Commons
Proceedings
20 November 2025
Separation Centres: Terrorist Offenders
What a sorry state of affairs. This case highlights the consequences of a prison system, which includes separation centres, that was overstretched and under-resourced by the last Conservative Government, of which the right hon. Member for Newark (Robert Jenrick) was a prominent member—he has now for…
Commons
Proceedings
20 November 2025
Ukraine: Forcible Removal of Children
One of the most important things the UK can do to support Ukraine is to push President Trump on a comprehensive G7 plan to seize the estimated £300 billion of Russian assets across those seven nations and funnel them to Ukraine. Please can the Minister confirm what steps the Government have taken to…
Commons
Debate
19 November 2025
2 contributions
Property (Digital Assets etc) Bill [Lords]
It is a pleasure to speak once again in this Chamber on the Property (Digital Assets etc) Bill, which creates a modern legal framework that will allow Britain to take every opportunity we can while protecting ourselves in an ever-changing digital age.
The Liberal Democrats support clause 1. It stat…
I thank colleagues from across the House. It is a good example of cross-party working, delivering a Bill that has been well-scrutinised and is fit for purpose. In that spirit, I hope that the Minister can take that away and encourage her colleagues to do the same with other legislation.
Question pu…
Commons
Debate
19 November 2025
3 contributions
Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill
The Liberal Democrats and I want to stop dangerous small boat crossings. We want to stop the smuggling gangs and bring them to justice. The former Conservative Government failed to do either. My constituents in Woking and people across the country need this Government to deliver a compassionate, eff…
The hon. Gentleman and I, and others, worked really hard in Committee, proposing humanitarian visa amendments, and trying to lift the ban on asylum seekers working—both measures that would have made things better for taxpayers and for vulnerable refugees. Sadly, we were not listened to, but I hope t…
+1 more contribution in this session
Commons
Oral Questions
18 November 2025
Great British Energy: Public Services and Renewable Energy
A constituent of mine wants to replace his gas boiler with renewable energy, which will cost him around £400. I am concerned by the prohibitive costs, which massively undermine our net zero ambitions. Can the Minister confirm what he and his Government are doing to remove those prohibitive costs?
Commons
Oral Questions
Solicitor General
13 November 2025
Violence against Women and Girls
Today has seen the publication of the safeguarding review into the murder of my 10-year-old constituent Sara Sharif. The findings of that inquiry are what I feared—that the state, especially Surrey county council, could have protected her and saved her life, but did not. Will the Solicitor General p…
Commons
Statutory Instrument
12 November 2025
2 contributions
Draft Immigration Skills Charge (Amendment) Regulations 2025
After years of mismanagement by the Conservatives, our immigration system is a mess. Public trust has been shattered, and it is up to this Government to restore that confidence and rebuild our broken immigration and asylum system. It is right for the Government to increase the immigration skills cha…
Will the Government agree to study the impact on the health and social care sector of increasing this charge?
Commons
Ministerial Statement
22 October 2025
Heathrow: National Airports Review
About an hour ago, the Prime Minister did not answer my request for a cast-iron guarantee, so I wonder whether the Secretary of State can do a bit better. My constituency is 16 minutes from Heathrow, yet it has no rail link to our country’s busiest airport. Can she give me a cast-iron guarantee that…
Commons
Prime Minister's Questions
Prime Minister
22 October 2025
Engagements
Q4. The Times has reported that local elections across the country will be delayed for a second year in a row. The leader of my local authority, Surrey county council, has had to go on the record to say that he has not called for elections to be cancelled, but other Conservatives clearly have. Can t…
Commons
Westminster Hall
20 October 2025
Asylum Seekers: Support and Accommodation
It is clear from both the petitions that people across the country are angry and frustrated about the state of our asylum system. The Liberal Democrats understand why people have signed the petitions. The situation has been badly mishandled for years, and in my opinion the petitioners are right to c…
Commons
Oral Questions
16 October 2025
2 contributions
Motorsport
4. What steps she is taking to support the motorsport industry.
As well as congratulating McLaren, which is based in my constituency of Woking, for winning the Formula 1 constructors’ title for the second season in a row, will the Minister also agree to ask the Chancellor to change the tax on sustainable fuel, so that this country can continue to have a leading …
Commons
Oral Questions
14 October 2025
2 contributions
Breweries: Carbon Emissions
14. What steps his Department is taking to support breweries to reduce carbon emissions.
One of the many brands of Woking-based Asahi is Cornish Orchards, which has recently decarbonised and cut its emissions by 94% by investing in renewable energy. Does the Minister agree that that is exactly the sort of innovation we need? What further steps will his Department take to ensure that the…
Commons
Westminster Hall
15 September 2025
3 contributions
Children with SEND: Assessments and Support
I thank my hon. Friend the Member for South Cotswolds (Dr Savage) for introducing this important debate. It is not the first time that the Liberal Democrats have highlighted the serious issue of the SEND crisis, and the urgent need to solve it. Since being elected as the Member of Parliament for Wok…
I completely agree with the hon. Member. The system that we have all inherited from the previous Government fails vulnerable children and their families, and it fails taxpayers as well. Education is a right; it should not have to be fought for.
