Commons
Debate
27 October 2025
Victims and Courts Bill
I want to speak in support of new clauses 10 and 11, which would place a duty on authorities to guarantee support for victims of domestic abuse, sexual violence and child criminal exploitation, as well as their care-givers. I am proud to support a Government who are committed to halving violence aga…
Commons
Debate
16 October 2025
Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction Bill
Two thirds of our planet is ocean. Our oceans, which sustain life on Earth, cannot be left unguarded any longer. After years of international negotiation, the world finally agreed to the high seas treaty. With the Bill, we will turn that treaty into action and show that Britain is serious about deli…
Commons
Ministerial Statement
14 October 2025
Middle East
It is a huge relief to all of us that the hostages are sleeping at home with their families, where they belong, after two years of unimaginable horror. However, this plan and the recognition of Palestine must only be the start of peace and accountability. Children are dying from a man-made famine, s…
Commons
Oral Questions
14 October 2025
Reducing Energy Bills
Half the battle to reach net zero is using less energy, which is why work to insulate homes is so important. Calder Valley is famous for “Happy Valley” and now “Riot Women”, and has occasionally been called wet and windy. With 75,000 of our homes falling below energy performance certificate band C, …
Commons
Oral Questions
13 October 2025
Topical Questions
I know that Ministers do not comment on ongoing planning applications, but may I draw the Minister’s attention to an inconsistency? Currently, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs is changing its guidance on heather burning on deep peat because of climate change concerns, but there…
Commons
Oral Questions
Justice
16 September 2025
Topical Questions
Victims of sexual crimes are understandably often traumatised. What steps are the Government taking to ensure the long-term sustainability of specialist support for those victims—such as the Calderdale WomenCentre, which provides supports for victims in Calder Valley—in particular given the long wai…
Commons
Westminster Hall
15 September 2025
Children with SEND: Assessments and Support
The current SEND system is simply not working, and nowhere is that more obvious than in my constituency, where 450 people signed the petition. Of students in Calder Valley, 12.2% receive SEND support, but behind that figure is a world of parents who are not having the family time they need with thei…
Commons
Westminster Hall
11 September 2025
Non-surgical Aesthetic and Cosmetic Treatments
It is an honour to serve under your chairmanship, Sir Desmond. I thank the hon. Member for Bromsgrove (Bradley Thomas) for securing an important debate.
Cosmetic surgery can be affirming and often makes people’s lives better. Although I have some concerns about some of the beauty standards that it …
Commons
Debate
10 September 2025
Bus Services (No. 2) Bill [Lords]
I am grateful for the opportunity to speak in support of the Bill and new clauses 46 and 66 tabled by my hon. Friend the Member for Dunstable and Leighton Buzzard (Alex Mayer). The Bill represents a step towards giving communities greater control over their local transport networks. Colleagues acros…
Commons
Proceedings
10 September 2025
Qatar: Israeli Strike
We all want to see peace, the hostages returned and an end to the man-made famine in Gaza, but this attack on a sovereign nation so closely tied to the peace talks undermines all that. It is as awful as it is counterproductive, so what can we do to ensure that the pursuit of peace is more than just …
Commons
Westminster Hall
4 September 2025
2 contributions
Adoption and Special Guardianship Support Fund
It is, as always, a pleasure to serve under your chairship, Ms Lewell. I congratulate the hon. Member for Mid Sussex (Alison Bennett) on securing this debate.
I want to speak today of families who make a life-changing decision to care for children through adoption and special guardianship. It is a …
I was just about to come to that point. Stability and long-term decisions are key. Families need certainty, not just this year, but for the years ahead. Right now, there is no confirmation of funding for 2026-27. I note that there was a written ministerial statement today, although I do not think we…
Commons
Debate
3 September 2025
Hospitality Sector
I am immensely proud of the hospitality sector in my constituency of Calder Valley. Our community has always been amazing, but it was recently made famous by the TV show “Happy Valley”. I always say to the public, “Come to our towns. They have the same amazing scenery, but far fewer murders.”
