Commons
Oral Questions
Cabinet Office
22 January 2026
Government Insourcing
When the Government finally bring the in-sourcing process to fruition, they will have a lot more purchasing power over the services they buy and the goods they procure. Can the Minister give the House a categorical assurance that every penny of British taxpayers’ money spent using these new powers w…
Commons
Ministerial Statement
21 January 2026
Warm Homes Plan
I really welcome today’s announcement. Stoke-on-Trent is routinely ranked at No. 1 in the country for fuel poverty. We have old, terraced housing, often with single glazing and small yards, so space for heat pumps and so on is a concern, but I am sure we will work that out. We are very fortunate tha…
Commons
Proceedings
19 January 2026
Iran: Protests
The brutal regime in Iran is well known to be attacking its own people at home, but it also poses one of the largest credible threats to Jewish people here in the UK. As the regime is currently blaming Israelis, Jews and Zionists for being responsible for the protests, will the Minister set out what…
Commons
Proceedings
19 January 2026
Business Rates: Retail, Hospitality and Leisure
The Minister says that it is the job of MPs to help publicans and hospitality businesses understand the system. I gently say to him that they do understand it. Their frustration comes not from not understanding the help that is available, but from the system they are working in. Several things can b…
Commons
Oral Questions
Education
19 January 2026
2 contributions
A-level and T-level Enrolments
2. What estimate her Department has made of the number of young people enrolled on A-levels and T-levels in September 2026.
As the Minister will know, the uptake of T-levels is behind where we expected it to be and where many colleges would like it to be. At this point I should declare an interest, as a governor of my local sixth-form college.
Given that the Government are still intending to defund BTECs during the curr…
Commons
Ministerial Statement
15 January 2026
Business of the House
May I encourage the Leader of the House, in his roles on the restoration and renewal board and the House of Commons Commission, to ensure that when the restoration and renewal of the Palace of Westminster takes place and there is a multibillion pound investment in the building, every penny and every…
Commons
Proceedings
15 January 2026
Digital ID
I agree with the Minister that where we can digitise processes, it can release huge savings to the public purse —he has cited India’s £10 billion a year. The Government are now moving from a mandatory process to a voluntary process on the right to work, and everything was voluntary beforehand. Does …
Commons
Oral Questions
House of Commons Commission
15 January 2026
2 contributions
British Manufacturers
9. What steps the Commission is taking to increase the proportion of House of Commons purchasing from British manufacturers.
I thank my hon. Friend for his continued engagement with me on this important matter. The ceramic commemorative tankard on sale in the gift shop over Christmas was marked up as being decorated in Stoke-on-Trent, but what that means is that it was formed and fired overseas, imported into the UK, deco…
Commons
Debate
13 January 2026
8 contributions
Finance (No. 2) Bill
The Minister has said that the tax change will disincentive the most harmful form of gambling, but can she cite any evidence that will demonstrate that? I have no problem with taxing a profitable industry to pay for the wonderful policies that we announced for the sector, but the report from the Off…
He just read my notes!
+6 more contributions in this session
Commons
Debate
12 January 2026
2 contributions
Finance (No. 2) Bill
Will the hon. Gentleman give way?
No, that was not what I was going to ask, but I am glad that the hon. Gentleman got to the “It was all covid’s fault” argument so early in the debate. I was going to ask whether he has an in-principle objection to freezing the rate, or whether he objects to it because he thinks it is somehow a breac…
Commons
Oral Questions
Housing, Communities and Local Government
12 January 2026
2 contributions
House Building: Stoke-on-Trent
16. What steps his Department is taking to help support house building in Stoke-on-Trent.
I thank the Minister for that answer. Stoke-on-Trent has benefited from money from the brownfield regeneration fund. However, there are many brownfield sites across the city that could be used for local planning development, but the owners are simply not engaging with the process. Given that we are …
Commons
Oral Questions
17 December 2025
Digital ID System
When the Minister rolls out digital ID, will he give serious thought to engaging organisations like conformity assessment bodies and the public libraries network so that those who need the ID can get help at the point of application?
Commons
Debate
16 December 2025
Finance (No. 2) Bill
The Minister will be aware that those rate changes will have a consequential impact on jobs, particularly in places such as Stoke-on-Trent, where thousands of people are employed by gambling companies. The rights and wrongs of gambling aside, there will be an impact on jobs. Is he willing to look at…
Commons
Debate
15 December 2025
3 contributions
Industry and Exports (Financial Assistance) Bill
Will the Minister give way?
