Commons
Oral Questions
Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
9 July 2026
Topical Questions
The flooding outside Tesco in Stafford is a great example of why holding local authorities to account on drainage really matters. I recently learned that the drains were last cleaned in 2020, during covid; without regular maintenance, they will continue to block. While I am glad that it looks like a…
Commons
Debate
9 July 2026
British Industry Supercharger: Ceramics
What strikes me about the support we give to the ceramics sector as a Government is that, while we are making a big commitment—and the right commitment—to give British people homes by delivering 1.5 million houses, we could simultaneously support our bricks industry, and the building sector more wid…
Commons
Oral Questions
Defence
6 July 2026
Cadets
I recently visited the sea cadets in Stafford, and it was brilliant. They are somehow thriving, despite being about 70 miles from the nearest coastline. What they lack in coastline, they very much make up for in enthusiasm. Unlike some of the Army and air cadet units, sea cadets are run as a charity…
Commons
Oral Questions
Business and Trade
2 July 2026
Topical Questions
T4. In Stafford, Eccleshall and the villages, 12.6% of the workforce, which is nearly 5,000 people, work in logistics and contribute about £400 million to our national economy. However, with over 85% of UK fulfilment warehouses expected to be automated by 2030, many of these jobs will face significa…
Commons
Debate
2 July 2026
Access to Further Education
Investment in our colleges is essential to this country’s future and to our manufacturing sector, our house building targets and our NHS. In Stafford, it is clear that we have no shortage of ambitious young people—I know this, as I meet them weekly—but we must invest in their futures. We must invest…
Commons
Debate
29 June 2026
Cabinet Office
I, too, was recently in Canada with the Business and Trade Committee, and there was significant talk about the infrastructure projects that people have invested in. Beyond that they talked about the “Canada Strong” policy, which is about supporting industries in Canada, and ensuring that money being…
Commons
Westminster Hall
29 June 2026
NHS Breast Screening
I recently visited the new breast care unit at County hospital, where Michelle Ellits and Mr Sekha Marla gave me a fantastic tour. One of the things they spoke about was having separate areas as people walk into the breast care unit for those who are having treatment for breast cancer and those who …
Commons
Oral Questions
Culture, Media and Sport
18 June 2026
Tourism and Leisure
Next week Stafford’s Gatehouse theatre will launch its annual Shakespeare festival with Richard III. Last year we had over 180,000 visitors. I know that the Government are committed to cultural venues. They have put £1.5 billion into supporting them, but please can the Minister tell me what more the…
Commons
Debate
17 June 2026
Private Sector Investment: Lancashire
My hon. Friend makes an excellent point, particularly around growth in cities and towns, which I am particularly interested in. Over the last 10 years, we have seen growth of around 10% in our cities whereas growth has been around 5% in our towns. Does she agree that if we do not invest in our towns…
Commons
Oral Questions
Business and Trade
21 May 2026
Topical Questions
In my constituency we are seeing good growth in our large employers and a great skills pipeline coming through from our advanced technical college, but we need a little support for our SMEs. Will the Minister say what targeted support is available for SMEs in towns like Stafford?
Commons
Debate
13 May 2026
New Developments: Unadopted Roads and Public Amenities
I thank my genuinely honourable Friend the Member for Hitchin (Alistair Strathern), for securing this debate. He has been a tireless campaigner for leaseholders as long as I have known him.
Having a safe, well-maintained neighbourhood and a home to call your own should be in reach for everyone, whi…
