Commons
Westminster Hall
10 December 2025
International Human Rights Day 2025
Does the hon. Gentleman agree that, as the UN penholder for Sudan, the UK has the moral responsibility to ensure the ongoing human rights travesty there does not continue, most importantly by ending all arms trade to the United Arab Emirates?
Commons
Westminster Hall
10 December 2025
Kashmir: Self-determination
It is a pleasure to serve under your chairship, Sir Roger. I thank the hon. Member for Bradford East (Imran Hussain) for securing this debate, and I thank all Members who have spoken so far with such eloquence, passion and knowledge.
The Liberal Democrats are deeply concerned about the ongoing conf…
Commons
Debate
9 December 2025
Railways Bill
Does the hon. Member agree that there is also a danger of a conflict of interest? At present, the ORR, an independent body, holds the power to grant track access rights. Under the Bill, those powers will transfer to GBR, while the ORR’s role is watered down. If GBR is able to block applications, it …
Commons
Westminster Hall
8 December 2025
Digital ID
Quite apart from the excellent points made by my hon. Friend and by Members on all sides of the Chamber, Singapore has a population that is 10 times smaller than ours, and it took it over 12 years to develop its system. How long would it take us to develop ours: 100 years?
Commons
Westminster Hall
3 December 2025
Local Media
It is a pleasure to serve under your chairship, Dr Allin-Khan. I thank the hon. Member for Bromley and Biggin Hill (Peter Fortune) for securing this timely debate, and everyone who has spoken so far. This really is an important issue. In Melksham and Devizes, we are lucky to have a local print newsp…
Commons
Proceedings
2 December 2025
Budget Resolutions
While increased investment in the NHS and the lifting of the two-child benefit cap are welcome, for the second year in a row, the Government have largely failed to deliver on their promise to tackle the cost of living crisis and grow the economy.
In neglecting to fix our relationship with Europe, t…
Commons
Ministerial Statement
2 December 2025
Criminal Court Reform
Justice delayed is indeed justice denied, but we have a proud history of juries in this country. If juries are to be suspended for cases in which a sentence of less than three years is expected in order to clear the backlog, will that just be for a limited time, and when will normal jury service be …
Commons
Oral Questions
24 November 2025
2 contributions
Flood Resilience: New Housing
16. What steps he is taking with Cabinet colleagues to ensure that new housing developments are adequately flood-resilient.
Over the past week, I am sure many of us have seen and felt the proof that our weather is becoming more extreme. That is why it is ever more important to be proactive and forward-thinking in our housing strategy. Does the Minister agree that sites that flood frequently, such as the old golf course i…
Commons
Ministerial Statement
18 November 2025
Gaza and Sudan
I welcome the statement, but why is the FCDO’s atrocity prevention team not working with the Sudan team? Our briefing this morning gave a minimum estimate of 60,000 murdered thus far by the RSF in El Fasher, with bodies being buried by bulldozers. El Obeid is likely to be next, and Tawila camp is ex…
Commons
Debate
11 November 2025
Remembrance Day: Armed Forces
Since being elected, it has been my honour to represent my constituency at remembrance events, parades, ceremonies and services. Last weekend, I laid a wreath in Devizes. For me, it was an opportunity not just to remember those who made the ultimate sacrifice, but to appreciate the community’s patri…
Commons
Proceedings
5 November 2025
Conflict in Sudan
In last night’s Adjournment debate, I called for a Lancaster House-style conference for all the parties to the Sudan conflict, so that a way to peace can be found. Government Members also called for a peacemaking force. Given the urgency of the situation, can the Minister please see to it that both …
Commons
Proceedings
4 November 2025
12 contributions
Sudan: Government Support
We are in Remembrance Week, when we remember the dead of past wars. Right now in Sudan, a war as murderous and horrible as anything the world has faced is shattering the lives of civilians, of children, of women and of men, in ways we can scarcely countenance.
I have secured this debate because wha…
I thank the hon. Member for his kind comments. I agree with him, and I hope to put forward some ideas that may prove useful.
There are no United Nations peacekeepers on hand even to witness the killings. Current events are a continuation of a calculated political strategy to destroy and ethnically …
+10 more contributions in this session
Commons
Westminster Hall
4 November 2025
Official Development Assistance Reductions
It is a pleasure to serve under your chairship, Sir Desmond. I thank my hon. Friend the Member for West Dorset (Edward Morello) for securing this important debate.
