Commons
Westminster Hall
8 July 2026
2 contributions
National Youth Strategy
As always, it is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Ms McVey. I congratulate the hon. Member for Huddersfield (Harpreet Uppal) on securing this important debate.
We all recognise that this issue is increasingly important to our constituents across the country. I spend a lot of time discus…
I thank the hon. Gentleman for one of his famous interventions. I am pleased that his son enjoys camping; I am not sure I am as sold on a camping holiday in this weather. He is right that it teaches young people key life skills that they can take forward for the rest of their lives.
We all know the…
Commons
Prime Minister's Questions
Prime Minister
17 June 2026
Engagements
Q9. I am sure that we all share the thoughts about Jo Cox and her family who are here today. I know that the Deputy Prime Minister has always struggled with police visibility—even when they are stood behind him—but does he agree with Sir Mark Rowley that London will be even less safe because of this…
Commons
Ministerial Statement
16 June 2026
Thames Water
What assurances can the Government give my constituents across Bexley that the £88 million of investment that is under way in our community to secure our fresh drinking water supply for the next 50 years is not derailed by this Government announcement, which means further uncertainty for Thames Wate…
Commons
Debate
27 April 2026
English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill
The point that my hon. Friend is making is a very accurate description of what is happening in my local area of Bexley, where developers are trying to argue that greenfield sites are now ripe for development because of the Government’s planning changes. Does he share my concern that the Government a…
Commons
Debate
27 April 2026
Lord Mandelson Humble Address: Government Response Update
When he was asked on 20 April why there is no record of his and Peter Mandelson’s meeting with Palantir in Washington, the Prime Minister said:
“That was a routine meeting in the course of a visit I was on in the US.” —[ Official Report , 20 April 2026; Vol. 784, c. 62.]
Does the Minister agree th…
Commons
Westminster Hall
23 April 2026
7 contributions
Gambling Advertising
As always, it is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Mrs Harris. I refer to my entry in the Register of Members’ Financial Interests. I thank the hon. Members for Halesowen (Alex Ballinger) and for Worthing West (Dr Cooper) for securing this debate.
I wish everyone a happy St George’s day.…
That is an interesting point about how bookmakers operate. My grandfather was really keen on horseracing when I was growing up; I remember often standing in the corner of the betting shop while he had a gamble or watching horseracing on the TV. The hon. Member’s APPG has made an interesting distinct…
+5 more contributions in this session
Commons
Debate
20 April 2026
Security Vetting
My question to the Prime Minister is straightforward: did Morgan McSweeney or any of the Prime Minister’s advisers—past or present—know about this issue before last Thursday?
Commons
Oral Questions
16 April 2026
2 contributions
Euro 2028
I refer Members to my entry in the Register of Members’ Financial Interests. The successful bid to host the Euros in 2028 made under the previous Conservative Government has enormous potential to economically and culturally benefit the UK, giving fans lifelong memories as football comes home. But to…
The Secretary of State criticises the previous Conservative Government, but national sports bodies are fully aware that this Labour Government have cut sports funding, and increased regulation and taxes on clubs, and are putting at risk sports pitches across the country. Alongside these major own go…
Commons
Westminster Hall
25 March 2026
Voluntary Groups and Community Centres
As always, it is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship today, Ms McVey. For transparency reasons, I refer Members to my entry in the Register of Members’ Financial Interests and note that I am the honorary president of a local Royal British Legion branch and patron of the Bexley Neighbourhood …
Commons
Debate
18 March 2026
3 contributions
Fuel Duty
Part of this debate is about sustainability and net zero. Colleagues have already made a number of interventions on that, and I understand the shadow Secretary of State’s position. Does he agree that while we are focusing on the hike in fuel duty, the Government are also increasing the charges on el…
My right hon. Friend is making a passionate speech about the increase in rail fares for his constituents in Billericay, but he will be aware that drivers in Billericay, like those on the south side in Bexley, have also faced increases in the Dartford bridge charge, which this Labour Government hiked…
+1 more contribution in this session
Commons
Petition
10 March 2026
Houses in Multiple Occupation
The rise in houses in multiple occupation within the Old Bexley and Sidcup constituency is having a profound impact on the local community, leading to antisocial behaviour, parking pressures and pressure on local amenities and services. Over 2,300 local residents have shown their support for prevent…
Commons
Proceedings
26 February 2026
Point of Order: Rectification Procedure
On a point of order, Madam Deputy Speaker. I would like to apologise to the House for failing to declare an interest when tabling three written parliamentary questions to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, two written parliamentary questions to the Department for Environment, Food and Rura…
Commons
Oral Questions
26 February 2026
2 contributions
Grassroots Sport
I refer hon. Members to my entry in the Register of Members’ Financial Interests. On behalf of those on this side of the House, I congratulate everyone at Team GB for an incredible winter Olympics performance. Like many across the House, I was glued to the excellent coverage during recess, and was p…
I thank the Secretary of State for that answer, and I am sure we all echo her comments. She will be aware of the widespread concerns regarding the Government’s plans to water down the powers of Sport England and the much-needed protection for grassroots pitches. Before Christmas, leading sports figu…
Commons
Oral Questions
15 January 2026
2 contributions
Access to Sports Facilities
This Labour Government have announced that they intend to remove Sport England—alongside the Gardens Trust and the Theatres Trust—as a statutory consultee in planning decisions, putting playing fields across the country at risk. The Conservatives oppose this move. Can the Minister explain how first …
Not much of an answer there, but hopefully another U-turn will be coming soon. Over the previous Parliament, the Conservative Government invested more than £1 billion in grassroots and school sports. On this side of the House, we are also absolutely clear that girls’ and women’s sports must be prote…
Commons
Westminster Hall
15 January 2026
Gambling Harms: Children and Young People
It is, as always, a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Ms Lewell. For full transparency, I refer Members to my entry in the Register of Members’ Financial Interests.
