Commons
Proceedings
7 July 2026
8 contributions
Summer Jobs
I beg to move,
That this House regrets the combination of the rise in employers’ National Insurance contributions, the impact of the Employment Rights Act 2025, and the regulations that make it more difficult for young people to get their first job; further regrets the destructive impact that the G…
I am always grateful to the hon. Gentleman. He clearly learned in his first job the importance of showing up and he certainly does every single day in this place, which I commend him for. I agree with him, and I will set out in detail what I believe are the causes of the situation we find ourselves …
+6 more contributions in this session
Commons
Oral Questions
Defence
6 July 2026
Topical Questions
In a written answer to me last month, the Government revealed that the Army is conducting a review of its reserve basic training. I believe that this was the first time that was disclosed to this House. Will the Secretary of State commit to putting the terms of reference for that review in the Libra…
Commons
Oral Questions
Business and Trade
2 July 2026
3 contributions
Supply Chain Security
Our most critical supply chains are those that are directly linked to our national security. From autonomous vehicles to blast protection, British small and medium-sized enterprises are the vital link in the supply chain, ensuring that our armed forces have the capabilities to face down our adversar…
I am grateful for that very comprehensive answer to a very different question—less of an answer, more of an interpretive dance.
+1 more contribution in this session
Commons
Oral Questions
Defence
1 June 2026
Topical Questions
The Government’s strategic defence review recommended an increase in the Army Reserve by 20%, but at the very same time the Government are closing Grantham’s Prince William of Gloucester barracks, which trains 70% of all Army reservists in the country. Will the Minister review that decision so that …
Commons
Oral Questions
Business and Trade
21 May 2026
2 contributions
Industrial Strategy
The Government’s industrial strategy rightly states that improving skills in the construction sector is essential to keeping our country building. In fact, on page 44, there is a commitment to invest
“£625 million to train…60,000 more skilled workers”.
It has been one year since publication, so ho…
I am grateful for the update on the Minister’s tiling skills, but I did not hear a number showing how he is making progress on the £625 million commitment. Perhaps he can write to me on how they are making progress. One of the existing schemes that supports training is the Construction Industry Trai…
Commons
Ministerial Statement
16 April 2026
British Industrial Competitiveness Scheme
I thank the Secretary of State for advance sight of his statement, and for coming to the House proactively this morning. I refer the House to my entry in the Register of Members’ Financial Interests and my former career in asset management.
I very much welcome the Government’s recognition that indu…
Commons
Statutory Instrument
15 April 2026
3 contributions
Draft Package Travel and Linked Travel Arrangements (Amendment) Regulations 2026
It is a great pleasure to see you in the Chair presiding over us, Mr Twigg. I am very grateful to the Government Whip for setting out the regulations. It is clear that this is a matter of great importance across Government, and it is an important matter for the Opposition, too. In fact, the regulati…
Can the Minister clarify whether she has met any businesses since taking office in this specific industry, and not just relied on the 2023 piece of work?
+1 more contribution in this session
Commons
Oral Questions
14 April 2026
Topical Questions
In 2022, Grantham saw the opening of one of the country’s first community diagnostic centres; since then, more than 100,000 tests have been completed for the local population. Now, I want the same for the town of Bourne. Will the Minister meet me, so that I can make the case for a new community diag…
Commons
Ministerial Statement
12 March 2026
Business of the House
The Government’s strategic defence review rightly highlighted the important role of reservists across the country. I am very proud that Grantham’s Prince William of Gloucester barracks trains around 70% of all Army reservists in the country. Can we have a debate on the Government’s decision to close…
Commons
Oral Questions
Business and Trade
12 March 2026
2 contributions
Start-ups and Scale-ups: Access to New Markets
We all want innovative British companies not just to start up in Britain, but to scale up in Britain, too. I welcome the Minister’s previous comments, and actually his enthusiasm, for our most innovative companies. However, he will know that the Chancellor’s decision to cut venture capital trust rat…
I am grateful to the Minister for that answer, but I asked specifically about VCT rate relief. The last time that rate relief was cut, under the last Labour Government, fundraising was cut by two thirds and it took a decade for that to recover in the sector. Specifically on VCT rate relief, which ha…
Commons
Debate
4 March 2026
Department for Business and Trade
Thank you very much, Madam Deputy Speaker, not least for the promotion that you just gave me—I hope the Whips are listening. It is a genuine pleasure, even before the promotion, to respond to the debate on behalf of the official Opposition. I am grateful to all colleagues from across the House for w…
Commons
Oral Questions
Business and Trade
29 January 2026
2 contributions
Encouraging Exports
We know that some British businesses are put off exporting by the costs, particularly the cost of cross-border payments. One solution is the adoption of innovative digital payment methods, which is why I warmly welcomed the Government’s announcement of the transatlantic taskforce for markets of the …
I thank the Minister for that response. This is an area that we genuinely agree on. Digital payment technology will genuinely provide an opportunity for British exporters, so I gently ask the Minister to get on top of the detail on that taskforce and provide an update as soon as he can. We asked DBT…
Commons
Debate
12 January 2026
13 contributions
Finance (No. 2) Bill
I wish to speak, on behalf of the official Opposition, to new clauses 10 to 12, which are in my name, but first, I want to set the scene on clauses 1 to 8.
