Commons
Proceedings
8 July 2026
Maritime and Coastguard Agency
First, I thank the right hon. Member for Orkney and Shetland (Mr Carmichael) for securing this important urgent question. I have spoken to coastguard rescue officers from Ceredigion Preseli in recent weeks, and they all share common concerns. The first is that as many as half of their colleagues in …
Commons
Westminster Hall
1 July 2026
MPs’ Second Jobs: Prohibition
I thank the hon. Member for securing this debate and for the way that he has outlined the issue at hand. I also commend him on the Bill that he brought forward. Does he agree that in the interim, as the Bill progressed through Parliament, there other steps that we could be take, such as changing Sta…
Commons
Westminster Hall
3 June 2026
Seasonal Hospitality Businesses in Coastal Areas
I extend to the Minister a warm invitation to visit the wonderful Ceredigion Preseli coastline in the summer. We have heard much mention this afternoon of a possible reduction to the rate of VAT for hospitality and tourism businesses. Would the Government consider that? It would give many hospitalit…
Commons
Ministerial Statement
14 April 2026
Infected Blood Compensation Scheme
I join others in paying tribute to the Minister for his work on this matter and on the Government’s response to Sir Brian Langstaff’s recommendations. I also thank him for his intention to ensure that the administrative burden placed on those infected and affected is limited as much as possible. Wit…
Commons
Ministerial Statement
13 April 2026
Middle East
The Prime Minister was right to mention the untold economic damage that this crisis has already wrought on households and businesses across the country owing to increased fuel costs, but does he share my fear and that of the agricultural sector that the prolonged closure of the strait of Hormuz may …
Commons
Proceedings
25 March 2026
Foreign Financial Influence and Interference: UK Politics
I, too, welcome Sir Philip Rycroft’s work and the Secretary of State’s announcement today. I strongly support the idea of applying the donations cap and the moratorium on cryptocurrency donations to the devolved elections. Will the Secretary of State just clarify, to reassure me, that for those chan…
Commons
Ministerial Statement
24 March 2026
Middle East: Economic Update
What contingency planning is taking place to support non-domestic energy bills, especially in rural areas such as mine where a great number of small businesses and community organisations rely on heating oil and LPG?
Commons
Debate
19 March 2026
UK Steel Strategy
I welcome today’s statement on the introduction of a strategy for such a critical industry, and particularly commend the Government for the emphasis they place on the importance of steel sites across Wales. With that in mind, can the Secretary of State offer greater detail on the types of investment…
Commons
Debate
18 March 2026
Fuel Duty
The hon. Member makes an important point about the impact on rural areas. Does he also agree that we should bear in mind the consequences of this price spike on businesses? Many of the businesses in my patch are also off grid. Having gone through the winter period and perhaps hoping for some good fo…
Commons
Debate
16 March 2026
Heating Oil Support
I welcome today’s announcement and the proposals. They potentially offer a relief of 20% or so to the households in Wales that are off-grid, including 72% of households in my constituency. The Minister will appreciate that households will be anxious to understand what level of support they stand to …
Commons
Westminster Hall
10 March 2026
Technology Sovereignty
The Minister knows that the Computer Misuse Act 1990 criminalises a lot of legitimate cyber-resilience and vulnerability research. I think that the Government are minded to introduce a statutory defence for such research, but can he share whether that defence will be introduced as part of the cyber …
Commons
Debate
9 March 2026
Middle East: Economic Update
Some 72% of households in my constituency have no connection to the mains gas grid. For those who filled their tanks over the weekend, the consequences of the Iran crisis have become very real, and those who are still to do so are anxious to learn when any potential support that may be agreed on Wed…
Commons
Oral Questions
4 March 2026
2 contributions
UK-EU Sanitary and Phytosanitary Agreement
7. What discussions she has had with Cabinet colleagues on the potential impact of a UK-EU Sanitary and Phytosanitary agreement on Welsh farmers.
