Commons
Petition
16 December 2025
House of Lords
Last week’s peerage list shows that the House of Lords is still used to reward loyalty, connections and convenience, all to the tune of £370 a day to the taxpayer. I am pleased to present this petition with the support of Liberal Democrat Councillor Graham Dixon.
The petition states:
The petition …
Commons
Proceedings
16 December 2025
Petitions
Last week’s peerage list shows that the House of Lords is still used to reward loyalty, connections and convenience, all to the tune of £370 a day to the taxpayer. I am pleased to present this petition with the support of Liberal Democrat Councillor Graham Dixon.
The petition states:
The petition …
Commons
Debate
10 December 2025
2 contributions
Seasonal Work
The hon. Lady makes an excellent point about the need to see the minimum wage increase—people who live in my constituency of Harrogate and Knaresborough simply cannot afford to live or work in the area, and that is a real problem—but does she accept that it is not just the minimum wage that is the i…
I do not believe the hon. Lady has yet got one of these devolution mayors, although she can correct me if I’m wrong. We have one in York and North Yorkshire, who is now looking at how they might implement a tourist tax. Will the hon. Lady give her thoughts on the impact such a tax would have? When I…
Commons
Westminster Hall
10 December 2025
International Human Rights Day 2025
It is an honour to serve under your chairship, Ms Butler. I congratulate the hon. Member for Penrith and Solway (Markus Campbell-Savours) on securing the debate. This year marks 75 years since the European convention on human rights, and 25 years since the implementation of the Human Rights Act in U…
Commons
Westminster Hall
10 December 2025
2 contributions
Village Schools
My hon. Friend has mentioned those involved in making sure that schools function. For village schools across my area, such as in Scotton and Burton Leonard, parent teacher associations are having to fund the bare minimum and basics. Temporary classrooms that are not fit for purpose are now being use…
The home-to-school transport issue has affected people across North Yorkshire. One of the campaigners, Jo Foster, has been leading and working with the School Transport Action Group and has highlighted the inconsistency in the local authority’s approach. It used to be catchment-based, which makes se…
Commons
Oral Questions
Work and Pensions
8 December 2025
Child Poverty
One thing that really concerns me is that I have met a number of parents who have had to leave work because of the unmet need of their children with special educational needs and disabilities. Children who are already really vulnerable are ending up being forced into poverty because there is not the…
Commons
Westminster Hall
8 December 2025
2 contributions
Digital ID
Will the hon. Gentleman give way?
Will the hon. Lady comment on the polling around digital ID? This summer, there was net support: over 30%. When the Government announced that they were picking it up, that collapsed to minus 14%. Will she give her thoughts on why that might be?
Commons
Oral Questions
2 December 2025
Topical Questions
T8. Last month, I met Anoosheh Ashoori and opened his exhibit “Surviving Evin” at a Harrogate district Amnesty International branch event at Ripon cathedral. Given the continued use of arbitrary detention and state-sponsored kidnapping and hostage-taking by Iran, what steps are the Government taking…
Commons
Westminster Hall
26 November 2025
3 contributions
Driving Test Availability: South-east
As ever, it is a pleasure to serve under your chairship, Mrs Harris. I congratulate my hon. Friend the Member for Surrey Heath (Dr Pinkerton) on securing this important debate. The availability of driving tests is a subject of growing concern for families, young people and businesses in every consti…
I recognise that that is part of the problem, but we need a comprehensive solution in the round that does not simply add to the backlog and the other pressures on the system, which I have outlined. I would be grateful to the hon. Gentleman if he could come up with any solutions: I am sure the Minist…
+1 more contribution in this session
Commons
Petition
24 November 2025
Sale of Disposable Barbecues
On a point of order, Madam Deputy Speaker. During the course of the previous debate, I waited over four hours to speak. In the Minister’s winding-up speech, she did not acknowledge any of my contribution or the amendments. I believe I was the only Yorkshire MP to speak in the debate, and this underl…
Commons
Debate
24 November 2025
2 contributions
English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill
I tabled new clause 28, which would make provision for a new form of regional governance. The explanatory statement specifically mentions that it would make provision for a Cornish assembly. I understand that when the hon. Member was on the Bill Committee, he might have abstained on such a measure. …
I rise to speak to new clause 28. I thank my Liberal Democrat colleagues who tabled a similar amendment in Committee.
