Commons
Oral Questions
Church Commissioners
3 July 2025
Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme
I thank the hon. Lady for her answers. Like other Members, I will ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport whether there will be more money for churches, given that the Minister for Creative Industries, Arts and Tourism says that funding is now available. Churches are more than just b…
Commons
Oral Questions
3 July 2025
Children’s Access to Theatre
The Secretary of State is getting a liking for visiting Northern Ireland. With that in mind, what discussions has she had with her counterparts in Northern Ireland on the importance of further engagement between local theatres and schools across Northern Ireland—the very thing the hon. Member for We…
Commons
Debate
2 July 2025
Corporate Businesses and Franchisees: Regulatory Environment
I commend the right hon. Gentleman. He is a friend to us all in this Chamber and we all love him because of the wisdom he brings to it. He is also a good friend to Northern Ireland. I say that because he will be very pleased when he hears about what we are doing in Northern Ireland. The Northern Ire…
Commons
Debate
2 July 2025
Prevention and Suppression of Terrorism
I thank the Minister for bringing forward this motion. If it comes to a vote, as some have indicated they wish it to do, my party will support the Government. I come from Northern Ireland, and we understand what it means to have security. It is important to have Government, Ministers, the police, th…
Commons
Debate
2 July 2025
Armed Forces Commissioner Bill
I commend the Minister and the Government for bringing this Bill forward, and I understand the issue—I spoke to the Minister just beforehand. Lords amendment 2 deals with whistleblowers and protections for family members, which are necessary. I have a complaint ready to hand to the Minister that was…
Commons
Oral Questions
Northern Ireland
2 July 2025
Spending Review: Northern Ireland Executive
What assessment has the Minister made of the impact of Barnett funding on health in Northern Ireland, given that the Northern Ireland Department of Health’s financial bid falls below requested and required levels each year? It is important that we have funding for health, so will the Secretary of St…
Commons
Westminster Hall
2 July 2025
West Bank: Forced Displacement
It is a real pleasure to serve under your chairship, Mr Turner. I commend the hon. Member for Glasgow North (Martin Rhodes) for securing the debate.
I am immensely grateful for the opportunity to speak about the struggles faced by many, and the responsibility, which we all share, to respond with co…
Commons
Westminster Hall
2 July 2025
Whistleblowers
It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Mr Turner. I thank the hon. Member for South Dorset (Lloyd Hatton) for setting the scene so well, as he often does on these issues. I have spoken in previous debates on this topic, and it is an important issue for me.
The Minister and I were talkin…
Commons
Westminster Hall
2 July 2025
ECO4 Scheme Redress
I commend the hon. Lady for securing this debate. She always brings applicable issues to Westminster Hall, and today is as an example of that, with the horrific example of the almost inconceivable standard of work done to her constituent’s house.
The ECO4 scheme does not apply in Northern Ireland, …
Commons
Westminster Hall
2 July 2025
Spending Review 2025: Scotland
I congratulate the hon. Gentleman on all he does in this place; he is making an excellent name for himself when it comes to working for his constituents. Although the new growth fund that will invest in deprived communities across the United Kingdom is welcome, the Scottish funding from it will be t…
Commons
Debate
1 July 2025
Infant Feeding
I commend the hon. Lady; I spoke to her before the debate. In the last Parliament, one of the Scots Nats MPs was chair of the APPG. I was supportive of that as a man, as I thought that was important. My wife was an example of where breastfeeding is so important. Is the hon. Lady aware that Northern …
Commons
Debate
1 July 2025
2 contributions
Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payment Bill
Will the Minister give way?
I have been asked by representatives of people with Parkinson’s and multiple sclerosis to put this question to the Secretary of State, and I hope she will give me the answer. They are worried that people with these fluctuating conditions will be locked out of qualifying for the higher rate of the UC…
Commons
Ministerial Statement
1 July 2025
Parental Leave Review
Today’s statement is positive and I thank the Minister for it. The fact that parents cannot share leave leaves a sense of there being one primary caregiver, which is not an accurate picture of most households in this day and age. Indeed, more than 50% of households in Northern Ireland are dual incom…
Commons
Oral Questions
Treasury
1 July 2025
2 contributions
Winter Fuel Payment: Northern Ireland
7. Whether she plans to provide additional Barnett consequential funding to the Northern Ireland Executive for the winter fuel payment.
