Commons
Proceedings
24 March 2026
3 contributions
Oil and Gas
Does the hon. Member think that this is a minuscule, distracting issue for the tens of thousands of workers who have lost their jobs because of the policies of this Government on this very subject?
rose —
+1 more contribution in this session
Commons
Debate
18 March 2026
Fuel Duty
Like the hon. Gentleman, I am a north-west MP representing a rural constituency. Even those of our constituents who work in big suburban areas like Manchester and elsewhere still need to get to a train station, so even those who spend significant time in larger urban areas still rely on their car to…
Commons
Prime Minister's Questions
Prime Minister
18 March 2026
Engagements
Q12. Every week, the Prime Minister comes to the Chamber and reads out this pre-scripted nonsense that bears no resemblance to the questions that he is actually asked. The Leader of the Opposition asked him about Peter Mandelson, and he answered about the war in Iran; the Leader of the Opposition …
Commons
Oral Questions
Defence
16 March 2026
Topical Questions
T9. Earlier I asked the Secretary of State if he would confirm an order of 25 Typhoons for the RAF after claiming the Government were backing British jobs, but the Minister for Defence Readiness and Industry deployed the power of waffle to avoid answering the question. Just to be absolutely clear, I…
Commons
Oral Questions
Defence
16 March 2026
Defence Skills
On that Chorley and Lancashire theme, it will not be possible to increase the defence skills in this country if the defence jobs of the future are not secure in that pipeline. I was delighted to hear the Secretary of State talk earlier about British jobs, British industry and British innovation—he c…
Commons
Ministerial Statement
26 February 2026
Business of the House
As winter takes its toll, many Members of this House will, like me, be finding their best angry faces and awkwardly pointing at potholes in their constituencies, but this year many residents are getting in touch with me to say that this is the worst they can ever remember them being. In fact, one of…
Commons
Oral Questions
26 February 2026
Traditions
There is no finer UK tradition still lived out than drinking a cold beer and watching the local cricket team that has been there for decades. I recently visited St Annes cricket club. I should declare an interest as my dad was the professional there in 1973—he will probably not thank me for saying t…
Commons
Westminster Hall
25 February 2026
UK-German Relations
It is a pleasure to serve with you in the Chair, Mr Twigg. I congratulate my constituency neighbour, the hon. Member for Preston (Sir Mark Hendrick), on securing this important debate.
As we are going down the line of declaring interests or key products that we own, I too am a loyal customer of BMW…
Commons
Statutory Instrument
25 February 2026
Draft Surrey (Structural Changes) Order 2026
The Minister referenced £500 million of debt repayment support off the back of Woking’s unsupported debt. That rings a bell with me; my neighbouring authority in Blackpool has £500 million of debt, while my Fylde borough council carries no debt. How much do the Government think they will pay in debt…
Commons
Westminster Hall
24 February 2026
6 contributions
Gaza Healthcare System
It is a pleasure to serve with you in the Chair, Sir Jeremy. I thank the hon. Member for Stroud (Dr Opher) for securing the debate to allow us to consider this important matter, and Members who have contributed to it.
To pick up on some of the things that have been said so far, it is pretty obvious…
I will make a little progress first, given the time, but I will take interventions. The new NGO restrictions that are about to come into place affect some 15% of the aid agencies operating within Gaza, and those agencies have contributed about 1% of the aid delivery throughout the conflict. Some of …
+4 more contributions in this session
Commons
Oral Questions
Transport
12 February 2026
Topical Questions
The Secretary of State mentioned the Northern Powerhouse Rail announcement and I am sure that it will not have evaded your attention, Mr Speaker, as it did not evade mine, that there was not a single penny for anywhere in the whole of Lancashire in that announcement. Can the Secretary of State updat…
Commons
Debate
11 February 2026
4 contributions
Local Government Finance
On the point about Reform councils and the promises they made and the reality of that, in Lancashire they are trying to balance the books by initially consulting on closing 10 care homes and day centres and narrowing that down now to just the day centres. Does the hon. Member share my surprise that …
It is all very well to say that this is a fair settlement. On balance, councils that have Labour constituencies benefit from it, and councils that are represented by Conservative Members do not. The fairness can be derived from that.
