability…
Business of the House13 Mar 2025
LM
Llinos Medi
Wylfa is the best nuclear site in the UK, but the new national policy statement for nuclear energy has scrapped the list of best- suited sites. May we please have a debate in Government time on whether this Government are still committed to developing a new nuclear project at Wylfa?
Hansard · 13 Mar 2025 · parliament.uk
JN
Jesse Norman
Will the Leader of the House give us the forthcoming business?
LP
Lucy Powell
I shall. Monday 17 March —Remaining stages of the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill (day one). Tuesday 18 March —Remaining stages of the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill (day two). Wednesday 19 March —Consideration of Lords amendments to the National Insurance Contributions (Secondary Class 1 Contributions) Bi…
JN
Jesse Norman
I am sure the whole House will want to join me in recognising and thanking the salvage and nature recovery specialists who are even now scrambling to clear up after the disastrous collision in the North sea. They say a conservative is a socialist who has been mugged by reality. If that is so, we are witnessing the extr…
LP
Lucy Powell
I start by congratulating young carers across the country on their day of action yesterday. I know the whole House will be as hopeful as everybody else in the country about Ukraine, as talks continue this week and over the weekend. I am sure we all welcome the resumption of military aid and intelligence sharing between…
CE
Cat Eccles
I recently met my constituent, Becky, who is profoundly disabled after her mother was given Primodos, a hormone-based pregnancy test that was popular in the ’60s and ’70s and taken by roughly 1.5 million pregnant women. It was directly linked to miscarriages and severe birth defects in a study commissioned by the Unive…
Farming13 Mar 2025
LM
Llinos Medi
Decisions made in London are risking the future of farming in Wales. Changing the funding model for agriculture from one that is needs-based to one based on the Barnett formula could lead to a cut in funding for Welsh farming of about 40%. That is despite Wales having a higher proportion of farmers than other… parts of the UK. The changes to agricultural property relief and business property relief will have a dramatic impact on the future of farming. How can the UK Government justify those changes when they have no concrete data on their impact in Wales? That is why we need a Wales-specific impact assessment. It is crucial that the Government have accurate data to understand the real impact of the changes. How does this help economic growth in Wales? Ninety per cent of our land area is given over to farming. In 2020, gross agriculture output was worth £1.7 billion to the economy. The wider food foundation sector in Wales—businesses that produce, process, manufacture and wholesale food and drinks goods—turned over £9.3 billion in 2023, never mind the wider supply chain of agricultural mechanics, vets and animal feed producers. Why are the UK Government undermining rather than supporting this industry and its growth potential? A Government who do not understand the agricultural economy risk the future of rural communities, too. Westminster policies that do not consider the particularities of the Welsh agriculture industry, in which 43% speak Welsh, trample over the future that we fought so hard for in Wales. Threatening the future of agricultural and food production further threatens the ability of families and young people to stay and work in their communities. It is crucial that good-quality, fruitful farmland continues to be used for food security as land demand for non-agricultural purposes increases. The transfer of Welsh land to companies that do not have to worry about inheritance taxes is likely, if not inevitable. In my constituency of Ynys Môn, we are battli
Hansard · 13 Mar 2025 · parliament.uk
AC
Alistair Carmichael
I beg to move, That this House has considered the future of farming. First, I remind the House of my entry in the Register of Members’ Financial Interests and place on record my appreciation for the Backbench Business Committee in allowing us this time in the Chamber. It might be helpful first just to explain to the Ho…
CC
Charlotte Cane
Farmers in Ely and East Cambridgeshire face the threats of flood and drought, which are made infinitely worse by the climate change that my right hon. Friend is talking about, in addition to all the other challenges that farmers are facing. Does he agree that the Government should invest in rural flood management and w…
AC
Alistair Carmichael
I absolutely do, and my hon. Friend puts it perfectly when she talks about working with farmers. It seems that—this is as true for Governments north of the border as it is for those south of it—so much of what passes for agricultural policy is something that is done to farmers, rather than in partnership with them. To …
DM
David Mundell
I thank the right hon. Gentleman for his excellent contribution to this debate. Do the points that he is making not underline the issue that is faced in my constituency? Given the value of land, it is being bought up by private equity firms and pension funds for use in industrial tree production or solar farms. Land is…
AC
Alistair Carmichael
What the right hon. Gentleman refers to is the consequence of an agricultural policy that, despite aiming to do many worthy and worthwhile things, no longer has the concept of food production at its heart. Across this House and the different parties, we need to rebuild a consensus around getting food production back in…
St David’s Day and Welsh Affairs27 Feb 2025
LM
Llinos Medi
Diolch, Dirprwy Lefarydd. St David, the patron saint of Wales, was a renowned teacher, teaching his lessons across Wales. He founded monastic settlements and churches in Wales, Brittany and south-west England, teaching his message of discipline and living a simple life that shaped the communities he served. In the Wales of today, we would do… well to remember history’s lessons and not repeat mistakes that have been made. In particular, we seem to be struggling to learn from experience when it comes to the economy. In 2025, Wales’s GDP per person is 26% below the UK average. Parts of Wales, including west Wales, the valleys and Ynys Môn, my constituency, are performing even more poorly. Child poverty is set to reach 34% by the end of the decade, but in Scotland it is forecast to be 15% lower. For decades, we have failed to address the fundamental problems that face Wales. We have never had an ambitious, strategic economic plan. The case for a new, radical and “made in Wales” approach to economic development is clear for all to see.
Hansard · 27 Feb 2025 · parliament.uk
RJ
Ruth Jones
I beg to move, That this House has considered St David’s Day and Welsh Affairs. I am delighted that the Backbench Business Committee has granted this debate. It is wonderful to see colleagues in the Chamber this afternoon from across the House, many of whom kindly supported the application. This is my sixth St David’s …
AJ
Adam Jogee
Many people in Newcastle-under-Lyme and Staffordshire enjoy the delights of Wales. As a child, my mother spent many happy summers at Colwyn Bay. This is the first St David’s Day in five years that I am not an employee of my hon. Friend, so I want to congratulate her on an excellent speech and say that, on behalf of the…
RJ
Ruth Jones
I thank my hon. Friend for that, and may I say that I have taught him all he knows? I could go on, but I do not wish to take up any more time. I want to hear from other colleagues present today, and I look forward to their contributions.
LS
Liz Saville-Roberts
Diolch yn fawr iawn a dydd gŵyl Dewi hapus i chi, Ddirprwy Lefarydd. A happy St David’s Day to you, Madam Deputy Speaker, and to everyone across the House. It is lovely to see so many daffodils. This is a time to take pride in our culture, our communities and our language—each a rugged testament to our resilience as a …
BM
Ben Maguire
I thank the right hon. Member for giving way and would like to take the chance to wish everyone a very happy St David’s Day. Does she support my calls to make St Piran’s Day, the national day of Cornwall, which is taking place next Wednesday on 5 March , a bank holiday?
