Commons
Oral Questions
Transport
8 January 2026
2 contributions
Local Bus Services
10. What steps she is taking to help improve local bus services.
I have raised many times in this place the state of our bus services in rural east Cleveland. I am grateful to the Government for the powers and funding that have come to Tees Valley for public transport, but we are still not seeing the benefits in east Cleveland. On 20 March, Tees Valley combined a…
Commons
Ministerial Statement
7 January 2026
Ukraine and Wider Operational Update
I welcome the Government’s decision to increase defence spending to the highest level since the cold war, and the Teesside defence and innovation cluster stands ready to support the national interest. Will the Defence Secretary do everything possible to ensure that British steel is used across the d…
Commons
Debate
15 December 2025
Industry and Exports (Financial Assistance) Bill
I support the Bill. It is a common-sense adjustment of limits that were set in another economic age, so that powers that Parliament has long judged to be legitimate can carry on being exercised to support our industry. It is not in the interests of working people for arbitrary historical figures to …
Commons
Ministerial Statement
9 December 2025
Grooming Gangs: Independent Inquiry
There is a concerning tendency to view these issues as historical, when in all likelihood there are working-class children being failed by institutions right now all across our country. Will the Home Secretary confirm that the inquiry will be able to respond to new information as it comes forward? W…
Commons
Westminster Hall
8 December 2025
2 contributions
Digital ID
Will the hon. Member give way?
Although I appreciate the merits of the scheme, as my hon. Friend has set out, surely the fundamental question facing us today is one of public consent. Some 4,800 of my constituents have signed this petition. Does my hon. Friend agree that such a scheme cannot be introduced without clear consent fr…
Commons
Debate
4 December 2025
Dawn Sturgess Inquiry
The day a British citizen died on British soil as a result of a Russian attack ought to have been a wake-up call for everyone in this country. I recognise the steps that the previous Government took and that this Government are taking to address that threat. The reality is that Russian planes and sh…
Commons
Proceedings
4 December 2025
Business of the House
My constituent Caroline lost her universal credit transitional protection after her earnings fell below the administrative earnings threshold. I wrote to the Department for Work and Pensions about her case in August, but since then I have received only a holding reply. Could the Leader of the House …
Commons
Oral Questions
Cabinet Office
4 December 2025
EU Relations
The agreement in May included the restoration of the UK’s country-specific steel quota, but in October we saw new steel protection measures from the EU. Do the Government expect those quotas to be honoured after the article 28 GATT––general agreement on tariffs and trade—process, and will trade meas…
Commons
Westminster Hall
3 December 2025
Local Media
It is a pleasure to serve with you in the Chair, Dr Allin-Khan. I am grateful for the opportunity to speak on this issue, which is fundamental to our democracy. We have some fantastic local news sources in our area, from Talk of the Town in Loftus to Greater Nunthorpe News , to which I am proud to c…
Commons
Ministerial Statement
24 November 2025
Critical Minerals Strategy
I welcome the Government’s critical minerals strategy, but I wish the great British export of polyhalite had been included and given the recognition that it deserves as a critical mineral. As Teesside is a region with great critical mineral strength, how will the strategy benefit it and the wider su…
Commons
Debate
17 November 2025
Asylum Policy
The measures that the Home Secretary has set out to restore order and fairness will be very welcome in Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland, but the overriding sentiment will be that we will believe it when we see it, I am afraid—trust is so low after years of broken promises. What assurances can …
Commons
Westminster Hall
17 November 2025
Social Media Posts: Penalties for Offences
I will always defend freedom of expression, but one feature I am concerned about is the proliferation of disinformation content online—particularly by hostile states—that is designed to divide us and undermine our democracy. Will the Minister comment on that, and the approach the Government will tak…
Commons
Ministerial Statement
5 November 2025
Curriculum and Assessment Review
I welcome Professor Francis’s work on the review, and the Government’s commitment to upholding many of her recommendations, particularly on professional autonomy and digital literacy. The review recognises the class attainment gap that is holding back so many working-class children. What steps will …
Commons
Westminster Hall
27 October 2025
Holidays During School Term Time