I thank the Minister for that very positive answer. What assessment has been made of the impact of increasing the winter fuel payment in line with inflation? Given the increase in the cost of living, does he believe that current winter fuel payments are up to the standard in terms of how far they wi…
Commons
Westminster Hall
1 July 2025
Refugee Citizenship Rights
It is a real pleasure to serve under your chairship, Ms Butler, for what I think is the second time today. It is, and always will be, a pleasure.
I thank the hon. Member for Alloa and Grangemouth (Brian Leishman). In the short time that he has been here, he has made a reputation for himself as a fi…
Commons
Westminster Hall
1 July 2025
2 contributions
Hospitality Sector
It is a real pleasure to serve under your chairship, Ms Butler. I thank the hon. Member for Kingswinford and South Staffordshire (Mike Wood) for applying for the debate and setting the scene so well. I also thank all those who have contributed.
The Northern Ireland perspective on the hospitality se…
My hon. Friend and colleague is right. I mentioned the clear VAT imbalance. To put it in simple equations, to explain the issue and understand it better: in the simplest example, a couple getting married in Enniskillen would find that a significantly cheaper wedding reception is just a few miles awa…
Commons
Westminster Hall
1 July 2025
ADHD: Impact on Prison Rehabilitation and Reoffending
I commend the hon. Lady for securing this debate, and she is right to raise this issue, which is very prevalent in Northern Ireland. There is a lack of specialist staff and training in adult ADHD, which is becoming a bigger part of the conversation. More needs to be done to rehabilitate in a certain…
Commons
Westminster Hall
1 July 2025
4 contributions
Business Energy Supply Billing: Regulation
As always, Mr Dowd, it is a pleasure to serve under your chairship. You are maintaining the wearing of a jacket, whereas my hon. Friend the Member for East Londonderry (Mr Campbell) and I have taken advantage of your permission because of the good weather. You have better stamina than me.
I thank t…
My hon. Friend is absolutely right. Perhaps the Minister will be able to tell us about the discussions that she has had with the regulator in Northern Ireland. I know she has been in discussions—I am sure of that. Any tightening of the law such as that referred to by my hon. Friend would be a step i…
+2 more contributions in this session
Commons
Debate
30 June 2025
2 contributions
Road Safety Powers: Parish and Town Councils
rose—
I commend the hon. Gentleman for securing this debate. We do not have parish councils in Northern Ireland, but councils have an important role. They are not the enforcers of road safety like the police, but they have an active role. It is clear that local knowledge—the thing the hon. Gentleman is re…
Commons
Debate
30 June 2025
Rare Cancers Bill (Money)
Just a quick one—I had hoped to speak to the Minister before she came to the Dispatch Box. In Northern Ireland, rare cancers account for a quarter of all cancer cases in both men and women. Will there be extra money set aside for Northern Ireland, where health is devolved, to deal with rare cancers?…
Commons
Debate
30 June 2025
Deprivation of Citizenship Orders (Effect during Appeal) Bill
First, I commend the Minister and the Government for bringing forward this Bill. There is no doubt but that it is absolutely necessary. National security is paramount when considering revoking citizenship, as the Minister has outlined, and the Bill is necessary to close a particular loophole and ens…
Commons
Oral Questions
Defence
30 June 2025
Defence Procurement: SMEs
I thank the Minister for her answers. She is a regular visitor to Northern Ireland and supports the SMEs there, so when it comes to the defence industrial strategy to support SMEs, could she update the House, and myself in particular, on what she and the Government are doing to help SMEs in Northern…
Commons
Westminster Hall
30 June 2025
Driven Grouse Shooting
It is a pleasure to serve under your chairship, Mrs Harris. I thank the hon. Member for Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk (John Lamont) for setting the scene so well. He set out the landscape and introduced all the issues, and all Members who have contributed have, by and large, comprehended the im…
Commons
Debate
26 June 2025
2 contributions
Armed Forces Day
I was fortunate to be there and had the opportunity to meet Lord Coaker. I was clear to him, as were the 60,000 people who turned out to commend and celebrate such a wonderful occasion. Will the Minister outline later on what can be done to recruit more Territorial Army soldiers? Will there be flexi…
indicated assent .
Commons
Ministerial Statement
26 June 2025
G7 and NATO Summits
I thank the Prime Minister very much for his statement. Nobody in the House can doubt the sincerity of his careful words and commitment to what is best for the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland at the G7 and NATO summit. The Prime Minister will be aware of my support for Israel an…