Commons
Oral Questions
2 December 2025
2 contributions
Jammu and Kashmir
13. What steps her Department is taking to help improve the humanitarian situation in Jammu and Kashmir.
Stoke-on-Trent is home to one of the largest Kashmiri communities in the UK, and many of my constituents are deeply worried by the continuing restrictions on civil liberties, arbitrary detentions and the ongoing denial of meaningful political determination in Jammu and Kashmir. Will the Minister ple…
Commons
Proceedings
1 December 2025
Budget Resolutions
I speak in this debate having listened to the real voices of people across Stoke-on-Trent North and Kidsgrove, away from the Westminster bubble and media frenzy. For too many of them, the last Conservative Government were defined by rising bills, falling living standards and failing public services.…
Commons
Westminster Hall
19 November 2025
Specialist Manufacturing Sector: Regional Economies
It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Mrs Harris. I congratulate my hon. Friend the Member for Calder Valley (Josh Fenton-Glynn) on securing this important debate.
In discussing the contribution of specialist manufacturing to regional economies, there is no better example than the city…
Commons
Debate
17 November 2025
Asylum Policy
This is about fairness. My constituents across Stoke-on-Trent North and Kidsgrove are good, kind and compassionate people, and we have a proud tradition of supporting those who need our help the most, yet they know, as we all do, that the immigration system is broken. Does the Secretary of State agr…
Commons
Proceedings
17 November 2025
Illegal Waste: Organised Crime
In Stoke-on-Trent, under the leadership of Councillors Wazir and Ashworth, we have had the successful IDIOT—illegal dumping in our towns—campaign. As a result, we have seen the number of fines go up and the amount of fly-tipping reduce. Does the Minister agree that the IDIOT campaign is an apt title…
Commons
Ministerial Statement
13 November 2025
Police Reform
In Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire, proposals have been put forward to take our incredibly hard-working police community support officers off the beat during the evenings. I am campaigning against this, alongside my hon. Friend and constituency neighbour the Member for Stoke-on-Trent South (Dr Gard…
Commons
Debate
11 November 2025
Remembrance Day: Armed Forces
It is a solemn honour to speak. Today we pause to not only remember the fallen, but renew our duty to ensuring that their courage, sacrifice and legacy are never forgotten. In Stoke-on-Trent and Kidsgrove, that duty is lived out with quiet persistence and deep pride. Remembrance does not end with th…
Commons
Debate
20 October 2025
A50/A500 Corridor
The point has been made that constituents get stuck trying to get to high-quality, well-paid jobs along the A50 corridor. I have residents in Kidsgrove, Mill Hill and Talke who regularly commute to the likes of JCB. Does my hon. Friend agree that the benefit of a better road connection would be felt…
Commons
Oral Questions
16 October 2025
2 contributions
Youth Services: Local Authority Statutory Duties
10. What steps she is taking to ensure that local authorities fulfil their statutory duties in the delivery of youth services.
I know the Minister will join me in welcoming the recent £600,000 investment to improve the offer for young people in Stoke-on-Trent. With the upcoming review of arm’s length bodies such as Sport England and the Arts Council, will the Minister ensure that greater collaboration will mean that our you…
Commons
Ministerial Statement
11 September 2025
Business of the House
This week, 6 Towns Radio, a community radio station broadcasting to the six towns of Stoke-on-Trent and Newcastle-under-Lyme celebrates its 15th birthday. Will the Leader of the House join me in congratulating Dan Townley, Terry Bossons and all the volunteers at 6 Towns Radio as it celebrates its mi…
Commons
Oral Questions
11 September 2025
Pavement Parking
On Sunnyside Avenue in Tunstall in my Stoke-on-Trent North and Kidsgrove constituency, a particular issue with pavement parking occurs outside Mill Hill primary academy, where cars dangerously mount kerbs. Will the Minister please outline what more can be done to keep our kids safe around our school…
Commons
Westminster Hall
9 September 2025
2 contributions
Housing: North Staffordshire
My hon. Friend is right to mention historic and heritage buildings. Across Stoke-on-Trent we have many such buildings that have been left vacant for far too long. With the right support and partnerships, they can be brought back into use. Although Stoke-on-Trent city council is rightly taking a brow…
We have certainly talked about the brownfield-first approach being taken. As I alluded to earlier, one of the issues in Stoke-on-Trent is that we have a number of historic and heritage buildings lying dormant. I encourage the Minister to talk across Departments about how we could create a heritage b…
Commons
Ministerial Statement
4 September 2025
Early Education and Childcare
Back in the early 2000s, I worked for Labour’s incredible Sure Start children’s centres in my constituency of Stoke-on-Trent North and Kidsgrove. With Labour back in office, we have the roll-out of breakfast clubs at Greenways and Milton primary academies, a new school-based nursery at Smallthorne, …
Commons
Proceedings
4 September 2025
Business of the House
Kidsgrove post office has been closed for over six months now, and residents have been left without vital services. The Post Office will not tell residents why it was closed so suddenly or when it may reopen. Does the Leader of the House agree that the Post Office must be more open with residents ab…
Commons
Debate
22 July 2025
Changing Places Toilets
My friend Denise Deakin campaigned to get more Changing Places toilets 20 years ago, so it would be remiss of me not to mention her in this debate. Over the weekend, I spoke to Faye from Talke and Jane from Burslem, in my constituency, and they told me that the difference such toilets make is life-c…
Commons
Debate
22 July 2025
Sir David Amess Summer Adjournment
It is an absolute honour to speak in my first Sir David Amess Adjournment debate. Sir David, as we all know, worked tirelessly for his constituents. He set the right example for us all by demonstrating that politics at its best is about service, not spectacle.