New clause 28 would effectively allow a new form of regional governance. One thing that frustrates me at the moment—it is quite bonkers from a fairness perspective—is that Yorkshire…
Commons
Westminster Hall
19 November 2025
Suicide: Reducing the Stigma
One of my constituents, Steve, founded the Jordan Legacy after he lost his son to suicide. Its work involves outreach to schools, universities, employers and community groups. I echo the point that the hon. Gentleman is making. Does he, like me, think that there should be more support for the fantas…
Commons
Ministerial Statement
18 November 2025
China Espionage: Government Security Response
I have previously mentioned that the Joint Committee on Human Rights report on transnational repression specifically singled out China for having the most comprehensive TNR campaign in the UK of any country. The report called for China to be on the enhanced tier of FIRS. If all the actions the Chine…
Commons
Oral Questions
18 November 2025
3 contributions
Energy Efficiency Schemes: Consumer Confidence
6. What steps he is taking to improve consumer confidence in energy efficiency schemes.
I appreciate the response that the Minister has given. He will not be surprised to hear me banging on—
+1 more contribution in this session
Commons
Westminster Hall
18 November 2025
Land Use Change: Food Security
The right hon. Lady has talked a lot about housing and development infringement upon the green belt. An issue in my area, around the village of Scotton, is the proposal for a huge solar farm. While I completely agree and want to see that the targets and net zero are reached, does the right hon. Lady…
Commons
Westminster Hall
13 November 2025
Rogue Builders
It is an honour to serve under your chairship, Ms Furniss. I congratulate the hon. Member for Wyre Forest (Mark Garnier) on securing this important debate.
Over the last year, I have been campaigning on behalf of homeowners affected by faulty spray foam insulation installed under the previous Conse…
Commons
Westminster Hall
11 November 2025
3 contributions
Autistic Adults: Employment
It is a pleasure to serve under your chairship, Mr Turner. I congratulate my hon. Friend the Member for Hazel Grove (Lisa Smart) on securing the debate. She outlined some fantastic best practice in Stockport, where I know she was a local councillor for many years. I am sure some of that work is down…
I am sure the hon. Gentleman is highlighting some fantastic work. I completely agree; there are great examples out there. What we need is a system that holds those up and champions them, and encourages people to do the same and do better across our country.
That brings me to Access to Work, a syste…
+1 more contribution in this session
Commons
Petition
4 November 2025
Settlement route for British National (Overseas) visa holders
I present a petition on behalf of British national overseas passport holders in my constituency and beyond. The petition
“Declares that altering the 5+1 settlement route for British National Overseas (BNO) passport holders, which currently allows them to apply for Indefinite Leave to remain after 5…
Commons
Westminster Hall
3 November 2025
3 contributions
Video Games: Consumer Law
It is an honour to serve under your chairship, Mr Mundell.
There have been a number of instances in this place where I have had to come out: first as LGBT, then as Parliament’s biggest Swiftie, and today as a gamer. I have been playing computer games since I was a little kid. I remember waking up e…
I completely agree. There has been a change in the way that people have been gaming—a silent, creeping approach over the years. When I started playing games, most of them were on CDs, which are now a thing of the past—we do not see those anymore, do we? There is a particular divergence between PC ga…
+1 more contribution in this session
Commons
Debate
28 October 2025
Support for Disabled Veterans
The armed forces covenant all too often does not live up to what people expect. I have a constituent who has struggled to access housing suitable for his needs. He has two children, but because he suffers with post-traumatic stress disorder and wakes up in the night with night terrors, the children …
Commons
Westminster Hall
27 October 2025
Holidays During School Term Time
The steps that the hon. Member is outlining seem clear and pragmatic. Local children used to take time off school to go to the Great Yorkshire Show. He talked about expanding horizons and the educational and vocational understanding of things. Does he agree that another pragmatic step would be allow…
Commons
Proceedings
23 October 2025
Business of the House
Last week I held a drop-in with the Great Start in Life Foundation, which supports health visitors and school nursing services across much of the north of England, helping children and families to get the best start in life. Will the Leader of the House congratulate that organisation on its work and…
Commons
Proceedings
23 October 2025
Alleged Spying Case: Role of Attorney General’s Office
I previously asked the Security Minister about the lack of inclusion of China on the enhanced tier of the foreign influence registration scheme. What input or advice has the Attorney General or the Solicitor General given to the Government on that? Given the ongoing situation, will she now reconside…
Commons
Westminster Hall
23 October 2025
2 contributions
NHS Workforce Levels: Impact on Cancer Patients
It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Mrs Hobhouse. I congratulate my hon. Friend the Member for Wokingham (Clive Jones) on securing this important debate. It is unusual to be called so quickly; we are often oversubscribed, so it is a pleasure to be able to say something a little more s…
I thank the Minister for giving way. As ever, she is most generous with her time. She has outlined the positive steps that the Government are taking to address the workforce challenge. Could she elaborate on the points I made about the inequalities between the north and the south in the NHS and the …
Commons
Proceedings
16 October 2025
Business of the House
Rural families across North Yorkshire, including those in villages such as Killinghall and Hampsthwaite in my constituency, have been left stranded by changes to home-to-school transport rules, with children living in the same villages now set to go to different schools and parents facing having to …