Commons
Ministerial Statement
1 July 2026
Flood Insurance: Reform of Flood Re
Flood Re does need change. However, the Minister has not announced a key change that would make a difference for thousands of households in my North Norfolk constituency: establishing a “Coast Re” scheme for those homes at threat of erosion. They find themselves at huge risk and have no financial ba…
Commons
Oral Questions
Work and Pensions
29 June 2026
2 contributions
Unemployed Young People
1. What estimate he has made of the number of unemployed young people.
The Transport Committee’s “Buses connecting communities” inquiry heard about the significant impact that public transport connectivity has on unemployment. That is especially the case for young people in North Norfolk. It is a vicious cycle: poor connectivity creates poor prospects, and young people…
Commons
Oral Questions
Education
22 June 2026
2 contributions
Small Rural Schools
6. What steps she is taking to support small schools in rural communities.
I was deeply saddened last week to receive from the Minister the news that Corpusty school will close from September. Across North Norfolk there are small rural schools just like Corpusty, and they are worried that they might be next to face closure. The Department for Education’s research and guida…
Commons
Debate
17 June 2026
National Security (State Threats) Bill
I will speak to my amendment 1, which I am very pleased has the most supporters of any amendment before us today.
Amendment 1 would make an offence of the concealment of beneficial ownership relating to a designated organisation and the establishment and maintenance of that concealment of finance a…
Commons
Statutory Instrument
10 June 2026
Draft Clean Air Zones Central Services (Fees) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2026
I will briefly explain why the Liberal Democrats oppose the draft regulations before us today, which I intend to vote against. The first rule of politics is “learn to count”, and the Government’s counting in relation to this is quite something. They admit that the fee at its present level covers 86%…
Commons
Westminster Hall
9 June 2026
5 contributions
Sir David Attenborough: Permanent National Monument
I beg to move,
That this House has considered the Illicit Finance Summit 2026.
It is a pleasure to serve under your chairship, Sir Roger. I am delighted to have secured this debate on the illicit finance summit 2026, although it might be more accurate to say that we are debating the illicit financ…
A quick recap: a gentle jibe at the Minister, a sharp poke at Reform and a commitment to doing my bit in helping the Government with a few ideas that might constitute a successful summit.
First, when many think of property in this country, they might think of the words of my predecessor as a Norfol…
+3 more contributions in this session
Commons
Westminster Hall
9 June 2026
6 contributions
Summit on Illicit Finance
I beg to move,
That this House has considered the Illicit Finance Summit 2026.
It is a pleasure to serve under your chairship, Sir Roger. I am delighted to have secured this debate on the illicit finance summit 2026, although it might be more accurate to say that we are debating the illicit financ…
A quick recap: a gentle jibe at the Minister, a sharp poke at Reform and a commitment to doing my bit in helping the Government with a few ideas that might constitute a successful summit.
First, when many think of property in this country, they might think of the words of my predecessor as a Norfol…
+4 more contributions in this session
Commons
Westminster Hall
3 June 2026
2 contributions
Seasonal Hospitality Businesses in Coastal Areas
It is a pleasure to serve under your chairship, Mr Stuart. People are drawn to North Norfolk’s beautiful coastal communities and they stay for our fantastic hospitality sector. The sector is the backbone of our tourist economy and creates hundreds of jobs, contributing millions to our economy. It is…
The hon. and learned Gentleman makes an excellent point, and I thank him for his intervention. Those things are all great, but I gently say that in rural and coastal communities such as mine they will be useless without the public transport accessibility options that will get young people to those o…
Commons
Debate
20 May 2026
Defence Readiness
I start by acknowledging the dedication to public service of all who serve and have served or who support those in our armed forces and our wider defence industry.
There are opportunities, as well as glaring omissions, in what the Government have put forward for this Session. I am certainly glad to…
Commons
Debate
27 April 2026
English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill
I am grateful for the steps that the Government have taken today in recognising the importance of rural and coastal communities. The hon. Member for East Thanet (Ms Billington) made reference to my constituency earlier in this regard, and I thank her for doing so. The Government clearly realise how …
Commons
Debate
21 April 2026
Middle East: Economic Update
On heating oil, members of the Chancellor’s Treasury team have been keen to point out that the small amount of funding—the equivalent of about £35 a household—was just the first step. Can she outline when the next step will come to support houses that are dependent on heating oil?
