Commons
Westminster Hall
7 July 2026
Future of British Horseracing
I thank my hon. Friend for her advocacy for the sector. She will know that I have Uttoxeter racecourse in my constituency. For over 60 years the horserace betting levy has helped courses such as ours, but some of that levy does not go to racecourses such as Uttoxeter in the same way that similar lev…
Commons
Westminster Hall
29 June 2026
4 contributions
Animal Abusers
I beg to move,
That this House has considered e-petition 759783 relating to a public register of animal abusers and automatic ownership bans.
It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Dr Murrison, and a privilege to lead this debate on behalf of the Petitions Committee. The creator of the…
I think that is a separate issue, but legislation on XL bullies already exists and it needs to be properly enforced.
Animal abuse convictions are most often made under the Animal Welfare Act 2006, and sexual abuse is covered by the Crime and Policing Act 2026. An individual convicted under the Anim…
+2 more contributions in this session
Commons
Westminster Hall
17 June 2026
2 contributions
Abuse of Customer-facing Workers
It is a pleasure to serve with you in the Chair, Mrs Hobhouse. I congratulate my hon. Friend the Member for Caerphilly (Chris Evans) on securing this debate and on the passionate way in which he laid out the case. The Crime and Policing Act was a key moment in our journey to a society in which the j…
My hon. Friend makes a great point. I have often heard about repeat offenders and the same sort of people coming into the shop. Workers often have to protect themselves from individuals who they know are going to commit a criminal act.
Unfortunately, abuse against customer-facing workers happens ev…
Commons
Proceedings
15 June 2026
Defence Investment Plan
The Government have led with a NATO-first approach in the SDR and have worked to strengthen the alliance. At the 2025 Hague summit, the alliance committed to spending 3.5% of GDP on defence by 2035. Can the Minister say what conversations he has had with NATO partners on the DIP, so that we can all …
Commons
Oral Questions
Energy Security and Net Zero
2 June 2026
Clean Power
12. What steps he is taking to help increase the production of clean power.
Commons
Oral Questions
28 April 2026
2 contributions
Global Trade: Support for Businesses
3. What steps she is taking to support businesses to trade globally.
I recently joined Cosy Direct for its second King’s Award presentation, this time for international trade. Cosy Direct is an award-winning business in early years education resources, exporting globally and continuing to grow. The Chancellor saw its success, and its goats, at first hand when she vis…
Commons
Debate
20 April 2026
Security Vetting
The Bloomberg files, which caused the Prime Minister to sack Peter Mandelson, revealed that Mandelson had been leaking confidential Government information to a convicted paedophile during Gordon Brown’s Government. Mandelson will have had access to highly sensitive and top secret documents in his ro…
Commons
Debate
26 March 2026
Business of the House
Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent host excellent tourism hotspots and venues, and my constituency plays a key part in that. Will the Leader of the House join me in congratulating all the businesses in Burton and Uttoxeter that won in this year’s Visit Staffordshire tourism awards, including: Uttoxete…
Commons
Debate
23 March 2026
Middle East
I join the Defence Secretary in paying tribute to our civilians and armed forces personnel who are defending the UK national interests. I have had the privilege of meeting many of them overseas during my time in the House. Those serving overseas have been putting themselves in harm’s way, and they w…
Commons
Oral Questions
18 March 2026
2 contributions
Social Media: Children and Young People
9. What steps her Department is taking to engage with children and young people on social media use.
There are strong and differing views across this House and the country on a social media ban for under-16s. Indeed, when I have spoken to young people, that has come out, and there was not a strong feeling in my old school, de Ferrers academy, about this. Can the Secretary of State say what engageme…
Commons
Debate
10 March 2026
Courts and Tribunals Bill
The campaign to introduce clause 17 was supported by my Conservative predecessor, Kate Kniveton, who bravely spoke about her experience of sexual violence. Will the Justice Secretary join me in congratulating Kate and all the other campaigners who have been involved in this change?
