Commons
Westminster Hall
26 March 2026
2 contributions
Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome and Craniocervical Instability
It is a pleasure to serve under your chairship, Ms Furniss. I thank the hon. Member for Cannock Chase (Josh Newbury) for leading the debate. In the short time that he has been in Parliament, he has made a name for himself as an assiduous MP who works hard on behalf of his constituents. They should a…
I apologise if I missed the answer, but I asked about research and how we can create partnerships with universities, which are very keen to do that—Queen’s University Belfast is one example, but there are many others across the United Kingdom—and with medical companies that want to pursue cures, as …
Commons
Westminster Hall
26 March 2026
Prison Officers: Mandatory Body Armour
I commend the right hon. Gentleman for securing this debate. The figures in Northern Ireland have also increased in recent years, with 96 attacks recorded in 2024, up from 59 in 2023 and 66 in 2022, reflecting rising safety concerns in Northern Ireland’s prison system, as he has referred to. It is a…
Commons
Proceedings
25 March 2026
Foreign Financial Influence and Interference: UK Politics
I thank the Minister very much for his positive statement and for the clear direction from the Government. Some four or five weeks ago, I asked him a question about Sinn Féin moneys. At that time, he said that he would come back to me, but he did not—this is not a criticism, by the way—and I now und…
Commons
Westminster Hall
25 March 2026
Public Baths and Lidos
First of all, I apologise to the hon. Member because I had hoped to speak in this debate and give some thoughts from my constituency back home. However, I cannot because I have to chair an event at six o’clock, so I apologise for having to intervene and then leave after his speech.
In many communit…
Commons
Westminster Hall
25 March 2026
2 contributions
Waste Crime: Knowsley
I thank the hon. Lady for bringing this forward—I spoke to her beforehand as well. She has outlined a serious waste-crime issue specific to her area. She is probably fortunate to have a Minister who will respond in a positive way, and I look forward to that response. However, it is not just an issue…
I have a quick question. Does that apply to the obfuscation of the vehicles and vans used? If it does, that will also hurt them.
Commons
Westminster Hall
25 March 2026
Proposed Visitor Levy
It is a pleasure to serve under your chairship, Mr Efford. I thank the right hon. Member for East Hampshire (Damian Hinds) for leading the debate.
Tourist infrastructure is an incredibly important issue in my constituency; I know the motion is about the visitor levy in England, but I want to reflec…
Commons
Westminster Hall
25 March 2026
NHS Continuing Healthcare
I commend the hon. Gentleman for bringing this debate forward. I spoke to him beforehand, as I always try to be helpful in my contributions. He may only now be aware that in 2023, the High Court in Northern Ireland determined that the previous Northern Ireland continuing healthcare policy breached o…
Commons
Westminster Hall
25 March 2026
3 contributions
Voluntary Groups and Community Centres
It is always a pleasure to serve under your chairship, Ms McVey. I thank the hon. Member for Chelsea and Fulham (Ben Coleman) for the opportunity to raise the invaluable work carried out by the voluntary sector in Northern Ireland and my constituency. I have a question not related to the debate: as …
I thank my hon. Friend for his intervention; it summed up the point I was trying to make about my constituency of Strangford, which is also true of my hon. Friend’s constituency of East Londonderry and all of Northern Ireland, where the community spirit lives and thrives.
In 2024-25, just under 46%…
+1 more contribution in this session
Commons
Proceedings
24 March 2026
Oil and Gas
I thank the shadow Minister and the Conservative party for bringing this subject forward. My constituents tell me very clearly, “If we have oil, let’s dig it, let’s drill it and let’s make sure that we get the opportunity from it.” Is it not ludicrous for the Labour party to let Norway get all the a…
Commons
Oral Questions
24 March 2026
Methane from Landfill Sites
I thank the Minister, as always, for his answers. It is important that we all get the advantages of the level of methane harvested from landfill sites. In Northern Ireland we also have landfill sites, with a lot of rubbish and therefore a lot of methane possibilities. I know that the Minister visits…
Commons
Westminster Hall
24 March 2026
Women’s Safety in Rural Areas
I commend the hon. Lady for securing the debate. In rural constituencies such as mine and the hon. Lady’s, large stretches of unlit roads, pathways and open land, often bordered by dark fields, can create a real sense of vulnerability. Does the hon. Lady agree that future developments or planning pr…
Commons
Westminster Hall
24 March 2026
2 contributions
Reproductive Coercion
I commend the hon. Lady for bringing forward this issue. She has strength of character, strength of personality and commitment to these subjects; it is always a pleasure to come along and hear her express her viewpoint, and I congratulate her. Just to be helpful to her—I did speak to her beforehand—…
I thank the Minister for her positive response to the hon. Member for Bolsover (Natalie Fleet). The Minister obviously understands the issue very clearly. In my earlier intervention, I gave the example of Northern Ireland, where the sentence for coercive behaviour is 14 years. Over here on the mainl…
Commons
Westminster Hall
24 March 2026
4 contributions
Endometriosis Services
It is obviously a pleasure to serve under your chairship, Mr Dowd. I thank the hon. Member for Ipswich (Jack Abbott) for leading today’s debate on this crucial issue. Support for women’s gynaecology services is so important. I know from speaking to many ladies, and indeed nurses, back home in Northe…
The hon. Lady speaks well, on behalf of not only her own constituents but all constituents and ladies across Northern Ireland.
