Alan Campbell MP: speeches

Speeches

• 21 May 2026 · Business of the House · Hansard source

  More

  My hon. Friend is absolutely right to raise those matters on behalf of her constituents, and others in rural areas. I will raise them with the relevant Minister and get an update on how the Government intend to make progress on this matter.

• 21 May 2026 · Business of the House · Hansard source

  More

  I certainly join my hon. Friend in recognising the incredible work of Michelle and the Parent Engagement Group in Stoke for their work to make sure that the voices of families are heard. The Government are absolutely committed to making sure that the SEND system works for every child, and our education for all Bill, announced in the King’s Speech, will make sure that every child is able to thrive.

• 21 May 2026 · Business of the House · Hansard source

  More

  I join my hon. Friend in congratulating Sunflowers Children’s Action Group on its brilliant work supporting children and their families and on winning vital funding. We are taking action in this area with our best start in life strategy by pledging to invest £1.5 billion over the next three years to support early years.

• 21 May 2026 · Business of the House · Hansard source

  More

  As the hon. Lady will know, the Government intend to bring forward a water Bill in this Session. She will be able to raise her concerns directly as that legislation makes progress.

• 21 May 2026 · Business of the House · Hansard source

  More

  The Government are absolutely clear that we want to see the economy grow and companies grow, and nothing should get in the way of that. I will draw the hon. Member’s remarks to the attention of the relevant Transport Minister, but she might also want to seek an Adjournment debate, in which she can hear directly from the Minister.

• 21 May 2026 · Business of the House · Hansard source

  More

  I am not sure the hon. Gentleman should necessarily draw that conclusion; as he will be aware, the Government are committed to improving access, but, as he will also know, it takes time to turn around the system that we inherited. He is right that if he gets information from Ministers, he should also get an update on the progress that we are making. I will ensure that he gets that from the relevant Minister.

• 21 May 2026 · Business of the House · Hansard source

  More

  My hon. Friend is a great champion for regeneration in his area. His commitment stands in stark contrast to the approach of the Reform councillor he refers to. As my hon. Friend and the whole House will know, the Government are already taking action to regenerate our high streets, with £5.8 billion of Pride in Place funding to deliver for places like Eccles. I will think about whether we can find some time to debate the success of that programme.

• 21 May 2026 · Business of the House · Hansard source

  More

  I thank my hon. Friend for raising again a matter that has been raised with me on a number of occasions. Local authorities have planning powers to limit the proliferation of HMOs, but we keep regulations under review. I will consider his request for time for a debate, but I will also ensure that the relevant Minister hears his comments and gives him an update urgently.

• 21 May 2026 · Business of the House · Hansard source

  More

  My hon. Friend is right to raise this matter; the impact of hoarding can be severe. There are no plans for a specific hoarding strategy, but the Government have announced plans for a new mental health strategy, which will seek to provide the right support to people with a mental health condition. The call for evidence is live now, and I encourage him and others across the House to contribute.

• 21 May 2026 · Business of the House · Hansard source

  More

  I am sure the whole House will join me in extending our heartfelt condolences to Sally, Kian and all Kenny’s friends and family. My hon. Friend is absolutely right to say that health and safety in the workplace is not an inconvenience. Good health and safety practices save lives, and I will ensure that the relevant Minister writes to him to set out what further action the Government intend to take.

• 21 May 2026 · Business of the House · Hansard source

  More

  I will give the right hon. Gentleman a commitment that I will raise the issue with the relevant Ministers and see if we can find some time to debate these matters, should time allow.

• 21 May 2026 · Business of the House · Hansard source

  More

  The hon. Member raises an important point. The Government are absolutely committed to ensuring that we have the workforce in place to deliver the changes in the NHS that are necessary in cancer and other areas. We are delivering record investment, and waiting lists are down by over 400,000—I think that is the biggest drop for some time. I will raise his specific concerns about when the plan will be launched with Ministers, and get a response for him.