Getting UK aid spending to 0.7% of GNI was undoubtedly one of the Liberal Democrats’ proudest moments. It fulfilled a promise and it pu…
Commons
Westminster Hall
29 October 2025
Vehicle Headlight Glare Standards
It is an honour to serve under your chairship, Mrs Harris. I thank the hon. Member for Crawley (Peter Lamb) for securing this important debate. The statistics are stark—as stark as bright light coming around the corner at night on a dark country road. The RAC tells us that four in five drivers compl…
Commons
Oral Questions
Church Commissioners
16 October 2025
2 contributions
Persecuted Christians
1. What steps the Church of England is taking to help support persecuted Christians in other countries.
Next month marks the International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church, when congregations across the world will pray for those persecuted for their faith. That includes those in Sudan, where many Christians have been abducted and killed and more than 100 churches have been targeted for damage i…
Commons
Westminster Hall
15 September 2025
Children with SEND: Assessments and Support
It is a pleasure to speak under your chairship, Dr Allin-Khan, and I thank my hon. Friend the Member for South Cotswolds (Dr Savage) for presenting this important petition debate.
The fact that the petition has more than 122,000 signatures, with 244 from my own constituency, is an indictment of our…
Commons
Debate
11 September 2025
Regional Transport Inequality
I thank the hon. Member for Derby North (Catherine Atkinson) for introducing this really important debate. In my maiden speech over a year ago, in a railways debate, I spoke about the state of the railways in my constituency and the need to open a station—Devizes Gateway—to bring back a service to t…
Commons
Oral Questions
11 September 2025
Topical Questions
A workshop taking place in Bath this morning brings together key stakeholders from the rail industry and local authorities. It focuses on the development of rail services in Wiltshire, and will include the case for building a Devizes gateway station and increasing services in Melksham. Following Net…
Commons
Westminster Hall
10 September 2025
Occupied Palestinian Territories: Humanitarian Access
It is an honour to speak under your chairship, Mr Stringer. I thank the hon. Member for Cowdenbeath and Kirkcaldy (Melanie Ward) for bringing this vital debate to Westminster Hall.
Before I try to address some of the many important points made in today’s debate, I would like to say that this matter…
Commons
Debate
3 September 2025
2 contributions
Hospitality Sector
As the Member for Melksham and Devizes, I represent many rural villages and communities, a number of which I visited over recess. I have long been struck by the importance of the village pub as a hub of community—a place for good conversation and friendly banter, and for connecting with friends and …
I thank the hon. Gentleman for his comments, but more is needed. The Minister’s Department must support these schemes and the pub trade or risk losing a vital component of rural life.
Lastly, let me make the point that profitable businesses pay taxes, but closed pubs pay no taxes.
Commons
Debate
17 July 2025
Global Plastics Treaty
I thank my right hon. Friend the Member for Orkney and Shetland (Mr Carmichael) for bringing forward this valuable and important debate.
I used to work as a Wiltshire councillor on the issue of plastic recycling. My constituency, like all our constituencies, can be blighted by the sight of waste pl…
Commons
Proceedings
16 July 2025
Sudan
As a former aid worker and resident of Darfur, I feel deeply for the people of Sudan. Will the Minister say whether there are plans to increase the amount of spend for the emergency response rooms? They are clearly doing very valuable work at the moment.
Commons
Westminster Hall
14 July 2025
Northern Ireland Veterans: Prosecution
It is an honour to serve under your chairship, Mr Mundell. I thank the hon. Member for Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk (John Lamont) for introducing this important debate on behalf of the Petitions Committee.
Like many in this place, I have skin in this game. In my case, members of my family wer…
Commons
Westminster Hall
9 July 2025
3 contributions
Neighbourhood Plans: Planning Decisions
It is an honour to serve under your chairship, Ms McVey. I thank the hon. Member for Hinckley and Bosworth (Dr Evans) for securing this valuable debate.
Let me take you, Ms McVey, and the Minister to my constituency of Melksham and Devizes, in the beautiful county of Wiltshire, where many villages …
I agree entirely with the right hon. Member. I urge the Government to reconsider their decision. Local democracy should not be a luxury available only to those who can afford to pay for it.
+1 more contribution in this session
Commons
Debate
3 July 2025
Women’s State Pension Age: Financial Redress
Does the right hon. Member agree that this is an issue of not just policy, but dignity? These women’s voices must be heard, and the Government have a responsibility to honour commitments made, to give fair treatment, and to ensure that something is done.