Commons
Debate
21 July 2025
2 contributions
Victory over Japan: 80th Anniversary
It is a huge honour to represent the ancient and loyal borough of Newcastle-under-Lyme in this House, and all those who served our country—the veterans and their families—to whom we owe so much. We are a patriotic community, which is why I was honoured to attend the recent reopening of the Tri Servi…
I would be really interested in the hon. Member explaining a bit more about the veteran to whom he just referred.
Commons
Debate
16 July 2025
7 contributions
Giving Every Child the Best Start in Life
rose—
I am very grateful to my constituency neighbour for giving way to me over my other constituency neighbour. My hon. Friend makes an important point about the vital role that county councils and local authorities can play in providing services to my constituents, his and those of my hon. Friend the Me…
+5 more contributions in this session
Commons
Oral Questions
Housing, Communities and Local Government
14 July 2025
2 contributions
Deprived Areas: Funding
10. What steps her Department is taking to ensure that areas with higher levels of deprivation receive adequate funding.
Newcastle-under-Lyme is at the heart of our industrial heartlands. In communities such as Silverdale, Knutton and Cross Heath, we see higher levels of health inequality and lower levels of life expectancy than in many wealthier areas. These communities were let down by those who went before us and w…
Commons
Debate
10 July 2025
3 contributions
Children’s Health
On air quality, will my hon. Friend join me in paying tribute to the Stop the Stink campaigners in Newcastle-under-Lyme, who fought so hard to clean the air around schools such as St Mary’s primary school on Silverdale Road? Their work helped to make the lungs of our young people that bit healthier.
Will my hon. Friend join me in calling on the Government to adopt World Health Organisation levels for particulate matter 2.5?
+1 more contribution in this session
Commons
Proceedings
10 July 2025
Business of the House
Thank you, Madam Deputy Speaker. May I extend my sympathies to you and your family on the recent death of your mother?
Last Sunday, people from across Staffordshire, including many from the heart and soul of our ancient county, Newcastle-under-Lyme, came together at Lichfield cathedral for a celebr…
Commons
Debate
9 July 2025
Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payment Bill
My hon. Friend will know, as do many Members, that my father-in-law died from Parkinson’s two and a half weeks ago, so this is a personal issue for both me and my family, and for many constituents who have written to me in recent weeks regarding their concerns about the lack of clarity. I add my sup…
Commons
Oral Questions
8 July 2025
2 contributions
Crown Court Backlog
7. What steps her Department is taking to reduce the Crown court backlog.
The people of Newcastle-under-Lyme want thugs and criminals to be held to account and to feel the full force of the law, and victims of crime to get the justice they deserve. In the west midlands—my home region and the Lord Chancellor’s—the Crown court backlog has increased by over 3,000 cases since…
Commons
Proceedings
7 July 2025
Actions of Iranian Regime: UK Response
People across Newcastle-under-Lyme watch events in the middle east week in, week out with anger, horror, sadness and frustration. I am grateful to the shadow Foreign Secretary for bringing this urgent question to the House this afternoon.
May I ask the Minister two things? First, what specific enga…
Commons
Debate
4 July 2025
2 contributions
Space Industry (Indemnities) Bill
I am enjoying my hon. Friend’s speech on space. I must declare that I prefer to have my feet firmly on planet Earth, but none the less I am enjoying his contribution. I have been advised that men are from Mars and women are from Venus. Where does my hon. Friend think those on the second Opposition B…
Where they are from, not where they are.
Commons
Debate
4 July 2025
5 contributions
Absent Voting (Elections in Scotland and Wales) Bill
I congratulate my hon. Friend the Member for Edinburgh North and Leith (Tracy Gilbert) on getting this Bill to its Third Reading and getting both sides of the House behind it, although I note that there are no SNP Members in the Chamber. I am a proud Member for an English constituency, but we in New…
My hon. Friend makes an important point. I am an English MP; we are talking about Scotland and Wales; and my wife is from Northern Ireland. Our four nations are very much represented in my short contribution to this debate.
I have seen personally the ease of the postal and proxy vote system. I love…
+3 more contributions in this session
Commons
Debate
4 July 2025
Dogs (Protection of Livestock) (Amendment) Bill
I apologise to the Bill’s promoter, the hon. Member for Chester South and Eddisbury (Aphra Brandreth), for being late; I had hoped to be here earlier.
The Minister talked about the importance of animal welfare to people up and down the country, not least in Newcastle-under-Lyme. Will she give us a …
Commons
Westminster Hall
3 July 2025
3 contributions
Music Education
Let me start by saying that I completely echo the points made by my hon. Friend the Member for Southgate and Wood Green (Bambos Charalambous) about recruitment. It is important that we get that right. I enjoyed him reminding me of my previous life, as he took us through many parts of his constituenc…
SoundCloud—there you are. The point is made: he is cooler than I am.
