Commons
Debate
3 June 2025
Armed Forces Commissioner Bill
I think all of us in the House very much welcome the Armed Forces Commissioner. We have a new commissioner in Northern Ireland who is doing an excellent job. There is also a role for local councils to deliver the armed forces covenant. For councils in Northern Ireland that are perhaps hesitant—I am …
Commons
Proceedings
3 June 2025
Thames Water
I thank the Secretary of State for his answers, and for his perseverance on this subject. He will understand that it is disappointing in the extreme to hear that public funding may have to be used to bail out this company. Given that it has some 8,000 British employees and serves 25% of the UK popul…
Commons
Oral Questions
3 June 2025
Employment: Ex-offenders
I thank the Minister for his answers. To help offenders into employment, they need to have the opportunity of training while in prison, and whenever they leave prison to go back into the societies where they live they need someone there to oversee them and ensure they are following the right path. W…
Commons
Westminster Hall
3 June 2025
3 contributions
Groceries Code Adjudicator
I thank the right hon. Gentleman for bringing forward this debate on an incredibly important topic. Those of us here will express that shortly. Does he welcome, as we all should, the commitment shown by these examples? Tesco, Asda and Lidl in my constituency have an arrangement on Fridays and Saturd…
It is a real pleasure to serve under your chairship, Dr Allin-Khan. I thank the right hon. Member for South Holland and The Deepings (Sir John Hayes), as we all do, for leading the debate and setting the scene incredibly well.
The Groceries Code Adjudicator is imperative in setting out standards fo…
+1 more contribution in this session
Commons
Westminster Hall
3 June 2025
Leasehold Reform
I thank the hon. Lady for securing this debate, which I spoke to her about beforehand. Does she agree that issues with developers and management company rates can stem from the fact that the new homebuyers are often not informed about the nature of the leasehold agreements and the additional costs t…
Commons
Westminster Hall
3 June 2025
2 contributions
Animal Welfare in Farming
It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Mr Vickers. I commend the hon. Member for Waveney Valley (Adrian Ramsay) for setting the scene so well. He mentioned some graphic things that get under many people’s skin. I declare an interest as a member of the Ulster Farmers’ Union, although we d…
My hon. Friend is wise in her intervention. In fairness to the Minister, he regularly visits Northern Ireland. We have had been fortunate to have him twice at Colin McKee’s in my constituency, because he loves the scones and the coffee. He also loves seeing how a farmer can look after his animals be…
Commons
Westminster Hall
3 June 2025
Inheritance Tax: Family-owned Businesses
I commend the hon. Lady on securing this debate. She is absolutely right to highlight the issue of taxation. Does she agree that taxing businesses at 20% based on their value at the time of the owner’s death cannot possibly take into account the owner’s personal input into the business, and leaves a…
Commons
Westminster Hall
3 June 2025
Serious Fraud Office
It is a pleasure to serve under your chairship, Sir John. I thank the hon. Member for Hendon (David Pinto-Duschinsky) for leading the debate.
Economic crime remains a significant issue across the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Worryingly, especially in the last few months, my…
Commons
Debate
2 June 2025
Arms and Military Cargo Export Controls: Israel
I commend the hon. Gentleman for securing the debate. I spoke to him beforehand and he gave me permission to intervene. He will understand the need to bring an end to this war and to bring hope to the children of the region. However, will he acknowledge that Israel is still under daily attack and ca…
Commons
Debate
2 June 2025
Bus Services (No. 2) Bill [Lords]
I know that the Secretary of State is committed to ensuring that buses are environmentally friendly and meet the net zero targets that we all want to be met. Wrightbus in Ballymena, in Northern Ireland, is a leading producer of hydrogen buses, which provide safe, reliable, cost-effective transport. …
Commons
Proceedings
2 June 2025
Government Announcements
The Leader of the House will be aware of my complaint, at times, when matters pertinent to Northern Ireland are announced in the media. Strangford businesses contact me for details that it is my role as an MP to provide—it is the role of all of us—yet I am unable to provide them, as the media seems …
Commons
Westminster Hall
2 June 2025
11 contributions
Decriminalising Abortion
Will the hon. and learned Gentleman give way?
We have three hours.
