Commons
Oral Questions
15 July 2025
2 contributions
Renewable Energy
17. What steps he is taking to increase the use of renewable energy.
Over 50% of our food and £2.7 billion in lifesaving medicines depend on the cold chain, but operators face soaring energy costs and growing grid instability. In Epsom and Ewell, Sunswap is pioneering battery and solar-powered refrigeration, which cuts emissions while protecting vital supply chains. …
Commons
Westminster Hall
14 July 2025
2 contributions
Northern Ireland Veterans: Prosecution
Most who served in Northern Ireland did so with absolute honour, including many of my former colleagues. It is precisely because of that record that they deserve a system based on truth, not a blanket immunity that casts a shadow over everyone’s service. Does the hon. Member therefore agree that equ…
Will the right hon. Gentleman give way?
Commons
Debate
2 July 2025
Defence
Today’s motion may appear procedural, but it sits at the heart of how we govern our armed forces and, by extension, how we uphold parliamentary democracy and the rule of law. Under the Bill of Rights of 1688, a standing army in peacetime must be consented to annually by Parliament. That annual renew…
Commons
Debate
2 July 2025
Armed Forces Commissioner Bill
I welcome Lord amendments 2B and 2C, tabled by Baroness Goldie in response to the Government’s rejection of the original proposals.
These amendments are not about party politics. They were tabled by a Conservative peer and supported across the House of Lords by Liberal Democrats and others. They re…
Commons
Debate
1 July 2025
Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payment Bill
Does my hon. Friend agree with me that changing life-critical benefits in a rush, gambling with people’s futures without evidence, and only listening when their Back Benchers rebel is simply not how Governments govern at their best?
Commons
Ministerial Statement
30 June 2025
Welfare Reform
Why are the proposed PIP cuts still being applied to new claimants, many of whose needs are as urgent and severe as those of existing claimants?
Commons
Oral Questions
Defence
30 June 2025
Defence Spending: Cross-party Talks
The Government’s commitment to reach 5% on GDP on defence spending is the right decision. As we face the once-in-a-generation threat from Russia, it is vital that we regenerate our armed forces after years of decline under the Conservatives. However, we need more urgency. The International Institute…
Commons
Oral Questions
Defence
30 June 2025
Armed Forces Family Housing
I welcome the recent announcement of funding to improve military housing, but our fantastic service personnel deserve more than short-term fixes. This year’s armed forces continuous attitudes survey showed that one in five personnel plan to leave, and over a quarter of them cited the standard of acc…
Commons
Debate
26 June 2025
Armed Forces Day
It is an absolute privilege to speak in today’s debate on Armed Forces Day—a day on which we recognise and celebrate the bravery, dedication and sacrifice of those who serve and have served in our armed forces. We honour and thank them.
Earlier this week I was proud to attend the armed forces flag-…
Commons
Ministerial Statement
26 June 2025
G7 and NATO Summits
Does the Prime Minister agree that, in the context of the threat posed by Putin, we must provide more guidance and support to Britons to prepare them for the possibility of a future conflict, and that that should involve a national resilience campaign?
Commons
Debate
25 June 2025
4 contributions
National Armaments Director
Today’s debate takes place at a moment of acute global instability, with war still raging in Ukraine, mounting threats from hostile states and an unreliable security partner in the White House. The world is more dangerous than it has been in a generation. In that context, the Liberal Democrats warml…
I agree with my hon. Friend that it would absolutely help our deterrence if we could increase troop numbers. The Liberal Democrats are calling for new bonus schemes to recruit and re-enlist 3,000 personnel, allowing the Government to reach their target of 73,000 trained troops as soon as possible, m…
+2 more contributions in this session
Commons
Proceedings
25 June 2025
Nuclear-certified Aircraft Procurement
It is clear that we have entered a new and uncertain era. Putin’s imperialism represents a once-in-a-generation threat to our security. We must maintain the effectiveness of the UK’s independent nuclear deterrent to stop Putin or anyone else launching a nuclear attack. It remains the ultimate guaran…
Commons
Debate
24 June 2025
Department for Education
Councils are being asked to deliver SEND services without sufficient funding, to which my hon. Friend has alluded, and that creates a postcode lottery for families, with children waiting months to receive support. Does she agree that we urgently need SEND funding reform, including removing the £6,00…
Commons
Westminster Hall
24 June 2025
War Memorials
It is an absolute pleasure to serve under your chairship, Mr Stuart. I thank the hon. Member for Cowdenbeath and Kirkcaldy (Melanie Ward) for securing this very important debate during Armed Forces Week.