LM
Llinos Medi
I am not sure if the hon. Gentleman has looked at the ambitious plan he mentions and counted how many times Wales is mentioned: if he puts the word “Wales” into Google and searches that document, he will find that Wales is mentioned about nine times. That shows the lack of ambition for Wales. Wales has immense natural …
Family Businesses26 Feb 2025
LM
Llinos Medi
Small and medium-sized businesses account for 99.3% of all businesses in Wales. It is not simply their economic value that we measure, but the social and cultural value they create in our communities. Those businesses employ local people, keeping wealth in their area, and are a crucial part of a thriving community. Small businesses have… been under enormous pressure for several years. The Chancellor’s decision to increase employer national insurance contributions has placed huge financial strain on small businesses—a damaging decision that will cost jobs. The cuts to business property relief will also damage local businesses in Ynys Môn. Lewis Forecourts, a family-run business on the island for over 40 years, says that the change will have huge implications for its business. As a key employer, it will be restricted in job creation and growth. In a letter to the Prime Minister, it noted that that will mean less investment in infrastructure at their sites. The Brexit deal pursued by the UK is particularly damaging for Welsh businesses. Wales is more reliant on trade with Europe: 58.6% of total goods exports from Wales go to the EU, compared with 50.3% for the UK as a whole. The Government must start removing those damaging trade barriers, a simple step that would help struggling smaller businesses. As if that was not enough pressure, the Welsh Labour Government continue to charge higher business rates than anywhere else in Great Britain. The recent closure of Holyhead port for nearly six weeks had a significant impact on many small family businesses in Holyhead and Ynys Môn. Footfall in the town was down 40% to 60%, and businesses tell me that that is having a direct impact on their sustainability. It will clearly take time for Holyhead and the surrounding area to recover from Storm Darragh. The UK Government must recognise the huge long-term impact of the closure of the port on business and the economy in Ynys Môn, and I call on them yet again to establish a hardship
Hansard · 26 Feb 2025 · parliament.uk
NG
Nusrat Ghani
The Speaker has not selected the amendment. I call the shadow Chancellor.
MS
Mel Stride
I beg to move, That this House regrets the Government’s decision to introduce a cap on Business Property Relief, meaning that some family businesses passed down upon death will face Inheritance Tax for the first time in 50 years; further regrets the Government’s other economic policies that will damage family businesse…
WM
Wendy Morton
On that specific point, a local businessman wrote to me: “I have spent over 50 years building my engineering business from the ground up, only to now face the possibility that my life’s work could be dismantled due to an unfair tax burden.” Why on earth would anybody want to start a business in the current climate, whi…
MS
Mel Stride
My right hon. Friend is absolutely right, and we see that in the surveys to which I referred; business confidence is at virtually an all-time low. Before this whirlwind of disaster visited us, we had a calmer time during the general election. It was a Labour party on best behaviour with business, a Labour party with a …
AL
Andrew Lewin
I am pleased that the right hon. Gentleman has expressed concern for people on lower wages, and I hope he will therefore welcome the decision announced at the Dispatch Box by this Labour Government to increase the living wage by 6.7% from April.
New Clause 1 - Management of the Crown Estate in Wales24 Feb 2025
LM
Llinos Medi
I beg to move, That the clause be read a Second time.
Hansard · 24 Feb 2025 · parliament.uk
CN
Caroline Nokes
With this it will be convenient to discuss the following: New clause 2—Marine Spatial Planning: coordination— “In relation to any decisions made about marine spatial priorities, the Crown Estate must— (a) ensure that the decisions are coordinated with the priorities of the Marine Maritime Organisation, and (b) consult …
HT
Henry Tufnell
We live in uncertain times, and as a nation we face many challenges ahead. For one, there is Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The impact on our domestic energy prices has shown the extent of our reliance on the international oil and gas markets. Since 2022, gas prices for households across the country have spiked, and the…
JS
Jim Shannon
Of course, a key issue for all of us in the United Kingdom, and certainly for us in Northern Ireland, is the fishing sector. Any net zero development, such as a wind farm—wind farms have been proposed for my constituency in the past—could have a direct impact on the fishing sector there. Does the hon. Gentleman share m…
HT
Henry Tufnell
The fishing industry has a great history in my constituency, and it is vital that the Crown Estate takes on board the issues in the fishing industry when it looks at leasing and consenting. I thank the hon. Gentleman for that intervention. I am grateful also to the Minister for his assurances in Committee that the publ…
LS
Liz Saville-Roberts
The hon. Gentleman is making a powerful argument, and I share his concern for communities such as Milford Haven, in which renewable development will be critical in future. I am sure he will also agree that devolution of the Crown Estate would be a key way to make the best use of supply chains, and to ensure that money …
LM
Llinos Medi
New clause 1 transfers the management of the Crown Estate in Wales to the Welsh Government within two years of the commencement of the Act. The principle behind it is simple: the people of Wales should control and benefit from their own natural resources. For much of Welsh history, that has not been the case, with reso…
LM
Llinos Medi
As I mentioned in Committee, the Barnett formula is not a fair formula for Wales. In the Scottish model, £10 million was taken out of the block grant, but those communities received £103 million back. I think that is a fair exchange. Does the Minister not agree?
LM
Llinos Medi
Diolch, Madam Dirprwy Lefarydd. The Government have tried to explain how devolution and the creation of a Welsh Crown Estate would undermine investor confidence, but that has not been the case for the devolved Scottish Crown Estate, which has raised £700 million from offshore wind investments since 2022. A devolved Cro…
Fiscal Policy: Defence Spending27 Jan 2025
LM
Llinos Medi
A trained and skilled workforce is central to a successful defence policy, and I saw that at first hand during my visit to RAF Valley, where I met Babcock apprentices who attend Grŵp Llandrillo Menai. The Babcock programme supports young people to develop skills, so can I ask the Secretary of State to ensure that… any increase in defence spending includes significant investment in training and apprenticeships?
Hansard · 27 Jan 2025 · parliament.uk
JC
James Cartlidge
(Urgent Question): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the impact of Government fiscal policy on defence.
LP
Luke Pollard
The Government’s plan for change says that we will “set out the path to spending 2.5% of GDP on defence in the spring”. I am genuinely grateful to the hon. Gentleman for asking this urgent question. It gives me the opportunity to reiterate what the Prime Minister has said, what the Defence Secretary told the House on W…
JC
James Cartlidge
Thank you for granting this urgent question, Mr Speaker. Before I turn to the specifics, I hope you will indulge me and allow me to say on behalf of His Majesty’s Opposition that we join all colleagues today in marking Holocaust Memorial Day. May we never forget or be complacent about the lessons. Last Wednesday, the D…
LP
Luke Pollard
I agree with the hon. Gentleman’s words about Holocaust Memorial Day. His Majesty the King has been in Auschwitz for the 80th anniversary, and he spoke for the nation when he said that we will remember this evil long after the survivors of the Holocaust have passed. I have set out clearly that, in the spring, we will l…
LH
Lindsay Hoyle
I call the Chair of the Defence Committee.
Holocaust Memorial Day23 Jan 2025
LM
Llinos Medi
Diolch, Dirprwy Lefarydd. It is a privilege to be here, hearing words of kindness and joining with others against hate on the day when we remember one of our worst times in history. This year marks the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau, and the 30th anniversary of the genocide in Bosnia. As we… look back and reflect on those horrors, we remember the stories of those who fell victim to unspeakable crimes, and take lessons from history. The theme of this year’s Holocaust Memorial Day is “For a better future”; as we consider what it means to build a better future, we must all look at what can be done to create a future that is no longer blighted by prejudice. Recent figures show that there is much work to be done to fulfil that promise. Eighty years on from the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau, religious hate crimes in England and Wales are at a record high. Home Office statistics show a 25% increase in religious hate crimes in the year to March 2024. In October, the monitoring group Tell MAMA UK said it had recorded 4,971 incidents of anti-Muslim hate between October ’23 and September ’24—the highest annual total in the past 14 years—while the Community Security Trust recorded 1,978 reports of anti-Jewish hate incidents from January to June 2024, up from 964 in the first half of 2023. The rise in these appalling hate crimes is a cause of deep concern, and all those who have been the victim of these crimes deserve our friendship and solidarity. Among those murdered in the Holocaust was Helene Melanie Lebel. Born to a Jewish father and a Catholic mother in Vienna and known affectionately as Helly, she loved to swim and go to the opera. After finishing her secondary education, she entered law school. At 19, she began showing signs of a mental health condition and was forced to give up her law studies and work, and was later diagnosed as schizophrenic. A year later, she became one of the thousands of mentally and physically disabled people murdered i
Hansard · 23 Jan 2025 · parliament.uk
MP
Matthew Pennycook
I beg to move, That this House has considered Holocaust Memorial Day. It is an immense privilege to open this important debate on behalf of the Government. As hon. Members will know, 80 years ago this month, soldiers of the Soviet 60th Army of the First Ukrainian Front opened the gates of Auschwitz-Birkenau. That infam…
KH
Kevin Hollinrake
It is my privilege and solemn duty to open this debate on behalf of the Opposition. I thank the Minister for his very thoughtful remarks. The theme of this year’s Holocaust Memorial Day, “For a better future”, encourages us to reflect on the lessons of history and on the steps we must take to ensure that such atrocitie…
DP
David Pinto-Duschinsky
Each year, Holocaust Memorial Day serves as a powerful reminder of the horrors that humanity is capable of inflicting, and of where antisemitism can lead. For me, this day is not just a time to remember the 6 million Jews murdered across Europe, but an opportunity to reflect on their personal stories, including my own …
JC
Judith Cummins
I call the Liberal Democrat spokesperson.
