Tom Gordon — Hansard — Westminster Brief

Commons Prime Minister's Questions Prime Minister 15 October 2025

Engagements

Q7. Much like the hon. Member for Bishop Auckland (Sam Rushworth), my constituents are served by the Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys mental health trust. They face travelling to York or Middlesbrough for local in-patient beds, with some people being sent as far afield as Glasgow or Southampton. This is c…

Commons Ministerial Statement 15 September 2025

Official Secrets Act

The Joint Committee on Human Rights, of which I am a member, published an inquiry report into transnational repression earlier this year. It welcomed the introduction of a foreign influence registration scheme but expressed concern about the absence of China on the enhanced tier. Its absence risks u…

Commons Westminster Hall 15 September 2025 2 contributions

Children with SEND: Assessments and Support

On exactly that point, the problem often starts earlier than that—in schools. My mum, a councillor in Wakefield, has been fighting to get my sister assessed for two years, but the school has lost the paperwork so we are no further forward. Does my hon. Friend agree, similar to what my hon. Friend th…

Will the Minister give way?

Commons Debate 11 September 2025 2 contributions

Regional Transport Inequality

My hon. Friend makes a really interesting point about dualling of line. I have been campaigning in my constituency of Harrogate and Knaresborough to dual the line between Knaresborough and York for the exact same reasons and benefits that my hon. Friend is describing. Does he agree that, if this Gov…

Will the hon. Lady give way on that point?

Commons Ministerial Statement 11 September 2025

Business of the House

Last weekend, I met residents of New Park, alongside local Liberal Democrat councillor, Monika Slater. Residents are frustrated about the new Tesco that has been built and its impact on local businesses, with contractors regularly flouting the planning rules to work outside permitted hours. Will the…

Commons Debate 11 September 2025

Life Sciences Investment

This is just the latest in a series of blows to UK life sciences. Companies have been pulled towards the US with incentives and tariffs, while we have no detailed industrial strategy, an uncompetitive tax regime from the Treasury, and a Department of Health and Social Care that undervalues drug acce…

Commons Proceedings 11 September 2025

UK Ambassador to the US: Appointment Process

It seems that there is a broad consensus across the whole House that this felt as though it was a question of when, not if. So during the extended vetting procedure, was there ever any interference or pressure from either No. 10 or the Prime Minister?

Commons Oral Questions 11 September 2025

Topical Questions

In response to a recent written parliamentary question, the Department confirmed that it is shelving improvements to Skelton junction outside York. That will have an impact on the proposed improvements to rail services for commuters in Harrogate and Knaresborough. How does that align with the Govern…

Commons Debate 10 September 2025 5 contributions

Bus Services (No. 2) Bill [Lords]

I will start by speaking to new clause 2, which stands in my name and is supported by over 70 colleagues from across the House. It calls for the removal of time restrictions imposed on disabled bus passes. Under the English national concessionary travel scheme, eligible disabled people are entitled…

My hon. Friend makes an excellent point and I highlight the work that Liberal Democrat councillors, including him, have done over the years to ensure that such provision is made. That postcode lottery is completely unfair. Economically, the argument is equally strong. We know that disabled people a…

+3 more contributions in this session

Commons Westminster Hall 9 September 2025 2 contributions

Neurodivergent People: Employment

One of the things that constituents have to come to me with is worries about the proposed changes—which have now been shelved—to personal independence payments. Does the hon. Member agree that the rhetoric and language of Ministers has not helped people to want to go out and seek support to get into…

The Minister has outlined a plethora of different places he has visited. I invite him to visit some of the fantastic organisations in my constituency, such as the Artizan café, for people who have learning disabilities and neurodivergence; Horticap, a garden centre with a similar scheme; or Henshaws…

Commons Oral Questions Defence 8 September 2025 2 contributions

Armed Forces: Recruitment and Retention

8. What steps he is taking to improve recruitment and retention in the armed forces.

I welcome the Minister to her place. Over the past year I have had the privilege of taking part in the armed forces parliamentary scheme, and have met people across the United Kingdom and beyond. One of the issues that arises when it comes to retention is that of the families of overseas workers in …

Commons Ministerial Statement 4 September 2025

Early Education and Childcare

I welcome the positive step towards providing affordable childcare. Coppice Valley primary school in my constituency is part of phase 1 of the scheme that the Minister outlined. However, it worries me that what he has outlined might come at the expense of private and voluntary sector providers, whic…

Commons Proceedings 4 September 2025

Business of the House

I sit on the Joint Committee on Human Rights. One of the issues concerning me is what scrutiny and accountability the Equality and Human Rights Commission’s new code of practice and guidance will have from this House. My understanding is that it will be laid before the House as a negative statutory …

Commons Westminster Hall 4 September 2025 2 contributions

Adoption and Special Guardianship Support Fund

It is an honour to serve under your chairmanship, Ms Lewell. I thank my hon. Friend the Member for Mid Sussex (Alison Bennett) for securing this debate. This is, I believe, the fifth time in as many months that I have spoken on the ASGSF. I reiterate that it is not a luxury but a lifeline for some …

In an Adjournment debate on 3 April, the Minister said: “This debate has given me the opportunity to talk about our plans to ensure that all adopted children get the support they need”. —[ Official Report , 3 April 2025; Vol. 765, c. 558.] Just a week and a few days later, she went on to cut the s…

Commons Debate 3 September 2025 2 contributions

Diabetes in Sport

I am chair of the all-party parliamentary group for diabetes, and over the summer, we visited the Northern general hospital in Sheffield. We met healthcare professionals who spoke about their one-stop shop for people with diabetes. They want to deliver services in communities, and in places with gra…

I thank the Minister for being very generous with her time. One key point is that when it comes to exercise and sport, our most formative experiences are at school. When my sister was at high school, diabetes carried a massive stigma, and she was told that she would have to inject her insulin in a t…

Commons Debate 3 September 2025

Hospitality Sector

I recently visited the General Tarleton in Ferrensby, which has just reopened. A fantastic group of people have created the Jeopardy Hospitality project, which reopens pubs that have closed down; those involved include the celebrity chef Tommy Banks and Matt Lockwood. Pubs are the heart of the commu…

Commons Debate 2 September 2025

Solar Development: Newark

My constituency has a similar situation to the one the right hon. Gentleman is describing. The village of Scotton, which is home to the house where Guy Fawkes grew up, risks being encircled by a similar sort of development. People on the ground are pragmatic, but the issue comes down to planning rul…

Commons Westminster Hall 2 September 2025 2 contributions

Eating Disorders: Prevention of Deaths

It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Sir Desmond, and I congratulate the hon. Member for Isle of Wight West (Mr Quigley) on securing this important debate. Prior to entering this place, I worked in the charity sector for type 1 diabetes charity JDRF, as it was then. In the last Parlia…

One of the great organisations that does a lot of work on the accountability of services, including eating disorder services, is Healthwatch. We know that these organisations are going to be scrapped. They have done loads of valuable work at local and regional levels. What levels of accountability w…

Commons Oral Questions 21 July 2025

Rebuilding Schools

A number of years ago, Woodfield school in Bilton in my constituency was closed. It has been rebuilt as a specialist school for children with autism. It was meant to open in September last year, but that was delayed until September this year. Will the Minister meet me and confirm whether it will ope…