It remains the honour of my life to sp…
Commons
Proceedings
17 July 2025
Business of the House
In 1942, 57 men and boys were killed in the Sneyd colliery disaster while serving King and country. Their work helped to power our country and the war effort. I recently spoke at a memorial service led by Father Andrew Swift at the Holy Trinity church in Burslem, in my constituency of Stok-on-Trent …
Commons
Debate
16 July 2025
6 contributions
Giving Every Child the Best Start in Life
Every child, no matter where they are born, deserves the very best start in life. The first 1,000 days of a child’s life are absolutely critical, paving the way for the rest of their lives. That time has a direct impact on how they perform in school and in their work life; it affects all their life …
I give way to my hon. Friend the Member for Newcastle-under-Lyme (Adam Jogee).
+4 more contributions in this session
Commons
Ministerial Statement
7 July 2025
Giving Every Child the Best Start in Life
Today is a really proud moment for me, because 20 years ago I worked for our brilliant Sure Start centres in Stoke-on-Trent. I saw at first hand the way they completely transformed the lives of families in my area. I then saw the terrible removal of family support by the Conservatives in the austeri…
Commons
Ministerial Statement
26 June 2025
Business of the House
On my recent visit to Greenways primary academy in Stockton Brook, pupils were busy decorating plates kindly donated by the brilliant Steelite, showing off the artistic flair for which our creative city of Stoke-on-Trent is known.
I learned during my visit that more than 70 children are now attendi…
Commons
Oral Questions
Transport
26 June 2025
2 contributions
Local Bus Services
2. What steps she is taking to help improve local bus services.
It is no surprise that Stoke-on-Trent’s bus service improvement plan is among the best in the country. Thanks to funding from this Labour Government, dozens of new services have been delivered, such as the 36, connecting Kidsgrove to Hanley and Meir, and the 501, helping people get to Wolstanton ret…
Commons
Ministerial Statement
23 June 2025
UK Modern Industrial Strategy
I welcome this incredibly positive industrial strategy that will help us to harness Britain’s potential. The strategy rightly recognises that Stoke-on-Trent has been at the heart of the ceramics industry for centuries. Therefore, will the Secretary of State outline what the industrial strategy means…
Commons
Proceedings
19 June 2025
Business of the House
As the Leader of the House knows, I have consistently raised in this place the support that our ceramics industry needs. This week, however, I come bearing good news from Stoke-on-Trent. Our iconic Moorcroft Pottery, adored the world over, has been saved from liquidation following its acquisition by…
Commons
Oral Questions
19 June 2025
Topical Questions
Compensation has been given to Severn Trent customers in Norton and Packmoor who had suffered discoloured water supplies, and to another resident who had sewage flooding their garden. While I welcome recent investment to upgrade the pipes in Smallthorne, Burslem and Tunstall, will the Secretary of S…
Commons
Debate
18 June 2025
2 contributions
Post-industrial Towns
rose—
On the point of skills, there is a risk with non-mayoral areas that we do not get the same level of investment as goes into city mayoral areas. Does my hon. Friend agree that it is important that we see that money flow into all our communities across the United Kingdom?