Commons
Ministerial Statement
9 February 2026
Standards in Public Life
I thank my right hon. Friend for all that he is doing to overhaul standards in public life, following the absolute bin fire that the Conservative party left behind. Peter Mandelson is reportedly in receipt of a severance payment. As a former regulator, I know that clawback is an important tool. If p…
Commons
Prime Minister's Questions
Prime Minister
4 February 2026
Engagements
Q5. An EU agrifood deal would boost exports and cut supermarket prices. The CBI backs it, and according to Best for Britain’s polling, 62% of the public do, but—surprise, surprise!—Reform opposes it. I thought the hon. Member for Ashfield (Lee Anderson) wanted 30p food. Does the Prime Minister agree…
Commons
Westminster Hall
28 January 2026
2 contributions
Defence Industry: Environmental, Social and Governance Requirements
It is a pleasure to serve under your chairship, Ms McVey. I genuinely thank the hon. Member for Windsor (Jack Rankin) for securing this debate and for his kind words. We can work cross-party to change the culture across financial services with our voices from this place. May I also say what a pleasu…
When it comes to our European friends, we have to have cross-border financing. I have met some of the main German commercial lenders that want to come in; likewise, British financial services are investing in success stories such as Rheinmetall and some of the great European defence brands. We have …
Commons
Oral Questions
Cabinet Office
22 January 2026
Topical Questions
T4. It was great to be at the headquarters of what3words for the speech by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster about moving fast and fixing things. Three words to describe the previous Government are: total utter shambles. Does my right hon. Friend agree that public service…
Commons
Oral Questions
Education
19 January 2026
Topical Questions
Children are entitled to 30 hours of free childcare from the term after they turn nine months old, meaning that in practice some children are actually 13 months old before they get the funding. I thank Mr P and my constituent Joeli Brearley for raising this issue. Will the Minister meet me to see wh…
Commons
Westminster Hall
15 January 2026
2 contributions
Food Inflation
It is a pleasure to serve under your chairship, Dame Siobhain. I thank my hon. Friend the Member for Hornsey and Friern Barnet (Catherine West) for securing today’s debate. I know that you have both been consistent voices on food insecurity.
I start by giving a shout out to a local legend. Adam Raf…
My hon. Friend is spot on. If I can give a shout out to one of my constituents, I love buying from Grey Leys farm. It produces the most beautiful Jersey milk. Would it not be brilliant if schools and hospitals in the York area bought local dairy products? Speaking of milk, we should have an awarenes…
Commons
Ministerial Statement
14 January 2026
Northern Powerhouse Rail
By my reckoning, York is the biggest winner of this new rail revolution. The new Haxby/York North station; the York station masterplan upgrade; the trans-Pennine route upgrade; and the fantastic NPR new connections—which does my right hon. Friend think delivers the most for my constituents?
Commons
Westminster Hall
14 January 2026
Ajax Programme
It is a pleasure to serve under your chairship, Mr Stuart. I congratulate the hon. Member for Huntingdon (Ben Obese-Jecty) on introducing the debate, and thank him for his service in the Royal Yorkshire Regiment. May I take the House back to a visit I made to the NATO Forward Land Forces contributio…
Commons
Westminster Hall
12 January 2026
2 contributions
Call for General Election
I am genuinely quite baffled that so many Conservative and Reform MPs are here, given that they have missed important debates in this House on things like employment rights. To be fair to the Conservatives, they went to the debates on VE Day and VJ Day; there were no Reform MPs at those debates. Wha…
The hon. Member uses the term “betrayal”. I know he has been a steadfast voice for the defence of the Ukrainian people, so does he agree that the biggest betrayal this country has seen from a politician has been Nathan Gill, the former leader of Reform in Wales, taking money from a foreign power?
Commons
Debate
7 January 2026
3 contributions
Student Finance (Review of Payment Schedules)
I beg to move,
That leave be given to bring in a Bill to require the Secretary of State to review the scheduling of student finance payments to undergraduates; to require the review to consider advance provision of certain student finance payments in certain circumstances; and for connected purpose…
Yes, I know—my grey hair and tired eyes from my two amazing young boys make me look just a little bit older. It is this Labour Government who are giving younger people a better deal: votes at 16; better wages and rights for student workers; and bringing back targeted maintenance grants. Of course, o…
+1 more contribution in this session
Commons
Oral Questions
Energy Security and Net Zero
6 January 2026
2 contributions
Energy Jobs: Yorkshire and the Humber
12. What steps he is taking to create jobs in the energy sector in Yorkshire and the Humber.
Happy new year, Mr Speaker.
I am proud of York College in my constituency, where talented students are mastering apprenticeships that will power our clean energy future. York College is considering becoming a clean energy technical excellence college under the outstanding leadership of Ken Merry. W…
Commons
Westminster Hall
10 December 2025
2 contributions
AI Safety
It is a pleasure to serve under your chairship, Ms Butler, especially given your distinguished background in tech and AI advocacy.
May I share something that hon. Members will be pleased to hear? I am, in fact, the youngest parent in Parliament, and I am constantly thinking about the place that my …
Does my hon. Friend think the Whips would prefer the real Mark, or the AI Mark?
