Alan Campbell MP: speeches

Speeches

• 22 Jan 2026 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  The hon. Gentleman raises an important matter. Planning matters are best resolved locally, but I agree that developers have a responsibility to the wider community. The Government are very keen to ensure that infrastructure is in place, including schools, and we are recruiting more teachers so that we have the people to teach in the schools that are built. I will raise his concerns with the relevant Minister, and if he wants a meeting to discuss these matters, I will help him get one.

• 22 Jan 2026 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  I thank my hon. Friend for raising this important issue. He is a very keen campaigner on behalf of his constituents. There is an opportunity to raise it directly with Ministers during question time on Monday or perhaps to seek an Adjournment debate on the matter. His local authority funding has increased by 8.1%, so it is important that local schools are prioritised. I will also ensure that the relevant Minister hears his concerns.

• 22 Jan 2026 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  I thank my hon. Friend for championing the work of Hawthorn Housing Co-operative. As we have said, housing is about balance, and co-operative housing undoubtedly has an important role to play in that. We are considering opportunities to establish a formal framework for co-operative housing, and we have provided £20 million in support for community-led housing. If my hon. Friend seeks further detail, he could apply for an Adjournment debate on the matter. If he does, I hope that he will be successful.

• 22 Jan 2026 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  I certainly join the hon. Gentleman in paying tribute to Councillor Sood for her invaluable work, not just for the local community, but in education. I will certainly take away his suggestion of an annual debate so we can mark the contribution of people like Councillor Sood. I will give it some thought.

• 22 Jan 2026 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  As the Member of Parliament whose constituency has the best fish and chips in the country— [ Interruption. ] That is simply a matter of record, not a matter of dispute. It is obvious that the price of fish and chips has gone up in recent times, and there are many reasons for that, but everyone involved in that food chain deserves to be properly paid for the valuable work that they do. I would gently point out, as a Member of Parliament whose constituency has a fishing fleet, that the price of fish often reflects the very high price for fishermen, who go out and do what is still the most dangerous peacetime job, so let us not undersell the importance of fisheries. The hon. Member says that the Government have things in their gift that they can do, and I am sure the Government will be looking at that, but should he seek a meeting with the Minister responsible for fisheries, my hon. Friend the Member for Wallasey (Dame Angela Eagle), to discuss these matters, I am sure I could arrange it.

• 22 Jan 2026 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  I would gently point out that Alan Duncan was a Minister in the Government that the hon. Gentleman supported. On the Chagos deal and self-determination, the base is vital for our intelligence and defence. Our deal provides certainty going forward and is supported by allies. It is also going through this House, so there is a chance that it will come back for further discussion and debate, and I am sure the hon. Gentleman will be able to make his case when that happens.

• 22 Jan 2026 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  As I said to my hon. Friend the Member for Falkirk (Euan Stainbank) earlier, Capita has recognised the scale of the issue and is recruiting additional staff to deal with it. However, there are issues for particular departments as well. I will draw the case and her disappointment to the attention of Ministers. This would be a popular topic for an Adjournment debate, should the hon. Lady be successful in securing one, because we have already seen that it is an issue not just in her constituency but in many others too.

• 22 Jan 2026 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  I join my hon. Friend in thanking all postal workers for their hard work over the busy Christmas period. I am disappointed to hear that some of his constituents are not receiving their mail in good time. Unfortunately, that is happening across many constituencies, including my own, and the public rightly expect a well-run postal service and their letters to arrive on time. I know that Royal Mail pays close attention to issues raised at business questions and at other occasions in this House, so I hope that it has heard the message, but I encourage my hon. Friend to apply for an Adjournment debate on this matter, because it is not just a matter for his constituents but for many other constituencies as well.

• 22 Jan 2026 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  I thank my hon. Friend for raising this matter. She is doing an excellent job advocating for her constituents in this appalling case. The Secretary of State for Education will be appointing an expert panel to inform new guidance for the sector on the use of digital devices and CCTV in relation to safeguarding and to consider whether the use of CCTV should be mandatory. The Department will welcome Member engagement in that review.

• 22 Jan 2026 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  I thank my hon. Friend and send my congratulations on behalf of the House to Jack Billingham on winning gold at the national welding championships. We are already making efforts to support young people, such as through investing £1.5 billion to deliver 50,000 more apprenticeships and 350,000 more new workplace opportunities, but a great deal more needs to be done, not least as we seek to improve and renew the infrastructure of our country. I encourage my hon. Friend to apply for an Adjournment debate to investigate further how we can promote highly skilled manufacturing jobs. Should she be unsuccessful in that, I will look to hold such a debate in Government time.

• 22 Jan 2026 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  The hon. Lady raises a very important matter. I give her a commitment that I will speak to my colleagues in the Treasury to see what further support we can give to people working in that sector.

• 22 Jan 2026 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  I certainly welcome the news that my hon. Friend has delivered about the expansion at AFC Bournemouth. He knows, as do many Members across the House, the importance of football to this country, and the importance of football clubs in our towns and cities. It is important that football gets the support that it needs, and the Government are absolutely committed to that.

• 15 Jan 2026 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  As the hon. Gentleman knows, the Government have always said that this is for Parliament to decide. I would say to those in the other place that they should respect the will of this elected House, which did support the Bill. However, their job of scrutiny is up to them. I urge them to get on with it, so that we can make every effort. I am a supporter of the Bill, and the Prime Minister has made it clear that he is too, but I know there are real concerns about it. I have also made it clear that, should the Bill come back to this place, presumably with amendments made, we will facilitate time here to make that happen. We have to be clear about this: the Lords have a job to do, and they are getting on with it in a particular way. We might not like it, but it is their job to get the Bill into shape. If it does come back here, we will do everything we can to get it on to the statute book, but it is not a Government Bill.