I agree. We are trying to create a savings culture. We are trying to get people to take responsibility, and to put their income away for a rainy day and for their retirement. As I will go on to say, the Opposition’s position is that the Bill does not achieve that; in fact, it does the very opposite.…
+11 more contributions in this session
Commons
Statutory Instrument
6 January 2026
The Corporation Tax Act 2010 (Part 8C) (Amendment) Regulations 2025
It is a great pleasure to see you in the Chair, Ms Lewell, and I wish a happy new year to the Minister. I thank him for setting out how the regulations will help provide legal clarity on the scope of part 8C. As he outlined, the regulations put beyond doubt that the rules do not apply to claimants w…
Commons
Debate
16 December 2025
2 contributions
Finance (No. 2) Bill
It is a pleasure, as always, to respond on behalf of His Majesty’s official Opposition. I thank Members across the House for their contributions to the debate, in particular those on the Conservative Benches, and notably my hon. Friend the Member for Keighley and Ilkley (Robbie Moore), who has been …
As always, my hon. Friend points out something that is important for the whole House to consider. I will come on later to the broader assessment of the OBR, which does not make for pleasant reading for Labour Members.
Tonight, Labour Members must decide whether they are content to vote for a Bill t…
Commons
Westminster Hall
13 November 2025
Rogue Builders
It is a great pleasure to see you in the Chair, Ms Furniss, and to see the Minister. This is our second interaction in a week, and, under the direction of the Chair, it will be a lot shorter than the last.
I congratulate my very good and hon. Friend the Member for Wyre Forest (Mark Garnier), on sec…
Commons
Debate
12 November 2025
2 contributions
Taxes
I am grateful to be able to respond to the debate on behalf of His Majesty’s official Opposition.
Let me start by thanking everybody from both sides of the House for their contributions, but in particular those on my side of the House. My hon. and gallant Friend the Member for South Shropshire (Stu…
I could not agree more. In fact, markets and investors have now endured week after week of reckless and irresponsible speculation, not about whether Labour will put up their taxes, but about which taxes will go up. The endless uncertainty that my hon. Friend mentions has caused relentless Treasury k…
Commons
Oral Questions
4 November 2025
Regional Economic Growth: Pension Funds
Mobilising more investment from the UK pension fund market is critical to driving regional economic growth. The Chancellor says that she is a builder, not a blocker, but her proposed builders tax threatens to drastically increase the cost of building anything from homes and roads to nuclear power st…
Commons
Oral Questions
Business and Trade
30 October 2025
2 contributions
Industrial Strategy
Labour’s industrial strategy recognises that housing and infrastructure are vital to driving regional investment. But as I hope the Minister will know, across the road, the Treasury has been quietly consulting on changes to the landfill tax, ending the decades-long exemption for quarries. That chang…
I am afraid that is not good enough. The industry is facing deep uncertainty around the kite flying going on across the road at the Treasury. I realise that he is not responsible for that, but he needs a better answer for the construction industry. The Construction Products Association has just cut …
Commons
Oral Questions
Treasury
9 September 2025
Infrastructure Strategy: Economic Growth
The Chancellor once claimed that she had a plan for fixing the foundations with infrastructure at the very heart. Now, through a consultation that the Government hoped nobody would notice, she has found a way to tax the foundations. By looking to impose a new levy on quarries, Labour could add billi…
Commons
Debate
2 September 2025
3 contributions
Speciality Steel UK: Insolvency
I am grateful to the Minister for giving me advance sight of her statement today, but here we are again: another day, another Government takeover of a key British manufacturing plant, another 1,500 jobs—1,500 people—facing an incredibly uncertain future, and the prospect of significant job losses al…
I am, Mr Speaker. Although I have lots of questions, I will ask just two very quick ones, if that is okay.
+1 more contribution in this session