VS
Vikki Slade
It is a privilege to speak in this debate, and it is humbling to follow the hon. Member for Hendon (David Pinto-Duschinsky) ; I thank him for his incredible testimony about his family. I pay tribute to Mr Speaker and his office for the moving parliamentary ceremony yesterday, especially the testimony of Yisrael and Alf…
Competition and Markets Authority Chairman22 Jan 2025
LM
Llinos Medi
Diolch, Llefarydd. The Government say that the CMA’s chair had failed to convince them that he was sufficiently focused on growth, but at the same time, reports suggest that the Government plan to freeze all rail spending except for on three projects in England. A lack of transport funding is stifling growth in the Welsh… economy. To prove his commitment to growth, will the Minister outline the transport funding that his Government have committed to Wales?
Hansard · 22 Jan 2025 · parliament.uk
AG
Andrew Griffith
(Urgent Question): To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade if he will make a statement on the position of the chairman of the Competition and Markets Authority.
JM
Justin Madders
Following the resignation of the chair of the Competition and Markets Authority, Marcus Bokkerink, the Secretary of State has appointed Doug Gurr as the interim chair for a period of up to 18 months while our new permanent chair is appointed. The Secretary of State has expressed his gratitude for Marcus’s leadership of…
LH
Lindsay Hoyle
I call the shadow Secretary of State.
AG
Andrew Griffith
Thank you for granting this important urgent question, Mr Speaker. What a desperate state we are in when the Business Secretary has to phone up the regulators to beg them for ideas to fix the lack of growth that his own Government’s policies have created. I hope that when the regulators attended the roundtable last wee…
JM
Justin Madders
I think there were a couple of questions in there about the role of the CMA chair. Of course, he did not get sacked; he resigned. A new strategic steer for the CMA will be coming out in due course. The hon. Gentleman’s tirade of criticisms of this Government was a bit rich coming from a man who was in the Treasury when…
Crown Estate Bill [Lords]7 Jan 2025
LM
Llinos Medi
The Crown Estate owns 65% of Wales’s foreshore and riverbeds, and more than 50,000 acres of land. Recent rising demand for renewable energy projects has resulted in the value of the land sky-rocketing. In 2007, the asset value of the Crown Estate in Wales was £21.1 million, and in 2023 this reached £853 million. Correspondingly,… profits generated from these assets have also increased. Net revenue profit across the Crown Estate rose from £345 million in 2020 to £1.1 billion in 2024. Profits generated from Wales’s natural resources are, however, not retained for the Welsh public purse; instead they leave Wales and are sent to the Treasury and the sovereign grant. In contrast, in Scotland the Crown Estate is devolved and profits from Scottish natural resources are transferred to the Scottish Government. In 2024 the sum was estimated to be a record £108.3 million. How can the Government justify Welsh profits being sent to the Treasury and the monarch when in Scotland they are held back and put back into the Scottish purse? The situation is worse than that, with Welsh councils having to pay lease fees simply to use the land which is owned by the Crown Estate. In 2023 the sum was nearly £300,000. With huge pressures on council budgets, how can that be justified? In the age of coal, Wales saw a huge extraction of wealth from our communities. In 2025, Wales is now experiencing a similar process of extraction of our green wealth.
Hansard · 7 Jan 2025 · parliament.uk
DJ
Darren Jones
I beg to move, That the Bill be now read a Second time. May I commend my hon. Friend the Member for Gloucester (Alex McIntyre) on his moving ten-minute rule Bill, which he just presented? The purpose of the Crown Estate Bill is to bring legislation governing the Crown Estate into the 21st century. The Crown Estate is a…
SF
Stephen Flynn
I hope the Minister will not hear much disagreement about the points he is making so eloquently. However, may I query why these provisions and powers, which he believes are relevant for the Crown Estate in England and Wales, are not also being provided to the Crown Estate in Scotland?
DJ
Darren Jones
As the right hon. Gentleman knows, Crown Estate Scotland is a separate organisation to the Crown Estate that is the subject of the Bill. Of course, we continue to have conversations and we will be pleased to talk to him and others about that issue for the future.
SF
Stephen Flynn
On that point, will the Minister give way?
DJ
Darren Jones
I will make some progress. The second objective of the Bill is to enable the Crown Estate to invest in capital-intensive projects more effectively. It does so by empowering the Crown Estate to reduce the size of the cash reserves it needs to hold, thereby expanding its ability to use its land and property assets far mo…
LM
Llinos Medi
I will come on to answer that question and perhaps show a pragmatic way of working forward. As I said, in 2025 Wales is now experiencing a similar process of extraction of our green wealth and we cannot let this happen. As in Scotland, it is for the people of Wales to have control and derive the benefit from all profit…
LM
Llinos Medi
I will come on to that, too, because as an energy champion for my constituents for many years I am fully aware that we do not want any delay but there is a way of working that through slowly while also benefiting from Scotland’s experience. Plaid Cymru has been leading the calls for devolution of the Crown Estate for m…
Health and Adult Social Care Reform6 Jan 2025
LM
Llinos Medi
During 14 years of austerity, the NHS has been starved of the resources it badly needs. Four months ago, the Secretary of State for Wales made a big announcement about cross-border NHS partnership to tackle waiting lists; however, the First Minister of Wales later poured cold water over the idea, and today’s plan for England… does not mention Wales. Was this so-called partnership ever real, or was it just another empty promise?
Hansard · 6 Jan 2025 · parliament.uk
LH
Lindsay Hoyle
We now come to the first statement. I am sure there must be something left to say.
WS
Wes Streeting
A happy new year to you, Mr Speaker, and to everyone across the House. With your permission, I will give an update on health and adult social care reform. I start by paying tribute to the NHS and social care staff who worked throughout the Christmas break, including by staffing our hospitals, ambulance services, care h…
EA
Edward Argar
I am grateful to the Secretary of State for his typical courtesy in early sight of his statement, as well for his call last week. Indeed, it was earlier sight than I am used to because I was able to read most of it in the media before coming here, which was not unhelpful. I echo the Secretary of State’s comments in tha…
WS
Wes Streeting
It seems to be the Conservative line across the board now to say, “You’ve had 14 years in opposition, so why haven’t you sorted it all out in six months?” I say gently that the Conservatives had 14 years in government, and it will take longer than six months to clean up their mess. Honestly, their contributions to disc…
DC
Deirdre Costigan
Does the Secretary of State agree that his plan to transform adult social care services has already started with Labour’s Employment Rights Bill ensuring that social care workers will get fair national pay and conditions, and increased access to training and progression? Does he further agree that we will never have a …
Business of the House19 Dec 2024
LM
Llinos Medi
I wish you, Madam Deputy Speaker, and all a Nadolig llawen—merry Christmas. The Leader of the House will be aware of the challenges facing Welsh farmers. Around 30% of Welsh agricultural land is rented. Changes made to the agricultural property relief in the autumn Budget will force the sale of family tenancy farms on Ynys… Môn, displacing generational farming. It is disappointing that no Wales-specific impact assessment has been made. Can we have a debate in Government time on the Budget’s impact on Welsh farming?
