Alan Campbell MP: speeches

Speeches

• 26 Mar 2026 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  I am grateful for what the right hon. Gentleman says about David Winnick. He was a man of independent mind, and as a former Whip, I can attest to that. On the wider matter of consultations and reviews, I hope that the public do not get to a situation where they believe that their views, having been given, do not count. The reality is that in some cases people will give their views and they simply do not get the outcome that they want. The right hon. Gentleman will know that the Government are keeping under review the number of consultations and reviews. At the appropriate time, I am sure that Ministers will want to bring forward their views, and perhaps we will have a debate on the matter.

• 26 Mar 2026 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  I absolutely join my hon. Friend in congratulating everyone in Burton and Uttoxeter on winning the Visit Staffordshire tourism awards. It just goes to show what a fantastic community my hon. Friend represents. I am also advised by my Parliamentary Private Secretary that Staffordshire is a lovely place. I am absolutely sure that the awards to which my hon. Friend refers are well-deserved.

• 26 Mar 2026 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  I can, because this is a very concerning matter. This week, the Government published their waste crime action plan, which sets out a zero-tolerance approach to waste crime. I understand that the Environment Agency is considering all regulatory options to reduce and prevent any impact on the people of Fleetwood, and it has been clear with Transwaste about these expectations. My hon. Friend is absolutely right to call out Transwaste today. The Environment Agency will continue to hold it to account, and will work closely with the local council.

• 26 Mar 2026 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  I thank my hon. Friend for bringing this important matter to the House. The Youth Select Committee is an excellent initiative, and this Government continue to take steps to ensure that young people’s voices can be heard in our democracy, not least in the dependence we placed on the voices of young people when we drew together our national youth strategy. If I may, I will share my hon. Friend’s question with the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, which works very closely with the Committee. I also recommend that she applies for a Westminster Hall debate, so that all MPs have the opportunity to discuss the report’s recommendations and the good work that I hope is being done in their constituencies to promote the voices of young people.

• 26 Mar 2026 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  For too many homeowners, as my hon. Friend says, the experience of living on a newly developed housing estate has been tainted by the consequences of unadopted infrastructure. We have recently concluded our consultation on changes to the national planning policy framework and we will publish our response in due course. I will ensure that the House is kept updated.

• 26 Mar 2026 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  Last week, a well-attended Westminster Hall debate addressed the declining performance of Royal Mail. It reflected falling confidence among Members of the House, and the increasing anger about service failures, as described by my hon. Friend today. It is clear that there is cross-party support for improving the situation. I hope that Royal Mail hears that message loud and clear, and I will also ensure that my hon. Friend’s concerns are raised directly with the Department, because things need to improve.

• 26 Mar 2026 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  My hon. Friend is a regular attendee of business questions, and I know that many share his appreciation of the importance of places of worship in communities. The reality is that we gave the Scottish Government the largest funding settlement since devolution began, and we gave them notice of what we were going to do, so he is absolutely right: the SNP needs to stop posturing on these matters, stop the political point scoring, and get on and deliver.

• 26 Mar 2026 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  Yes, I agree that where councils are doing it right—in this case, a Labour council is doing it right—it is important that their record is out there. As I have said, our record funding settlement over the next four years will enable local authorities to fill millions of additional potholes. This is not just about throwing money at the problem; it is about making sure that the money is spent on fixing roads. Where good local councils, such as my hon. Friend’s, have such a record, I hope residents, if they are going to the polls in May, appreciate that situation.

• 26 Mar 2026 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  My hon. Friend describes how strong his local community is; people there are coming together to make sure that looked-after children get the support that they need. That is certainly the hope and intention of this Government. I thank everybody involved in those efforts, and I wish them a happy Easter. When we return, I will certainly give consideration to my hon. Friend’s request.

• 26 Mar 2026 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  First, let me express my sympathies for Suzi. We talk about many issues in this place, and it is easy to forget sometimes the impact on people’s lives in our constituencies. I agree with my hon. Friend that cross-departmental working is important. If he provides me with the case details, I will ensure that he gets a response from the relevant Minister.

• 26 Mar 2026 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  First of all, my hon. Friend is right to draw attention to the record of this Government in supporting workers at Grangemouth. He is also absolutely correct in his analysis and condemnation of the record of the SNP in this case and in many others too. The reality is that the SNP Government are, and have been for some time, letting down Scottish workers. It is disgraceful that they are making decisions without due regard to what is best for Scottish workers. I hope that they have heard my hon. Friend here today and that his constituents and people more widely reflect on that when they get the opportunity to do so in just a few weeks’ time.

• 26 Mar 2026 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  I encourage the hon. Gentleman to seek an Adjournment debate so that he can raise his concerns about what has happened to his constituent. He is right that it is vital for many small and medium-sized businesses to be able to access social media. I will not speculate about what will happen in legislation, but I am sure that Ministers will have heard his concerns.