My mother also had various problems with endometriosis over the years, and one of my staff members—a young girl who got married just over a year ago—has had what were proba…
+2 more contributions in this session
Commons
Westminster Hall
24 March 2026
Water Supply and Housing Targets: West Kent
I commend the right hon. Gentleman for bringing forward this issue; he is absolutely right. He outlines a case in his own constituency, which is very pertinent to him. Unfortunately, what he describes is the case across the whole of the United Kingdom. In Northern Ireland, I have the very same probl…
Commons
Westminster Hall
24 March 2026
5 contributions
Sudden Unexplained Death in Childhood
It is a pleasure to serve under your chairship, Sir John. I thank the hon. Member for Rossendale and Darwen (Andy MacNae) for raising this issue and pay tribute to him for his bravery in exposing his own devastating grief at the loss of his precious daughter to try to bring about the change in resea…
My hon. Friend is absolutely right. She and I, and probably everyone else in the Chamber, would recognise the importance of parents having someone there to comfort them when such an awful tragedy takes place, and it is vital that my hon. Friend underlined that. One of my three asks of the Minister—w…
+3 more contributions in this session
Commons
Debate
23 March 2026
National Insurance Contributions (Employer Pensions Contributions) Bill
I thank the Minister for bringing this Bill forward. He brings a good story to the House, but sometimes these decisions give rise to questions. My constituents believe that the Bill creates a financial disincentive for middle-income earners to save for their retirement. Does he not agree that this r…
Commons
Debate
23 March 2026
2 contributions
Tobacco and Vapes Bill
rose —
Well done, Minister—it has been a joy to see the hon. Lady’s elevation to the position she now holds, and I wish her well. Is she aware that Lord Dodds, a DUP Member of the other House, continued to push for changes to age verification in the Bill, and that my party’s primary motivation for the amen…
Commons
Debate
23 March 2026
Hatzola Ambulance Attack
I thank the Minister very much for his statement, and for assuring Jewish people across the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland that we stand with them and that they are in our prayers. No one has any doubts about the Government’s commitment to standing alongside the Jewish diaspora…
Commons
Debate
23 March 2026
Middle East
While we welcome the progress of talks in the middle east, the fact that our Government have to learn updates from the news cycle is beyond disappointing. The deterioration of the relationship between the President of the United States and the Prime Minister is particularly worrying. Will the Secret…
Commons
Oral Questions
23 March 2026
Independent Review of Public Order and Hate Crime Legislation
I led a deputation to Kurdistan about five weeks ago, and was impressed by what the Government were doing there in relation to public order and hate crime legislation. There are many things in Kurdistan that we in the United Kingdom could take on board and have as our core values. It may be outside …
Commons
Westminster Hall
23 March 2026
2 contributions
Court and Tribunal Transcripts
Will the hon. Member give way?
I thank the hon. Gentleman for introducing the debate; he is absolutely right to underline these issues. He has given a number of examples of where the process has fallen down because evidence could not get to the victim—I always focus on victims, as I know he does. Is he aware of any cases or examp…
Commons
Ministerial Statement
19 March 2026
International Development
The Secretary of State has been given a challenging statement today about issues that we all consider. I very much welcome the prioritisation of women and girls in conflict zones; that is essential. Does the Secretary of State agree that we also need to ensure funding to stop the radicalisation of y…
Commons
Oral Questions
19 March 2026
Business of the House
The Christian community in Pakistan continued to face grave injustices and targeted violence throughout February 2026. Families were displaced, livelihoods destroyed, and many continue to live in fear for their safety and freedom. These ongoing persecutions underscore the urgent need for both nation…
Commons
Oral Questions
19 March 2026
Publicly Owned Markets: Food Security
I thank the Minister for her response to the hon. Member for Hackney South and Shoreditch (Dame Meg Hillier), who always brings forward interesting matters for this House to consider. I always underline the importance of farming, fishing and food in Northern Ireland, and would not want a change to t…
Commons
Westminster Hall
19 March 2026
Northern Ireland: Legacy of the Past
Eight minutes of brevity, Dame Siobhain. I will try and squeeze it into eight minutes, but it will be difficult. I am very pleased to be here. I thank the Northern Ireland Affairs Committee, and particularly the Chair, the hon. Member for Gower (Tonia Antoniazzi), for her hard work on this topic, wh…