Throughout the UK, more than 100,000 war memorials have been erected in towns, villages, school…
Commons
Ministerial Statement
23 June 2025
Middle East
Last week and today, the Foreign Secretary said the Government’s first priority is the welfare of British nationals, and I welcome that, but my constituent who was caught in Iran with her baby unfortunately received no support from the Foreign Office and had to flee with officials at the port and to…
Commons
Oral Questions
Work and Pensions
23 June 2025
2 contributions
Personal Independence Payment
11. What assessment she has made of the potential impact of the personal independence payment on the ability of disabled people to work.
One of my constituents, who has epilepsy, responded to the “Pathways to Work” consultation and highlighted that the questions implied that the Department views PIP as a pity payment, rather than a benefit designed to offset the extra costs of disability, such as seizure alert devices or accessible t…
Commons
Oral Questions
Health and Social Care
17 June 2025
2 contributions
NHS Buildings: Maintenance Backlogs
1. What recent progress his Department has made on tackling the backlog of repairs in hospitals.
While I welcome the recent announcement of £12 million of extra funding for Epsom and St Helier university hospitals NHS trust, it is quite frankly a drop in the ocean in comparison with the scale of need, because the current backlog at the trust costs £150 million. Patients and staff deserve safe a…
Commons
Debate
16 June 2025
Air India Plane Crash
I thank the Minister for advance sight of his statement. I associate myself with his remarks and those of other colleagues about our collective grief and shock at so many lives being lost in this appalling crash, including the lives of 52 UK citizens. I express my condolences to the families of all …
Commons
Ministerial Statement
12 June 2025
Gibraltar
Our thoughts also go out to all those families involved in the tragic air crash in India today.
I thank the Foreign Secretary for advance sight of his statement. The Conservatives’ botched deal with Europe left Gibraltar in a state of limbo for years. Our hope is that this new agreement will work t…
Commons
Westminster Hall
11 June 2025
Space Industry
On the point about other countries and companies around the world, UK firms have been locked out of EU space programmes such as Galileo since Brexit, and the lack of a UK alternative has stunted the growth of dual-use military space innovation. Does my hon. Friend agree that long-term funding in thi…
Commons
Ministerial Statement
10 June 2025
Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories
It is vital that we get a clear and accurate picture of what exactly is happening on the ground. That is absolutely essential to ensure transparency. What are this Government doing to progress access for journalists into Gaza?
Commons
Westminster Hall
10 June 2025
2 contributions
USAID Funding Pause
The UN has warned us that more than half of frontline, women-led organisations could shut down within six months due to global aid cuts. That is not just a funding crisis; it is a humanitarian catastrophe. Does the hon. Member agree that restoring funding to those groups must be a priority if we are…
On global security, the Mines Advisory Group, a leading mine NGO, has been forced to shut down its operations in Azerbaijan, Burkina Faso and Mauritania and scale back in Iraq, Senegal, South Sudan and Sri Lanka because of USAID cuts. This is not the moment to retreat. Does the hon. Member agree tha…
Commons
Debate
9 June 2025
2 contributions
Planning and Infrastructure Bill
Electric vehicles are key to achieving energy independence, but charging inequalities are simply holding us back, undermining net zero and energy security. Does my hon. Friend agree that local authorities must be empowered to approve safe cross-pavement charging solutions without expensive and time-…
I rise to speak in support of my new clause 93 and amendments 122 to 126, which aim to tackle the growing electric vehicle charging divide—an issue that is not only about infrastructure, but about fairness, affordability and climate action.
Nearly four out of every 10 households in the UK do not ha…
Commons
Debate
3 June 2025
Dementia Care
People with degenerative conditions stay under consultant care, but after 18 months my constituent with Alzheimer’s was discharged with no monitoring and no access to specialist nurses unless referred by a very lengthy GP process. He told me that he feels abandoned. Does the hon. Lady agree that dem…
Commons
Debate
3 June 2025
Armed Forces Commissioner Bill
I rise to speak in support of Lords amendments 2 and 3, which were tabled by Conservative peer Baroness Goldie and supported in the other place by my Liberal Democrat colleagues. I urge Members on both sides of the House to reject the Government’s proposals to remove them and replace them with a wat…