Commons
Debate
13 January 2026
4 contributions
Finance (No. 2) Bill
I will focus on Liberal Democrat new clause 9, which would require an assessment of the cumulative impact of the proposals on the hospitality industry.
One must bear in mind that, after a medley of challenges, our hospitality industry fears the future—it is in crisis mode—so it is not prepared to i…
I will happily give way to my Devon colleague.
+2 more contributions in this session
Commons
Debate
12 January 2026
Finance (No. 2) Bill
Can the Minister explain why there are £300 million-worth of cuts in Devon this year to our NHS—to hospital trusts, our partnership trust that looks after mental health and our integrated care board?
Commons
Ministerial Statement
5 January 2026
Venezuela
With Donald Trump taking a leaf out of the Putin playbook and becoming an international gangster in the Americas, what assurance can the Secretary of State give the Chamber that the coalition of the willing to protect Ukraine will become the coalition of the capable to defend Ukraine?
Commons
Westminster Hall
5 January 2026
Free Bus Travel: Over-60s
The issue that we face in Torbay is a significant shrinkage in the number of available commercial routes, whether for bus pass users or other bus users. Does the hon. and learned Gentleman agree that we need sustained investment in bus services to drive a better service for all our communities?
Commons
Debate
17 December 2025
National Insurance Contributions (Employer Pensions Contributions) Bill
What we see here is the tune remaining the same from the Budget, but perhaps the words changing a little. We see short-term gain for the taxman and long-term pain for the taxpayer, and particularly for those who wish to save for their pensions.
The Minister was right to highlight how we need to be …
Commons
Ministerial Statement
17 December 2025
Local Government Finance
I am sure that the Minister will join me in congratulating Anna Coles, the director of adult and community services at Torbay council, and her team on achieving a “good” rating from the Care Quality Commission this week. The fly in the ointment is that despite Torbay being the most deprived local au…
Commons
Ministerial Statement
17 December 2025
UK-EU Common Understanding Negotiations
The news about the reinstatement of the Erasmus scheme is brilliant for our young people. I have heard from language schools in Torbay, particularly International House Torquay, who have taken advantage of the group travel scheme for German students to be able to use just their ID cards to study lan…
Commons
Debate
10 December 2025
Seasonal Work
In the west country, we have seen an icy chilling effect from the NICs hike on our hospitality and tourism industry, particularly in Torbay. The Torbay Coast & Countryside Trust, which looks after some of our beautiful natural spaces, has faced a £100,000 cost from the NICs hike, which has force…
Commons
Oral Questions
Work and Pensions
8 December 2025
Topical Questions
Disability News Service has stated that both the Treasury and the DWP have refused to clarify the £1.9 billion of cuts to disability benefits set to take place over the next five years that were quietly sneaked into the Budget the other week. Will the Minister now set the record straight and advise …
Commons
Oral Questions
Work and Pensions
8 December 2025
Review of Carer’s Allowance Overpayments
The Liberal Democrats welcome the fact that the Government have accepted the findings of the Sayce review into carer’s allowance overpayments, but what assurances can the Minister give that the Government will stop hounding carers about overpayments? Will the Government also apologise?
Commons
Westminster Hall
8 December 2025
2 contributions
Digital ID
As someone whose constituency has had reports of Russian spies infiltrating through our harbour, one might think that I would be very much in favour of digital ID. However, it will clearly do nothing about the Russian threat, the small boats crossing the water or fraud in the workplace. I thank the …
My hon. Friend makes a powerful point.
I will conclude by saying that there are malevolent powers in power across the Atlantic, and many of us are shocked at what we are seeing emanating from the Oval Office. Let us not give a future Government powers that could be ill used.
Commons
Debate
3 December 2025
6 contributions
Pension Schemes Bill
Would the Minister be kind enough to share the timescale he is working to for these proposals?
For people who are lucky in the lottery of life, their pension can be one of their biggest assets, but, sadly, we know that 12 million people across the United Kingdom are not saving enough. That is around the population of Belgium. Talking more broadly, there is much about the legislation to be wel…
+4 more contributions in this session
Commons
Proceedings
2 December 2025
Budget Resolutions
Perhaps the most important commodity for a Chancellor is not finance but trust. We saw how the Conservatives wrecked the country’s trust in them with partygate and the scandal of the fast track to personal protective equipment contracts for those who were in the know. I am afraid to say that what we…
Commons
Westminster Hall
26 November 2025
Young People not in Education, Employment or Training
It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Mr Dowd.
