Commons
Westminster Hall
7 January 2026
2 contributions
Advanced Brain Cancer: Tissue Freezing
Yesterday the hon. Member outlined the tremendous work being done to privately raise about £1 million for research. Does she agree that that needs to be supplemented and complemented by statutory funding to make the dramatic difference that she, and hopefully all of us, agree needs to happen?
I have personal experience of a very young constituent who lost her father for the exact same reason. The trauma affects not just the immediate family, but close friends too, and it lives with them for years. Hopefully, we can see some progress both today and in the next few weeks, whenever the canc…
Commons
Westminster Hall
6 January 2026
3 contributions
BBC Charter Renewal
My hon. Friend touches on Israel. Only last week, we heard that the BBC is now about to fork out £28,000 to an Israeli family whose home Jeremy Bowen went into in the aftermath of 7 October, without getting permission to do so. We are going to have to pick up the bill for that as well.
I congratulate the right hon. Member for Maldon (Sir John Whittingdale) on securing the debate.
Fairness and impartiality should be the hallmarks of the BBC, and many years ago they were, but unfortunately that has not been the case in recent years. The BBC understands, as I am sure others do, that…
+1 more contribution in this session
Commons
Westminster Hall
6 January 2026
Less Survivable Cancers
I congratulate the hon. Gentleman on securing this debate, in particular given his personal circumstances. He rightly outlined the need for early diagnosis. Does he agree that that is particularly true of those of us who are males, who sometimes have an extreme reluctance to go to a GP to ascertain …
Commons
Westminster Hall
17 December 2025
Asylum Reforms: Protected Characteristics
Does my hon. Friend agree that, whether on straightforward illegal immigration or on protected characteristics, part of the problem is that there are concerns in wider society about the United Kingdom’s stagnant economy and expanding population. That lead to protests and to demands that we close our…
Commons
Oral Questions
16 December 2025
Topical Questions
Both this Government and the previous Government tried to get to grips with the increasing problem of the smuggling of illegal drugs into prisons. Can the Secretary of State indicate that, this time, this Government will get to grips with the problem so that people can be reassured that it is not a …
Commons
Proceedings
9 December 2025
Northern Ireland Troubles: Operation Kenova
In analysing the report and the Secretary of State’s statement, people will be looking to the future as we try to ensure that no one rewrites the past. However, in trying to do that, does he agree that the murky world people such as Scappaticci inhabited brought about the consequences of 1994, when …
Commons
Westminster Hall
9 December 2025
Net Zero Transition: Consumer-led Flexibility
My hon. Friend has just touched on affordability. Would he agree that, by and large, people across communities—whether in Northern Ireland or across the UK—want to embrace green energy and be environmentally friendly, but they do not want to pay a massive premium to attain a goal that is unrealistic…
Commons
Westminster Hall
3 December 2025
Veterinary Medicines: Northern Ireland
I congratulate the hon. Gentleman on securing the debate. Does he agree that the continuing uncertainty is driving the problem and causing issues for the medical profession and consumers in Northern Ireland, and that it has to be clarified and resolved immediately?
Commons
Westminster Hall
3 December 2025
2 contributions
Local Media
Good grief!
On the issue of local and national BBC, does the hon. Member agree with me about one tremendously heartwarming story this week? I am not a rugby league fan but Kevin Sinfield does fantastic work, going beyond any category of endeavour to draw attention to the vile, awful condition of motor neurone d…
Commons
Oral Questions
2 December 2025
Modern Slavery: Global Supply Chains
Will the Minister have discussions with some of the large retail chains in which we often see occasions of misuse of labour in overseas territories, particularly in Africa and the far east?
Commons
Westminster Hall
2 December 2025
Homelessness: Funding
Does my hon. Friend agree that one of the big problems in Northern Ireland and across the UK is the lack of affordable homes? Many families are finding that that is the difficulty with getting on the housing ladder, and there are social housing issues as well.
Commons
Oral Questions
25 November 2025
Men’s Health Services
I welcome the Secretary of State’s indication that he is awaiting the outcome of that report on screening for prostate cancer. If that report recommends what many of us hope it will recommend, will he act quickly to develop the report’s recommendations, whatever they are?
