Commons
Westminster Hall
15 September 2025
Children with SEND: Assessments and Support
The hon. Member touches on an important point about culture, which is borne out by my own experience as the parent of a neurodivergent child whose secondary school education was made all the more traumatic by a profound lack of understanding and training among the teachers in the school. It was also…
Commons
Ministerial Statement
11 September 2025
Suicide Prevention
I thank my hon. Friend the Member for Doncaster East and the Isle of Axholme (Lee Pitcher) for securing this very important debate.
May 1997 is etched on my memory for two very different reasons: first, the elation of 1 May and the election of the first Labour Government in 18 years, and then, just…
Commons
Ministerial Statement
11 September 2025
Business of the House
I welcome the new Leader of the House to his place and thank him for all the help and support he gave those of us who were newly elected to this place 12 months ago in his previous role.
Last Friday, Cumbria’s first community county flag was unveiled at a special service at Carlisle cathedral. Cumb…
Commons
Westminster Hall
10 September 2025
Stockton and Darlington Railway: 200th Anniversary Festival
I cannot claim that the Stockton and Darlington railway went anywhere near my Carlisle constituency, but I cannot let this moment pass without celebrating Carlisle and north Cumbria’s role in the heritage of that line. Indeed, the engine that was first used on that marvellous line was Locomotion No.…
Commons
Westminster Hall
9 September 2025
2 contributions
Free-to-air Broadcasting: Cricket Participation
It is a privilege to serve under your chairship, Ms McVey. I start by placing on record my membership of the all-party parliamentary group for cricket. I congratulate the hon. Member for Cheltenham (Max Wilkinson) on bringing this important debate. Although I share his love of the long-form game as …
I certainly agree with the hon. Member. It cannot be denied that participation shrank in that period. We also have to look at how accessible our schools are in making cricket available to our young people. Lastly, I invite all hon. Members to join me in placing on record our very best wishes to the …
Commons
Westminster Hall
9 September 2025
Neurodivergent People: Employment
I thank the hon. Member for agreeing to take an intervention when I spoke with her before the debate. She speaks very eloquently about the frustrations that we see in our constituency surgeries. I had a constituent’s mother come to see me; it had taken six months for Access to Work to be put in plac…
Commons
Proceedings
4 September 2025
Business of the House
Madam Deputy Speaker, I congratulate you on your very successful ice cream-inspired tour of your constituency during the recess.
I recently met a constituent of mine, Lou, who was part of a group that developed Turning Point and Learning Disability England’s information pack on “Do Not Attempt Card…
Commons
Debate
3 September 2025
Hospitality Sector
I do not want to rain on the hon. Gentleman’s pub parade, but my constituency has a proud history when it comes to pubs, as for 60 years it was the only place in the country where the pubs were nationalised—although I am not calling on the Minister to reintroduce nationalisation of pubs. Does the ho…
Commons
Oral Questions
Women and Equalities
3 September 2025
Domestic Abuse Aggravated Offences
My constituent, who had been the victim of historical domestic abuse by both her partner and her children, recently raised with me the need for a clearer understanding and definition of child-to-parent abuse. At the time of her abuse, she did not know that what her children were doing could be class…
Commons
Westminster Hall
2 September 2025
Eating Disorders: Prevention of Deaths
One of the issues in geographically remote areas like Carlisle and Cumbria is that, sadly, the in-patient treatment for young people with eating disorders is delivered by an out-of-area NHS trust. Tragically, the inquest into the death of a young woman from my constituency earlier this year found th…
Commons
Ministerial Statement
1 September 2025
Borders and Asylum
I welcome the Home Secretary’s statement and strongly welcome the enforcement action taken recently by UK Border Force, Cumbria police and local trading standards to crack down on illegal trading and illegal retail work in my Carlisle constituency. Will she reassure my constituents that there will b…
Commons
Debate
22 July 2025
Changing Places Toilets
There are four Changing Places toilets in my constituency, which, given that it is one of England’s largest constituencies, still feels very inadequate. Does my hon. Friend agree that one sector where we would definitely benefit from more Changing Places toilets is in our visitor attractions? Does h…
Commons
Debate
22 July 2025
Sir David Amess Summer Adjournment
It is an honour to speak in my second Sir David Amess Adjournment debate, and to speak of my constituency of Carlisle and the incredible Roman dig there that is rewriting our understanding of Britain’s ancient history.