• 15 Jan 2026 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  I thank my hon. Friend for raising this matter. She is a fierce advocate for her constituents. I share her concerns about the use and abuse of the planning system that she described. Local authorities and the police have a range of powers to manage unauthorised encampments, and I understand from my hon. Friend the Planning Minister that we are tightening up the rules on these matters, but I am more than happy to facilitate the meeting that she requests.

• 15 Jan 2026 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  I thank my hon. Friend for championing local pubs. Like her, we hugely value the role they play in our communities, which is why in the Budget we put in £4.3 billion of support over three years to help pubs. We recognise, as I said previously, that some pubs are still worried, which is why the Chancellor has commissioned work to examine a pub support package; that work is ongoing. I also note that Alter Ego beer is on the waiting list for Strangers Bar, so perhaps we can all try it sooner rather than later.

• 15 Jan 2026 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  The Government cannot be held accountable for a misspeak by the BBC on these matters. The hon. Gentleman is going a bit far to find a conspiracy behind everything. I gently point out that the record has been corrected in relation to that council. The reality is that various requests have been made not to bring forward elections, not least because in some areas councillors would be elected for a very short period of time, some of which have been made by Labour-led authorities, some by Lib Dem-led authorities and others by Conservative-led authorities.

• 15 Jan 2026 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  I will start gently by saying that we are freezing rail fares for the first time in 30 years. Great British Rail will bring train operators back into public ownership from next spring, reducing bureaucracy and increasing accountability. That will not necessarily satisfy the commuters that the right hon. Gentleman mentions, however. I will arrange a meeting with the Rail Minister so that the right hon. Gentleman can make those points directly.

• 15 Jan 2026 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  I certainly join my hon. Friend in condemning the views that she described. There is absolutely no place for hatred of any kind in our society. Real progress has been made in football in general and at many football grounds, and it is a pity that she has to continue to raise these matters. I join her in praising Luton Town football club for doing its part in fighting racism, along with all the other football clubs that take the matter extremely seriously. She may wish to raise her concerns directly with Ministers at the next Department for Science, Innovation and Technology questions, which are on 4 February.

• 15 Jan 2026 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  I understand that my hon. Friend has been working closely with his local council on this matter, and I pay tribute to him for his diligence in that work. Local authorities have planning powers to limit the proliferation of HMOs in their areas. We keep the regulation of HMOs under review. I will ensure that the Secretary of State hears his words and that he gets a response.

• 15 Jan 2026 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  I thank my hon. Friend and others for raising the work of Sue and Dave Cook, and I join him in paying tribute to them. They may talk about the remarkable people who they look after, but they are truly remarkable people in the care that they give. We depend on foster carers providing an important role, because they literally change the lives of many children for the better. We want to ensure that carers can provide their vital services, which is why we are putting money behind that, with £44 million to support kinship and foster carers and £25 million to recruit more foster families and support carers. I hope that the calls of my hon. Friend have been heard outside this House and that more people will come forward to do what is such an important job.

• 15 Jan 2026 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  The business for the week commencing 19 January will include: Monday 19 January—Remaining stages of the Public Office (Accountability) Bill. Tuesday 20 January—Consideration of Lords amendments to the Sentencing Bill, followed by consideration of Lords amendments to the Holocaust Memorial Bill, followed by consideration of Lords amendments to the Diego Garcia Military Base and British Indian Ocean Territory Bill. Wednesday 21 January—Committee of the whole House and remaining stages of the National Insurance Contributions (Employer Pensions Contributions) Bill, followed by motion to approve the draft Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Act 2023 (Remedial) Order 2025. Thursday 22 January—General debate on Government support for the fishing industry, followed by a general debate on the impact of import standards on the agricultural sector. The subjects for these debates were determined by the Backbench Business Committee. Friday 23 January—The House will not be sitting. The provisional business for the week commencing 26 January includes: Monday 26 January—Second Reading of the Armed Forces Bill. Tuesday 27 January—Consideration of an allocation of time motion, followed by all stages of the Medical Training (Prioritisation) Bill. Wednesday 28 January—Opposition day (16th allotted day). Debate on a motion in the name of the official Opposition. Subject to be announced. Thursday 29 January—General debate on Holocaust Memorial Day. The subject for this debate was determined by the Backbench Business Committee. Friday 30 January—The House will not be sitting.

• 15 Jan 2026 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  The hon. Gentleman is right to raise these concerns. There is clearly real concern in his constituency, but he will not be surprised if I say that parking is a matter for local authorities. It is a matter for local leaders and it is not for the Government to tell them how to manage things at that level. If local people are unhappy with their local representatives, they have the power to do something about that.

• 15 Jan 2026 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  I join my hon. Friend in paying tribute to her constituents, and thank her for raising this important matter. Audiology is a vital part of healthcare in our country. She may wish to apply for a Westminster Hall debate to go into this matter more fully, or raise it at Health oral questions, which will take place on 24 February.

• 15 Jan 2026 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  I thank my hon. Friend for raising this important matter. I want to associate myself with the words of the Security Minister on Tuesday, and provide absolute assurance about the seriousness with which the Government take these matters. There are statutory obligations on telecom providers to maintain the availability of services, and we will ensure that we draw the right lessons from the response. I will certainly ask Ministers to meet my hon. Friend as a matter of urgency.

• 15 Jan 2026 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  I thank my hon. Friend for raising this matter. As she alludes to, it is not new; delays are affecting the lives of constituents right across our country. The DVLA is currently rolling out a new casework system, which is expected to deliver significant improvements to the services provided to drivers with medical conditions, but as I have said before, that is small beer to people who are sitting at home waiting or are unable to take job opportunities. If she gives me the details of the case, I will raise it with Ministers to see what further action we can take.