Hospi…
Commons
Ministerial Statement
1 September 2025
Middle East
Almost 1,500 healthcare workers have been killed, according to Médecins Sans Frontières, and more than 50,000 children have been killed or injured, according to UNICEF. If the Israeli Government declare that they are not targeting medical workers, journalists and civilians, they are clearly cavalier…
Commons
Ministerial Statement
22 July 2025
Music Streaming: Label-led Principles
The Minister does very well to shake off the abuse about his tie from the Swiftie on the Opposition Benches—it is mainly empty spaces there—the right hon. Member for New Forest East (Sir Julian Lewis). His reputation remains unscathed.
Calder Valley has a thriving creative sector with lots of small…
Commons
Oral Questions
22 July 2025
Topical Questions
Key to the shift to prevention is making sure that people can stay in their own homes or get home from hospital. The Health and Social Care Committee found that such provision costs the NHS £1.9 billion every year. Can the Secretary of State update me on what we are doing to get the social care syst…
Commons
Oral Questions
22 July 2025
Neighbourhood Health Centre: Long Crendon
Before I start, I pay tribute to the shadow Secretary of State, the right hon. Member for Melton and Syston (Edward Argar), who faces his last set of Health questions. He is an incredibly kind man—we spoke after the loss of my brother—and a fantastic shadow Secretary of State. I am not sure how they…
Commons
Ministerial Statement
21 July 2025
Independent Water Commission
Calder Valley has seen near-floods and a hosepipe ban. Meanwhile, in 2024, Yorkshire has seen 68,186 sewage spills lasting over 430,000 hours. Does this mean an end to a useless regulator that is presiding over a failing industry?
Commons
Ministerial Statement
16 July 2025
Financial Services Reform
I welcome the Leeds reforms today. Like many of the best things, they started in West Yorkshire— [ Interruption. ] I see Conservative Members are still chuntering from a sedentary position. The reforms underline the important point that financial services are not just the preserve of the City of Lon…
Commons
Ministerial Statement
15 July 2025
Afghanistan
I pay tribute to all the diplomats and armed forces involved in what was clearly an extraordinary operation. It is a stark reminder that our asylum system—despite the demagoguery we sometimes hear in this place—often represents a sacred duty to those who put their lives at risk for us and our allies…
Commons
Proceedings
10 July 2025
Business of the House
This week, Yorkshire Water announced a hosepipe ban. This follows a 29% hike in bills and continued pollution of our rivers. Can my right hon. Friend tell me how I can use Parliament to hold this company to account on behalf of my constituents?
Commons
Ministerial Statement
8 July 2025
Road and Rail Projects
The previous Government dodged vital infrastructure decisions for 14 years, so I am glad that this Government are stepping up with projects such as the east coast main line upgrade, which has been announced today, strengthening connections to Leeds and West Yorkshire. However, although connections t…
Commons
Oral Questions
8 July 2025
Topical Questions
The Minister will be aware that the recent pathfinder family court pilots have been seen as largely successful. This is an opportunity to put children at the centre of these cases and to end the presumption of contact which puts partners and children of abusers at risk. Will she please advise me as …
Commons
Ministerial Statement
7 July 2025
Giving Every Child the Best Start in Life
The last Government’s decimation of Sure Start was nothing short of social vandalism; the paroxysms of outrage from the Conservative Benches felt like an arsonist complaining that the fire service had not put the fire out quickly enough. I welcome this policy because the family hubs will make a real…
Commons
Ministerial Statement
3 July 2025
NHS 10-Year Plan
The shifts announced today, from analogue to digital, and from hospital to community, are exactly the shifts that will make the NHS stable for the future. Will the Secretary of State elaborate on the “analogue to digital” point? A practice manager in Calder Valley recently said to me, “It’s all very…
Commons
Committee Stage
2 July 2025
Rare Cancers Bill
Constituencies in Yorkshire, such as the one I represent, do particularly poorly with research funding—I think 5% of research funding for cancer trials goes to the area. With this Bill and a renewed focus on cancer, I hope we will look to expand the number of research-active hospitals to give people…