Commons
Ministerial Statement
22 July 2025
Orgreave Inquiry
I thank the Minister very much for her statement, and for her carefully chosen words on a contentious issue. I ask her this question gently from experience. Does she appreciate that, similar to the prosecution of veterans and service personnel in Northern Ireland, asking a retired officer why he mad…
Commons
Proceedings
22 July 2025
Birmingham Bin Strikes
I thank the Minister for his answers and wish him well in his endeavours to enable a solution to be found. The Government have stated that they are committed to a “sustainable resolution” to the severe backlog of uncollected waste and the ongoing pay dispute. The workers state that they face cuts of…
Commons
Proceedings
22 July 2025
Prax Lindsey Oil Refinery
I thank the Minister for his answers. Bearing in mind that the refinery was responsible for supplying some 10% of British fuel—fuel for the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland—it is absolutely essential that a way forward is found, and found quickly. Part of that solution must be a …
Commons
Oral Questions
22 July 2025
Topical Questions
T7. Will the Minister confirm what steps the Department will take to build neighbourhood health services in partnership with charities, such as Macmillan, that have a proven track record of designing and delivering community-based services for people with long-term conditions? How can we ensure th…
Commons
Westminster Hall
22 July 2025
UK Internal Market
It is a real pleasure to serve under your chairship, Dr Huq.
I thank my right hon. Friend the Member for East Antrim (Sammy Wilson) for his continued dedication to highlighting the absurdity of the Windsor framework and the need for an end to this disastrous mechanism. All hon. Members who speak in…
Commons
Westminster Hall
22 July 2025
Housing Provision in Stafford
I commend the hon. Lady for securing this debate. Does she agree that housing must be provided for families, for single people and for elderly people? Newtownards in my constituency is providing a mix for everyone. Is that something she is trying to achieve for her constituents, in conjunction with …
Commons
Westminster Hall
22 July 2025
2 contributions
Black Country Day
First of all, it is a real pleasure to serve under your chairship, Ms Vaz. I suppose this is one of those occasions when you would love to be down here participating in the debate, but are unable to do so due to your responsibility as Chair—maybe it is a chance to listen and hear about all the good …
One of the greatest footballers that Wolverhampton has ever had was Derek Dougan. Where did he come from? Northern Ireland.
Commons
Westminster Hall
22 July 2025
4 contributions
Humanitarian Situation in Sudan
I appreciate the opportunity to serve under your chairship, Dr Huq. I thank the hon. Member for Huddersfield (Harpreet Uppal) for setting the scene so very well. She made an excellent speech that encapsulated all the ideas; I thank her very much for that. As always, it is a pleasure to see the Minis…
I certainly do, and I commend the hon. Gentleman on raising that issue. As I and others will reiterate, he is absolutely right that the priority is to reduce the level of suffering. As he rightly says, this is unconscionable, but our Minister and Government, in partnership with other countries, have…
+2 more contributions in this session
Commons
Westminster Hall
22 July 2025
Gene Editing
I commend the right hon. Gentleman for securing the debate. This is an incredibly important issue to the farming community that I represent and those across the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. He is presenting some incredibly interesting facts. Does he agree, however, that we m…
Commons
Debate
21 July 2025
Extending the Ukraine Permission Extension Scheme
I commend the hon. Gentleman for bringing this issue forward. The reason so many of us are here is that it impacts each and every one of us, and I have a very strong Ukrainian contingent in my constituency. Many refugees have made their homes in our constituencies—in Newton Abbot, Strangford and els…
Commons
Debate
21 July 2025
2 contributions
Victory over Japan: 80th Anniversary
I commend the hon. Gentleman for what he is putting forward. He is right to say that some 40 languages were spoken among the 14th Army, which gives us an idea of its diversity. He mentioned the battles of Kohima and Imphal, which were the greatest defeats the Japanese army ever suffered. Does he agr…
I want to put on record the contribution of those from Northern Ireland who served in the far east. I think of Johnny McQuade, who was an MP in this House for our party from 1979 to 1983. He was an inspiration to me as a young boy back in the ’70s. I think also of Richie, a sergeant-major in the Roy…
Commons
Ministerial Statement
21 July 2025
Infected Blood Inquiry: Additional Report
I thank the Minister—and the Government, because ultimately he is doing this on their behalf—very much for his statement; no one can doubt his commitment, and we thank him very much for that. It is always good to hear that movement has been made on compensation, to make it as fast as possible. Will …