Hansard · 19 Dec 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 6 January 2025 includes: Monday 6 January —Debate on a motion on seizing frozen Russian assets to fund Ukraine, followed by a general debate on backlogs in the NHS. The subjects for these debates were determined by the Backbench Business Committee. Tuesday 7 January —Second Reading …
JN
Jesse Norman
Mr Speaker, may I associate myself very strongly with the remarks you have just made about hospices? You will recall that St Michael’s hospice was the topic of a recent discussion that we had at the Dispatch Box in business questions. Mr Speaker, I must confess that I feel a slight degree of trepidation and nervousness…
LP
Lucy Powell
Mr Speaker, I too would like to start by wishing you and everybody in the parliamentary community a very merry and restful Christmas. From the Doorkeepers to the cleaners, the police, the Clerks, Hansard and the Lobby, to the hairdressers and the gardeners, there are so many to thank. May I also take this opportunity t…
LH
Lindsay Hoyle
I thank Members for their comments. I hope that Chorley get promoted—that is the gift we need for the new year. I wish all Members a merry Christmas, and let us hope for a very peaceful year. I thank all the staff of this House for all that they do. They are wonderful; whether they are security or whoever—we can go aro…
Christmas Adjournment19 Dec 2024
LM
Llinos Medi
I believe that the Government should be holding a debate on the UK-wide impact of the closure of the port of Holyhead. Although ports in Wales are a matter for the Welsh Government, international trade is a matter reserved to the UK Government, and Holyhead’s strategic location is key to the UK economy. Westminster cannot… ignore this issue. The port sustained serious damage in the aftermath of Storm Darragh, and all sailings have been cancelled until 15 January at the very earliest. The storm brought gusts of up to 94 mph and caused enormous disruption to the port, which provides the main sea route between north Wales and Ireland and is the UK’s second busiest roll-on roll-off port. Its closure just before Christmas has had a direct impact on livelihoods and businesses on the island: the sudden ending of freight traffic means that businesses have seen their work vanish overnight. This is pushing local businesses to breaking point. The owners of Royalty Recruitment, a family-run business, told me that they had had to let 10 brand-new staff members go, three of whom had only recently joined them. Holyhead Truck Service is another local business that has been affected; it has seen its work dry up completely, as 40% of its annual income is from mechanical work for Irish companies. This time of the year would usually be the busiest period for these businesses, but now they are facing huge job cuts and reduced demand owing to the closure of the port. The sudden loss of income is unsustainable for many businesses, and job losses will push families into financial hardship, leaving them struggling to pay their bills. In a statement earlier this week, the Secretary of State for Wales did not announce any direct support from the UK Government to address the crisis. I am certain that if we were talking about the Port of Dover or an airport in London being closed for at least a whole month, there would be a huge effort to get the site open again and to support the thousands of s
Hansard · 19 Dec 2024 · parliament.uk
BB
Bob Blackman
I beg to move, That this House has considered matters to be raised before the forthcoming adjournment. It seems like only a few days ago that we were having the pre-conference recess debate, yet here we are in the final days of 2024. What a busy year it has been for all of us. We have had general elections, mayoral ele…
JC
Judith Cummins
I ask Members to invoke the spirit of Christmas and help each other out by keeping their contributions to around four minutes so that we can get everybody in.
VV
Valerie Vaz
It is a pleasure to follow the hon. Member for Harrow East (Bob Blackman) . Again, in the best traditions of Sir David Amess, I will be going around my constituency. He is sorely missed here, and our thoughts and prayers are with his family at this difficult time—a time of family. I will raise four local issues, one in…
JL
John Lamont
Ahead of the Christmas break, I am delighted to have this opportunity to recognise and celebrate some of the amazing organisations that serve the Scottish Borders all the year round. These groups, and the volunteers who help keep them running, often do not get the praise they deserve, so I want to mark the excellent wo…
AS
Alan Strickland
I want to highlight a few key issues in my constituency that I have been proud to work on since I was elected in July and flag up some issues that we intend to push in the future. I want to start with the Hitachi train factory in my constituency. I campaigned on it for two and a half years, and it is a source of huge p…
Energy Security17 Dec 2024
LM
Llinos Medi
Despite lifting the onshore wind ban in England, the clean power action plan shows that, by 2030, 8,600 MW of onshore wind will be needed in England and Wales, 5,000 MW of which will be mainly in Wales, with bits in England. Can the Secretary of State outline exactly how Wales will be benefiting from… this huge ramp up in onshore wind, rather than the benefits being extracted out of Wales?
Hansard · 17 Dec 2024 · parliament.uk
AB
Alex Barros-Curtis
What steps he is taking to improve energy security.
PM
Perran Moon
What steps he is taking to improve energy security.
EM
Ed Miliband
Last Friday, we published our landmark clean power action plan, which sets out the route towards our world-leading 2030 clean power mission, including wholesale reform of the grid and planning to make it happen. This is the route to getting off the rollercoaster of fossil fuel markets and delivering energy security, lo…
AB
Alex Barros-Curtis
I thank the Secretary of State for that answer. Given Wales’s tradition and history of fuelling the UK’s energy needs, can the Secretary of State tell us what his plans are to put Wales at the heart of our energy security and net zero agenda?
EM
Ed Miliband
My hon. Friend asks a really important question. The whole clean power plan is about benefiting all four nations of the United Kingdom, including Wales, and we work closely with the Welsh Government on these issues. Before this Labour Government came to office, they were actually trailblazers on how we could have publi…
Women’s State Pension Age Communication: PHSO Report17 Dec 2024
LM
Llinos Medi
Today’s announcement is a huge blow to 1950s-born women affected by state pension changes, who have campaigned tirelessly for justice and accountability, including on the maladministration that the Secretary of State has admitted took place. She promised jobs, homes and opportunities in her statement, but given that one affected woman dies every 13 minutes, can… she explain exactly how that will benefit 1950s-born retired 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…
Clean Energy Projects11 Dec 2024
LM
Llinos Medi
Steel is a key component of developing clean energy projects. In response to my written question, the Government confirmed that they have estimated the cost of nationalising British Steel to safeguard the plant’s future. Can the Secretary of State explain why the Government did that for British Steel but dismissed nationalisation in the case of… Port Talbot?
Hansard · 11 Dec 2024 · parliament.uk
RJ
Ruth Jones
What recent discussions she has had with Cabinet colleagues on support for clean energy projects in Wales.
JS
Jo Stevens
This Government are supporting clean energy projects in Wales. Seven tidal, solar and onshore wind projects were successful in the recent contracts for difference round, and we have given the Celtic and Anglesey freeports the green light, which will enable green industries to grow, creating new jobs. I am also delighte…
RJ
Ruth Jones
The Under-Secretary of State for Wales, my hon. Friend the Member for Llanelli (Dame Nia Griffith) , was recently with me in Llandudno at a roundtable with the main stakeholders in floating offshore wind in the Celtic sea. This project is ready to go, and it will bring massive benefits through cheaper, more secure ener…
JS
Jo Stevens
I thank my hon. Friend for her question. We know that floating offshore wind will be critical to delivering our clean energy mission, and Wales has a huge part to play in that. The UK Government, jointly with the Welsh Government, recognise these opportunities and what they present for Wales, and we are determined to t…
JS
Jo Stevens
The Government have no plans to nationalise British Steel.
Storm Darragh10 Dec 2024
LM
Llinos Medi
Storm damage in Holyhead has led to severe disruption to the second busiest roll-on, roll-off port in the UK, with ferries to Ireland being cancelled. This weekend also saw the closure of the Britannia bridge to all vehicles. The vulnerability of Ynys Môn’s connection to the mainland has been of concern for several years, with… access to our main hospital at risk. What assurance can the Minister give me that island communities, such my constituency of Ynys Môn, will be safeguarded from extreme weather in the future?
