Commons
Oral Questions
Women and Equalities
18 June 2025
Banning Conversion Practices
Absolutely right, Mr Speaker. I thank the Minister very much for her answers, but can she outline what support is in place for people of all faiths and none to receive counselling that is right and appropriate, helping them to find the answers that they all seek?
Commons
Westminster Hall
18 June 2025
Businesses in Rural Areas
The book is very clear, Mr Western:
“the last shall be first, the first shall be last”.
Today I am the last; the next day I will be the first. I thank the hon. Member for North Norfolk (Steff Aquarone) for setting the scene so well. I want to give a Northern Ireland perspective—I know that is not …
Commons
Westminster Hall
18 June 2025
Marriage between First Cousins
I commend the right hon. Gentleman for bringing this issue forward. It is a difficult subject, and one that can be hard to listen to and respond to in a balanced way. I thank him for doing that well. Does he not agree that the science showing that the prevalence of birth defects doubling in cases of…
Commons
Westminster Hall
18 June 2025
3 contributions
Future of the Gas Grid
It is a real pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, as always, Dame Siobhain. I give special thanks to the hon. Member for Cannock Chase (Josh Newbury) for leading today’s debate. We were counting down the last 10 seconds before the debate and the hon. Gentleman walked in on No. 8 —well done! He…
My hon. Friend is right to highlight that issue. Yesterday, in the hydrogen aviation debate, we talked about how costly energy is at the moment. In the past, we had the tidal wave and sea project in the Narrows in Portaferry in my constituency. The pilot scheme was successful in showing that it coul…
+1 more contribution in this session
Commons
Debate
17 June 2025
2 contributions
Prostate Cancer Treatment
Will the hon. Lady give way?
I thank the hon. Lady for bringing forward this debate; she is absolutely right to do so, and I congratulate her on that. She may not be aware that abiraterone is not routinely available in Northern Ireland for men with high-risk hormone-sensitive metastatic prostate cancer, unlike in Scotland and W…
Commons
Debate
17 June 2025
4 contributions
Crime and Policing Bill
The Bill applies to England and Wales, but it is important for knowledge and information to be shared with the Northern Ireland Assembly and the Scottish Parliament, for example, so that they are aware of what is happening here—and people may move from England or Wales to Northern Ireland or Scotlan…
Will the hon. Lady give way?
+2 more contributions in this session
Commons
Oral Questions
Health and Social Care
17 June 2025
Topical Questions
This morning I attended an event about bladder cancer. Bladder cancer is the fifth highest killer in the United Kingdom, and people were anxious to meet the Minister and discuss those matters. Will he agree to meet bladder cancer organisations to take forward their four objectives to make things bet…
Commons
Westminster Hall
17 June 2025
Disabled People in Poverty
I withdrew my name so that other Members would have time to speak, but I will make a small intervention. In Northern Ireland, over a fifth of the population aged 16 to 64 are disabled. Among the UK regions, Northern Ireland has the lowest disability employment rate and the largest unemployment gap b…
Commons
Westminster Hall
17 June 2025
Transport Infrastructure: Cramlington and Killingworth
I commend the hon. Lady for bringing forward this debate. Before she was elected, she had a scheme that she wished to happen. Now, as an MP, she has the opportunity to push it forward, and she will hopefully get a response from a sympathetic Minister. Does she agree that if that infrastructure is no…
Commons
Westminster Hall
17 June 2025
Hydrogen-powered Aviation
It is a real pleasure to serve under your chairship, Mr Stringer. I thank the hon. Member for North Somerset (Sadik Al-Hassan) for leading the debate and setting the scene so well. It is a pleasure to see the Minister and shadow Minister in their places. I look forward to the Minister’s response and…
Commons
Debate
16 June 2025
Animal Experiments: Medical Research
I commend the hon. Lady for securing this debate, and for leading the Petitions Committee debate in Westminster Hall this afternoon. I spoke to her beforehand. Does she recognise that there have been world-leading innovations in anti-tumour necrosis factor treatment for arthritis, and that has had a…
Commons
Proceedings
16 June 2025
2 contributions
Windrush Day 2025
I want to have a point on the record, as it is very important to do so—I was talking to the Parliamentary Private Secretary beforehand, and I talked to the Minister earlier on. On behalf of Windrush people who got their status in Northern Ireland, I will say that the Windrush scheme for Northern Ire…
It should also be recognised that drama and TV have a way of enriching the Windrush story. I think of probably my favourite programme—it is perhaps the hon. Lady’s favourite programme—“Call the Midwife”, which shows the drama of the Windrush scheme through the people in that programme, what they end…
Commons
Debate
16 June 2025
Independent Complaints and Grievance Scheme
I thank the Leader of the House for bringing forward this motion. She is absolutely right that no one should have any doubts about the reason for it, and no one should have any opposition to it. I understand that there will not be any opposition to it—that is what I am told. Will she outline very qu…
Commons
Debate
16 June 2025
Air India Plane Crash
I thank the Minister, his Department and all his civil servants for their sterling efforts on behalf of the families. At this time we all think about how we can help; we help through our Minister, our Government, and our officials, so I thank them.