Carlisle—or, as the Romans called it, Luguvalium—was no ordinary outpost. It was…
Commons
Oral Questions
22 July 2025
Electronic Patient Record Systems
My constituent Lee Armstrong contacted 111 when he was suffering from an Addisonian crisis. Lee and his partner provided full details about his condition to 111, and when his condition worsened, they called 999, but what neither Lee nor his partner knew was that the electronic record details given t…
Commons
Debate
21 July 2025
Victory over Japan: 80th Anniversary
It is my privilege to join colleagues across the House in marking the 80th anniversary of victory over Japan. It is a moment to honour the bravery, sacrifice and enduring legacy of those from our country and allies around the world who contributed in the Pacific theatre of the second world war. I ha…
Commons
Ministerial Statement
21 July 2025
Independent Water Commission
As someone who enjoys swimming in Cumbria’s lakes, rivers and tarns, I welcome the Secretary of State’s ambitious commitment to halving sewage pollution in them. Can he say more about how—unlike the Conservatives who did nothing for 14 years, and unlike Reform’s moon-on-a-stick approach to reform—wh…
Commons
Westminster Hall
17 July 2025
5 contributions
RAF Photographic Reconnaissance Unit
I beg to move,
That this House has considered the role of the RAF Photographic Reconnaissance Unit during the Second World War.
It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Ms Vaz. I begin by placing on record my thanks to the Backbench Business Committee for granting me this debate, and for…
I completely concur, and I am delighted that we are here today talking about just such a national monument.
Tragically, the project has been able to confirm that 629 of those men— representing 45% of those who could be found—were casualties. Of those who were killed, a third are still missing in ac…
+3 more contributions in this session
Commons
Westminster Hall
16 July 2025
Further Education Institutions
Beaumont college in my constituency provides excellent specialist education for young people transitioning from a specialist school into adulthood. Does my hon. Friend believe that part of that funding must be available for colleges such as Beaumont so that we can support young people with special e…
Commons
Ministerial Statement
14 July 2025
Future of the Post Office
I thank the Minister for his statement and his clear recognition of the importance that the post office plays in rural constituencies such as mine. Sadly, residents in some of the remotest parts of my Carlisle constituency have been adversely impacted in recent months by the sudden closure of post o…
Commons
Proceedings
12 June 2025
Business of the House
It will not have escaped the attention of Members of this House that Britain is in the grip of a viral addiction that has collapsed websites, stripped shop shelves bare and had the staff of Castle Chocolates in my Carlisle constituency working round the clock to feed it. I am of course speaking abou…
Commons
Oral Questions
Housing, Communities and Local Government
9 June 2025
2 contributions
Leasehold Reform
24. What steps she plans to take to reform the leasehold system.
Inflation-busting estate management fees for little or no service plague residents across the country, including those of the Brackenleigh, Greymoor Meadows and Denton Mill estates in my Carlisle constituency. What assurances can the Minister give my constituents and those of other hon. Members that…
Commons
Westminster Hall
4 June 2025
Disadvantaged Communities
On life expectancy, in my constituency, the lives of men and women in the most deprived neighbourhoods are nine years shorter than in the more affluent ones. Does my hon. Friend agree that part of the strategy has to be around narrowing those health inequalities?
Commons
Debate
2 June 2025
Strategic Defence Review
I am proud that my constituency of Carlisle and north Cumbria is home to Europe’s only electronic warfare tactics facility, and proud that this Government have set out steps in the SDR to strengthen our electromagnetic and cyber-defences. Will the Secretary of State say a little more about why those…
Commons
Oral Questions
Home Department
2 June 2025
Topical Questions
T8. There is increasing concern in my constituency that a number of Deliveroo riders are subcontracting to unregistered riders, some of whom are working illegally. Will the Minister say what is being done to crack down and ensure that all Deliveroo riders are registered and are not here working ille…
Commons
Ministerial Statement
20 May 2025
UK-EU Summit
My constituency is home to the world’s oldest biscuit factory: Carr’s has been making Table Water crackers, ginger nuts and custard creams for many decades, and in about 15 years’ time it will celebrate 200 years in business. Can the Prime Minister say more about the importance of this deal to food …