Commons
Oral Questions
Health and Social Care
14 July 2026
NHS Workforce: Sickness Absence
We know that sickness absence and stress are often related to people’s workplaces. With £17 million now invested in Northampton general hospital for a new urgent treatment centre, and enhanced A&E opening this summer, does the Secretary of State agree that this is proof again that this Labour Go…
Commons
Oral Questions
Business and Trade
2 July 2026
Hospitality Sector
The Northampton-based McManus Pub Company runs 18 pubs and employs 370 people. I spoke to Tom McManus yesterday, who told me that successive Governments have ignored hospitality and that in the past five years business costs have made it harder for him to turn a profit. Tom has asked me to lobby the…
Commons
Oral Questions
Transport
11 June 2026
2 contributions
Passenger Rail Services
2. What steps she is taking to improve passenger rail services.
The Minister will be aware that freight services using East West Rail infrastructure already terminate at Northampton Gateway. Will the Minister work with me to ensure Northampton is included in East West Rail’s long-term vision for passenger services, ensuring connectivity across the Oxford-Cambrid…
Commons
Westminster Hall
9 June 2026
2 contributions
Energy Costs
Will the hon. lady give way?
The hon. Member for Gorton and Denton (Hannah Spencer) referred to retrofitting in her speech, and the Minister has talked about its importance. In Northampton, one of the biggest concerns people have about committing to retrofit is getting a dodgy builder. The Energy Security and Net Zero Committee…
Commons
Westminster Hall
9 June 2026
2 contributions
Energy Costs
Will the hon. lady give way?
The hon. Member for Gorton and Denton (Hannah Spencer) referred to retrofitting in her speech, and the Minister has talked about its importance. In Northampton, one of the biggest concerns people have about committing to retrofit is getting a dodgy builder. The Energy Security and Net Zero Committee…
Commons
Oral Questions
Energy Security and Net Zero
2 June 2026
Clean Energy Transition: Supporting People in Work
Twenty-five per cent of the manufacturing output of the east midlands is in the food and drink sector, but that sector feels left behind in the clean energy transition without support from Government programmes, such as the British industrial competitiveness scheme. What support can the Minister giv…
Commons
Oral Questions
27 April 2026
Topical Questions
The potential rapid closure of St Andrew’s hospital in my constituency puts over 3,000 jobs at risk. Will the Secretary of State meet me to discuss what package of support we can put in place for those people to ensure they can find good quality work in my constituency?
Commons
Proceedings
24 March 2026
3 contributions
Oil and Gas
I have found this debate quite fascinating. What nonsense from the Conservatives! We are watching a party rip itself up as it worries about more defections to Reform, and Conservative Back Benchers parrot the lines of their Front Benchers. We know from media coverage that the Conservatives are promo…
The discussion on fracking is perhaps one for another day.
We have heard claims that there are billions of pounds to be invested, but in reality, when it comes to development, it is the public who pay the price. In some cases, taxpayers foot around 80% of the development bill. Modelling on Rosebank…
+1 more contribution in this session
Commons
Oral Questions
24 March 2026
Household Energy Bills
Does the Secretary of State share my concern, or dismay, perhaps, that at a time when families are concerned about the cost of energy and the price at the pumps, the Conservatives have become obsessed with oil and gas licensing and not taking any action at all to reduce bills?
Commons
Debate
16 March 2026
Grenfell Tower Memorial (Expenditure) Bill
I thank the Secretary of State for bringing forward this piece of legislation. Can he confirm that the Bill is not only about capital expenditure, but long-term maintenance, to ensure that this is a lasting legacy for the families of Grenfell?
Commons
Debate
16 March 2026
Heating Oil Support
I welcome the Minister’s statement, which will reassure a lot of families in Northamptonshire. Could he give us a bit more detail on the timeline under which this will be brought in, and assure people across Northamptonshire that the process will be easy to access, without bureaucracy?
Commons
Debate
3 March 2026
Geotechnical Data
I beg to move,
That leave be given to bring in a Bill to make provision about the collection of, setting of standards relating to, and secure sharing of geotechnical data derived from ground and site investigations; to require the integration of such data into the National Underground Asset Registe…
Commons
Ministerial Statement
10 February 2026
Local Power Plan
Northampton is one of the towns across the UK that will benefit from the local power plan. Does the Secretary of State agree that my schools, colleges and universities, the four hospitals in my constituency, and my sports clubs, including the Cobblers—one of the greenest football clubs in the countr…
Commons
Oral Questions
20 January 2026
Topical Questions
T8. In her interview two weeks ago in The Sunday Times , the Foreign Secretary warned that the only person who benefits when NATO is divided is Vladimir Putin. That warning looks even more relevant today, so may I ask her once again to remind her colleagues across the Atlantic that this is the time …
Commons
Ministerial Statement
14 January 2026
Offshore Wind
This is a fantastic announcement for the UK, and it is also fantastic to hear that the Secretary of State is already preparing for AR8. Can he assure the House that his Department is going to focus as much on the mid-term and long-term storage that we need to support all this growth in generation?