On behalf of the Democratic Unionist party and mys…
Commons
Ministerial Statement
16 June 2025
Iran-Israel Conflict
I thank the Secretary of State for his statement. The role of the IRGC in life in Iran over the years has been human rights abuses, religious freedom abuses and gender abuses, with acts of global extremism and terrorism often having their roots and support in Iran. The war in Israel is a prime examp…
Commons
Oral Questions
Education
16 June 2025
Outdoor Education: National Curriculum
I thank the Minister very much for her answers. Worryingly, obesity levels are predicted to rise between 20% and 30% in the next five to 10 years. To combat that, physical education is important, as is the Government looking at children’s diets at school. Those two things can address obesity, so I a…
Commons
Debate
12 June 2025
Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy
I congratulate the hon. Gentleman on bringing forward this debate. He and I spoke about it the other day. I have some constituents who have had a brave few years with Duchenne muscular dystrophy. The problem is that the opportunity of this drug has never been there for them, but it needs to be. Up u…
Commons
Debate
12 June 2025
3 contributions
SEND Funding
Very quickly, some children thrive academically, while some thrive practically. It is all about finding the right place for them, whether as a doctor, a mechanic, a plasterer or a farmer. When it comes to checking on a child’s ability, and ensuring that they find their place, we must acknowledge tha…
I commend the right hon. Member for Beverley and Holderness (Graham Stuart) for setting the scene for us all incredibly well. I am going to give a Presbyterian sermon; for those who do not know what that is, it comes in three parts.
First, some children thrive academically and others practically. S…
+1 more contribution in this session
Commons
Ministerial Statement
12 June 2025
Industrial Strategy
I thank the Chair and the Committee very much for the report. It is incredibly helpful. The Chair referred to growth for all within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland in the industrial strategy. One of the issues for Northern Ireland companies has been buying into the public pr…
Commons
Ministerial Statement
12 June 2025
Spending Review: Health and Social Care
The Labour Government have committed more money to the NHS, and that has to be welcomed. For that reason, I thank the Minister for her statement today. The Chancellor yesterday announced some £50 million—this does tie in to health—for Casement Park. However, the Government were clear that that was d…
Commons
Ministerial Statement
12 June 2025
Gibraltar
I thank the Foreign Secretary for his statement, but I must ask a question given the similarities between Gibraltar and Northern Ireland. The sovereignty issues faced by Northern Ireland in terms of European overreach on borders mean that Northern Irish people will feel anxiety about this agreement.…
Commons
Proceedings
12 June 2025
Business of the House
First of all, on behalf of my party, may I covey our thoughts and prayers for the people involved in the air crash in India? I think it is appropriate that we do so.
I wish to raise the urgent case of prisoner of conscience Junaid Hafeez, a Pakistani lecturer who has been sentenced to death on wide…
Commons
Oral Questions
Business and Trade
12 June 2025
Topical Questions
T7. Will the Secretary of State accept an invitation to engage with the First Minister, the Deputy First Minister and trade unions on the Spirit negotiations, a joint venture to safeguard Northern Ireland jobs at Short Brothers, which will impact my constituents in Strangford?
Commons
Oral Questions
Business and Trade
12 June 2025
UK-India Free Trade Agreement
The Minister can expect an autographed copy of the book by the hon. Member for Central Ayrshire (Alan Gemmell) to be spinning its way towards his office as we speak.
I very much welcome the UK-India free trade agreement. It is good news, but Northern Ireland has a particular protocol issue. I know …