Commons
Debate
16 June 2025
Air India Plane Crash
This is a terrible tragedy and I join the Minister in paying my respects to those who have lost their lives. I send my condolences to friends and family members who have had their lives ripped apart by this terrible tragedy. Will the Minister give further detail on what the UK Government will be doi…
Commons
Ministerial Statement
12 June 2025
Spending Review: Health and Social Care
Apologies for my premature bobbing earlier, Madam Deputy Speaker.
I thank the Minister for her statement today and for her ongoing commitment to the NHS. I welcome the growth in day-to-day spending on the NHS and this Government’s commitment to bringing down NHS waiting times. However, may I gently…
Commons
Debate
11 June 2025
2 contributions
Sustainable Aviation Fuel Bill
I take this opportunity to wish everybody across the House a happy Carers Week.
It is a pleasure to speak on Second Reading of the Sustainable Aviation Fuel Bill. I know that many Members think that I make my speeches up as I go along, but I want them to know that I wrote this in advance and I did …
I thank my hon. Friend for her contribution. She managed to get in just before my last words, so I shall have to make up a new conclusion. I absolutely agree with her point. The point I was going to make in my conclusion is that this Bill is really important for climate change and meeting our decarb…
Commons
Debate
10 June 2025
Planning and Infrastructure Bill
Does my hon. Friend recognise the value that development corporations have brought to new towns such as Harlow? New towns are a great example of where we can have affordable housing but also the environmental aspect, with green fingers and green wedges.
Commons
Debate
10 June 2025
2 contributions
Data (Use and Access) Bill [Lords]
Will the Minister give way?
The Minister partly answered my question as he went along there. My thought on the group is that it is really important that we get creative voices into the room to have that conversation. Once the group is formed, will part of its remit be to invite members of the creative industry in to discuss th…
Commons
Debate
9 June 2025
Planning and Infrastructure Bill
My inbox is full of correspondence from Harlow residents who cannot get a home and cannot get on the housing ladder. They find that the planning framework means that it takes too long to get houses built. The main purpose of the Bill is to speed up that process and build people the homes that they n…
Commons
Ministerial Statement
9 June 2025
Winter Fuel Payment
I thank the Minister for his statement, which pensioners in Harlow will welcome. The fastest growth in the G7, three trade deals and four interest rate cuts—is that the context in which the Minister feels we are able to provide more pensioners in Harlow with the winter fuel allowance?
Commons
Westminster Hall
5 June 2025
2 contributions
Maths: Contribution to the UK
It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Mr Vickers. I thank the hon. Member for St Neots and Mid Cambridgeshire (Ian Sollom) for bringing this debate to the House. There may be plenty of things we disagree on, but when it comes to maths, I am sin 2 θ and he is cos 2 θ, and together we are…
This does not have to be a political point, but to answer the question that the hon. Gentleman just posed about where schools find the time: my argument is that maths does not need to be taught in a silo. Many subjects—even creative subjects such as art and music, and certainly design and technology…
Commons
Debate
4 June 2025
5 contributions
Product Regulation and Metrology Bill [Lords]
Despite what everyone was thinking, I am not going to suggest that I am perfection, but as a mathematician, may I ask my hon. Friend to accept that the reason perfection is not achievable in that instance is to do with the infinite—the infinite amount of numbers between 1 and 1.1, for instance, or t…
It is an honour to speak in this debate on the Product Regulation and Metrology Bill, and in particular the amendments tabled by the Public Bill Committee. I was not on the Committee—some might say I did not measure up. [ Interruption. ] My parliamentary assistant has asked me to point out that I wr…
+3 more contributions in this session
Commons
Debate
3 June 2025
Dementia Care
My hon. Friend is giving an incredibly powerful and trademark passionate speech. When he talks about the support that families need, will he also recognise the support that young people and particularly young carers need? To experience a loved one suffering from dementia must be incredibly challengi…
Commons
Debate
2 June 2025
2 contributions
Bus Services (No. 2) Bill [Lords]
Will my right hon. Friend give way?