Commons
Oral Questions
Transport
12 February 2026
2 contributions
Support for Road Users
9. What steps she is taking to support road users.
In a recent incident at Uttoxeter’s McDonald’s roundabout, a car lost control and ploughed into the restaurant seating area. It is a miracle that no one was injured or killed. That is a collision hotspot, and the incident presents further evidence that the A50 needs to be urgently upgraded. I hope t…
Commons
Debate
2 February 2026
China and Japan
The Prime Minister may have noticed that the Japanese ambassador to the United Kingdom, Hiroshi Suzuki, was in Manchester recently, trying Boddingtons bitter. The Prime Minister will be aware of the importance of brewing to my constituency, and perhaps, in celebration of these trade deals, he would …
Commons
Westminster Hall
28 January 2026
Ivanhoe Line: Restoration
My hon. Friend stressed the importance of rail freight. The Railways Bill, currently in Committee, will introduce a target to increase rail freight. Does she share the concerns relayed to me about the potential for this line to be closed to freight? Does she agree that we should be getting lorries a…
Commons
Oral Questions
Education
19 January 2026
2 contributions
SEND: High-quality School Places
14. What steps she is taking to ensure high-quality school places for children with SEND.
Parents in Burton and Uttoxeter tell me that, under Reform-run Staffordshire county council, their pleas for help are too often ignored, leaving children in unsuitable settings or out of education altogether. Communication is extremely poor, and too often meaningful action comes only at the point of…
Commons
Debate
13 January 2026
Finance (No. 2) Bill
As the MP representing the home of British brewing, Burton-upon-Trent, it will come as no surprise that I will speak to clause 86, and focus my contribution on pubs and hospitality. For me, this not just political; it is personal. As a Burtonian, I grew up with the smell of hops permeating the air a…
Commons
Proceedings
12 January 2026
New Medium Helicopter Contract
Issues such as these are why the new defence industrial strategy is so welcome, and it places a prioritisation on British firms. That is welcome news to local Rolls-Royce, which has been awarded billions of pounds of contracts under this Government. What more will that investment do to support neigh…
Commons
Ministerial Statement
8 January 2026
Road Safety Strategy
I recognise the Minister’s dedication to this issue over many years, and I am glad that today she is in a position to introduce this strategy, which rightly focuses on reducing death and injury on our roads. We all know of places in our communities that are accident or speeding hotspots, where it is…
Commons
Proceedings
8 January 2026
Business of the House
Before Christmas, I attended Burton addiction centre’s inspirational celebration of recovery. There, we celebrated hundreds of people who are in recovery—people who had overcome huge battles with addiction to rebuild their lives. Will the Leader of the House join me in congratulating all those who w…
Commons
Oral Questions
Northern Ireland
7 January 2026
2 contributions
European Convention on Human Rights: Belfast Agreement
7. What assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of the UK’s membership of the European convention on human rights on the Belfast agreement.
The European convention on human rights is foundational to the Good Friday agreement. Given that Reform and the Conservatives want to crash us out of the convention, does the Secretary of State agree that that would put at risk the Good Friday agreement and that they really ought to think again?
Commons
Proceedings
17 December 2025
Puberty Suppressants Trial
As the Health Secretary has said, this is a deeply troubling time for the trans community; I have heard that loudly from my trans constituents who have come to surgeries and from my postbag, too. When suicide rates among trans people are much higher than among the general population, we know where d…
Commons
Debate
9 December 2025
Railways Bill
As we mark 200 years of our railways, it is fitting that we are embarking on a new chapter in their history. They continue to be an integral part of the story of Britain, as I am reminded every time I visit London St Pancras, which helped Burton upon Trent to become a brewing powerhouse. Below platf…
Commons
Debate
8 December 2025
Child Poverty Strategy
Thanks to this Government, 3,150 children in my constituency will be lifted out of poverty. Free breakfast clubs are starting to be set up and Sure Start centres are being revived. Under Tory Governments, poverty goes up, but under Labour Governments, it always comes down. Will my right hon. Friend …
Commons
Westminster Hall
1 December 2025
4 contributions
Evacuation Chairs: Schools and Colleges
I beg to move,
That this House has considered e-petition 706513 relating to evacuation chairs in schools and colleges.
It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Sir Alec, and a privilege to lead this debate on behalf of the Petitions Committee. It is especially appropriate that we are hav…
Yes, absolutely. I will come on to some of the legislation later, but the hon. Member highlights a really important issue and I know that he is a big supporter in this space, so I thank him for that intervention.
Fire and rescue services in England attended 417 primary fires in education premises i…
+2 more contributions in this session
Commons
Oral Questions
25 November 2025
Topical Questions
T2. It is great news that we are starting to see NHS dentists return to Burton upon Trent, but my constituents in Uttoxeter are still without an NHS dentist for adults. For a growing town of over 16,000 people, when can my constituents expect to put a smile on their face?