Hansard · 10 Dec 2024 · parliament.uk
BL
Ben Lake
(Urgent Question): To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will make a statement on the Government’s response to Storm Darragh.
AO
Abena Oppong-Asare
I would like to say how sorry the Government were to hear that two people lost their lives during Storm Darragh. I extend my sympathy to their family and friends. Late last week, the Met Office issued a red weather warning for wind covering England and Wales, with wider parts of the UK covered by amber and yellow warni…
BL
Ben Lake
Thank you for granting the urgent question, Mr Speaker. I thank the Minister for her reply and join her in expressing my condolences to the families of those two individuals who have tragically lost their lives. The storm left hundreds of thousands of homes without power and disrupted critical infrastructure. We are al…
AO
Abena Oppong-Asare
I thank the hon. Gentleman for his question and for his efforts over the weekend to provide advice and support to constituents. As he mentioned, many households across north and mid-Wales have been particularly affected by the damage and disruption caused by Storm Darragh. Again, I extend my sympathy to all those who h…
TP
Toby Perkins
I echo the sentiments of my hon. Friend and the hon. Member for Ceredigion Preseli (Ben Lake) about the people who lost their lives and all those who have been affected by flooding. Those of us in communities that have been flooded know how desperate the impact is, not just in the immediate aftermath but for months aft…
COP2926 Nov 2024
LM
Llinos Medi
Diolch, Madam Deputy Speaker. Despite today’s statement noting that it is in the UK’s interest to speed up clean energy, we still need urgent clarity on clean energy projects. Will the Secretary of State finally confirm the Government’s plan for nuclear at Wylfa in my constituency?
Hansard · 26 Nov 2024 · parliament.uk
EM
Ed Miliband
With permission, Mr Speaker, I shall make a statement about COP29. May I start by extending my sympathy to all those affected by Storm Bert? It has been a devastating event for people in different parts of our country, particularly in Wales, and my heart goes out to the families of those who have lost their lives and t…
LH
Lindsay Hoyle
I call the shadow Secretary of State, Claire Coutinho.
CC
Claire Coutinho
I thank the Secretary of State for advance sight of his statement. I echo his comments on Storm Bert and thank the emergency services for all that they have done to help those in need. I start by passing on my personal condolences to the right hon. Gentleman on the passing of John Prescott. I know that he wanted him to…
LH
Lindsay Hoyle
I just remind those on the Front Benches that the reply to a statement should last no longer than five minutes.
EM
Ed Miliband
Oh dear, oh dear! Let me deal with the shadow Secretary of State’s questions, such as they are. Let us start with our nationally determined contribution, announced at the conference of the parties. It is so interesting that she now opposes it, because the 2035 NDC announced by the Prime Minister is exactly the target t…
Storm Bert25 Nov 2024
LM
Llinos Medi
Plaid Cymru’s thoughts are with all those across Wales affected by Storm Bert. Confirmation of a coal tip landslip in Cwmtillery is extremely concerning and will lead to anxiety for others living near coal tips. Those tips are the legacy of an industry that extracted from Wales to enrich London, yet the UK Government have… pledged just 4% of the £600 million needed to secure them. Will the Secretary of State commit to providing the full funding required?
Hansard · 25 Nov 2024 · parliament.uk
SR
Steve Reed
With permission, Madam Deputy Speaker, I would like to update the House on Storm Bert. The storm brought heavy rain, high winds and snow across the UK over the weekend. The flooding Minister—the Under-Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, my hon. Friend the Member for Kingston upon Hull West and H…
JC
Judith Cummins
I call the shadow Secretary of State.
VA
Victoria Atkins
I thank the Secretary of State for advance sight of his statement. Storm Bert has had, and continues to have, terrible impacts across the United Kingdom. Our thoughts are with the loved ones of those who have lost their lives in recent days as well as the people whose homes and businesses have been devastated and all t…
SR
Steve Reed
I thank the right hon. Lady for her comments, and I echo her good wishes to people who have been affected by the situation. She refers to funding. I politely remind her that she was a Treasury Minister in the previous Government, who underfunded our flood defences and left more than 3,000 of them—the highest level on r…
JC
Judith Cummins
I call the Chair of the Environmental Audit Committee.
Bus Funding18 Nov 2024
LM
Llinos Medi
The Barnett formula comparability factor calculates how much money each devolved nation receives as a consequence of UK Government spending in England. Wales’s comparability factor for transport is now 33.5%, compared with 95.6% for Scotland and Northern Ireland. Can the Secretary of State confirm whether this unfair funding arrangement applies to the new bus funding,… and will she say how much Wales would receive in cash terms if it had the same percentage share of funding as Scotland and Northern Ireland?
Hansard · 18 Nov 2024 · parliament.uk
LH
Louise Haigh
With your permission, Madam Deputy Speaker, I will update the House on our plans for better buses in England outside London. When we talk about fixing the foundations of our country, our minds should turn to the nation’s most popular form of public transport, because nothing props up our economy more or better supports…
CN
Caroline Nokes
I call the shadow Secretary of State.
GB
Gareth Bacon
I thank the Secretary of State for delivering her statement to the House, and for advance sight of it. It was, of course, the last Government who provided £4.5 billion of funding to the bus sector since 2020 alone. Some £2 billion of that was allocated to support every single local transport authority in England to del…
LH
Louise Haigh
I am grateful to the shadow Secretary of State for his questions, but I have to say that I will take no lessons from those on the Conservative Benches on good government. The approach to funding allocation is based on need, on deprivation, on population and on bus mileage, whereas his Government wasted millions of poun…
RH
Rachel Hopkins
I welcome the Secretary of State’s £9 million investment in the bus system across my constituency. Given the comments she has just heard, does she agree that it takes a Labour Government to really understand not just the cost but the value of public transport, and that our Labour Government are getting on with the job …
Impact of the Budget6 Nov 2024
LM
Llinos Medi
What discussions she has had with the Welsh Government on the impact of the autumn Budget on Wales.
Hansard · 6 Nov 2024 · parliament.uk
JS
Jo Stevens
I have regular discussions with the First Minister of Wales on a range of topics, including, of course, the autumn Budget. This Budget has delivered for Wales for the first time in a generation. The Welsh Government are receiving the largest settlement in real terms since devolution, to support public services such as …
JS
Jo Stevens
I was very pleased that the Budget was able to protect the current farming budget for the next financial year, despite the difficult decisions that we had to make because the Conservative party had trashed our economy. [Interruption.]
LH
Lindsay Hoyle
Order. Mr Griffith, you are continually being a nuisance on the Front Bench. I want you either to restrict it or to go and get yourself that cup of tea.
JS
Jo Stevens
Thank you, Mr Speaker. Obviously, farming is devolved in Wales, and the decision on how to spend that budget will be up to the Welsh Government.
CF
Catherine Fookes
I welcomed last week’s Budget announcements about improving rail transport, and I want to bang the drum for a most excellent project in Monmouthshire, the Magor walkway station, which is ready for investment—indeed, we might even call it oven-ready. Will my right hon. Friend commit to working with the Rail Minister and…
LM
Llinos Medi
In the Budget, the Chancellor announced that the Barnett formula would apply to funding for agriculture, rather than the devolved Governments receiving a ringfenced amount. The Farmers’ Union of Wales says that the Barnettisation of funding could lead to a cut of £146 million a year, or more than 40%. Can the Secretary…
Engagements6 Nov 2024
LM
Llinos Medi
Diolch, Llefarydd. Representatives of Glan Rhos nursing home in my constituency tell me that the Budget changes mean a 10% increase in their in-year costs—a staggering £127,500 extra. Will the Prime Minister reconsider the rise in employer national insurance?
Hansard · 6 Nov 2024 · parliament.uk
CD
Caroline Dinenage
If he will list his official engagements for Wednesday 6 November.