Commons
Oral Questions
28 April 2026
2 contributions
Government Procurement: British Businesses
9. What steps she is taking with Cabinet colleagues to ensure Government procurement supports British businesses.
I thank the Chancellor for her answer. In Stafford, world-class manufacturers such as GE Vernova are producing the technology that powers our national grid, yet for far too long these British employers have not had money given to them through British Government contracts. I therefore warmly welcome …
Commons
Westminster Hall
28 April 2026
Park Home Owners
Park home owners across my constituency of Stafford, Eccleshall and the villages have contacted me about the deeply unfair 10% commission charge. It is a levy that has not been changed in almost 45 years, and it falls hardest on the older residents, who make up about 80% of park home owners, so I wa…
Commons
Oral Questions
27 April 2026
Topical Questions
We in Stafford welcome the announcement that Stafford college will become an advanced manufacturing technical hub, but we have a gap: more skilled jobs are needed than there are people to fill them. Will the Minister meet me to discuss the potential for Stafford to have a youth hub as soon as possib…
Commons
Oral Questions
23 April 2026
2 contributions
Government Procurement: British Companies
14. What steps he is taking to increase levels of procurement from British companies through Government contracts.
Happy St George’s day, Mr Speaker. GE Vernova, in my constituency of Stafford, Eccleshall and the villages, is creating 400 new jobs to add to the 1,400 people it already employs. I believe that companies like this, which are already backing Britain by investing here, should be given more considerat…
Commons
Debate
22 April 2026
2 contributions
Government Procurement Strategy
(Urgent Question): To ask the Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office if he will make a statement on the Government procurement strategy.
Through a change in procurement policy that is more focused on backing British businesses, investing in Britain to help secure thousands of good, unionised jobs, and remaining community-focused, the Government will make sure that local people are reaping the full rewards from this move. I welcome it…
Commons
Oral Questions
Education
20 April 2026
Apprenticeships
Stafford college already delivers an outstanding apprenticeship achievement rate of 77.5%, which is an extraordinary 15% above the national average. Last week, it was announced that it will be one of the four new technical excellence colleges for advanced manufacturing. Its bid was built on its exis…
Commons
Ministerial Statement
16 April 2026
Women’s Health Strategy
I welcome the Minister’s statement and the strategy. I want to speak specifically about one constituent who has contacted me, who has waited over 200 days without receiving the results of a gynaecological test—200 days of anxiety, uncertainty and delays to her treatment. Please forgive me while I re…
Commons
Ministerial Statement
16 April 2026
British Industrial Competitiveness Scheme
I thank the Minister for coming to the House to give the statement. I also welcome the expansion of the scheme; I know it is desperately needed across our manufacturing sectors. However, as my hon. Friend the Member for Stoke-on-Trent Central (Gareth Snell) has already highlighted, there is a missin…
Commons
Oral Questions
16 April 2026
Business of the House
Mr Speaker, I know that you, like me, are incredibly passionate about youth services. My constituents are very concerned that under the previous Conservative-led local authority, Staffordshire faced the third worst youth service cuts in the country. While I welcome the new Government report, the nat…
Commons
Oral Questions
24 March 2026
Topical Questions
The Minister knows that Stafford residents are passionate about solar power, and they would like to see the Government go further, with a commitment to solar panels on all new car parks and industrial buildings, like they see in Europe and in France particularly. Does the Minister agree that this po…
Commons
Debate
19 March 2026
Online Harms
Last week, I ran a supermarket surgery in my constituency. I had a flipboard that asked whether people felt that social media should be banned for under-16s. It is rare to get this level of agreement, but 78% of my constituents of all ages—older people, young people and even children—said yes. What …
Commons
Proceedings
19 March 2026
Climate Change
Last year in Staffordshire, we had a Reform county council elected, which undeclared the climate emergency—I did not know that that could be done. What I find most frustrating about that is not only that climate change poses a risk, but that there is an opportunity for jobs in Staffordshire. In Staf…
Commons
Oral Questions
19 March 2026
Flood Preparedness: Esher and Walton
Although the Minister knows that good progress has been made by my flooding taskforce on Sandon Road in Stafford—we have cleared the brook and the installation of a non-return valve is planned—a long-term fix will likely require Government investment. Can she please say a little more about the new s…
Commons
Westminster Hall
19 March 2026
2 contributions
Northern Ireland: Legacy of the Past
Will the right hon. Member give way?
I, too, met victims at the WAVE centre when I was on the Northern Ireland Affairs Committee. When I read the letter that my hon. Friend just mentioned, this comment really resonated with me:
“Whatever the then Government’s intention, the result would have been that terrorists who carried out the mo…