Commons
Oral Questions
21 July 2025
2 contributions
Further Education Estate
6. What steps she is taking to help improve the condition of the further education college estate.
The oldest surviving locomotive roundhouse in Britain is in Derby, and what was once at the forefront of Victorian engineering is now a cutting-edge learning environment for local young people who will build the homes of the future. But the site is full to bursting—Derby college needs more space. Do…
Commons
Ministerial Statement
15 July 2025
Afghanistan
My husband served in Afghanistan and has always felt keenly the debt that our country owes to those who worked alongside and supported our forces, and I know that many of my constituents who served there feel the same. If we fail to honour our debts, why should people in future conflicts trust us an…
Commons
Oral Questions
Housing, Communities and Local Government
14 July 2025
Topical Questions
We are seeing massive investment in the regeneration of Derby city centre, including the opening of a new entertainment venue and the reopening of our market hall, which is bursting with small and independent businesses. Regeneration also means ensuring that our city feels safe, welcoming and inclus…
Commons
Proceedings
9 July 2025
Trial by Jury: Proposed Restrictions
After 14 years of Conservative government, victims of rape and serious sexual crimes are waiting years to see justice. It appears that the shadow Justice Secretary has recently discovered that our criminal justice system is broken. When does the Minister think he will discover who broke it?
Commons
Oral Questions
8 July 2025
Topical Questions
Derbyshire Victim Services does really important work supporting victims, including those who have experienced sexual assault and domestic violence, but given the court backlog inherited from the Conservative Government, the service has told me that many of the victims are in need of support for lon…
Commons
Oral Questions
Treasury
1 July 2025
Topical Questions
Backing Rolls-Royce, a brilliant Derby business, to deliver small modular reactors with £2.5 billion of investment shows what Labour’s new industrial strategy is about—backing British business, creating more skilled jobs and delivering clean, secure energy. Does the Chancellor agree that, after year…
Commons
Oral Questions
Transport
26 June 2025
Topical Questions
I met taxi drivers in Derby, at a meeting organised by the GMB, who are proud of the work they do. They want high standards across the board; what actions is the Minister taking to review taxi licensing, so that everyone can have confidence that the taxi and private hire industry is reliable, sustai…
Commons
Debate
25 June 2025
2 contributions
Department for Transport
Mayor of the East Midlands, Claire Ward, has secured £2 billion for transport to and between Derby and Nottingham. Considering that the east midlands has languished at the bottom of the list for transport spend per person, does my hon. Friend agree that this Government are taking strides to ensure t…
In the east midlands, we saw our bus routes cut by 60% under successive Conservative Governments. Does my hon. Friend agree that buses have a huge impact upon people’s lives and their ability to access opportunities in training and work, to get to health appointments and to connect with family and f…
Commons
Debate
25 June 2025
National Armaments Director
My husband was an Army reservist who served in Afghanistan. He has not told me a great deal about what his job entailed, but he has told me about taking flights in helicopters that hugged mountains on which the burned-out remnants of Soviet tanks stood ghostly guard; about his interactions with the …
Commons
Debate
25 June 2025
Criminal Justice
With 80% of offenders being reoffenders, does that not show that our current system is really broken and that we need a different approach? Does my hon. Friend agree that we have an opportunity with the sentencing review to keep our communities safer by properly addressing reoffending?