• 21 May 2026 · Business of the House · Hansard source

  More

  I absolutely join the hon. Member in congratulating her constituent. Last week was Mental Health Awareness Week, and it is vital that we continue to raise awareness of the signs and symptoms of depression and other mental health issues in young adults. The exemplary work of people in our local communities underlines how important that is to keeping young people well.

• 21 May 2026 · Business of the House · Hansard source

  More

  I see the shadow Leader of the House has had his Weetabix again this morning. I extend my sympathies to the family of Lance Bombardier Ciara Sullivan, who lost her life in a tragic incident last week. It reminds us of the price sometimes paid by the brave men and women who serve our country so well. Tomorrow is the ninth anniversary of the horrific Manchester Arena attack, which claimed the lives of 22 people and left many more injured. I am sure all those affected remain in the thoughts of the whole House. Last year, Martyn’s law received Royal Assent, delivering on our commitment to strengthen security at public events and venues to help to prevent another tragedy from happening. I thank all the campaigners who were pivotal in delivering that legislation. At the end of last week, the Treasury announced an independent review on access to banking to assess how changes to in-person banking services are affecting customers. The review will be chaired by Richard Lloyd, whom many Members will know. This issue is regularly raised with me by Members, and the Government are committed to ensuring that everyone has access to the services that they need. Fly-tipping is also an issue that Members have raised with me frequently. The Government are listening. Laws laid this week will require waste handlers to prove that they are qualified to transport waste. We are tightening the net on waste criminals, with tougher sentences for those illegally dumping waste and advanced background checks to put rogue operators out of business. Members will also be pleased that we are cracking down on high street crime, rogue barber shops, vape stores, mini-marts and sweet shops linked to organised crime. They will face raids, closures and cash seizures under a new £30 million crackdown targeting money laundering, tax evasion and illegal working. Again, those issues have been raised in these sessions, which underlines the importance of the role that Members play in influencing future policy and decision making. I hope that Members will be able to spend time in their constituencies over the recess and enjoy the hopefully warmer weather over the bank holiday. As an MP for a coastal constituency, I know how dangerous the sea can be and I want to highlight the Royal National Lifeboat Institution’s annual “Float to Live” campaign. This year’s campaign is being fronted by Euan Gray from Gateshead, who with his brother, Andrew, got caught in a notorious riptide off my constituency at Longsands beach in May last year. I pay tribute to the volunteers of Cullercoats lifeboat and Tynemouth lifeboat, and all the RNLI volunteers who tirelessly provide a critical service in coastal towns and villages across the UK. Let me turn to the remarks made by the shadow Leader of the House. I am sure that his gratitude for Arsenal beating Manchester City is genuine coming from a dedicated Manchester United supporter—I am sure that it is genuine. He also reminded us about the heroes of 1966, the last time England won the world cup. I remind the House that England has only ever won the world cup under a Labour Government, and therefore I look forward to the world cup, which starts shortly. On the other matter that the right hon. Gentleman seems preoccupied with—my candidature to be the Prime Minister—let me say that there is no vacancy for a Prime Minister. I thank him for his endorsement, which I am sure is well intentioned, but I should warn the House that there is a double edge here. Every candidate that the right hon. Gentleman has endorsed for the Tory leadership has either failed at the first hurdle or is failing in their leadership now.

• 21 May 2026 · Business of the House · Hansard source

  More

  I suggest that the hon. Gentleman seeks an Adjournment debate on the subject, because if that is happening in his constituency, it might be happening elsewhere. If so, I am sure that there will be other colleagues who want to hear directly from a Minister on what the Government intend to do about it.

• 14 May 2026 · Business of the House · Hansard source

  More

  I am sorry to hear of the case that my hon. Friend raises. The Government are committed to helping working people balance their jobs with their personal lives, including by managing their health conditions. I will ensure that the relevant Minister is made aware of this concerning case, but my hon. Friend may also want to take an opportunity to make those points during the debate on the King’s Speech, as this is an important part of ensuring that people can fully contribute to the economy, and to the economic growth that the country is looking for.