Commons
Oral Questions
Scotland
14 January 2026
2 contributions
Economic Growth
9. What steps he is taking with Cabinet colleagues to support economic growth in Scotland.
As chair of the international trade and investment all-party parliamentary group, I am pleased that we are running the power of place campaign to encourage colleagues to highlight incredible small businesses that are exporting out of their constituency. Does the Secretary of State agree that this in…
Commons
Debate
7 January 2026
Bletchley Railway Station: Eastern Entrance
I travel through Bletchley on my way to London, and have done so while commuting for many years. It has been amazing to see the station grow with the arrival of East West Rail and the high line. Does my hon. Friend agree that a fourth benefit of the proposal is that it sends a message that the Gover…
Commons
Ministerial Statement
7 January 2026
Ukraine and Wider Operational Update
Does the Secretary of State agree that, despite Reform UK banning the showing of support for Ukraine in my county of Northamptonshire, my constituents and those across the whole of the UK should be proud of the extraordinary skill of our British men and women who are involved in this operation?
Commons
Debate
7 January 2026
3 contributions
Rural Communities
I wanted to contribute to this debate to celebrate the brilliant food producers in Northamptonshire and across the UK, some of which you sampled on Northamptonshire Day, Madam Deputy Speaker. As chair of the all-party group for food and drink, I have seen first-hand how rural communities play a crit…
I am not familiar with the Northern Ireland protocol at all, but I am learning more about the SPS agreement in my role as the chair. I hope that Nick Thomas-Symonds will come to see us very soon to explain—
+1 more contribution in this session
Commons
Debate
6 January 2026
2 contributions
Cyber Security and Resilience (Network and Information Systems) Bill
I start with a story; it is a real story, but I have changed the names for obvious reasons. It was a Tuesday afternoon and I had a call from our CEO, David, who said to me, “Mike, I am jumping on a plane, but I need you to speak to a law firm we have been working with. This lady called Sandra will r…
I think the Bill goes some way on that, and it is clear that future legislation and guidance will start to frame those issues. There are other ways that we can drive businesses to improve their business resilience planning. It is part of the standard Government procurement process to require busines…
Commons
Ministerial Statement
10 December 2025
Resident Doctors: Industrial Action
People in Northampton are on a bit of a rollercoaster: they have seen the benefits of a Labour Government in the £16 million that has been secured for our new urgent care centre at Northampton general, but they will now rightly be worried reading the news. Will the Secretary of State send a message …
Commons
Oral Questions
Women and Equalities
10 December 2025
2 contributions
Women’s Economic Empowerment
13. What steps she is taking to support women’s economic empowerment.
Danielle Stone, Northamptonshire’s brilliant police, fire and crime commissioner, has just launched the women’s charter, which brings together employers, community groups and the public sector to create safer workspaces for women across my constituency. Will the Minister join me in commending Daniel…
Commons
Westminster Hall
3 December 2025
Oxford to Cambridge Growth Corridor
It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Sir Jeremy. The Chancellor said that the Ox-Cam growth corridor has £78 billion of potential for our economy, but only if we get housing and infrastructure right. However, I would argue that it is much more than just housing and infrastructure that …
Commons
Oral Questions
2 December 2025
2 contributions
Modern Slavery: Global Supply Chains
3. What diplomatic steps she is taking with international partners to help tackle modern slavery and unethical labour practices in global supply chains.
As the chair of the international trade and investment all-party parliamentary group, I have heard at first hand how new technology is making it easier to track supply-chain risks. What is the Minister doing to support better monitoring and data sharing with our international partners to ensure that…
Commons
Debate
24 November 2025
4 contributions
English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill
I have to say, I had a great time on the Public Bill Committee. The Bill’s 400 pages were expertly navigated by the Minister, and our Whip, my hon. Friend the Member for Ealing Southall (Deirdre Costigan), did an absolutely brilliant job. She unfortunately is not here today, but I should put on reco…
Fantastic advice from a very experienced politician.
To continue with my cross-party support, I very much thank the hon. Member for Mid Dorset and North Poole (Vikki Slade), with whom I served on the armed forces parliamentary scheme. It was fascinating: no matter what the issue was, she always bro…
+2 more contributions in this session