Dr Amanda Gibson and her team of scientists at Aberystwyth University are leading research into how the BCG vaccine might be used to help control tuberculosis in cattle. I know the Minister will agree that this is essential work, but can she help ensure that their research is also considered as part…
Commons
Ministerial Statement
3 March 2026
Spring Forecast
Small businesses play a critical role in the economy of places such as Ceredigion Preseli. As the Chancellor will know, increased energy costs have put real pressure on their ability to operate in recent years. In the light of events over the weekend and the crisis in the middle east, what considera…
Commons
Debate
26 February 2026
3 contributions
St David’s Day and Welsh Affairs
Diolch, Madam Deputy Speaker. I begin by thanking the hon. Member for Newport West and Islwyn (Ruth Jones) for opening the debate, and indeed for her work as the chair of the Welsh Affairs Committee. As she mentioned in her speech, we work as a team for Wales on the Committee, and it is good that we…
I agree with the hon. Member that the investment in rail will do a great deal of good for businesses in her constituency. Of course, it is sadly not the same for mine due to historical structures of the railway network—the hon. Member nods. The fact of the matter is I only have three stations, and t…
+1 more contribution in this session
Commons
Westminster Hall
25 February 2026
Student Loan Repayment Plans
I am grateful to the hon. Gentleman for making such a powerful speech. Does he share my concern that one of the other consequences of these changes might be that fewer young people decide to go to university? That would obviously be to their detriment, but it would also be to the detriment of societ…
Commons
Westminster Hall
24 February 2026
Banking Hubs: Rural and Post-Industrial Communities
I am grateful to the Minister for her generosity. I agree wholeheartedly that it is important that these hubs offer that wider range of banking services, and I draw her attention to the plight of community bank account holders, who often need to have access to a service that currently is available o…
Commons
Westminster Hall
23 February 2026
2 contributions
Firearms Licensing
It is a pleasure to serve under your chairship, Mrs Barker. I thank the hon. Member for South Norfolk (Ben Goldsborough) for opening the debate in such an effective and measured way. Some 292 of my constituents signed the petition, and I thank all those who have contacted me in recent weeks to relay…
I must concede that the DVLA was perhaps not the best of examples to cite. The right hon. Member is correct that the original Firearms Act—back in 1920, I believe—differentiated between the smooth barrel and the rifle for very good reasons. Others have touched upon that, and my hon. Friend the Membe…
Commons
Westminster Hall
9 February 2026
2 contributions
Russian Influence on UK Politics and Democracy
It is a pleasure to serve under your chairship, Mr Pritchard. I begin by congratulating the hon. Member for South Norfolk (Ben Goldsborough) on so eloquently detailing the importance and urgency of this matter. I also congratulate the petitioners on organising such an important petition. I speak as …
I agree wholeheartedly with the hon. Member’s important intervention. Perhaps we in this country need to wake up to the nature of the threat: it is all-encompassing and comprehensive, so every single tier of government and of society needs to be engaged. Perhaps a national conversation about the ser…
Commons
Ministerial Statement
5 February 2026
Sudan
I thank the Foreign Secretary for her statement today, and particularly for her engagement with the African Union and regional partners. I know that she will be concerned by the possibility of broader destabilisation as a consequence of this conflict. In the light of reports of renewed clashes in Bl…
Commons
Westminster Hall
4 February 2026
Postal Services: Rural Areas
I am grateful to the hon. Gentleman for securing this very important debate. He mentions mobile services, from which my constituency benefits greatly. Does he share my concern that the Post Office tasks individual postmasters with an ever greater number of mobile spots? Although we are very grateful…
Commons
Oral Questions
Wales
21 January 2026
Minority Language Broadcasting
The Minister will be aware that Ofcom is consulting on a draft code of practice on the prominence of public service broadcasters on digital platforms. Does she agree that it is essential that S4C is included in any measures that come out of that consultation, so that it is given greater prominence o…
Commons
Ministerial Statement
20 January 2026
Mobile Phones and Social Media: Use by Children
I know that parents, grandparents and, indeed, young people across Ceredigion Preseli will welcome action to tackle the harms of social media and mobile phone use. Given that education, which will be so important in implementing these measures, is a devolved responsibility in Wales, will the Secreta…
Commons
Ministerial Statement
19 January 2026
Arctic Security
I commend the Government for standing firm with our European allies in supporting the principle that the future of Greenland is a matter for her people and her people alone. I know that the Government will make every diplomatic effort to avoid the imposition of these punitive tariffs, but if they we…
Commons
Westminster Hall
14 January 2026
UK-France Relations
I am loath to interrupt such an excellent speech, but does the hon. Member agree that, as Members of Parliament, we all have a role to play in forging those relationships with our contemporaries in the Assemblée Nationale? I also congratulate him, in that vein, on becoming a vice-chair of the all-pa…