KS
Keir Starmer
I begin by congratulating President-elect Trump on his historic election victory. As the closest of allies, the UK and the US will continue to work together to protect our shared values of freedom and democracy. Having had dinner with President-elect Trump just a few weeks ago, I look forward to working with him in the…
CD
Caroline Dinenage
My constituent Suzanne is going to miss out on her winter fuel allowance this winter because she is just £10 above the pension credit threshold. As well as losing out on that vital money to keep her house warm, she does not get the £150 warm home discount, the £169 free TV licence or free NHS prescriptions. For the sak…
KS
Keir Starmer
We introduced a Budget to fix the foundations of this country and to rebuild our country. One of the issues we had to confront was the £22 billion black hole left by the last Government. We have taken the tough decisions that will stabilise our economy. This means we can commit to the triple lock, which means that pens…
JC
Jacob Collier
Every week I meet hard-working families in Burton and Uttoxeter who are juggling raising their children with managing their family finances. When they hear the Conservative party and its new leader say that maternity pay has “gone too far,” they are terrified about what that means for them. To ease the worry felt by th…
Income Tax (Charge)30 Oct 2024
LM
Llinos Medi
Diolch, Dirprwy Lefarydd. Today, the Chancellor had the opportunity for a transformative change, but she decided to give with one hand and take with another. Plaid Cymru recognises the terrible financial legacy inherited from the Conservatives, but this was not the way to fix it. There was no fairer funding formula for Wales, no sign… of the £4 billion-worth of High Speed 2 consequentials owed to Wales, no devolution of the Crown Estate and no U-turn on the winter fuel allowance or an end to the cruel two-child benefit cap. The Government could have tried to spread the pain with a bigger contribution by the very richest through a wealth tax, for example. Instead, the increase to national insurance will punish businesses and make it harder for them to create well-paid jobs. The Budget document suggests that there is an allowance for public sector organisations. I would appreciate some clarity from the Minister as to what that allowance entails and what constitutes a public sector organisation. Crucially, austerity will continue for some of the most vulnerable in our society, through failing to help the 540,000 pensioners in Wales to keep warm this winter and refusing to bring an end to the two-child cap in Wales, where a third of our children live in poverty. There is little in the Budget that fixes the foundations for Wales. The uplift to the block grant will not rebalance Wales’s fiscal settlement. Welsh councils alone face a £559 million budget gap in 2025-26. I am afraid that the changes to rules on inheritance will seriously threaten Welsh family farms, which are the backbone of our rural economy. In opposition, the Labour party supported Plaid Cymru’s call for the £4 billion owed to Wales in rail funds. It criticised the previous Government for failing to give clarity on the Wylfa project in my constituency, yet in government it is repeating the same errors. We welcome that Westminster is finally beginning to address coal tip safety. This is a long-standing issu
Hansard · 30 Oct 2024 · parliament.uk
NG
Nusrat Ghani
I call the Leader of the Opposition.
RS
Rishi Sunak
On the day that the Prime Minister took office, he said that he wanted to restore trust to British politics with action, not words. Today, his actions speak for themselves, with a Budget that contains broken promise after broken promise and reveals the simple truth that the Prime Minister and the Chancellor have not be…
NG
Nusrat Ghani
Order. Just as we respected the Chancellor and heard her speak, we will hear the Leader of the Opposition.
RS
Rishi Sunak
Britain’s poorest pensioners squeezed, welfare spending out of control and a spree of tax rises that the Government promised the working people of this country they would not do. National insurance—up. Capital gains tax—up. Inheritance tax—up. Energy taxes —up. Business rates—up. First time buyer’s stamp duty—up. Pensi…
NG
Nusrat Ghani
Order. The public will also want to hear what the Leader of the Opposition has to say. Those who I see shouting will not be called to speak later on. Simmer.
New Clause 1 - Review of effective delivery29 Oct 2024
LM
Llinos Medi
First, let me congratulate the hon. Member for Dewsbury and Batley (Iqbal Mohamed) on his passionate maiden speech. I rise to speak to amendments 11 and 12, tabled in my name, which seek to provide certainty to particular energy sectors that they will be prioritised by GB Energy. I must declare an interest as an… officer of the marine energy all-party parliamentary group, of which the UK Marine Energy Council is the secretariat. The commission has recommended that the Government commit £250 million, which is 3% of the Great British Energy budget of £8.3 billion, to accelerate deployment of, and embed UK content in, marine energy projects. This is in addition to a clear gigawatt deployment target by the Government, which would help the sector to flourish. In my constituency of Ynys Môn, we have the community-owned marine energy project, Morlais. Such a measure could improve the sector and give it the certainty that it needs to use the natural resources around our country. Let me turn now to amendment 12. I am incredibly disappointed to see that the Bill makes no mention of nuclear energy. My amendment would require Great British Energy to work with Great British Nuclear on the development of new projects in the UK, such as the Wylfa site on Ynys Môn. At present, it is unclear how GB Energy and GB Nuclear will interact with each other. We cannot afford a further delay in developing new nuclear projects, and amendment 12 would provide much-needed clarity on the Government’s plan. Finally, I turn to my last set of amendments relating to Wales. We need to ensure that there are meaningful benefits from energy projects in Wales, and this should include increasing the ownership of projects. Amendment 13 is based on the recommendation of the National Infra-structure Commission for Wales that policy should require renewable energy developments to offer up elements of community ownership. This is to address the current imbalance where companies and communities from elsewhere in
Hansard · 29 Oct 2024 · parliament.uk
CC
Claire Coutinho
I beg to move, That the clause be read a Second time.
JC
Judith Cummins
With this it will be convenient to discuss the following: New clause 2—Nature Recovery Duty— “(1) In exercising its functions, Great British Energy must take all reasonable steps to contribute to the achievement of targets set under sections 1–3 of the Environment Act 2021. (2) Under the duty set under subsection (1), …
CC
Claire Coutinho
It is nice to be back discussing Great British Energy, and on the day before the Budget, too. I am sure that Labour Members are worrying about what kind of horrors they will be forced to defend next. They will have had a miserable summer trying to explain to their constituents why they are scrapping the winter fuel pay…
LM
Luke Murphy
I am enjoying the right hon. Member’s lecture on energy security, but where was that argument during the last Government, when they left our country reliant on Putin and volatile fossil fuels, and when we saw energy bills soar? This Government are cleaning up 14 years of mess that the right hon. Member’s Government lef…
CC
Claire Coutinho
I suggest the hon. Gentleman does some homework. We do not get our oil and gas from Putin. Instead, some 50% of our domestic gas supply comes from the North sea, which the party in government is trying to shut down. If he wants to talk about energy markets, he should do some reading about how they work. On that note, I…
Access to Primary Healthcare16 Oct 2024
LM
Llinos Medi
Diolch, Madam Deputy Speaker. I am deeply grateful to the committed NHS staff who deliver exceptional care in hugely difficult circumstances. Health is of course devolved to the Welsh Government, but people on both sides of the border will recognise the struggle to see their GP, increasing waiting lists, and the dire state of A&E… services. Waiting lists for hospital treatment in Wales reached a record high this year, and NHS dentistry is non-existent in many parts of Wales. In my constituency, Valley Dental will soon become the fourth practice to withdraw NHS services since late 2022. Between January and December 2023, only 44.8% of people in Wales received treatment through an NHS dentist, and in north Wales that figure was 36.6%. Despite that, the Secretary of State for Wales has hailed Welsh NHS dentistry as a model of success. Following a long campaign by Plaid Cymru, the north Wales medical school recently opened its doors at Bangor University, despite previous claims by the Welsh Labour Government that there was “no case” for it. I hope the Government will be receptive to our new campaign for a dentistry school at the university, which would secure high-quality jobs for north Wales and provide more dentists for an area beset by shortage. At the Labour party conference, the Secretary of State for Wales announced that patients from Wales could receive NHS treatment in England, and vice versa, under UK and Welsh Government plans to reduce waiting lists, yet the Welsh Government Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care categorically ruled out giving patients the option to travel to England for more treatment. My party obtained freedom of information responses from three NHS bodies, two in England and one in Wales. All three said they had received no correspondence from the UK Government or the Welsh Government regarding the proposal. Perhaps the Secretary of State could explain to the House what the plan means for patients in Wales. Fourteen years of under-inv
Hansard · 16 Oct 2024 · parliament.uk
NG
Nusrat Ghani
I inform the House that I have selected amendment (a), tabled in the name of the Prime Minister. I call Helen Morgan.