+9 more contributions in this session
Commons
Proceedings
22 May 2025
School Teachers’ Review Body: Recommendations
I thank the Minister for her answers to the urgent question. Nobody can doubt her commitment to the change that is necessary to keep schools working and teachers in place. I always try to be helpful in the Chamber. Northern Ireland has come through a period of teacher strike action, which led to yea…
Commons
Oral Questions
Church Commissioners
22 May 2025
National Church Institutions: Safeguarding
I thank the Second Church Estates Commissioner for her response. The churches should always be a place for those who seek help, assistance, support and comfort whenever things have happened that are completely against the teachings of the Bible. For those who carry out these heinous crimes, there mu…
Commons
Westminster Hall
22 May 2025
EU-UK Summit
It is a pleasure to serve under your chairship, Mr Vickers. I thank the hon. Members for Walthamstow (Ms Creasy) and for Boston and Skegness (Richard Tice) for securing the debate and for giving me the opportunity to make some comments.
As usual, it feels as though the Northern Ireland situation is…
Commons
Oral Questions
22 May 2025
Creative Industries: Wales
The creative industries in Wales are incredibly important, but it is also incredibly important to have creative industries everywhere in this United Kingdom. There is an opportunity for those in Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales and England to have creative industry exchanges. Is that something that…
Commons
Proceedings
21 May 2025
UK Health Security Agency: Porton Down
I commend the right hon. Gentleman for securing the debate. I remember him bringing the matter before the House before; we have been in the House for the same amount of time, although he is much younger than me. Does he agree that replacing and modernising the UKHSA’s facilities through the programm…
Commons
Debate
21 May 2025
Business and the Economy
When it comes to business and the economy, we want to ensure that every region in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland can benefit. Northern Ireland is the UK’s smallest region by GDP, but it has higher GDP per head of the population than some regions. It is really important that…
Commons
Oral Questions
21 May 2025
Tackling Violence Against Women and Girls
I thank the Minister of State for all she does on her visits to encourage people across Northern Ireland, especially women, ladies and young girls. What we really need in Northern Ireland is legislative change, longer sentences and more people convicted. What discussions has she had with the Ministe…
Commons
Westminster Hall
21 May 2025
2 contributions
Parkinson’s Disease
I thank the hon. Member for Colne Valley (Paul Davies) for raising this issue. As Members are well aware, I have been a vocal opponent of the changes to PIP, and I will concentrate specifically on PIP issues, how they affect people with Parkinson’s, and why it is important that the Government are ca…
That sums up the thrust of my comments. I am really concerned by what the Government are pursuing and the impacts that it will have. This is coming from the people on the frontline—I would call them the people on the coal quay—who understand exactly what it means.
Equally, if people with Parkinson’…
Commons
Westminster Hall
21 May 2025
Broadband and Mobile Connectivity: Rural Areas
We are all here for the same purpose: our constituencies do not have the 3G broadband that we all wish to see. Does the hon. Lady agree that Westminster and all the other regions of the United Kingdom—Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland—should collectively have a programme that delivers 3G broadban…
Commons
Westminster Hall
21 May 2025
2 contributions
Ukraine: Forcibly Deported Children
It is a pleasure to serve under your chairship, Mr Stuart. I commend the hon. Member for Paisley and Renfrewshire South (Johanna Baxter) for setting the scene. She might be small in stature, but she has the biggest heart in the Chamber—well done. The opportunity to urge our Government to continue to…
I thank the hon. Lady for her intervention. It is much appreciated.
The forced deportation of Ukrainian children without their parents by Russian forces is a grave violation of international humanitarian law. Indeed, I will go as far as to say that these actions constitute a war crime under article…
Commons
Westminster Hall
21 May 2025
2 contributions
Chronic Urinary Tract Infections
This is a difficult subject for those who suffer from this condition. I will give an example in my speech, as one of my staff members suffers from it. We are deeply indebted to the hon. Member for Sutton and Cheam (Luke Taylor) for bringing this forward. It is important to hear personal stories from…
It is a pleasure to serve under your chairship, Sir Desmond. I commend the hon. Member for Sutton and Cheam (Luke Taylor) on his presentation of this debate on subject matter that some, such as the hon. Member for Stoke-on-Trent South (Dr Gardner), have personal experience of. Others, including me, …
Commons
Westminster Hall
21 May 2025
Roadworks: Cheshire
Back home, we have had the very problems that the hon. Gentleman refers to, but those doing the roadworks have found a different way of responding to exceptional circumstances. The Sydenham bypass in east Belfast in Northern Ireland is a main thoroughfare for traffic. It was closed down for the Satu…
Commons
Proceedings
20 May 2025
School Buildings: Northumberland and Newcastle
I commend the hon. Gentleman for bringing forward this matter for debate. I spoke to him this afternoon to seek his permission to intervene on him tonight, and he has given me that opportunity.
He is right to highlight the issue of schools and their importance. The most important thing about school…