Commons
Proceedings
27 November 2025
Right to Trial by Jury
In 2014, 8% of those on trial for an either-way offence opted for a jury trial. By 2022, that figure had more than doubled to 17%. At the same time, we know that the Crown court backlog is growing, that there are delays in those cases going to trial, and that more people are therefore dropping out a…
Commons
Westminster Hall
18 November 2025
4 contributions
Infrastructure: Cramlington and Killingworth
I beg to move,
That this House has considered the impact of infrastructure on development in Cramlington and Killingworth constituency.
It is a pleasure to serve under your chairship, Mr Dowd. My constituency was newly formed at the last general election and is made up of parts of south-east North…
My hon. Friend has been working closely with me on seeking the upgrades that I will be talking about, so I appreciate his intervention.
+2 more contributions in this session
Commons
Debate
17 November 2025
Asylum Policy
In a previous life I was a 999 call taker with the ambulance service and had the awful experience of answering a call from a distraught family desperate for help. I could not help them save their loved one because they could not understand the life-saving instructions I was trying to give them over …
Commons
Oral Questions
Defence
3 November 2025
Topical Questions
Research shows that women in the Army are up to seven times more likely than men to suffer musculoskeletal injuries, and 10 times more likely to experience hip and pelvic fractures. Given these stark disparities, can the Minister tell the House what steps she is taking to ensure that women veterans …
Commons
Oral Questions
Work and Pensions
27 October 2025
Topical Questions
T3. For too long, too many people in the north-east have been left behind due to stubbornly high unemployment, but the economic inactivity trailblazer offers an opportunity to tackle the often complex reasons that sit behind that. Can the Secretary of State set out how this will work alongside exist…
Commons
Proceedings
23 October 2025
Business of the House
Every year thousands gather for safe organised firework displays. However, this time of year also brings dread for many due to antisocial and inconsiderate firework use, as we have heard. It causes misery and distress for animals, and many vulnerable and elderly people. I welcome the earlier comment…
Commons
Oral Questions
Defence
8 September 2025
Topical Questions
I recently met my constituent Lance Corporal Sarah Bushbye, who is only the third ever woman to receive the Military Cross. She shared with me the difficulty of dealing with the complex physical and psychological effects of her service, and the transformative effect that the Boulder Crest foundation…
Commons
Proceedings
4 September 2025
Business of the House
Over the course of the summer, like many in the House, I have had a chance to meet so many of the volunteers across my constituency, from organisations such as North Tyneside Disability Forum, Seghill Food Hub, Rape Crisis Tyneside and Northumberland, Age UK and Forward Assist, every one of them imp…
Commons
Debate
2 September 2025
2 contributions
English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill
The UK is one of the most centrally run countries in the world. For decades, Whitehall has made every major decision on growth and investment, while the communities impacted were too often an afterthought. This has left communities poorer and trapped, playing a game that they can never win. For regi…
My hon. Friend makes an interesting point. We should look at what communities prioritise and make considerations as to what they value.
Going back to sporting assets in particular, there are over 6,000 sports grounds in England alone. Protecting them under the current system is complex, buried in r…
Commons
Proceedings
17 July 2025
Business of the House
I recently had a meeting with one of my constituents, Sian from Palmersville, who is one of the founders of the Safe Clicks foundation. The foundation calls for greater accountability of social media companies to tackle bullying online and to ensure that digital spaces are safe, respectful and roote…
Commons
Oral Questions
Business and Trade
17 July 2025
2 contributions
Post Office IT Systems: Redress for Postmasters
6. What recent steps he has taken to support postmasters seeking redress for harm caused by faulty IT systems.
I thank the Minister for his answer. He will be aware of a Northumberland constituent of mine who was a victim of the faulty Horizon system, leading to her losing her job and her business and becoming a victim of abuse in her own community. Despite my assistance, my constituent remains without an ou…
Commons
Prime Minister's Questions
Prime Minister
16 July 2025
Engagements
Q14. Successive Conservative Governments failed to invest in the transport infrastructure of the north-east, but the Labour Government are already changing that with the £1.8 billion that was recently secured for the region. Upgrading Moor Farm and Seaton Burn roundabouts can build on that, unlockin…
Commons
Oral Questions
15 July 2025
2 contributions
Clean Power: Jobs
3. What estimate he has made of the number of additional jobs that have been created in clean power industries in the north-east since July 2024.
I thank the Secretary of State for that answer. The north-east is uniquely placed to be the home of the green energy revolution, with the expansion of the Energy Academy in north Tyneside providing a skills pipeline. How will the clean energy industries sector plan help to provide long-term certaint…
Commons
Debate
11 July 2025
2 contributions
Secure 16 to 19 Academies Bill
I beg to move, That the Bill be now read the Third time. I am grateful to hon. Members for their contributions and to the hon. Member for Christchurch (Sir Christopher Chope) for tabling the amendments. In the interests of time, I commend the Bill to the House.
