Commons
Debate
2 September 2025
English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill
This Bill has missed the opportunity to introduce a fair voting system. The outdated first-past-the-post system distorts the will of the people while ignoring millions of voices across the country. It is no wonder that so many people feel disconnected from politics. This Bill could have been an oppo…
Commons
Ministerial Statement
1 September 2025
Middle East
My hon. Friend the Member for Bicester and Woodstock (Calum Miller) was right to ask the Foreign Secretary to place sanctions on Prime Minister Netanyahu. Many of my constituents agree and ask me to urge the Government to take more steps to stop the famine in Gaza and stop the Israel Defence Forces …
Commons
Westminster Hall
22 July 2025
2 contributions
UK Internal Market
As ever, it is a pleasure to serve under your chairship, Dr Huq. I thank the right hon. Member for East Antrim (Sammy Wilson) for securing this debate.
The majority of people in Northern Ireland voted to remain in the EU. The Conservatives’ botched withdrawal agreement has caused nothing but proble…
I only have a few minutes, so I will not. Recent findings from the Federation of Small Businesses have highlighted severe challenges: despite Tory promises of “no more red tape”, many small businesses are finding trading between Great Britain and Northern Ireland laborious and costly. The Chartered …
Commons
Westminster Hall
16 July 2025
Credit Unions
It is a pleasure to serve under your chairship, Mr Twigg. I thank the hon. Member for Cumbernauld and Kirkintilloch East (Katrina Murray) for securing this very important debate.
I must give some credit to my friend, Councillor Beth Rowland, at Wokingham borough council for helping with some of the…
Commons
Westminster Hall
15 July 2025
2 contributions
Beer Duty
It is a pleasure to serve under your chairship, Dr Murrison. I thank my hon. Friend the Member for Woking (Mr Forster) for securing this debate. I agree with him; I, too, love beer, and I have for some time—we will not go into how many years—been drinking it and thoroughly enjoying it.
As my hon. F…
I will carry on, if the hon. Gentleman does not mind.
To add insult to injury, the Prime Minister at the time managed to launch the policy with a photo opportunity in which he lifted up a beer keg for all to see. The keg was a 30-litre container, which did not qualify for the discount he was launch…
Commons
Proceedings
10 July 2025
Business of the House
The Liberal Democrats welcome the Government’s 10-year health plan, and I am sure Members across the House will agree that supporting access to innovative treatments for patients is a crucial part of that. Industry figures tell me that the current approach is a barrier when it comes to medicines tha…
Commons
Ministerial Statement
3 July 2025
NHS 10-Year Plan
I welcome the Secretary of State’s 10-year plan. In October, in response to my Westminster Hall debate on the national cancer plan, the Government committed to publishing one later this year. I am confident that that will happen in the autumn, and the wider cancer community is equally enthusiastic. …
Commons
Committee Stage
2 July 2025
Rare Cancers Bill
When the national cancer strategy is published, I hope that part of it will focus on boosting the survival rates for rare cancers. Will the Minister confirm that that will be an important part of the strategy?
Commons
Westminster Hall
1 July 2025
2 contributions
Waterloo-Reading Line: Class 701 Trains
I beg to move,
That this House has considered the introduction of Class 701 trains on the Waterloo-Reading line.
It is a pleasure to serve under your chairship, Ms Butler. I am honoured to have secured this debate on a matter close to the hearts and frayed nerves of many in my Wokingham constituen…
I completely agree with my hon. Friend; we do need to improve rolling stock. Part of our problem on the South Western Railway line, Wokingham to Waterloo, is that it is old rolling stock, which is what this debate is about. He also mentioned better access for disabled people, and I 100% agree that t…
Commons
Westminster Hall
1 July 2025
ADHD: Impact on Prison Rehabilitation and Reoffending
I think all Members present will have heard from desperate parents whose children cannot get the ADHD medication that they need. Does my hon. Friend agree that the scandalous failure to provide care sets those children up to fail and that, tragically, the consequences are that some end up as the off…
Commons
Ministerial Statement
26 June 2025
Business of the House
My constituents constantly tell me that Thames Water is failing in its duties and has no financial future. In spite of its failings, we are reliant on it for the most basic human needs of water and sanitation. Will the Leader of the House allow us Government time to scrutinise in detail the merits o…
Commons
Oral Questions
Transport
26 June 2025
Local Bus Services
Bus usage and services in rural and semi-rural areas such as Wokingham were particularly hard hit during the pandemic. Will the Minister confirm that councils such as Wokingham will not see funding for local bus services reduced, and will he recognise that rebuilding bus usage in rural areas is a un…
Commons
Proceedings
19 June 2025
Business of the House
Elusive Brewing, a fantastic independent brewery in my constituency of Wokingham, brews Oregon Trail, which won best IPA at the Champion Beer of Britain awards. Can we have a debate in Government time on the steps that Ministers are taking to support the people of Wokingham in enjoying great local p…
Commons
Debate
17 June 2025
Prostate Cancer Treatment
Will the hon. Member reiterate a question that I have for the Minister? Specifically, given that abiraterone is already approved for use in Scotland and Wales, what action is the Minister taking to ensure that men in England are not disadvantaged in accessing lifesaving cancer treatments?