I am grateful to my hon. Friend the Member for Southgate and Wood Green for securing this important debate, and I refer hon. Members to my entry in the Register of Members’ Financial Interests. This is an important subject, and ho…
+1 more contribution in this session
Commons
Debate
13 June 2025
4 contributions
Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill
I am grateful to you, Madam Deputy Speaker, for giving me my first opportunity to speak in the Chamber on this most important of issues. As I do so, I think of all those who were killed in the horrendous plane crash in India yesterday. I think of their families, their friends and the lives they have…
My hon. Friend makes a very good point.
+2 more contributions in this session
Commons
Debate
11 June 2025
2 contributions
British Coal Staff Superannuation Scheme
I have two quick points. First, as the Minister carries out those meetings—I wish her well—will she consider meeting some of us from coalfield communities, to facilitate that conversation? Secondly, she has just touched on the industrial strategy. She knows my views on the BCSSS and its importance t…
I am mindful of the fact that hon. Members do not have to be present at Adjournment debates, but does it not say everything that there is not a single Conservative MP here this evening—although there is a former one—to discuss this issue of importance not just to Newcastle-under-Lyme but to the whol…
Commons
Ministerial Statement
5 June 2025
Free School Meals
Tackling poverty and inequality is in our DNA, and it is why many Members on the Government Benches are in this place. I welcome this announcement, as I know the more than 3,000 children and their families who will benefit in Newcastle-under-Lyme will welcome it, too. It is good for health, good for…
Commons
Debate
4 June 2025
5 contributions
Product Regulation and Metrology Bill [Lords]
In Staffordshire.
I am pleased to have put my name to the new clause tabled by my neighbour in Stoke-on-Trent Central. Does he agree, notwithstanding his comments, that much of this is also about pride? It is about pride in our people, pride in the skill of our people and pride in the vital ceramics industry, not jus…
+3 more contributions in this session
Commons
Proceedings
22 May 2025
2 contributions
Points of Order
On a point of order, Madam Deputy Speaker. I rise in my role as chair of the all-party group on Ireland and the Irish in Britain regarding yesterday’s Opposition day debate on business and the economy in which the shadow Secretary of State the hon. Member for Arundel and South Downs (Andrew Griffith…
indicated assent.
Commons
Proceedings
19 May 2025
4 contributions
Pubs and Community Funding
The hon. Lady is making an excellent speech, as she did on Friday; I want to acknowledge that in the House this evening. She talks about the wonderful pubs in her constituency of Reigate; may I mention the Albert, the Westbury Tavern, the Swan, the Boat and Horses, the Bush inn and the Sneyd Arms in…
As and when the good people of Newcastle-under-Lyme confirm the best pub of 2025, will the Minister come and have a pint? I will buy the first round.
+2 more contributions in this session
Commons
Proceedings
15 May 2025
Business of the House
I am concerned that this week FedEx announced that it is planning to close its depot in Newcastle-under-Lyme. That is bad news for hundreds of workers in my constituency and feels very much like a case of profit over people. It stands in stark contrast to the Government’s commitment to our industria…
Commons
Ministerial Statement
8 May 2025
Trade Negotiations
In the Vatican, in the last hour, the cardinals have elected a new Pope; and we wish the new Holy Father well, and give thanks for the life of Pope Francis. Of course, we send our best wishes to the Catholic community in Newcastle-under-Lyme and up and down our United Kingdom.
I welcome the Ministe…
Commons
Debate
8 May 2025
3 contributions
St George’s Day and English Affairs
I beg to move,
That this House has considered St George’s Day and English affairs.
I am grateful to my colleagues who co-sponsored this debate, and I wish all those right across our island home a belated but very happy St George’s day.
The cross-party support for this debate speaks to the power o…
I am grateful to my hon. Friend for making a very important intervention. There is so much more that brings us together, and it is incumbent on all Members of this House to make that case, and to focus on bringing people together, rather than pushing us further apart.
England’s greatest asset is it…
+1 more contribution in this session
Commons
Debate
6 May 2025
Victory in Europe and Victory over Japan: 80th Anniversary
Every anniversary commemorating the allies’ victories on VE Day and VJ Day is a significant one. The triumph of liberal democracy over authoritarianism, nationalism and fascism is a lesson from history that we must never forget, and a sacrifice made by so many courageous men and women that must alwa…
Commons
Oral Questions
6 May 2025
2 contributions
Hospital Backlogs
13. What steps he is taking to tackle hospital backlogs.
I am grateful to the Secretary of State for his answer and for the progress made, but there is still more to do. My constituent in Newcastle-under-Lyme has recently been recovering from brain surgery at the Royal Stoke university hospital. However, she has faced multiple setbacks due to failures in …
Commons
Ministerial Statement
30 April 2025
Energy Grid Resilience
I thank the Minister for his comprehensive statement, particularly his comments on the importance of batteries. He is right that energy security is national security. Technology owned by, run by and based in foreign states is being added to the grid. This technology is smart and, very worryingly, ca…