Commons
Westminster Hall
10 December 2025
3 contributions
Small-scale Fracking Ban
I thank my hon. Friend for securing this debate. Like her, I have fought against fracking for years, but Reform UK wants to drill into our beautiful countryside in York Outer, destroying towns and villages and allowing house prices to plummet in the process. They want to drill into and vandalise our…
My hon. Friend is making an excellent speech. On these planning applications, we must incorporate the fact that fracking leads to water scarcity—and our region has had a hosepipe ban that has only recently been lifted. Would my hon. Friend agree that, when it comes to these planning applications, we…
+1 more contribution in this session
Commons
Ministerial Statement
8 December 2025
Ajax Armoured Vehicle
More than 30 soldiers fell ill, so I place on record our thanks as a House to Army Medical. Does my hon. Friend agree that when it comes to the forthcoming defence investment plan, Army Medical, of which 2 Med Group is headquartered in my constituency, will stand to benefit from that plan and that w…
Commons
Oral Questions
Cabinet Office
4 December 2025
Topical Questions
T8. As you know, Mr Speaker, I am proud to represent York, a city that works hard, has excellent connectivity, two universities, and of course the York Central project, which includes a major Government Property Agency building. Does my hon. Friend agree that it is about time more civil service jobs…
Commons
Proceedings
1 December 2025
3 contributions
Budget Resolutions
I wonder if my hon. Friend will allow me to raise the case of a single mum in my constituency who unexpectedly became pregnant a third time. It was a time of anxiety for her. She used food banks periodically and worried that she would not be able to afford toys for her kids at Christmas. Does my hon…
Will the right hon. Member give way?
+1 more contribution in this session
Commons
Oral Questions
27 November 2025
2 contributions
Topical Questions
T1. If she will make a statement on her departmental responsibilities.
Away tickets cost £45 at championship Coventry and £30 at league one Mansfield Town. Even some national league games are getting close to £30 for York City fans, when premiership clubs Arsenal, Liverpool and United all have a £30 cap. Does the Secretary of State support extending an away ticket cap …
Commons
Oral Questions
20 November 2025
2 contributions
Bus Services: York Outer
8. What steps her Department is taking to improve bus services in York Outer constituency.
Last week, I held a survey of my constituents on bus services. I got a great response, but one response stayed with me. My constituent said that the No. 11 bus—the only route to the crematorium—does not run on Sundays, meaning that they cannot visit loved ones on Mother’s Day or Father’s Day, the da…
Commons
Prime Minister's Questions
Prime Minister
19 November 2025
Engagements
Q9. On International Men’s Day, and in the spirit of Movember, I want to be open about my own past mental health challenges, in the hope that it might encourage other men to do the same. During the traumatic birth of my first son I nearly lost my wife, and a dark cloud settled over me—a cloud that l…
Commons
Debate
11 November 2025
Remembrance Day: Armed Forces
Joshua Mullinger is an able cadet in the sea cadets in York, who played an integral role in the York service of remembrance, and Conservative councillor and Lord Mayor Martin Rowley is a veteran. Will the Minister join me in commemorating the work of those very remarkable individuals?
Commons
Debate
4 November 2025
2 contributions
Welfare Spending
Will my right hon. Friend join me in recognising the benefit to the labour market of the roll-out of 30 hours of free childcare? I met a single mum in my constituency who is taking on more hours to support her family. That will help her children get out of poverty, thanks to this Government’s effort…
First, I congratulate the hon. Member, because I think his audience here in the Chamber is bigger than his party leader’s for her speech on welfare earlier today. Could he look back to his party’s record in government when it comes to the NHS? As the intelligent man I think he is—I consider him a fr…
Commons
Oral Questions
Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
28 October 2025
Topical Questions
T8. I welcome the new package of sanctions on Russian financial institutions. Does the Minister agree that we should stand ready to expand that package to stop Russian financial institutions financing Russia’s illegal war in Ukraine?
Commons
Westminster Hall
20 October 2025
6 contributions
Asylum Seekers: Support and Accommodation
It is a pleasure to serve under your chairship, Dr Murrison. We need to close the hotels, but as a Labour MP I will make the progressive and moral case for doing so.
Let me first talk about the current law. There is a very helpful House of Commons Library report setting out the law: the Home Office…
I know the hon. Member will therefore welcome the Government’s plan to end the use of asylum hotels. I hope he will join me in accepting the premise that dispersal accommodation, where it is more stable and more community based, is more suitable for children than the hotel that he speaks of in his c…
+4 more contributions in this session
Commons
Westminster Hall
14 October 2025
International Rail Services: Ashford
It is a pleasure to serve under your chairship, Sir Desmond. I thank my hon. Friend the Member for Hastings and Rye (Helena Dollimore) for securing this debate. I praise the ambition she has for her region, just as I have for mine. It is great to see my hon. Friend the Minister in his place. He is a…
Commons
Debate
13 October 2025
Baby Loss
I thank my hon. Friend for making such a moving speech; she is an inspirational mum, raising awareness of this. If she will allow, I will raise the case of Hayley Patrick-Copeland, a bereaved mum who has been raising awareness of baby loss and putting in place support for bereaved parents. If I may,…