Commons
Westminster Hall
9 June 2026
Energy Costs
First of all, I commend the hon. Lady: in her short time here, she has made a name for herself as someone who speaks on behalf of her constituents, so well done. Power NI supplies 60% of Northern Ireland homes—a 6.2% increase—and charges £1,093 for credit meters and £1,065 for keypad meters, on top …
Commons
Westminster Hall
9 June 2026
Police Service of Northern Ireland Training College
Thank you, Sir Roger, for allowing me to speak. I thank the hon. Member for North Down (Alex Easton), my friend and colleague from many a year ago on the council and as Members of the Legislative Assembly, for his ceaseless passion to ensure that our community has the best police service possible. H…
Commons
Westminster Hall
9 June 2026
2 contributions
Sir David Attenborough: Permanent National Monument
I commend the hon. Lady on securing this debate. I can remember the time I spent with my boys watching David Attenborough on TV, and now I spend it with my grandchildren, so the tradition carries on. The information and passion are shared between generations through the timeless quality of David Att…
I commend the hon. Member for this debate. He is absolutely right that we must aggressively pursue and prosecute the wealth managers, the lawyers and the accountants who mask dirty money through loopholes. Does he agree that, when it comes to corporate transparency, we must go as far as the Crown de…
Commons
Westminster Hall
9 June 2026
Summit on Illicit Finance
I commend the hon. Member for this debate. He is absolutely right that we must aggressively pursue and prosecute the wealth managers, the lawyers and the accountants who mask dirty money through loopholes. Does he agree that, when it comes to corporate transparency, we must go as far as the Crown de…
Commons
Oral Questions
Home Department
8 June 2026
Violence against Women and Girls Strategy: Implementation
I thank the Home Secretary for her responses. In the last two to three weeks in Northern Ireland, we have had two horrific murders of women and their unborn children; in both cases, heavy sentences have been handed out. Given her responses to the hon. Members for City of Durham (Mary Kelly Foy) and …
Commons
Westminster Hall
8 June 2026
2 contributions
Progression of Bills through Parliament
It may only have been a small number of peers who tabled amendments, but many others wished to put their names to them. Does the hon. Gentleman not recognise the will of the House of Lords? I think 170 peers had real concerns about the legislation. The role of the House of Lords is to ensure that th…
Will the hon. Gentleman give way?
Commons
Debate
8 June 2026
Maternity Nurses, Nannies and the Infant Sleep Industry
I commend the hon. Gentleman for bringing forward this really good debate; I spoke to him about it last week. He will be aware that, as it stands today across the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, anyone can buy a website domain, call themselves an infant sleep expert or a matern…
Commons
Proceedings
4 June 2026
Russian Attacks on Civilian Infrastructure
I thank the right hon. Member for Maldon (Sir John Whittingdale) for tabling this urgent question, and I thank the Minister and, indeed, every hon. Member in this House for their support for Ukraine, which sends a very strong message from this Chamber. For four years, the world has witnessed Russia …
Commons
Oral Questions
Solicitor General
4 June 2026
Corporate Manslaughter: Prosecution
I thank the Solicitor General for that reply. In recent times in Northern Ireland we have successfully concluded two corporate manslaughter cases in a positive fashion; there were guilty verdicts in both cases. If it is the intention, as I think it may be, for the Solicitor General to look at making…
Commons
Oral Questions
Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
4 June 2026
Waste Crime
May I thank the Minister for her commitment and for her response to the hon. Member for Rugby (John Slinger)? It is good to have a policy that seems to be working and, here on the United Kingdom mainland, it is very obvious that it is. I know the Minister is off to visit Northern Ireland; we have si…
Commons
Ministerial Statement
4 June 2026
Children’s Social Care: Enduring Relationships Strategy
I thank the Minister so much for his positive statement—I do so not in the salubrious way that the right hon. Member for New Forest West (Sir Desmond Swayne) did, but with the same sincerity. I also thank the hon. Member for Twickenham (Munira Wilson) for all that she has done in this House for chil…
Commons
Westminster Hall
4 June 2026
Home-to-School Transport
I wanted to come along and support the hon. Gentleman in bringing this debate forward. He is a very assiduous MP in this House, whether it be on the Back Benches in the Chamber or leading debates in Westminster Hall, and I want to congratulate him on that. I also add my support to what he is hoping …
Commons
Westminster Hall
4 June 2026
High Street Businesses: Government Support
It is a real pleasure to serve under your chairship, Ms Lewell. I congratulate the hon. Member for Didcot and Wantage (Olly Glover) on securing the debate, setting the scene and giving us all a chance to participate.