• 14 May 2026 · Business of the House · Hansard source

  More

  This is the second time this morning that proportional representation has been raised, and it is a good illustration of how, when the Lib Dems and Greens agree on an issue, they are invariably wrong. It will be possible for the hon. Lady’s party to raise and vote on the issue during the debate on the King’s Speech, and as she points out, there are Bills being considered that will allow her to raise the matter as well. However, I fear that when the House gives its verdict, it will not be the result that she is looking for.

• 14 May 2026 · Business of the House · Hansard source

  More

  My hon. Friend is a wonderful champion for his constituency, and I once again commend him for that. We are giving constituents the investment and powers they need to deliver the change they want to see in their communities, not least through Pride in Place. He makes a strong case for further funding, and I will ensure that the Secretary of State hears his remarks.

• 14 May 2026 · Business of the House · Hansard source

  More

  I can assure the right hon. Gentleman that the Government do not support the SNP’s position, and I join in what he says. As we set out yesterday, the King’s Speech is for the whole of the United Kingdom; it is about bringing prosperity to every part of our country, because the reality is that we are stronger together.

• 14 May 2026 · Business of the House · Hansard source

  More

  My hon. Friend is absolutely right to celebrate the rich heritage of the British Fijian community. I join her in recognising Girmit Day, which serves as a powerful reminder of the valuable contribution that British Fijians make to our communities.

• 14 May 2026 · Business of the House · Hansard source

  More

  I am saddened to hear of Bonnie Tyler’s situation. She is an inspirational voice for a generation. I send our best wishes to her family and her fans. I join my hon. Friend in wishing Bonnie Tyler the very best and a speedy recovery.

• 14 May 2026 · Business of the House · Hansard source

  More

  My hon. Friend is a strong campaigner for her constituency, and she has raised similar concerns on behalf of her constituents with me before. She is right to say that her constituents deserve better, which is why we are clamping down on roadworks that overrun and doubling fines. This is a matter not just of ensuring that people can get to school, but it is also about disruption to business. I therefore encourage her to raise such matters during Monday’s debate on backing businesses to create economic growth.

• 14 May 2026 · Business of the House · Hansard source

  More

  I am sincerely grateful to the right hon. Gentleman for his comments. I do think it is important that we uphold standards wherever we can. As for his reference to not wishing the ultimate job on me, I suspect he has been talking to my wife in that regard, and I can assure him that it is clearly not going to happen, because apart from anything else there is no vacancy. On the issues the right hon. Gentleman raises, I think we made a good start on animal welfare in the first Session, and there will be further Sessions in which we can bring forward such measures. Depending on the progress made in this second Session, there is also the possibility that other legislation will be brought forward. I am not promising him anything, but there is some flexibility there. There are also other routes that Members can take, not least private Members’ Bills, to address some of the important matters he raises.

• 14 May 2026 · Business of the House · Hansard source

  More

  I join my hon. Friend in remembering those killed and injured in the factory explosion at the ICL Plastics factory in 2004. Through the Crime and Policing Act 2026 we clarified and extended powers to ensure that corporate bodies are held liable for criminal offences committed by their senior managers. It is important that we continue to draw lessons from that avoidable tragedy, and my hon. Friend may wish to raise those concerns directly with Ministers during Justice questions next week.

• 14 May 2026 · Business of the House · Hansard source

  More

  The hon. Gentleman raises a very important matter, and I pay tribute to the Dogs Trust and Trinity Winchester for their fantastic work. He is right to point out that there should be absolutely no barrier in the way of anyone fleeing domestic abuse, whether it be worry about a pet or anything else. The Government are absolutely committed to ensuring that victims in those circumstances get the support that they need, and that nothing stands in the way of their accessing that support.