Commons
Oral Questions
Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
21 April 2026
2 contributions
Illicit Finance Summit
1. What steps she is taking to help ensure the illicit finance summit 2026 will tackle international economic crime.
The summit is an opportunity for global action on the dirty money that flows through our financial systems, but the Foreign Secretary might rightly be asked by our international partners why overseas territories, who fly our flag and have our King as their Head of State, are preventing transparency …
Commons
Westminster Hall
15 April 2026
11 contributions
Cost of Heating Oil
I beg to move,
That this House has considered Government support for the cost of heating oil.
It is a pleasure to serve under your chairship, Dr Allin-Khan.
It would be fair to say that North Norfolk is quite rural. We are proud of that, and we enjoy the beauty and tranquillity that it affords th…
Gladly. [ Laughter. ]
+9 more contributions in this session
Commons
Westminster Hall
14 April 2026
Hidden Credit Liabilities: Role of the FCA
I would like to start with a story about greed from a previous life. When I was a young, stony-broke filmmaker, unable to afford the hotel costs of the Cannes film festival, I was staying many miles away in cheap digs and was therefore stone-cold sober for the entire undertaking. I watched as, under…
Commons
Debate
26 March 2026
Transport Accessibility for Disabled People
I am grateful to the Backbench Business Committee for granting time for this important debate, which is linked, of course, to the Transport Committee’s report on disabled people’s access to public transport.
I am a passionate advocate for public transport. Over my years of campaigning, I have pushe…
Commons
Ministerial Statement
26 March 2026
Coastal Erosion
North Norfolk residents, researchers and council staff all contributed to this inquiry. I welcome this report—I think it is excellent, and I thank the hon. Member for presenting it today.
I wanted to ask her about two points. First, she has already touched on Flood Re; does she agree that the Gover…
Commons
Debate
26 March 2026
Business of the House
A small business owner in my constituency who relies on Facebook and Instagram to market her flower business has had her accounts disabled and advertising blocked after she was mistakenly flagged as spam by the system; she has heard nothing back. All the while, we know that scam and spam adverts—man…
Commons
Debate
26 March 2026
Local Government Reorganisation
I draw Members’ attention to my interest as a serving county councillor. May I thank the Minister for seeing through Norfolk Conservatives’ self-serving scheme for a mega-council for Norfolk? The three-unitary model will ensure that my residents get the efficiencies of joined-up services, and that d…
Commons
Westminster Hall
25 March 2026
Proposed Visitor Levy
It is a pleasure to serve under your chairship, Mr Efford. North Norfolk has many things to be proud of, and our half-a-billion-pound tourism industry is high on that list. However, that can bring its challenges: a seasonal economy leads to insecure employment and makes it hard for businesses to pla…
Commons
Debate
23 March 2026
Rail Connections to London: Rural Towns
Connections to market towns in my constituency are vital for our tourism and hospitality industry. We have a great branch line service, but patrons of the much-lauded Gunton Arms and Suffield Arms will know that Gunton station quite often suffers from having trains only every two hours. Does the hon…
Commons
Debate
18 March 2026
Fuel Duty
In my constituency there is a mother whose daughter lives with a disability and is reliant on a particular type of prescription food that has to be kept at ambient temperature. If the temperature of their house drops, the food perishes, and she cannot eat. Does my hon. Friend agree that it is not ju…
Commons
Petition
17 March 2026
Corpusty Primary School
As a serving county councillor, I refer Members to my entry in the Register of Members’ Financial Interests.
Corpusty primary school is a valued small rural school in my constituency threatened with closure at the end of this academic year. It has educated generations of children in North Norfolk, …
Commons
Oral Questions
Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
3 March 2026
2 contributions
British Overseas Territories: Financial Transparency
8. What steps she is taking to ensure greater financial transparency in the British overseas territories.
Perhaps I can help with that assessment. Transparency International uncovered at least 160 cases since 2022 of luxury yachts being transferred into or out of Russia that were registered to companies in British overseas territories. While the brave Ukrainians are defending their country from a brutal…
Commons
Ministerial Statement
25 February 2026
Post Office Green Paper
One of the key services that the Post Office supports in North Norfolk is our bank hubs. These are crucial to our market towns, which have lost high-street banks, and to those living in nearby villages. However, I am frustrated about the number of banks that fail to provide crucial services in these…
Commons
Westminster Hall
24 February 2026
2 contributions
Local Transport: Planning Developments
It is a pleasure to serve under your chairship again, Sir Desmond. I congratulate my hon. Friend the Member for Harpenden and Berkhamsted (Victoria Collins) on securing such an important debate; she has made a number of salient points that I wholeheartedly agree with, in particular about the impact …
On a point of order, Sir Desmond. I want to draw Members’ attention to my entry in the Register of Members’ Financial Interests as a serving county councillor.