+2 more contributions in this session
Commons
Debate
4 February 2026
Lord Mandelson
We know the decision that was made. Peter Mandelson was appointed ambassador when it was known that there was a relationship with a convicted paedophile, but it was “worth the risk”. So what is “worth the risk”? What level of relationship with a paedophile is acceptable? Is it coffee in the morning,…
Commons
Oral Questions
Justice
3 February 2026
2 contributions
Prison Estate: Safety
10. What steps he is taking to improve the safety of the prison estate.
We know that drugs on the prison estate is a perennial problem when it comes to the safety of officers and other prisoners. Governments of all colours have been trying to tackle that for some time. The situation is particularly acute in the open prison estate, due to the different resourcing and the…
Commons
Debate
2 February 2026
3 contributions
Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction Bill
The Opposition recognise the importance of this Bill and the shared international ambition to protect the world’s oceans and marine ecosystems. We support the principle of effective global co-operation in this area and we want this legislation to succeed. However, it is precisely because of the Bill…
Will the Minister give way?
+1 more contribution in this session
Commons
Oral Questions
Business and Trade
29 January 2026
2 contributions
Support for Pubs: Fylde
2. What steps his Department is taking to support pubs in Fylde constituency.
From the Queens in Lytham to the Hop Shoppe in St Annes, the Hand & Dagger in Treales and the Thatched House in Poulton, Fylde is blessed with many wonderful pubs, but they were hit very hard by the changes to national insurance, and the looming business rates changes that will hit them hard hav…
Commons
Westminster Hall
29 January 2026
2 contributions
Ukraine: Non-recognition of Russian-occupied Territories
It has been a pleasure to serve under both your chairmanship, Ms Butler, and Sir Jeremy’s. This debate is as important now as it was on the very first day of the illegal invasion. I congratulate the hon. Member for Leeds Central and Headingley (Alex Sobel), who is also chair of the APPG on Ukraine, …
As I said at the start of my remarks, it is very easy to think that this is only happening over in Ukraine and is not something that is happening right here. The sentencing of Nathan Gill should prompt some real reflection by Reform UK on why that activity happened for so long, unchallenged, and why…
Commons
Oral Questions
Cabinet Office
22 January 2026
Topical Questions
I questioned the Parliamentary Secretary, Cabinet Office, the hon. Member for Makerfield (Josh Simons), earlier about the U-turn on compulsory digital IDs. Much to our confusion, he said that there had been no U-turn. Will the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster clear this up? Is digital ID going t…
Commons
Oral Questions
Cabinet Office
22 January 2026
Digital Identity Scheme
With the 100 in, one out deportation scheme having had the same impact as the Prime Minister’s many resets, compulsory digital ID was billed as the next magical answer to illegal migration. Now that it has been U-turned on, what is plan C?
Commons
Statutory Instrument
21 January 2026
2 contributions
Draft Non-Domestic Rating (Chargeable Amounts) (England) Regulations 2026
Does the shadow Minister agree that this is creating a perfect storm and that the reason so many people are getting in touch with us—many MPs on both sides of the House will have owners of pubs, restaurants and bars getting in touch with them—is that this business rates change will crystallise that?…
If that is the case, would it not have been better if the Government had had the foresight to put a new system in place to deal with the discounts that existed before, and made some choices about where the pounds are spent—rather than on higher welfare, maybe on supporting businesses?
Commons
Oral Questions
20 January 2026
Cyber-attacks: Global Response
Iran is a cyber-menace that is committing digital warfare against democracies around the world and its own people. Most recently, it has cut its own citizens off from the internet to hide the scale of its atrocities. Do the Government have any plans to use their cyber-capabilities to take on Tehran …
Commons
Ministerial Statement
8 January 2026
Road Safety Strategy
I thank the Minister for her time in discussing these issues. As a former police and crime commissioner who funded a dedicated roads policing unit, this issue is close to my heart. I wish to make two points about drink and drug-driving. First, I fear that reducing the alcohol limit for England and W…
Commons
Proceedings
8 January 2026
Business of the House
Twelve out of the 15 constituencies in Lancashire benefited from the Pride in Place scheme, I believe, but people may not be surprised to learn that Fylde, the only Conservative constituency in Lancashire, was not on the list. We will not let that deter us, however, because we have pride in our plac…
Commons
Oral Questions
Transport
8 January 2026
2 contributions
Topical Questions
T1. If she will make a statement on her departmental responsibilities.
Earlier, one of the Ministers dodged a very straightforward but important question, so will the Secretary of State now set the record straight? Do the Government have any plans that would change the scope, funding or timelines for Northern Powerhouse Rail—yes or no?
Commons
Proceedings
17 December 2025
Points of Order
On a point of order, Madam Deputy Speaker. In a written answer on 9 December 2025 to a parliamentary question that I had submitted, the Treasury stated explicitly that it had not opened any new inquiries into child benefit eligibility in the context of the serious errors in a trial of data sharing b…