With the leave of the House, I thank you, Madam Deputy Speaker, and Members across the House. I thank the Clerks, the Minister and the shadow Minister for their support, and the contributions and welcome challenge from the hon. Member for Christchurch (Sir Christopher Chope). It was brilliant to see…
Commons
Ministerial Statement
10 July 2025
Resident Doctors: Industrial Action
I thank the Secretary of State for his statement and the ongoing work to get the NHS back on its feet after it was pushed to the brink under the previous Government. Strikes inevitably have a financial and a human cost to them, and the next round of strikes will undoubtedly have that too, meaning th…
Commons
Proceedings
10 July 2025
Business of the House
The first Shiremoor children’s treat took place in 1907. Last weekend—118 years later—I was delighted to attend this year’s treat. Local schools like Shiremoor, Holystone and Backworth Park took part, and North Tyneside Disability Forum and West Allotment Celtic all joined in to make the day a huge …
Commons
Oral Questions
10 July 2025
2 contributions
Topical Questions
T1. If he will make a statement on his departmental responsibilities.
The Government’s changes to the Green Book in place-based business cases are positive for regions like the north-east. Will the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster set out how the Cabinet Office will support cross-departmental work on identifying test cases, such as the Moor Farm and Seaton Burn ro…
Commons
Oral Questions
10 July 2025
2 contributions
Infected Blood Compensation Scheme
18. What recent progress he has made on the infected blood compensation scheme.
I thank the Minister for his answer and for the response to yesterday’s report. I speak today on behalf of one of my constituents, a core participant in the inquiry, who was recently invited to start their claim. They have asked specifically when those affected, such as the parents of the infected, …
Commons
Ministerial Statement
3 July 2025
Business of the House
I recently visited Concordia leisure centre in Cramlington, and as well as seeing the leisure facilities, I heard at first hand about the services it offers, such as SEND swimming lessons, supported internships and social prescribing services. Local sports and community facilities are the bedrock of…
Commons
Committee Stage
2 July 2025
3 contributions
Secure 16 to 19 Academies Bill
It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Mr Mundell. Secure schools are a new form of custody for children and young people. Secure 16 to 19 academies have already been established in legislation, with the first ever secure school, Oasis Restore, opening in Kent last year. The Bill will ma…
I thank my hon. Friend for that intervention. I think that the success of these schools is absolutely dependent on them being properly integrated with local services, as he rightly says.
Clause 2 establishes that the Bill will extend to England and Wales, but it will apply only to England, given th…
+1 more contribution in this session
Commons
Oral Questions
Defence
30 June 2025
2 contributions
Supporting Veterans
16. What steps he is taking to support veterans.
A local charity in my area supporting women veterans was recently working with a woman who was rehomed in general purpose supported accommodation for veterans in Scotland. The accommodation was entirely unsuitable for her as a survivor of sexual violence and led to her being subjected to a further s…
Commons
Ministerial Statement
26 June 2025
Business of the House
This Government have secured record investment in the NHS, which for local people across my constituency means more appointments, earlier diagnosis and access to efficient, high-quality care. After years of under-investment and increasing waiting times, can we have a debate on how these are the firs…
Commons
Prime Minister's Questions
Prime Minister
25 June 2025
Engagements
Growth needs to be delivered and felt in all parts of the country, and the infrastructure strategy, changes to the Green Book and the £1.8 billion secured for the north-east are a clear demonstration of our commitment to that. In my area, Moor Farm roundabout is blocking growth and causing misery fo…
Commons
Proceedings
19 June 2025
Business of the House
With the lighter nights comes fear for some as antisocial behaviour upticks, causing real misery in some communities. I recently joined the Killingworth neighbourhood police team on a walkabout to hear directly from them how they are working with North Tyneside council to tackle this issue and suppo…
Commons
Westminster Hall
17 June 2025
5 contributions
Transport Infrastructure: Cramlington and Killingworth
I beg to move,
That this House has considered transport infrastructure in Cramlington and Killingworth constituency.
It is a pleasure to serve under your chairship, Mr Stringer. I am pleased to debate this important issue and to see the Minister for future of roads. It will come as no surprise to …
I absolutely agree with the hon. Member—it is as if he has seen the key points of my speech. This is a critical piece of infrastructure in my area for all the reasons he said and more.
One such game-changing project for the north-east would be the upgrading of the Moor Farm and Seaton Burn roundabo…
+3 more contributions in this session