Alan Campbell MP: speeches 2025

Speeches

• 23 Oct 2025 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  Competent leadership is really important for local government, and there is a duty to local taxpayers to spend money wisely. My hon. Friend is absolutely right to raise this issue. As I said earlier, if there is an Adjournment debate on Kent county council and Reform’s track record to date, I am sure it will be well attended.

• 23 Oct 2025 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  First, any discussion of this issue needs to begin with the simple, important fact that at the heart of this should be remembering the victims of Jeffrey Epstein, so we do that. The question of titles is primarily a question for His Majesty. I know that there has been speculation about legislation, but the palace has been clear that it recognises that there are other matters that this House needs to be getting on with, and we are guided in this by the palace. That does not mean that the House cannot find ways to debate these matters, whether it be the matter of titles or of the finances, which I know are also under question. The right hon. Gentleman has been here long enough to find a way to make that happen.

• 23 Oct 2025 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  I hear what the hon. Gentleman says because, as he acknowledges, we have some powerful advocates for Cornwall on the Government side of the House. I will make sure that Ministers are aware of that request and see what we can achieve.

• 23 Oct 2025 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  I will raise that with the Department and ensure that my hon. Friend gets the answer he seeks.

• 23 Oct 2025 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  The Government are committed to providing more banking hubs, and indeed some have opened. The hon. Member could ask for a Backbench Business debate, because I am sure his concerns are shared by others, but let me gently say that the beautiful and historic town of Whitley Bay gets its banking hub on Friday.

• 23 Oct 2025 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  I am sure that Minister will have heard the hon. Gentleman’s concerns. A meeting might be appropriate or, indeed, he may wish to raise it through an Adjournment debate on the Floor of the House. It is a timely topic.

• 23 Oct 2025 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  It must be a worrying time for residents of high flats. Local authorities and social landlords have a range of existing levers to tackle anti- social behaviour, including eviction. The Government expect them to use those levers responsibly and proportionately —but, importantly, where appropriate, we expect them to be used. This would make a powerful topic for a Westminster Hall debate and I encourage my hon. Friend to apply for one.

• 23 Oct 2025 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  There is a theme emerging this morning on the difference between the offer that Reform makes in order to get into local government and what actually happens in reality. As the Prime Minister said at Prime Minister’s questions yesterday, “what people get if they vote Reform is total chaos and broken promises.” —[ Official Report , 22 October 2025; Vol. 773, c. 962.] Elected representatives have a duty to local taxpayers to spend their money wisely. My hon. Friend may wish to seek an Adjournment debate to further expose the role of Reform in Kent county council.

• 23 Oct 2025 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  As my hon. Friend says, we inherited a broken system. We are working as fast as we can to close all asylum hotels as quickly as is practicable. We have already halved the number open, and I encourage her to raise this particular case at the next Home Office questions. In the meantime, I will make Ministers aware of the matter.

• 23 Oct 2025 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  The business for the week commencing 27 October will include: Monday 27 October—Remaining stages of the Victims and Courts Bill. Tuesday 28 October—Opposition day on a motion in the name of the official Opposition—subject to be announced. Wednesday 29 October—Remaining stages of the Sentencing Bill. Thursday 30 October—General debate on property service charges, followed by a general debate on the ageing community and end-of-life care. The subjects for these debates were determined by the Backbench Business Committee. Friday 31 October—The House will not be sitting. The provisional business for the week commencing 3 November includes: Monday 3 November—Second Reading of the Public Office (Accountability) Bill.

• 23 Oct 2025 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  I agree that every child should have access to the best education possible, wherever he or she attends school. It is very clear that the SEND system is broken: it does not work for parents or children, and it does not really work for staff, either. We have invested an extra £1 billion in SEND and, as my hon. Friend knows, we are committed to reforming the system. We are getting on with that, because it is really important that the next generation of children do not suffer the traumas that the current and previous generations have suffered. We keep the House updated on these matters, but I am sure that if my hon. Friend wishes to speak to a Minister, they would be happy to confirm those things, too.

• 16 Oct 2025 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  I absolutely agree with my hon. Friend. We know, either from constituency cases or, indeed, from our own family circumstances, that the closure of a care home can be extremely distressing for residents and families, who need as much notice as possible should such a situation become a possibility. Unfortunately, I am afraid the circumstances that she describes are not untypical when it comes to Reform in government—the party has over-offered and is generally underachieving. This is a matter for local authorities, but she may wish to raise it at Health and Social Care questions next Tuesday.

• 16 Oct 2025 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  My hon. Friend could seek a debate to raise this matter, but I will take his concerns to the relevant Department, and perhaps he could seek a meeting with Ministers to explain what the problem is.