HM
Helen Morgan
I beg to move, That this House regrets that the NHS has been plunged into crisis by years of neglect by the previous Government, leaving far too many people waiting weeks to see a GP or unable to find an NHS dentist, and children and adults waiting months or even years to receive the mental health care they need; belie…
AR
Adrian Ramsay
On pharmacies, a new report from Healthwatch England reveals a worrying picture of pharmacy closures and reduced hours hitting older people and rural communities the hardest. NHS Norfolk and Waveney integrated care board, which covers much of my constituency, has reported the highest number of hours lost per pharmacy. …
HM
Helen Morgan
That is an important point. In my constituency, carers who go to pick up prescription medicines are finding that the pharmacists are not there because they are relying on locums. The pharmacy funding problem needs to be addressed as a matter of urgency, and I will say more about that later. Growing the economy is so im…
TF
Tim Farron
My hon. Friend is making a brilliant introductory speech. Is she aware that perhaps only a third of those leaving medical school and seeking to go into general practice are able to find jobs, partly because the additional roles reimbursement scheme—which does exist—cannot be extended to enable some of those would-be GP…
Nuclear Industry: Cumbria14 Oct 2024
LM
Llinos Medi
After 14 years of standstill in the nuclear sector, our communities have been left without jobs, without security, without strength in the economy and without energy security. Now more than ever, communities such as mine need an answer on whether nuclear is on the agenda, and we need a timescale. Our young people are leaving… our communities, the economy is dying on its feet and we are poorer as energy producers than ever. I believe the last Government failed this country on energy security.
Hansard · 14 Oct 2024 · parliament.uk
JM
Josh MacAlister
In just three days’ time, we will mark the 68th anniversary of the opening of Calder Hall, the world’s first commercial civil nuclear power station, in my constituency. At 12.16 pm on 17 October 1956 , Queen Elizabeth II pulled the lever directing electricity from the power station into the national grid, and Workingto…
LC
Lizzi Collinge
We have two nuclear power stations at Heysham, and I am campaigning for new nuclear at the same site. Does my hon. Friend agree that we need to recapture the spirit of the early days of civil nuclear and move at pace to deliver new nuclear for the new generation?
JM
Josh MacAlister
I thank my hon. Friend for the intervention, and given that my entire speech is dedicated to that very point, I will gladly agree with her. West Cumbrians are incredibly proud of the part we played in the first clean energy revolution. We need only speak to some of those who worked at the power plant during its 47 year…
JS
Jim Shannon
I commend the hon. Gentleman for securing the debate. He is right to point to the 10 power stations that were built, but if I may, I will gently remind him of the one that did not happen—although not as a result of what he says. Northern Ireland and the devolved nations have an important role to play in nuclear power p…
JM
Josh MacAlister
I thank the hon. Gentleman for the intervention and I am glad to hear he is not blaming me for the decades-old issue with nuclear power in Northern Ireland. I agree with him that every corner of the United Kingdom could benefit from its energy output. Richard Butler said at the time that Calder Hall was opened: “It may…
Clean Energy Projects11 Sep 2024
LM
Llinos Medi
Ynys Môn has a long history of clean energy production, but Tory delays on Wylfa have cost the island over 400 jobs since 2010. In March, the Secretary of State urged the UK Government to get on with delivering new nuclear power. Now that she is in power, will she back those words with a… concrete plan?
Hansard · 11 Sep 2024 · parliament.uk
NS
Nick Smith
What recent discussions she has had with Cabinet colleagues on support for clean energy projects in Wales.
GG
Gill German
What recent discussions she has had with Cabinet colleagues on support for clean energy projects in Wales.
BE
Bill Esterson
What recent discussions she has had with Cabinet colleagues on support for clean energy projects in Wales.
HT
Henry Tufnell
What recent discussions she has had with Cabinet colleagues on support for clean energy projects in Wales.
JS
Jo Stevens
This is my first oral questions session as Welsh Secretary, so I congratulate and welcome all Members elected to represent Welsh constituencies, particularly the 84% of those Members who sit on the Labour Benches. I also welcome the shadow Secretary of State for Scotland, the hon. Member for Berwickshire, Roxburgh and …
Port Talbot Transition Project11 Sep 2024
LM
Llinos Medi
The loss of virgin steel production in Wales is a serious economic blunder that will devastate the community of Port Talbot. Unions have previously called for additional investment of £683 million in Port Talbot to save jobs. Meanwhile, Germany has invested €1.3 billion in decarbonising steel in one region alone this year. Can the Secretary… of State explain why he will not match the ambition of the workers here and Governments of other countries to save Welsh steel?
Hansard · 11 Sep 2024 · parliament.uk
JR
Jonathan Reynolds
With your permission, Mr Speaker, I would like to update the House on the improved deal that this Labour Government have secured for the workers of Tata Steel, specifically as it relates to its plant in Port Talbot. As well as setting out the details of this improved deal, I am also announcing today our ambition for a …
GS
Greg Smith
I thank the Secretary of State for giving me advance sight of his statement. I wish I could say that I am surprised by any of its content, but the media and the press have, of course, been relentlessly briefed on it over the last couple of days. It is also no surprise that, once again, Labour is presiding over the demi…
JR
Jonathan Reynolds
I have been a Member of Parliament for 14 years, in which I have seen some interesting political events, but I do not think I have ever heard a contribution with such brass neck. That is quite something, because there is quite a menu to choose from. Let me explain what I was doing during polling week, in the lead up to…
LH
Lindsay Hoyle
I call the Chair of the Business and Trade Committee.
LB
Liam Byrne
I am not yet Chair of the Committee, Mr Speaker, but fingers crossed. I welcome the Secretary of State’s announcement. I hope the whole House will recognise that what he has brought us today is not a set of sound bites but a strategy. In the long term, that strategy will benefit from a stronger cross-party consensus, s…
Great British Energy Bill5 Sep 2024
LM
Llinos Medi
I congratulate the hon. Member for Carlisle (Ms Minns) on her maiden speech. I thank her for sharing her passion and for her mention of the delicatessens in her area after a long afternoon. Ynys Môn is known as the energy island because of its rich natural energy potential, its powerful, predictable tides and the… proud history of nuclear production on the island. The Wylfa site has been a political game for over a decade. Back in 2019 we were so close to the finish line, but the site lacked political support from the Government at the time. The community has witnessed the false dawn of Wylfa Newydd, and there is uncertainty regarding site under this Labour Government. The Government’s fact sheet for the Bill says that Great British Energy’s functions will include “exploring how Great British Energy and Great British Nuclear will work together”. The people of Ynys Môn do not want more consideration; they want clear commitment and timelines. I urge the Government to give Ynys Môn a straight answer about the future of the Wylfa site, and a clear timeline. I was pleased that the HydroWing tidal project won 10 MW in the latest contract-for-difference auction. This technology will produce energy for the community-owned Morlais project off the coast of Holyhead. However, Wales received only 1.63% of the total auction allocation and no contracts were awarded to Welsh floating offshore wind projects. We were promised that a Labour Government in Westminster and a Labour Government in Wales would benefit Wales. This is yet to be seen. A commitment for GBE to massively expand local and community ownership energy alongside devolution of the Crown Estate would ensure that ownership and profits from energy projects are in the hands of the people of Wales and could help lower bills. I urge this Government to make sure that those decisions are put in local hands, but not to rush the decisions on large solar panels, because food security is paramount and losing valuable agricultural
Hansard · 5 Sep 2024 · parliament.uk
NG
Nusrat Ghani
The reasoned amendment in the name of Claire Coutinho has been selected.