Data from the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsm…
+1 more contribution in this session
Commons
Oral Questions
Treasury
9 September 2025
Topical Questions
T5. Given that the Government are considering a dramatic increase in the landfill tax, how does the Chancellor think that this country will build the 1.5 million homes we need by the end of the Parliament if we add £24,000, on average, to the average house price? How will that help my constituents t…
Commons
Debate
8 September 2025
Defence Industrial Strategy
To provide certainty for the whole defence sector, but particularly for the small and medium-sized businesses in my constituency, will the Minister confirm when negotiations on the UK joining the €150 billion Security Action for Europe will conclude and a decision will be made, so that those busines…
Commons
Proceedings
8 September 2025
Palestine Action: Proscription and Protests
With over 800 people arrested this weekend, proscribing Palestine Action clearly has not worked as intended. Will the Government urgently review our terrorism legislation to ensure that those who legitimately protest in favour of the Palestinian cause are not treated as terrorists for simply wearing…
Commons
Oral Questions
Defence
8 September 2025
Ukraine: Military Support
Will the Secretary of State confirm how this country and our allies will support Ukraine to defend its airspace from Russian aggression? For example, will we lend it our Typhoons or will we participate in the cross-national F-16 fighter programme, despite the fact that we do not have F-16s?
Commons
Oral Questions
Solicitor General
4 September 2025
2 contributions
Court Backlog
6. What steps she is taking with the Crown Prosecution Service to help reduce the backlog of court cases.
The Solicitor General confirms the horrendous backlog in the Crown court to us all. In one case in my constituency, one victim, Dani, will have to wait more than six years to get justice. Dani is just 21 and has been a victim of grooming and sexual abuse. Does the Solicitor General agree that for Da…
Commons
Oral Questions
Women and Equalities
3 September 2025
2 contributions
Violence against Women and Girls
3. What steps she is taking with Cabinet colleagues to help tackle violence against women and girls in the home.
The murder of 10-year-old Sara Sharif in my constituency was a harrowing example of violence against women and girls in the home. Social services play a vital role in protecting vulnerable girls, yet we often hear that they are overwhelmed and under-resourced. Will the Minister please confirm what s…
Commons
Oral Questions
22 July 2025
Accident and Emergency Waiting Times
In June, just 66% of patients admitted to Woking’s local A&E at St Peter’s hospital were seen within four hours. That is way below both the national target and the national average of 76%. Will the Secretary of State agree to investigate that to find out why my constituents of Woking are facing …
Commons
Debate
16 July 2025
Giving Every Child the Best Start in Life
The Minister mentioned family hubs, which I welcome, but he stated that they will be delivered by local authority area. In my area of Surrey, we are going through local government reorganisation. How will the roll-out be impacted by that reorganisation? Does he expect to roll out a plan over the nex…
Commons
Debate
16 July 2025
Property (Digital Assets etc) Bill [Lords]
I rise in support of the Property (Digital Assets etc) Bill, which stands to bring our legal framework into the 21st century and better equip it to meet the challenges and opportunities of the digital age. This Bill is firmly rooted in the rigorous work of the Law Commission, which was followed by c…
Commons
Oral Questions
16 July 2025
2 contributions
Oxford to Cambridge Rail Line
5. What discussions she has had with Cabinet colleagues on the potential impact of the classification of the Oxford to Cambridge rail line as an England and Wales transport project on Wales.
The Government have claimed that listing the Oxford to Cambridge rail line as “England-only” on past documents was just an accounting error by the Conservative Government and that the project has not been reclassified to deprive Wales of funding, but four separate Government documents list it as “En…
Commons
Westminster Hall
15 July 2025
7 contributions
Beer Duty
I beg to move,
That this House has considered beer duty.
It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Dr Murrison. We are here this afternoon to discuss beer. I love beer, and so does Great Britain. I secured this debate to acknowledge calls from constituents, brewers and the pub sector to c…
I completely agree with my hon. Friend. We were in this Chamber talking about EPR several months back; she is a fine advocate for her whole constituency, and particularly the Somerset cider industry.
I talked about our need to reduce beer duty. The Chancellor announced a 1.7% reduction in alcohol d…
+5 more contributions in this session
Commons
Westminster Hall
1 July 2025
Refugee Citizenship Rights
It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Ms Butler. I start by complimenting the hon. Member for Alloa and Grangemouth (Brian Leishman) not only on securing the debate but on how he introduced it; his speech was excellent.
I am proud to represent Woking for many reasons, and one is our lo…