Commons
Debate
8 December 2025
Employment Rights Bill
I thank the Minister for the work she has personally done on the Bill. I think we would all agree that it has been stuck in limbo for some time, and we very much want to get it through. I met representatives of the Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers last week—not people at the top of the…
Commons
Debate
8 December 2025
Child Poverty Strategy
I thank the Secretary of State for her statement. I speak to teachers in Harlow on a weekly basis, and they tell me that poverty is a huge barrier to young people’s education, and as a former teacher myself, I can absolutely testify to that. Could the Secretary of State touch on how these policies w…
Commons
Proceedings
8 December 2025
Restriction of Jury Trials
I find it heartbreaking to hear that there are victims of domestic violence, rape and sexual violence who feel that they are tackling a system that is absolutely broken. From a piece of casework I have dealt with, I can tell the House about a young lady, the victim of domestic violence, who had to w…
Commons
Oral Questions
Work and Pensions
8 December 2025
Support into Work: Mental Ill Health
What conversations has the Department had with the Department of Health and Social Care to ensure that the 10-year plan tackles the root causes of mental ill health? My constituents in Harlow tell me that they get mental health support only when they are really facing crisis, and by the time they ha…
Commons
Proceedings
3 December 2025
OBR: Resignation of Chair
Was the Minister as surprised as I was to find out that such a sensitive document was being managed by something that was using WordPress? What reassurances can he give my constituents—what reassurances has he had from the OBR—that, moving forward, these sorts of documents will be password protected…
Commons
Oral Questions
Wales
3 December 2025
2 contributions
Economic Growth
6. What recent discussions she has had with Cabinet colleagues on increasing economic growth in Wales.
It has been a momentous two weeks for my Welsh colleagues, with announcements of new AI growth zones in both north and south Wales, a fleet of small modular reactors, billions of pounds of investment and 11,000 new jobs. Does the Secretary of State agree that this shows that this Labour Government a…
Commons
Ministerial Statement
2 December 2025
Criminal Court Reform
I thank the Lord Chancellor for his statement. Residents in my constituency of Harlow are rightly concerned about the court backlog. Waiting six years for justice is not justice. Can the Lord Chancellor confirm that these changes will bring down the court backlog, and can he reassure us that for the…
Commons
Westminster Hall
2 December 2025
2 contributions
Homelessness: Funding
It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Mr Vickers. I thank the hon. Member for Harrow East (Bob Blackman) for securing the debate—Mr Vickers, you and I know he got a real grilling from the Backbench Business Committee when he proposed the debate. I also thank my hon. Friend the Member fo…
Will the shadow Minister give way on that point?
Commons
Westminster Hall
2 December 2025
2 contributions
Pandemics: Support for People with Autism
I thank my hon. Friend for giving a passionate speech. I also thank Ivan for sharing his experiences with the House; they are hugely important. I declare an interest as a trustee of the charity Razed Roof, which provided online sessions during lockdown to support people with autism and other learnin…
Would that digital flag also flag up something like someone being a young carer or having caring responsibilities?
Commons
Proceedings
1 December 2025
Budget Resolutions
I thank my hon. Friend for giving way at such an early stage in her excellent speech. She has talked about the impact of austerity on the country’s finances; I would add that austerity has had a huge impact on productivity, particularly in my constituency, where we have seen 13-hour waits in A&E…
Commons
Ministerial Statement
1 December 2025
Office for Budget Responsibility Forecasts
Thank you, Mr Speaker. I am shocked to be picked so early, but I appreciate it.