EM
Ed Miliband
I beg to move, That the Bill be now read a Second time. May I congratulate you on your elevation to your new role, Madam Deputy Speaker? At the general election, the British people voted for change, and they voted for our party’s promise of the first new national, publicly owned energy generation company in our country…
GS
Graham Stuart
Will the Secretary of State give way?
EM
Ed Miliband
Not at the moment. [Interruption.] The right hon. Gentleman needs to calm down a little bit; I know he gets very angry. We have had 14 years of blind faith in free markets and a refusal to have an industrial policy, which offshored clean energy jobs, and 14 years of a Government who were perfectly happy with state owne…
GS
Graham Stuart
I am grateful to the right hon. Gentleman for giving way. He is normally a fair man, but what he did not mention was the risible state of renewable energy when we took power in 2010. It accounted for less than 7% of electricity, and we increased the figure to nearly 50%. We are a country that has led the world in this …
Post Office Horizon30 Jul 2024
LM
Llinos Medi
As the Member for Ynys Môn, I represent Lorraine Williams and the formidable Noel Thomas, who spent his 60th birthday in jail for a crime that never took place. It is clear that sub-postmasters continue to be treated appallingly by the UK Government in the wake of the Horizon scandal and made to feel guilty… for the cost of compensation to the public purse. Can the Minister give confidence to Noel that the new Government will compensate for the real human cost of the suffering caused by this awful scandal?
Hansard · 30 Jul 2024 · parliament.uk
KH
Kevin Hollinrake
(Urgent Question): To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade to make a statement on financial redress for postmasters and outstanding issues relating to the Post Office Horizon scandal.
JM
Justin Madders
As hon. Members will know, convictions across the UK have been quashed through recent legislation, and those affected are now able to apply for financial redress under the Horizon convictions redress scheme. The scheme will be wholly delivered by the Department, not the Post Office. All the forms of redress, including …
KH
Kevin Hollinrake
It is disappointing that I have again had to ask an urgent question to get the Government to come to the Dispatch Box. It is also disappointing that neither the Secretary of State nor the postal affairs Minister—the Minister of State, Department for Business and Trade, the hon. Member for Harrow West (Gareth Thomas) —h…
JM
Justin Madders
We promised to update Parliament before the summer recess, and we have done that by way of a written ministerial statement. I note that, when the shadow Minister was the Minister, he came and answered on most occasions for the Government. We certainly did not take that as an indication that the Government were taking t…
LB
Liam Byrne
I welcome the answer provided by my hon. Friend. He will remember that, when the Select Committee reported just four or five months ago, we noted that 80% of the budget for redress had not been paid out. We suggested to the now shadow Secretary of State a number of measures to put into the Bill to speed up the process.…
Budget Responsibility Bill30 Jul 2024
LM
Llinos Medi
Diolch yn fawr, Madam Deputy Speaker. Before I begin, I extend my deepest condolences on behalf of Plaid Cymru to all the families affected by the horrific attack on innocent children in Southport. I congratulate the hon. Member for West Ham and Beckton (James Asser) on his maiden speech. His constituency has some similarities with… mine, which is is a place of hard work, community spirit and plain speaking. We will get along well. It is an honour to deliver my maiden speech. I am deeply humbled by the fact that the people of Ynys Môn, my home island that I love so dearly, have put their faith in me as their MP, and I will work hard to be worthy of that trust. Ynys Môn is known for its political unpredictability. We have been represented by four different parties since the 1950s, making elections here quite the spectacle—a treat for political anoraks, but nerve-racking for candidates. The people of Ynys Môn keep their representatives on their toes, and I thank them for that. It reminds me that in every decision and every debate, they come first. Reflecting on my constituency’s rich political history, I first mention Megan Lloyd George, the first female MP for a Welsh constituency and a pioneer for women in politics. She served Ynys Môn as a Liberal and an advocate of home rule for Wales. Her legacy paved the way for greater female representation in this House. She was followed by Labour’s Cledwyn Hughes, whose parliamentary career of 28 years included his tenure at the Welsh Office, during which the Welsh Language Act reached the statute books in 1967. That was a significant milestone in the history of our language. Cledwyn Hughes was followed by a Conservative, Keith Best, until 1987, when Ynys Môn made history by electing its first-ever Plaid Cymru MP. I owe Ieuan Wyn Jones a huge debt of gratitude, and I am honoured to follow in his footsteps. His legacy remains unmatched, and I thank him for his continued support and guidance. Labour’s Albert Owen took the reins
Hansard · 30 Jul 2024 · parliament.uk
DJ
Darren Jones
I beg to move, That the Bill be now read a Second time. I congratulate you and welcome you to your place in the Chair, Madam Deputy Speaker. It is a privilege to open this debate in my first appearance at the Dispatch Box as a Minister in this new Labour Government. At the general election, the British people voted for…
JS
Jim Shannon
The Minister is setting out the stark realities of where we are financially, which it is important that we all understand. Given that the financial positions of all of us within the United Kingdom could be fairly dramatically changed, regionally, it will be important that discussions with the Northern Ireland Assembly,…
DJ
Darren Jones
I thank the hon. Gentleman for his contribution. As I am sure he knows, the Chief Secretary to the Treasury is traditionally the lead Minister in Government for relationships with the Finance Ministers in the devolved Governments. I have already met a number of times with counterparts in the Northern Ireland Executive,…
GD
Gareth Davies
Madam Deputy Speaker, congratulations on your election. Let me take my first opportunity to congratulate the right hon. and hon. Members in the new Treasury ministerial team, who have taken up some of the best jobs in government. I loved every minute of my time in the Treasury, even when I had to come to this place to …
SC
Stella Creasy
I am genuinely perplexed whether the hon. Gentleman is with the former Member for South West Norfolk, who wanted to see the OBR abolished and not part of any decision making, or feels that the Bill does not go far enough. Either way, does he recognise and accept, as thousands of mortgage payers in this country now do, …
Clean Energy Superpower Mission18 Jul 2024
LM
Llinos Medi
Diolch, Dirprwy Lefarydd—thank you, Madam Deputy Speaker. The Labour manifesto stated that building new nuclear power and small modular reactors will be important in developing new clean power, yet in the King’s Speech yesterday there was not a single mention of nuclear power. Can the Secretary of State assure me that developing new nuclear power… is still a priority of this Government? What are the specific plans for the Wylfa and Trawsfynydd sites in Wales?
Hansard · 18 Jul 2024 · parliament.uk
LH
Lindsay Hoyle
Before I call the Secretary of State, I note that there is disappointment from the Opposition that the statement was not provided in time. The statement was not provided to my office in time either. I know we want to set off in the right way. I am sure that the officials will make note when they arrive that we need to …
EM
Ed Miliband
With permission, I would like to make a statement about the Government’s mission to make Britain a clean energy superpower. This Government were elected two weeks ago. Since then, we have lifted the onshore wind ban in England, which had been in place since 2015; consented more than 1.3 GW of solar projects, powering t…
LH
Lindsay Hoyle
I call the shadow Secretary of State.
CC
Claire Coutinho
I would like to put on the record my disappointment not to get the statement in good time. I know that the right hon. Gentleman will want to provide us with the same courtesy that we tried to provide him when we were in government. That being said, I congratulate him on his return to government. I was sad not to see mo…
EM
Ed Miliband
May I start by congratulating the right hon. Lady on her recent engagement? I wish her and her fiancé all the best for the future. We may disagree on some issues, but I believe this Government and the right hon. Lady can at least share a belief in long honeymoons. [Laughter.] On the right hon. Lady’s response, I have t…