• 16 Oct 2025 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  So far, 750 schools are offering free breakfast clubs, which puts, on average, £450 a year back into parents’ pockets, and we intend to extend free school meals too. I understand that areas believe this may not be enough, or that other areas are better off. I will draw that to the attention of the Chancellor, but so can the hon. Lady at Treasury questions.

• 16 Oct 2025 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  In terms of my demeanour, Madam Deputy Speaker, I will just say gently to the hon. Gentleman that appearances can be deceptive. He is, as ever, a fierce champion of freedom of religion or belief, and he raises a very serious matter. The UK is committed to defending freedom of religion or belief for all. I will make sure that the Foreign Secretary hears his concerns and that he gets a reply, but I also encourage the hon. Gentleman to raise his question at Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office oral questions on 28 October. He is no stranger to questions, I am sure.

• 16 Oct 2025 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  Local and community theatres are so important to communities in all sorts of ways, not least in giving confidence to young people who come forward and take part in events and shows. My hon. Friend may seek a debate on those matters because I am sure they are shared across the House. I will also raise her concerns with the relevant Minister.

• 16 Oct 2025 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  Pubs are at the heart of our communities and often serve as vital community assets, and we certainly do not want them to close. We are working with the sector, including through the Hospitality Sector Council, to address the clear challenges faced. I urge my hon. Friend to raise his concerns at Business and Trade questions on 30 October.

• 16 Oct 2025 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  We are committed to improving the accessibility of Britain’s railway and I know that my hon. Friend has raised this issue with the Transport Secretary. We will make announcements in due course, but I agree with her that Network Rail has a responsibility, as well as Government. It is a matter that needs to be addressed and we are going to get on with it.

• 16 Oct 2025 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  I was aware of that anniversary, because I think the hon. Gentleman has raised it before. [Interruption.] Rather cruelly, my colleague sitting next to me says that I was there for the event, but that simply is not true. I am sure that when the time arises, it will be an appropriate opportunity to have a debate in this House, because we should be very proud of our national identity and celebrate it. When an anniversary such as that comes along, we should seize it with both hands. I wish Essex Day all the very best. It is not just about being proud of our nation; it is about being proud of our regions and our towns, too. Devolution and where we will end up with it is a matter for another day as the devolution Bill progresses through this House. At this moment, I am not going to speculate about the future of counties, either historic or not as historic.

• 16 Oct 2025 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  I pay tribute to my hon. Friend, who is doing a fantastic job on behalf of her constituents, and join her in playing tribute to flood action groups such as the ones in her constituency. We talk—as I will in a moment—about the investment that goes into flood schemes and the importance of that investment, but flood action groups play a crucial role in our communities. I also join my hon. Friend in celebrating the investment that the Government are making. We inherited flood assets that were in the poorest condition on record, but we are investing a record £10.5 billion through to 2036, benefiting almost 1 million properties. However, we should also celebrate community groups, which are very important to the success of any plan.

• 16 Oct 2025 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  As my hon. Friend can see, I never found a sport I was very good at either. Success in sport is fantastic, particularly for young people. It is such an important part of growing confidence and giving pride. I am sure that Ruby’s family and friends and the whole community are extraordinarily proud of that achievement.

• 16 Oct 2025 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  We are investing record money, but unfortunately stories like this do emerge and are extraordinarily distressing. I understand that my hon. Friend is meeting a number of stakeholders regarding this report. I invite her to make this point at Health questions next Tuesday, and to perhaps also apply for an Adjournment debate, which I am sure would be well attended.

• 16 Oct 2025 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  Community groups are the golden thread that run through our communities and hold them together, so the hon. Member should be credited with raising these matters, which are important because community groups often struggle. She should perhaps— I might not be forgiven for saying this—draw this issue to the attention of the Chancellor as we approach the Budget. She also has an opportunity to raise it as a matter for debate, because others may share her concern.

• 16 Oct 2025 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  I am sorry to hear about Chris’s situation. I understand that my hon. Friend may be in correspondence with the Department of Work and Pensions and either awaiting or have just received a reply. Oral questions for that Department are next week, but depending on those things, I suggest that he either follows up by meeting Ministers in the Department or by seeking a debate on the matter because there will be a shared concern across the House.

• 16 Oct 2025 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  I am sure that the hon. Gentleman is trying to be helpful, so I will take him at his word. On having a debate on these matters, he raises important points. I suggest that he should be the one calling for a debate. If there is to be a discussion about economic policy in the run-up to the Budget, there are various avenues by which he can call for that and make his points. It is not unusual in this situation—we are a number of weeks away from the Budget—but the Chancellor is working extraordinarily hard to come up with a Budget that not only repairs the damage to our economy that we inherited, but puts forward a plan for the future. To some extent, the ball is in the hon. Gentleman’s court, should he seek a debate.