Commons
Oral Questions
Health and Social Care
17 June 2025
Access to GPs
The Government’s additional roles reimbursement scheme led to just three new GPs for my constituents in Wokingham, which is a drop in the ocean. More needs to be done to deliver GP practices in new developments such as Arborfield in south Wokingham. Why did Ministers not support the Liberal Democrat…
Commons
Proceedings
16 June 2025
Windrush Day 2025
The Windrush generation made a huge contribution to the life and the economy of the UK, but I want to pay tribute to the Hong Kong community in my constituency of Wokingham and across the United Kingdom, who I am sure will make the same contribution to the UK. I am deeply concerned that the Governme…
Commons
Ministerial Statement
12 June 2025
Spending Review: Health and Social Care
I was really saddened that there was no mention of cancer in the Minister’s statement, so I will give her the opportunity to correct that omission. Will this new money for our NHS ensure that all cancer waiting time targets are met by the end of this Parliament, and can the Minister confirm that tho…
Commons
Proceedings
12 June 2025
Business of the House
I declare my interest as a governor of the Royal Berkshire hospital. There is a chronic shortfall of staff in radiology and oncology. Those shortages mean that people find out they have cancer later and treatments are delayed, worsening survival rates. Is the Leader of the House aware that 2,910 mor…
Commons
Oral Questions
Business and Trade
12 June 2025
Trade Agreements Programme
Yesterday the Chancellor championed the Government’s supposed trade deal with the United States, but that trade deal is not yet complete. We know that because no impact assessment has been published. Why are the Government popping the champagne prematurely, and have they done an impact assessment on…
Commons
Ministerial Statement
20 May 2025
UK-EU Summit
In the UK-EU summit, co-operation on access to medicines was noticeably scarce. That is an area where we are falling massively behind compared with our European allies. Can the Prime Minister ask the Minister for Secondary Care to meet me, so that we can discuss why only 25% of new cancer medicines …
Commons
Westminster Hall
20 May 2025
Adoption and Kinship Placements
It is a pleasure to serve under your chairship, Mrs Harris. I thank the hon. Member for South West Devon (Rebecca Smith) for securing this important debate.
The Government’s cuts to the adoption and special guardianship support fund are going to harm vulnerable children in my constituency of Woking…
Commons
Westminster Hall
20 May 2025
2 contributions
GP Services: Christchurch
Will the hon. Gentleman give way?
Will the Minister give way?
Commons
Oral Questions
Defence
19 May 2025
Topical Questions
T2. Will the Minister tell the House how much of the European Union’s €150 billion rearmament fund he anticipates will be available to our defence companies, who provide high quality jobs, and to our armed forces?
Commons
Debate
12 May 2025
US-UK Trade Deal: Northern Ireland
Please bear with me, Mr Speaker, because I think that I too am losing my voice.
Parliament must be given a vote on the United States trade deal and all future trade deals, which must be properly scrutinised by Parliament. Let me remind the Secretary of State that Labour party policy was to have a v…
Commons
Proceedings
7 May 2025
United States Film Tariff
Shinfield Studios in Wokingham borough has brought hundreds of jobs to my constituents and to many across Berkshire. It is a very important part of our local economy and a symbol of the UK’s creative strength. We must not forget that Berkshire is the Hollywood of Britain, and it must be protected fr…