Part of the issue with bus stops in Harlow has been caused by the redevelopment of sustainable transport corridors, which we absolutely welcome. Bus stops are being forced to move, making them less accessible. Is that something that the Bill takes into account? Even if it is a temporary bus stop or …
Commons
Debate
2 June 2025
UK Nuclear Deterrent
We all want to live in a world in which a nuclear deterrent is not needed, but sadly we all recognise that we do not live in that world, and we are further from it than we were a decade ago. Does the Minister agree that whether we are discussing the UK’s nuclear capacity or any other capacity, we mu…
Commons
Proceedings
2 June 2025
Government Announcements
I declare an interest, as a member of the Modernisation Committee. I thank you, Mr Speaker, for standing up for us Back Benchers and for granting so many urgent questions—I say that as someone who speaks in most of them on behalf of the people of Harlow. Does the Leader of the House agree that part …
Commons
Oral Questions
Home Department
2 June 2025
Qualifying Period for Settlement
My constituent Emily asked me to raise this issue in the House only yesterday, so I am taking the first opportunity to do so. Emily is a carer and has cared for a number of people across the Harlow community. Will the consultation on the earned settlement scheme take into account the hugely importan…
Commons
Proceedings
22 May 2025
School Teachers’ Review Body: Recommendations
For 14 years, I saw my profession treated like dirt by the Conservative party: undervalued, underpaid and undermined at every single turn. Does the Minister agree that not only should we be paying our teachers fairly, but we should be treating them with respect, and that the only decent teacher recr…
Commons
Proceedings
21 May 2025
3 contributions
UK Health Security Agency: Porton Down
Will the right hon. Gentleman give way?
I thank the right hon. Gentleman, who will know why I am here. Obviously I will sing the merits of relocation to Harlow, but I think we would both agree that we really want a decision on this and to know whether there will be a move or not, because the constituents both of us represent are currently…
+1 more contribution in this session
Commons
Debate
21 May 2025
3 contributions
Business and the Economy
Thank you, Madam Deputy Speaker—you are far too kind. Can I start by joining others in congratulating the Veterans Minister on his epic adventure to the peak of Everest? Before I get into the politics, I say anecdotally that I often see him in the gym, and he talks about his gym routine, which is co…
In all honesty, A1 Bacon has not contacted me about the Employment Rights Bill. As I said, it is concerned primarily with the increase in tariffs since we left the EU. I do not want to reopen that debate, as some hon. Members across the House seek to do, but I hope that the deal negotiated by the Pr…
+1 more contribution in this session
Commons
Ministerial Statement
20 May 2025
UK-EU Summit
I thank you for getting everybody in, Madam Deputy Speaker; it has been a mammoth session. I thank the Prime Minister for his statement. I notice that many businesses are in support of the deal. My constituency is home to many great businesses, from manufacturing companies to pharmaceutical companie…
Commons
Debate
19 May 2025
2 contributions
Mental Health Bill [Lords]
My hon. Friend is making an important speech, and I know that her experience in this issue is almost second to none. She is making a point about how those with learning disabilities being confined in the way she suggests could add to their mental health issues. Supporting them in the community would…
My hon. Friend has talked with real passion and expertise about children in care, and he makes some really important points. Does he agree that the mental health support we give to young carers—young people who support a family member—is equally important? They make such a huge difference to our com…
Commons
Ministerial Statement
19 May 2025
Legal Aid Agency: Cyber-security Incident
I thank the Minister for her statement. What shocks me most about this attack is that it is an attack on some of the most vulnerable people in our society. What can be done by residents in Harlow who are concerned that their data has been taken by these criminals, and how can they get legal aid if t…
Commons
Debate
19 May 2025
National Security Act 2023: Charges
I thank the Home Secretary for her statement today and for the work that she and her Ministers have done on this really important issue. I also want to put on record my thanks and the thanks of the people of Harlow for the work that the police and security services do to keep us all safe. Does she a…
Commons
Proceedings
19 May 2025
NHS and Care Volunteer Responders Service
I thank the Minister for answering the urgent question.
May I pay tribute to the many volunteers in Harlow, both those who supported people during the pandemic and, in particular, the Butterfly Volunteers who support people receiving end of life care at Princess Alexandra hospital? I feel emotional…
Commons
Oral Questions
Defence
19 May 2025
Topical Questions
In my work in the charity sector in Harlow, I saw that post-traumatic stress disorder is a huge barrier to not only getting veterans into employment, but supporting them once they are in it. What will the Minister do to support veterans into and in work?
Commons
Debate
15 May 2025
2 contributions
Youth Services
My hon. Friend is making a passionate speech, and is showing why Scotland produces some of the greatest footballers of all time, like Billy Bremner. He mentioned the short-term funding of youth projects. My experience from my work with young carers is that part of the issue is that new projects need…
I was waiting for an opportunity to mention young carers, who are a hugely important part of the greater picture of young people and who often face many barriers to education. Does my hon. Friend agree that any consultation with young people should include young carers, as has my consultation in Har…
Commons
Ministerial Statement
15 May 2025
Sanctions Implementation and Enforcement
I thank the Minister for his statement. Listening to comments from across the House, I am reminded of a conversation I had this week with one of my constituents, Anne Strike, who is a victim of polio; she raised her concerns about the recent cases of polio found in conflict zones. I know how importa…