I congratulate the hon. Member for Amber Valley (Linsey Farnsworth) on securing this debate on such an auspicious day: it gives the Minister a chance to truly unpack what the Chancellor has been able to share with us—and consequently amaze…
Commons
Proceedings
25 November 2025
Points of Order
On a point of order, Madam Deputy Speaker. A significant statement in respect of carer’s allowance was briefed out by Ministers overnight. This affects thousands of people up and down the United Kingdom, yet no oral statement has been given by a Minister. Do you agree that the Minister should come h…
Commons
Ministerial Statement
25 November 2025
G20 and Ukraine
The Prime Minister talks of having extensive discussions about limiting the export of oil and gas from Russia—the engine driving the Russian war machine. Danish waters could offer the key to killing the shadow fleet. An international convention regulating shipping going through those straits would s…
Commons
Westminster Hall
25 November 2025
2 contributions
Pension Investment in UK Equities
It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Mr Stringer. I congratulate the right hon. Member for Salisbury (John Glen) on obtaining the debate, which has been quite enlightening; his liberal views on the way forward for pensions are very welcome. The Liberal Democrats are keen to see investm…
The right hon. Gentleman makes a powerful point. One can go back to the significant crash of 2008. I suggest, and I am sure many people would agree, that that has left a scarring on the system and a fear of risk. For many of us who know about the system, risk is a good thing, because it can result i…
Commons
Westminster Hall
19 November 2025
Suicide: Reducing the Stigma
On 30 September, I had the privilege of participating in the Baton of Hope relay across Torbay, which is an initiative that propagates conversations around suicide. The impact that it had across our communities in Torbay was amazing. Does my hon. Friend agree that the more conversations we have abou…
Commons
Ministerial Statement
11 November 2025
Pensions
I apologise for inadvertently using the word “you” the last time that I spoke, Mr Speaker.
Clearly, the clock is ticking for WASPI women. There are 3.6 million WASPI women across the United Kingdom, which is half a million more than the population of Wales. Sadly, a WASPI woman dies every 13 minute…
Commons
Debate
11 November 2025
Prisoner Releases in Error
A Torquay solicitor has recently told me of multiple occasions when there has been a lack of security staff to convey convicted criminals from Newton Abbot magistrates court to prison. On one occasion, one individual started self-harming. On another occasion, an individual waited and then absconding…
Commons
Debate
5 November 2025
Public Authorities (Fraud, Error and Recovery) Bill
I thank the Government for the steps taken to improve the Bill since it was debated in Committee. We as Liberal Democrats still have grave concerns about elements of the Bill, but it is in a much better place, and I thank all colleagues for working together collaboratively to drive for improvements.…
Commons
Debate
4 November 2025
2 contributions
Welfare Spending
It is important that the House, first of all, reflects on where the Conservatives left our community when they left power. We should reflect on the fact that the number of people who are economically inactive has gone up from 2.1 million in 2019 to 2.8 million. The fact that the bill for incapacity …
I thank the hon. Member. I reflect on the savage cuts made to public health spending. I would particularly mention the number of people who sleep rough on our streets. I campaigned on the issue as a young Liberal, more than 30 years ago. Sadly, those rough sleepers are just the tip of the iceberg wh…
Commons
Ministerial Statement
30 October 2025
Infected Blood Compensation Scheme
I congratulate the Minister on making real progress on this matter, after many years of delays. I recently met Jean Hill and her daughters. She has been campaigning on this issue for 30 years. Sadly, her husband died in 2004 at the age of 48; his brother died at 25; and a nephew died in more recent …
Commons
Proceedings
29 October 2025
Gaza and Hamas
The Minister has already acknowledged that it is olive harvest season in the west bank—a harvest that supports approximately 100,000 farming Palestinians—yet we have seen more than 150 attacks by settlers against those farmers. How are the Government holding the Israeli Government to account to stop…