Commons
Ministerial Statement
21 July 2025
Middle East
I thank the Foreign Secretary for his statement and for his thoughtful use of words on a very contentious issue. The latest reports of attacks on the Druze people indicate that hundreds of Druze civilians, including women and children, have been kidnapped, tortured, raped, executed and mutilated, wi…
Commons
Ministerial Statement
21 July 2025
Independent Water Commission
I thank the Secretary of State very much for his statement. Yesterday on the Laura Kuenssberg show he showed positivity in relation to the new strategy, and the steps to be taken certainly make sense. However, water in Northern Ireland is still publicly owned, yet we still have the same difficulties…
Commons
Proceedings
21 July 2025
Asylum Hotels: Migrant Criminal Activity
As always, I thank the Minister for her answers. However, all too often we seem to be hearing about criminal activity by immigrants and asylum seekers across the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and more needs to be done to address it. On behalf of my constituents, who ask me th…
Commons
Oral Questions
21 July 2025
Further Education Estate
I thank the Minister very much for his answers, as always. The hon. Member for Derby North (Catherine Atkinson) referred to the construction sector. Is it time perhaps to think outside the circle of what we usually do, through deals and partnerships with construction companies? That would give us th…
Commons
Proceedings
17 July 2025
Business of the House
First, as this is the last business questions before recess, I give my sincere thanks to the Leader of the House for all her answers. More importantly, I give thanks on behalf of all the voiceless people across the world who have a voice through this Chamber and, ultimately, the Leader of the House,…
Commons
Proceedings
17 July 2025
NHS Pensions: Frontline Patient Care
As always, I thank the Minister very much for her answers. I recently read an article that referred to the mechanism of the NHS pension scheme as a “Ponzi scheme”, which gives me great concern about the scheme’s ability to cope in 20 years’ time. How do the Government and the Minister intend to conv…
Commons
Proceedings
17 July 2025
Strategy for Elections
Given that Northern Ireland has been used to photo ID for voting since the Electoral Fraud (Northern Ireland) Act 2002, I have seen the benefits there of that simple form of accountability. However, difficulty remains with the abuse of the postal vote system. Looking to Northern Ireland as an eviden…
Commons
Oral Questions
Business and Trade
17 July 2025
Post Office IT Systems: Redress for Postmasters
I thank the Minister and the Government for all they are doing in this area. The frustration is that those who deserve compensation, having been traumatised physically, emotionally and financially, have waited many years for the redress that they should be getting. There seems to be a delay for some…
Commons
Westminster Hall
17 July 2025
3 contributions
Freedom of Religion or Belief: UK Foreign Policy
I am not sure whether the hon. Lady knows this—she probably does—but the deputation to Nigeria went through the APPG for international freedom of religion or belief. We approached the Minister responsible and put forward a case for the release of Mubarak Bala, and I believe that we can take some cre…
It is a pleasure to serve under your chairship, Mrs Harris. I thank all hon. Members who have spoken, and I thank the hon. Member for Penrith and Solway (Markus Campbell-Savours) for his personal story. I thank the Labour party and the Prime Minister in particular for appointing the hon. Member for …
+1 more contribution in this session
Commons
Westminster Hall
17 July 2025
RAF Photographic Reconnaissance Unit
It is pleasure to serve under your chairship, Ms Vaz. I thank the hon. Member for Carlisle (Ms Minns) for affording us all the opportunity to recognise a wonderful part of this nation’s history. It is a real pleasure to see the Minister in his place. He is held in high esteem by all hon. Members—not…
Commons
Proceedings
16 July 2025
Commemoration of Matchgirls’ Strike
I commend the hon. Lady on bringing forward this debate. She is absolutely right to celebrate the strike of 1888. Does she agree that the spirit of the matchgirls lives on in our women today? An example of that in my constituency and in hers is that of the WASPI women, who refused to take the wrong …
Commons
Proceedings
16 July 2025
Sudan
I thank the Minister for her answers to all the questions and her strong words on our commitment. I believe those words will encourage us all, and hopefully thereby encourage our constituents. Sudan ranks fifth on the Open Doors world watch list for Christian persecution, with more than 100 churches…
Commons
Oral Questions
16 July 2025
Offshore Wind
I know that cheer was not for me, Mr Speaker. When it comes to offshore wind in Wales, the waters in which that offshore wind energy will be generated are the same waters that flow by Northern Ireland, the same waters that flow by England and the same waters that flow by Scotland. Is it not time to …