Commons
Ministerial Statement
23 June 2025
UK Modern Industrial Strategy
Worryingly, only 9% of secondary vocational learners are studying engineering, manufacturing and construction compared with the OECD average of 32%, so I warmly welcome that this industrial strategy confirms a £100 million investment to support engineering skills in England. Will the Secretary of St…
Commons
Ministerial Statement
18 June 2025
HS2 Reset
The Conservatives announced that they were scrapping the northern leg of HS2 in a former railway station, summing up their attitude to the railway and sending shockwaves through the industry, including in Derby, a rail city that will be building the HS2 trains. Will the Transport Secretary ensure ce…
Commons
Debate
16 June 2025
Air India Plane Crash
I will not be alone in having shed tears over the heartbreaking photograph of the Royal Derby hospital doctor, Dr Prateek Joshi, his wife Dr Komi Vyas, and their three beautiful children, Miraya, Nakul and Pradyut, in the aeroplane moments before take-off and then the crash. I was with their friends…
Commons
Ministerial Statement
16 June 2025
Child Sexual Exploitation: Casey Report
I welcome this evidence-led action on grooming gangs. It takes courage to come forward and share deeply traumatic experiences, so will the Home Secretary confirm that this inquiry will build on the evidence already collected and recommendations made over previous inquiries, investigations and report…
Commons
Oral Questions
Education
16 June 2025
School Estate
I thank the Minister for having taken the time to meet me and hear the case for Saint Benedict school to be rebuilt to be more sustainable, safe and secure. The neighbouring primary school, St Mary’s, is the greenest in the UK and an incredible example of what a rebuild can do to inspire young minds…
Commons
Oral Questions
Energy Security and Net Zero
10 June 2025
Fossil Fuels
Happy birthday, Mr Speaker. Today’s brilliant announcement backing Rolls-Royce to deliver small modular reactors creates more skilled jobs while also delivering clean, secure energy that does not rely on fossil fuels, even when the sun does not shine and the wind does not blow. Does the Minister agr…
Commons
Ministerial Statement
9 June 2025
Winter Fuel Payment
No one I have spoken to in Derby thinks that millionaires should be receiving the winter fuel allowance, but many will welcome the lifting of the threshold so that more people receive it. Does the Minister agree that this shows the Government listening; it shows money being targeted at where it is n…
Commons
Ministerial Statement
4 June 2025
Regional Growth
In the east midlands we have been raging for over a decade against the inequality that has left our region at the very bottom when it comes to spending on transport per person, and it has taken a Labour Government to start to put that right and begin to unlock the economic potential and raise living…
Commons
Oral Questions
3 June 2025
Prisons: Rehabilitation
Lack of work is a key driver of reoffending. Derby medical manufacturing company Pennine Healthcare has some offenders who work for the company on day release, but it is exploring a project to manufacture in prisons, providing skills and potential work on release. Does the Minister agree that, rathe…
Commons
Debate
2 June 2025
Strategic Defence Review
Our British fleet of submarines are the most awesome and lethal machines in the world, keeping the peace unseen and unheard below the waves for generations. As my right hon. Friend the Defence Secretary said, the power in that punch comes from Derby’s Rolls-Royce workers, who give them their nuclear…
Commons
Oral Questions
Defence
19 May 2025
Topical Questions
T4. I met Major Eales and the Derby and Derbyshire Ex-Services Association, who do so much with fellow veterans at events all year round. Following the launch of Operation Valour, will the Minister join me in paying tribute to the work that it and other associations do and tell us what is being done…
Commons
Oral Questions
Defence
19 May 2025
2 contributions
Defence Procurement: SMEs
8. What steps he is taking to ensure that small and medium-sized enterprises are able to participate in defence procurement contracts.
When I spoke at the Make UK Defence summit in Derby, I met with lots of small and medium-sized businesses in the sector. The issues that they raised with me were echoed during my visit last week to a local composites manufacturer, Pentaxia, including accessing finance to grow and complicated defence…
Commons
Debate
16 May 2025
Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill
Is the right hon. and learned Member as concerned as I am that the panel does not even need to consider looking at evidence from family, friends, or those caring for or treating the person? Is he also concerned that although the panel might be required to hear from the person, that will only be in e…
Commons
Debate
15 May 2025
Youth Services
My hon. Friend will know that we have some incredible youth services in Derby. He has mentioned some, but there is also the local YMCA, the Derby Youth Alliance and DE23 Active. Does he agree that it is disgraceful how many other services have closed because of Tory austerity cuts?