It’s nice to be loved, isn’t it, Madam Deputy Speaker? I congratulate the Minister on bringing forward the Bill. On exports, the world-leading ceramics industry in Stoke-on-Trent tells me that there used to be a fund that allowed companies to get help with the cost of going to trade expositions or b…
+1 more contribution in this session
Commons
Oral Questions
Defence
15 December 2025
2 contributions
Defence Spending: Economic Growth
6. What steps he is taking through defence spending to help increase economic growth.
When the previous Government slashed defence spending by £12 billion in their first five years, it left the defence of our nation hollowed out and underfunded. Now, Stoke-on-Trent and our world-leading ceramics sector, which makes vital components for aircraft, submarines and ships, stand ready to h…
Commons
Oral Questions
Business and Trade
11 December 2025
Energy Costs
The UK ceramics sector is one of the most gas and electricity-intensive industries in the UK, so I make my usual plea to the Minister to consider changes to the supercharger scheme ahead of the British industrial competitiveness scheme coming online. Will he also give some thought to the electrifica…
Commons
Debate
10 December 2025
6 contributions
Conduct of the Chancellor of the Exchequer
I congratulate the shadow Chancellor on finally working out what apologies are; I know he is demanding them from this side of the House. Before he carries on, will he apologise for the 15% spike in interest rates under Liz Truss, the thousands of pounds that were put on mortgages under Liz Truss, th…
On the right hon. Gentleman’s new-found concern for pensioners in poverty, the one time that the triple lock was suspended was under the Conservatives in 2021. I believe that he is on record as saying that it was unsustainable and should be replaced with a double lock. Is that still his position or …
+4 more contributions in this session
Commons
Debate
10 December 2025
3 contributions
Seasonal Work
I have some affection for the hon. Gentleman, and he has a lovely smile. Can he tell me how many members of the shadow Cabinet—or Conservative Members who serve on the Opposition Front Bench—have ever had to sustain a long-term position on low-paid, insecure work while raising a family? Those voices…
Under a Conservative council and a Conservative Government, Stoke-on-Trent had one of highest levels—if not the highest level—of NEETs anywhere in the country. The number is now coming down, but what does the hon. Member think was the reason why my city had to endure that under his Government and hi…
+1 more contribution in this session
Commons
Westminster Hall
10 December 2025
4 contributions
Kashmir: Self-determination
It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Sir Roger. I congratulate my hon. Friend the Member for Bradford East (Imran Hussain) on his continuing leadership on this issue, not just in this House but around the country.
It is quite disappointing. The last time we debated this subject in Wes…
No, I will not.
The Minister is a diligent man and takes these issues very seriously; will he outline what regular engagement there is between the Foreign Office and representatives of the Kashmiri diaspora in the UK? How are we making sure that the voices of people who have a deep and meaningful c…
+2 more contributions in this session
Commons
Proceedings
8 December 2025
Maccabi Tel Aviv FC: Away Fans Ban
When making these sorts of decisions, it is important to have several points of information. Can the Minister confirm whether UEFA was present at the safety advisory group meeting when the decision to ban Maccabi fans was taken, and, if so, what was its advice? More broadly, can she say what UEFA’s …
Commons
Oral Questions
Work and Pensions
8 December 2025
Skills England
Skills England has the potential to really make an impact in places like north Staffordshire, where there are skills that we need for the jobs of tomorrow. However, those programmes are too often piloted through mayoral combined authorities, and we are a long way from that in Staffordshire. How will…
Commons
Oral Questions
Wales
3 December 2025
2 contributions
Economic Growth
2. What recent discussions she has had with Cabinet colleagues on increasing economic growth in Wales.
Because of decisions made by the UK Labour Government, the minimum wage and the living wage will increase, boosting wages for thousands of workers across this country, including 160,000 people in Wales. Could the Secretary of State set out what impact she thinks this critical announcement will have …
Commons
Westminster Hall
3 December 2025
3 contributions
Advanced Ceramics Industry: North Staffordshire
And Leicestershire.
The Minister mentioned electricity prices. I have repeatedly asked the Government to consider the expansion of the supercharger scheme for current industrial use by the ceramics sector. That would be a massive help before the British industrial competitiveness scheme comes online. I know the Ministe…
+1 more contribution in this session
Commons
Proceedings
2 December 2025
2 contributions
Government Procurement
When I had the privilege of leading a council in north Staffordshire, we tried to invent a model that allowed us to use the Public Services (Social Value) Act 2012 in exactly the way that my hon. Friend describes, so that when we were working with a registered social landlord on house building, for …
To follow up on the point made by my hon. Friend the Member for Rugby (John Slinger) about the great announcement that police forces will be able to buy things locally, when will the Minister extend that to ensure that British police services are buying British cars, that the Government car service …