I thank my right hon. Friend for his statement. The premature publishing of the OBR report is very disappointing; I think Members across the House can agree on that. It is particularly disappointing for me and for resid…
Commons
Debate
26 November 2025
3 contributions
Budget Resolutions
Members across the House will be disappointed that my mother has not yet been mentioned in the Budget debate. She has just been on the phone to champion the 4.8% increase in the state pension, which she claims will mean that she will have an extra £39 a month. Does my hon. Friend agree that this is …
My hon. Friend makes a valid point about the importance of insulating homes. As he will be aware, my constituency of Harlow is a new town, so many householders face the same challenges at the same time. The people who are in the most poverty are least able to insulate their home. This issue is reall…
+1 more contribution in this session
Commons
Ministerial Statement
25 November 2025
G20 and Ukraine
I thank the Prime Minister for his statement today, and for his continued leadership on a global scale, particularly in respect of Ukraine. I also welcome what he said about the investment that the Government will put into the Global Fund, because I recognise the importance of tackling HIV, malaria …
Commons
Proceedings
24 November 2025
Ministerial Code
Mr Speaker, I thank you on behalf of the people of Harlow for allowing us Back Benchers to get a voice in Parliament on these issues. That is really important. Last month, the Government set up the Ethics and Integrity Commission, which I welcome. Could the Minister touch a little more on its scope …
Commons
Oral Questions
24 November 2025
Homelessness Guidance
I declare an interest, as I formerly worked for a homelessness charity in Harlow called Streets2Homes. Can the Minister tell me how the increased funding of £1 billion to tackle homelessness will support local authorities—which we have discussed—as well as Streets2Homes and other charity groups to g…
Commons
Oral Questions
20 November 2025
2 contributions
Great British Railways: Passenger Consultations
7. What steps she is taking to ensure that Great British Railways holds consultations with passengers.
May I welcome the extension of contactless payment to Harlow Town, Harlow Mill and Roydon railway stations in my constituency? That is making travel simpler and ensuring the best value for passengers. How will the Minister ensure that GB Railways continues to ensure that passengers are at the heart …
Commons
Westminster Hall
19 November 2025
4 contributions
Suicide: Reducing the Stigma
It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Mr Mundell. I thank the hon. Member for Richmond Park (Sarah Olney) for bringing this really important debate to the House, and I join other Members in paying a massive tribute to her constituent Philip for the incredibly positive work he has done i…
Will the hon. Gentleman give way?
+2 more contributions in this session
Commons
Oral Questions
18 November 2025
Topical Questions
T10. I welcome the investment in Roydon primary school—a fantastic primary school in my constituency that I had the pleasure of visiting earlier this year—for solar panels on its roof. Can the Minister talk about the difference that will make in bringing bills down, and about the potential education…
Commons
Debate
17 November 2025
Budget: Press Briefings
I promise the Chamber that I will not repeat any of the stories about my mum’s career in His Majesty’s Revenue and Customs. However, the Minister will know that I take tax evasion very seriously. He will be aware that it costs the Treasury billions of pounds each year. I appreciate that he cannot sp…
Commons
Oral Questions
Home Department
17 November 2025
Immigration Removal Centre Contracts
I thank the Minister for his previous answer. Does he agree that the main cause for the asylum backlog was the fact that, under the previous Government, decisions fell by 70%? What reassurance can he give my constituents in Harlow that this Government will tackle the issue we have inherited?
Commons
Debate
13 November 2025
Planning and Infrastructure Bill
I am not on the Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee, but I can tell from hon. Friend’s passion that she is an excellent Chair. The use of temporary accommodation, which we have discussed before, costs local councils millions of pounds every year. Does she hope that the Bill, and the …
Commons
Ministerial Statement
13 November 2025
Police Reform
I thank the Minister for her statement. It falls to me, the only Essex MP in the Chamber, to put on record my thanks to Roger Hirst, police, fire and crime commissioner for Essex. I had the pleasure of standing against Roger in two elections, and although our political views may differ, he has alway…
Commons
Debate
12 November 2025
8 contributions
Taxes
It is a pleasure to speak in this debate, and I thank the right hon. Member for Central Devon (Sir Mel Stride) and the Chief Secretary to the Treasury for opening it. As Members will know, I take any opportunity to speak or to intervene, but a couple of weeks ago I missed an opportunity when the rig…
I thank the hon. Gentleman for his kind intervention. I like the fact that, even in a debate about tax in which we have opposing views, we have been able to come to some sort of consensus—my speech has already done its job, one might argue.
The answer that I thought of giving the right hon. Member …
+6 more contributions in this session
Commons
Oral Questions
12 November 2025
Drug Dealing on Social Media
Sadly, the glamorisation on TV of drug taking is not a new phenomenon, but I particularly worry about the nature of the internet and social media, and about the short clips that people watch in which the true consequences of drug taking and drug culture are not really shown properly. What can the Mi…
Commons
Debate
11 November 2025
Prisoner Releases in Error
I thank the Secretary of State for his statement and for the manner in which he has delivered it. The wrongful release of prisoners is of huge concern to my constituents. I echo the comments made by colleagues across the House that, ultimately, the people who really suffer are the victims of such te…