Commons
Westminster Hall
8 September 2026
Media Green Paper
I want to come in on the matter of trust. One of the most trusted media or news sources is local media, with 42 million readers a week. I never miss an opportunity to say that the News Shopper is great. Does my right hon. Friend think that this is an opportunity for the BBC, which has done some grea…
Commons
Westminster Hall
1 September 2026
UK Financial Services
I agree with many of the hon. Member’s potential solutions to increase investment. Does he agree with the Treasury’s assessment that the Financial Ombudsman Service is not fit for purpose? Does he agree with the Opposition’s suggestions that a new independent body to replace the Financial Ombudsman …
Commons
Westminster Hall
1 September 2026
2 contributions
Science Facilities and Laboratories
I commend the hon. Lady on securing this debate. I share her passion for physics, although I make this point objectively: some of the proposed £160 million-plus reduction in funding will reduce the ability of younger people to learn a passion for physics. That is something we can all get together to…
The issue underlying a lot of this is the £160 million saving. My understanding is that that saving has come about because a previous agreement to match expanding costs for research has been reversed. Perhaps the Minister could tell me, or could ask the relevant Minister to let me know, who took the…
Commons
Westminster Hall
30 June 2026
High Street Regeneration and Unlawful Storefronts
It is a pleasure to serve under your chairship, Ms Vaz. I congratulate my hon. Friend the Member for Bromsgrove (Bradley Thomas) on securing this important debate.
I pay tribute to the invaluable work of Opportunity Bromley and Your Bromley in my constituency to support big and small local business…
Commons
Westminster Hall
30 June 2026
Antisemitism: University Campuses
The hon. Member is making an incredibly important speech. As someone who has visited the site of the Nova music festival, I have sensed some of the horrific slaughter and how awful that must be for those generations who are living with it. Referring to what the lecturer said, what powers should univ…
Commons
Westminster Hall
29 June 2026
NHS Breast Screening
I thank the hon. Member for securing this important debate. Does she share my concern about the difference between the numbers of first-time attendees to screening and returning attendees, at 89.1% and 63% respectively? Does she have a view on how we can increase the number attending their first scr…
Commons
Westminster Hall
23 June 2026
Fly-tipping: Residential Areas
It speaks to the timeliness of this debate that so many people want to contribute. On that specific point, my local authority of Bromley does very well cleaning up fly-tipping, but it is sometimes a bit hamstrung because the waste is tipped on to housing association land. Residents perceive that to …
Commons
Proceedings
23 June 2026
Defence Spending and Readiness
My hon. Friend is talking about the future of warfare, and this issue was very much raised when we attended Space-Comm earlier this year: how the delay in the DIP is affecting our ability to keep up with advancing space technology. Does he agree that this is an important point, and that the Governme…
Commons
Westminster Hall
23 June 2026
Prison Safety
On Friday, I visited HMP Wandsworth with the Chess in Schools and Communities scheme. I saw its work to teach chess in prisons, which is also great for teaching resilience, patience and team working. May I send the hon. Member some information about what Chess in Schools and Communities does? It may…
Commons
Debate
23 June 2026
Forest City: West Suffolk
Although there are no proposals the size of a city in my constituency, there is a proposal to build thousands of new homes on the green belt in Hayes. Does my hon. Friend agree that this indiscriminate building on the green belt threatens communities and is swamping public services as well?
Commons
Debate
22 June 2026
Armed Forces Bill
In the context of the armed forces covenant and all the great work it does for military families, does my right hon. Friend agree that the Royal British Legion also does important work in this regard? Will he join me in saying thank you to the Royal British Legion in Hayes, in my constituency, which…
Commons
Debate
16 June 2026
Isle of Wight Dementia Patients: Discharge to Mainland Care Homes
The hon. Gentleman is giving a typically excellent and passionate speech. No person living with dementia should be removed from their family or support network. Does he agree that as the NHS is restructured, there needs to be a proper focus on outcomes for dementia sufferers right across the country…
Commons
Debate
15 June 2026
Royal Albert Hall Bill [Lords]: Revival
I defer to my right hon. Friend’s superior knowledge in this area. I recognise the value of the asset. Can he reassure me on the concerns about conflicts of interests? Those people holding the seats are also trustees, so they are taking decisions for financial gain. Is he reassured that the process …
Commons
Ministerial Statement
15 June 2026
Russian Shadow Fleet
It is good to see the hon. Member for Harlow (Chris Vince) moving to the right. I pay tribute to members of the armed forces community, who played a big part in this operation; they truly are the best of us. Could the Secretary of State advise us on any actions that are being taken regarding the Rus…
Commons
Statutory Instrument
10 June 2026
2 contributions
Draft Scotland Act 1998 (Increase of Borrowing Limits) Order 2026
Will the Secretary of State give way?
On devolution, we have to appreciate that the increase in the borrowing limit is underwritten by the whole of the UK economy. I wonder if my hon. Friend knows of any equivalent flexibilities that English local authorities, which are also under huge financial pressures, could use.
Commons
Proceedings
8 June 2026
Digital Safety: Children
I congratulate the hon. Member for Twickenham (Munira Wilson) on securing this important urgent question, and suggest that the Minister perhaps shows a touch more humility on this important issue.
His Majesty’s loyal Opposition would welcome measures to prevent under-16s from accessing harmful soci…
Commons
Debate
28 April 2026
English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill
Does my hon. Friend agree that it is vital that we continue to protect those greenfield sites, as we do in my constituency and, indeed, as Conservative councils do across the country? Does he agree that it is sad that the Reform candidate for the Mayor of London disagrees and wants to build over som…
Commons
Debate
28 April 2026
4 contributions
Referral of Prime Minister to Committee of Privileges
Will the hon. Member give way?
Referring to the whiff that the public may pick up, does the right hon. Gentleman think that the Prime Minister’s concern could be that the Privileges Committee will deliver a result that he might not like?
+2 more contributions in this session
Commons
Oral Questions
28 April 2026
2 contributions
Business Property Relief: Family-owned Businesses
10. What assessment she has made of the potential impact of recent changes to business property relief on levels of investment by family-owned businesses.
I agree with the Minister, of course, that Margaret Thatcher really was the sunny uplands of this country.
Small and medium-sized enterprises provide the backbone for our economy in Bromley and Biggin Hill. Many of those businesses are still family owned, suffering from the slew of taxation from th…
Commons
Westminster Hall
27 April 2026
Animal Testing
It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Mr Stuart, and a privilege to respond to this debate on behalf of His Majesty’s most loyal Opposition. This is my first time responding to a petition debate and I am happy to do so under your chairmanship, Sir. I congratulate the hon. Member for Nor…
Commons
Prime Minister's Questions
Prime Minister
22 April 2026
Engagements
Today, vigils are being held across Westminster for the 22 women who are diagnosed with lobular breast cancer every day, and I think we are privileged to say that some of those extraordinarily brave women are in the Gallery this afternoon. When I raised this issue with the Secretary of State for Sci…