• 26 Mar 2026 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  I thank my hon. Friend for bringing that matter to the House. I am sure that colleagues will have heard similar from some of their constituents. The Child Maintenance Service plays a vital role in supporting families, but the Government are clear that it can do more to deliver a fair and trustworthy service. He may know that last week there was a Westminster Hall debate on the effectiveness of the Child Maintenance Service, but I will draw his concerns to the attention of the relevant Minister.

• 19 Mar 2026 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  The hon. Gentleman is doing his job, which is to stand up for his constituency. I will certainly look at his suggestion. There is a process under way, and I wish all the best to everyone seeking to get involved.

• 19 Mar 2026 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  I thank my hon. Friend for raising this important matter. We are committed to improving the system for 11 million private renters. I am pleased that we are abolishing section 21 no-fault evictions, but as other hon. Members have said previously, there are concerns about what less scrupulous landlords may do in that period. I will raise the matter with the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, because I know that he is very much aware of MPs’ concerns.

• 19 Mar 2026 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  My hon. Friend is absolutely correct to say that the public rightly expect a well-run postal service. There was a Westminster Hall debate on Royal Mail’s performance yesterday, which shows how important these matters are to Members across the House. I know that Royal Mail listens closely to these sessions, and I hope that it has heard my hon. Friend’s concerns. I will certainly help him to secure a meeting with the relevant Minister.

• 19 Mar 2026 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  I thank my hon. Friend for bringing this matter to the House, because it is vital that we protect our heritage buildings. Earlier this year, we doubled our support for the heritage at risk fund to £15 million, but I know that many people across our communities are still frustrated. It is also a matter of interest across the House, so I urge my hon. Friend to seek a Westminster Hall debate—not only to allow others to share their concerns about their own constituencies, but to hear directly from Ministers.

• 19 Mar 2026 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  I thank my hon. Friend for her question. As she notes, amendments to the Crime and Policing Bill have been considered by the House of Lords. The Government will consider them as we move forward. I will announce future business in the House in the usual way, but I am absolutely conscious of the importance of providing sufficient time for parliamentary scrutiny, wherever it falls in the parliamentary year.

• 19 Mar 2026 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  My hon. Friend is absolutely right to raise this very concerning matter. We want to prevent future tragedies and our thoughts remain with Gabe’s family and friends. I will ensure that my hon. Friend’s concerns are drawn to the attention of the relevant Minister, and the Minister will decide about a meeting with my hon. Friend and Gabe’s family so that the matter can be taken forward.

• 19 Mar 2026 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  The hon. Gentleman raises a matter of great importance to his constituency and that part of Northern Ireland. We had DEFRA questions this morning, but I will ensure that the relevant Minister is aware of the matter, and get the hon. Gentleman an update. Once he has that update, we will decide whether a statement or a debate is the best way forward.

• 19 Mar 2026 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  On early notice of Backbench time, I will certainly bear in mind what the hon. Gentleman says, and I thank him for the work of his Committee. He will appreciate, however, that as we approach—and it is no secret—the end of this Session, over the next few weeks things such as Lords amendments will tend to dominate. It is quite tricky to take out all such uncertainty, but I will do everything I can. On the change to Standing Orders, I will certainly look at what he requests and see if we can do that. On the concerns that the hon. Gentleman raises about the Hindu community in Peterborough, we understand those concerns, not least because of the excellent work on these matters of my hon. Friend the Member for Peterborough (Andrew Pakes). The temple has been the primary place of worship for members of his community for many years. This is ultimately a matter for the local authority, but we hope that it will engage productively with the community on this matter. On the wider matter of temples and places of worship, I will raise the hon. Gentleman’s concerns with the relevant Secretary of State.

• 19 Mar 2026 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  I thank my hon. Friend for raising that matter, which has been raised consistently by all parties across the House. The Government understand the importance of face-to-face banking services, which is why we are committed to the roll-out of at least 350 banking hubs, more than 210 of which are already open. I will ensure that the relevant Minister has heard what my hon. Friend has said. I encourage him to apply for an Adjournment or Westminster Hall debate, because I am sure that others will wish to join him and raise matters concerning their own constituencies.

• 19 Mar 2026 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  The North sea is a critical asset and the Government understand the vital role it will play in the future. It is Britain’s greatest asset in building our energy future. It gives Scotland and the rest of Britain the chance to lead in offshore wind, carbon capture and storage, and hydrogen, alongside oil and gas production. It is such an important matter that I will help to facilitate the meeting that the hon. Gentleman asks for.

• 19 Mar 2026 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  I will do so, not least because, as the hon. Lady points out, wherever such developments are happening across the country, people are able to benefit from them. I know that my constituents were able to benefit from such a project, so I will seek to do as she asks.

• 19 Mar 2026 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  This is an important and concerning matter, and the hon. Gentleman has been a key campaigner in supporting not only his constituents but those in the wider region. I will draw the matter to the attention of the relevant Minister, but we have Energy Security and Net Zero questions next week. He may wish to hear from the Minister directly. If he wants to follow up with a meeting with Ministers and others, I will help him to arrange that.