I am grateful to the hon. Member for Sittingbourne and Sheppey (Kevin McKenna) for securing this important debate. The protec…
Commons
Ministerial Statement
10 December 2025
Resident Doctors: Industrial Action
Given the seriousness of the pending strikes, it is understandable that the Secretary has decided to focus his comments today on the BMA and this upcoming strike. I ask the Health Secretary this question constructively: what assessment has he made of the impact of the giveaways he has just announced…
Commons
Debate
10 December 2025
Conduct of the Chancellor of the Exchequer
The Minister refers to the accidental or deliberate release of this information, but we know that on 14 November the press were briefed, clearly with incorrect information. Will he confirm to this House today who gave authority for that press briefing to go ahead, which misled not only the press, bu…
Commons
Debate
8 December 2025
Child Poverty Strategy
Despite assurances to the contrary, children in my constituency have had their school courses cut and parents across the UK have lost their jobs because of this Government, with over 180,000 jobs lost over the past year. If unemployment and taxes continue to rise, how many more children does the Sec…
Commons
Westminster Hall
8 December 2025
Digital ID
My hon. Friend is making a fantastic speech. Does he agree that this is just the latest example of this Labour Government trying to push through something that was not in their manifesto, and that this House must therefore do all it can to stop it becoming a reality?
Commons
Westminster Hall
2 December 2025
Gambling: Regulatory Reform
As always, it is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Sir Desmond, and I thank all hon. Members for their contributions. For transparency, I refer Members to my entry in the Register of Members’ Financial Interests.
Regulation of gambling must be a careful balance to avoid unintended conseq…
Commons
Oral Questions
27 November 2025
2 contributions
Women’s and Girls’ Sport: Greater Manchester
I refer Members to my entry in the Register of Members’ Financial Interests.
Sport England’s role as a statutory planning consultee promotes participation in grassroot sports, including by girls and women, by protecting vital playing fields across the country from development, including in Greater …
No commitment there to stop the concreting over of sports pitches. Alongside the National Lottery, the regulated gambling sector provides more than £400 million of crucial sponsorship to British sports, whether that is horseracing, the Betfred Super League, Sky Bet EFL, William Hill’s sponsorship of…
Commons
Proceedings
24 November 2025
Ministerial Code
The Prime Minister boasted to ITV at the weekend that he had strengthened the ministerial code and the powers of the ethics adviser, and that any Minister who makes a mistake must refer themselves to the adviser. The former Deputy Prime Minister, the right hon. Member for Ashton-under-Lyne (Angela R…
Commons
Oral Questions
Home Department
17 November 2025
Neighbourhood Police Officers
More than 5,000 people in Bexley have signed my petition to stop Mayor Khan closing the overnight counter at Bexleyheath police station. Will the Minister tell us who is to blame for the £260 million of funding cuts now facing the Met police: the Labour Government or the Labour Mayor of London?
Commons
Ministerial Statement
12 November 2025
Points of Order
On a point of order, Madam Deputy Speaker. I seek your guidance. During today’s urgent question, the Secretary of State provided a number of answers that seem to contradict parts of the commissioner’s report, particularly around the role of the Prime Minister. In particular, she made reference to a …
Commons
Proceedings
12 November 2025
2 contributions
Independent Football Regulator
(Urgent Question): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will make a statement on her involvement in the appointments process for the chair of the Independent Football Regulator.
Last Thursday, the Commissioner for Public Appointments published his report into the appointment of the chair of the Independent Football Regulator. That report found that the Secretary of State breached the governance code for public appointments, updated by her Government, not once or twice, but …