Commons
Oral Questions
Northern Ireland
19 November 2025
2 contributions
Businesses with Supply Chains in Great Britain
2. What progress he has made in supporting businesses in Northern Ireland that have supply chains in Great Britain.
Will the Secretary of State step up his efforts to ensure that there is no disadvantage to companies trading within Northern Ireland? Further to that, he will be aware of the potential threat posed by Chinese-built buses. Given that excellent UK-made zero emission buses are built in Northern Ireland…
Commons
Westminster Hall
19 November 2025
Specialist Manufacturing Sector: Regional Economies
I congratulate the hon. Member on securing this debate. On the point about training and upskilling, does he agree that we need to do more to develop the skills and competitiveness of our manufacturing base, and that that needs to spread beyond the large cities so that smaller towns and their residen…
Commons
Oral Questions
18 November 2025
Clean Energy Transition: New Nuclear Power
The Minister has outlined his determination and urgency on nuclear power. I hope he is able to confirm that everyone across the United Kingdom will benefit from lower costs as a result of the construction of mini nuclear reactors.
Commons
Westminster Hall
18 November 2025
2 contributions
UNESCO: 80th Anniversary
I was hoping that the hon. Gentleman would turn to the Giant’s Causeway UNESCO world heritage site. Does he agree that that is one of the nation’s tremendous tourism facilities, but we have to be very careful with it, because there have been attempts by developers in recent years to put offshore win…
And that is in summer.
Commons
Westminster Hall
12 November 2025
2 contributions
Typhoon Fighter Sovereign Capability
Possibly.
On the quick reaction alert force, the NATO coverage and the contribution the Typhoon fighter would provide, does my hon. Friend agree that the proximity of the Irish Republic to the UK means that, in effect, we offer that nation some coverage and protection—which I presume we are quite happy to do—…
Commons
Debate
11 November 2025
BBC Leadership
Sometimes when assessing things like the BBC, there is the Westminster bubble and then the real world outside. Some of us in Northern Ireland have been pressing the BBC for many years to be more transparent, independent and impartial, so this latest debacle is but one in a long line. We are not talk…
Commons
Oral Questions
11 November 2025
Prison Officers: Pension Age
Given the existing retirement age for prison officers and the increase in the number of violent offenders in prison, along with the increase in illegal substances getting into prison, does the Minister not agree that it is time urgently to review the age at which prison officers retire, as many olde…
Commons
Westminster Hall
4 November 2025
Official Development Assistance Reductions
The right hon. Member hits on a very important point. There is not much wider public support, for two big reasons: corruption in some of the countries to which aid is going, and the misappropriation of food and other produce that is delivered. Until we address those issues, we will face an uphill ba…
Commons
Oral Questions
Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
28 October 2025
Topical Questions
Can the Foreign Secretary help with the context of the middle east conflict? I have been endeavouring to establish an independent verifiable number for the rocket attacks into Israel that were carried out in the 12 months before 7 October and the 12 months after 7 October to give some context to wha…
Commons
Westminster Hall
28 October 2025
Connected and Automated Vehicles
On the question of trust in automated vehicles, does my hon. Friend agree that one issue that people will be concerned about is the cost of car insurance? When we are consulted and approached by constituents and we write to insurance companies, we usually hear that the number of accidents occurring …
Commons
Westminster Hall
28 October 2025
Family Farming in Northern Ireland
Does my hon. Friend agree that the Government need to understand that Northern Ireland represents around 3% of the population of the UK, but produces a multiple of that in terms of food produce for the rest of the United Kingdom? If that was recognised, there might be more recognition in terms of wh…
Commons
Westminster Hall
28 October 2025
Obesity and Fatty Liver Disease
I congratulate the hon. Lady on securing the debate. She is outlining very clearly the importance of the issue. It is vital that people are aware of it. Does she agree that if we do not deal with the issue, the NHS waiting lists over the coming years will be compounded even further than they have be…
Commons
Oral Questions
21 October 2025
Topical Questions
Some progress has been made in the early diagnosis of prostate cancer. Will the Secretary of State ensure that when the further progress that we all hope to see is made, it will be shared quickly and efficiently with the devolved regions?