Does the Minister agree that the blame should sit not with hard-working parents who just want affordable family time, or with school leaders who want pupils not to miss out on education, but with the predatory travel companies we have heard about, which jack up their prices when term time is finishe…
Commons
Proceedings
16 October 2025
Business of the House
My constituent Chris is a local police officer who has had to take on vast amounts of overtime to afford his Child Maintenance Service payments. He is one of many constituents who have raised with me the issues in the CMS, so will the Leader of the House secure some time for us to debate this issue …
Commons
Ministerial Statement
15 October 2025
Pride in Place
I am delighted to confirm that the entire community of Park End and Beckfield will be able to benefit from the £20 million of investment through the Government’s Pride in Place scheme. Will the Minister confirm that the funding should be spent not by the council or by any politician but by the commu…
Commons
Ministerial Statement
15 October 2025
Ukraine
It was a privilege to meet the Chair of the Rada today and to add my voice to this House’s shared commitment to stand with Ukraine and in defence of our democratic values. To increase economic pressure on Russia, we must sanction Russian-linked countries operating in third countries, including in th…
Commons
Oral Questions
14 October 2025
Reducing Energy Bills
The CBI says that one of the best routes to bringing down bills and delivering growth is investing in clean power jobs, including the 8,800 such jobs that we currently have in Tees Valley—a number that is scaling up every year. Does the Secretary of State agree that investing in these industries is …
Commons
Ministerial Statement
13 October 2025
Manchester Terrorism Attack
I welcome the Home Secretary’s statement. Does she agree that slogans such as “Glory to our martyrs”, “Globalise the intifada” and “Zionists off our streets” are unacceptable and likely to encourage unstable individuals to carry out horrific actions and attacks on the Jewish people such as the one w…
Commons
Oral Questions
13 October 2025
Long-term Empty Homes
There are 46 long-term empty properties in the community of Park End in my constituency. Park End desperately needs regeneration, so I am delighted that the Government have awarded it £20 million of Pride in Place funding, for the community to use for regeneration over the long term. Will the Govern…
Commons
Oral Questions
11 September 2025
Micromobility Vehicles
On 28 September, the historic Boulby line in my constituency will be reopened for passengers to celebrate 200 years of passenger rail. Yet I believe the line ought to be open permanently so people can access jobs and opportunities. Will the Secretary of State meet me to talk about that prospect and …
Commons
Debate
10 September 2025
Bus Services (No. 2) Bill [Lords]
The hon. Gentleman suggests that the Conservative position is to support combined authorities being able to take on franchising, yet the Conservative Tees Valley Mayor has flat out rejected franchising powers. I am proud that this Government are bringing forward this Bill to make it easier for combi…
Commons
Westminster Hall
10 September 2025
3 contributions
Stockton and Darlington Railway: 200th Anniversary Festival
It is a pleasure to serve with you in the Chair, Mr Stringer, and I congratulate my hon. Friend the Member for Newton Aycliffe and Spennymoor (Alan Strickland) on securing this important debate.
Today, as colleagues have said, we mark 200 years since the Stockton and Darlington railway opened; it w…
indicated dissent.
+1 more contribution in this session
Commons
Westminster Hall
9 September 2025
3 contributions
Hydrogen Supply Chains
It is a pleasure to serve with you in the Chair, Mr Betts. I congratulate my hon. Friend the Member for Rushcliffe (James Naish) on securing the debate and my hon. Friend the Member for Worcester (Tom Collins) on opening it so well.
The Teesside region already produces much of the UK’s hydrogen, in…
I can only speak to the public shift we saw in our region. The public are fully behind projects such as hydrogen fuels for public transport, which we are seeing trials of in Teesside. But, for whatever reason, there was much more reluctance over the Redcar trial, and it was not without significant i…
+1 more contribution in this session
Commons
Proceedings
8 September 2025
4 contributions
Remote Coastal Communities
If the speech of the hon. Member for St Ives (Andrew George) was nothing more than a buffer, I dread to think what mine will be. I congratulate my hon. Friend the Member for Camborne and Redruth (Perran Moon) on securing this important debate.
Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland is an odd consti…
Governments of many colours have missed a trick by not investing and unlocking economic growth in our communities. We are not a problem, but we could be if not addressed.
+2 more contributions in this session