In Northern Ireland, the future of our high streets is of great concern. We have s…
Commons
Oral Questions
Northern Ireland
3 June 2026
Defence Industrial Strategy
Taking into account the world-class engineering capabilities already proven by industrial icons such as Shorts, Harland & Wolff and Thales in Northern Ireland, will the Minister ensure that the defence growth deal specifically leverages the existing high-tech supply chains and advanced manufactu…
Commons
Westminster Hall
3 June 2026
Rail Freight
I commend the hon. Lady for securing this debate. I envy her region’s constructive approach. We unfortunately do not have any rail freight in Northern Ireland, and it is very disappointing, but there is a need to emphasise and build on the east-west relationship. We are all part of the United Kingdo…
Commons
Westminster Hall
3 June 2026
2 contributions
Seasonal Hospitality Businesses in Coastal Areas
I can testify that, for Northern Ireland, cost increases have forced almost 90% of hospitality businesses, many of which are found on our coastlines, to operate at below 90% of the required capacity. Tax rises have forced 50% of hospitality businesses to cut their workforces, and 68% have had to inc…
I thank the Minister for her replies to all our questions. We need to encourage more people from the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland to take home holidays. Looking at all the problems across the world, we should encourage our own people to have their holidays at home. Does the M…
Commons
Debate
3 June 2026
General Strike Centenary Commemorations
I commend the hon. Gentleman on bringing this debate forward. I spoke to him beforehand to ascertain his focus, and I will outline my focus and why I wished to be here. I remember when I went for my first job, which was at Henry Denny & Sons in Belfast. The manager brought me in and said, “Jim, …
Commons
Westminster Hall
2 June 2026
Community Pharmacies
It is a pleasure to serve under your chairship, Ms Jardine. I thank the hon. Member for Tiverton and Minehead (Rachel Gilmour) for placing this matter before us. I also welcome the Minister to his place. I very much look forward to his commitment to the pharmacies, and I welcome the Government’s com…
Commons
Westminster Hall
2 June 2026
Glasgow City Region Economy
I commend the hon. Member for bringing this forward. I spoke to him beforehand about city region deals recognising the situation in Glasgow and my constituency, yet this work has only just begun. Does he agree that sustained funding has to be available to local councils to build on those foundationa…
Commons
Oral Questions
Energy Security and Net Zero
2 June 2026
Heat Networks
He’s the one with the hair, Mr Speaker; I don’t have any.
I welcome the Minister’s response to the hon. Member for Edinburgh North and Leith (Tracy Gilbert). The regulation of heat networks is not just an issue for her constituency, as the Minister well understands. My request to him—he is one of t…
Commons
Westminster Hall
2 June 2026
3 contributions
Workplace Exposure to Silica Dust
I commend the hon. Lady for securing the debate. Exposure to RCS dust causes significant occupational health issues, and the Health and Safety Executive for Northern Ireland estimates that silica dust exposure is responsible for some 20 lung cancer deaths per year. A quarry worker in Northern Irelan…
Will the Minister give way?
+1 more contribution in this session
Commons
Westminster Hall
2 June 2026
Preparedness for National Emergencies
I commend the hon. Gentleman for bringing this issue forward; I spoke to him beforehand. Does he agree that if groups tasked with preparedness training, such as the building resilience in communities project in Northern Ireland, are to be effective, they must be well funded? The work carried out wit…
Commons
Debate
2 June 2026
2 contributions
Relationship between Social Security Scotland and the DWP
I congratulate the hon. Lady on securing this debate—I spoke to her about it beforehand, just as I spoke to you, Madam Deputy Speaker. In Northern Ireland we see the same breakdown in communication, the same bureaucratic black holes, and the same administrative friction when trying to cross-referenc…
I thank the Minister for giving way—he is always constructive and helpful, and we look forward to his contribution and his answers, which I am sure will help the hon. Member for North East Fife (Wendy Chamberlain) and others. I know the debate is about Scotland, but as I have mentioned, we are havin…
Commons
Oral Questions
Defence
1 June 2026
Armed Forces: Paternity Leave
I thank the hon. Member for Luton North (Sarah Owen) for her question. On this issue, she is a champion—a word often used in this Chamber, but true today. I thank the Minister for her response. When it comes to how the Government promote this issue, it is important when recruiting people to let them…
Commons
Debate
1 June 2026
Health Bill
I welcome the Secretary of State to his place and I wish him well in the role he now takes on. I am very pleased that he has experienced the NHS at its best, and I am glad to hear that.
The Government have called for a duty of candour, so they must ensure that that is still possible, but the decisi…