Alan Campbell MP: speeches 2025

Speeches

• 27 Nov 2025 · Ordained Clergy · Hansard source

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  I will certainly do that. I will ask my hon. Friend to write to the hon. Gentleman on that matter.

• 27 Nov 2025 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  The business for the week commencing 1 December will include: Monday 1 December—Continuation of the Budget debate. Tuesday 2 December—Conclusion of the Budget debate. Wednesday 3 December—Remaining stages of the Pension Schemes Bill. Thursday 4 December—Debate on a motion on the war in Ukraine. The subject for this debate was determined by the Backbench Business Committee. Friday 5 December—The House will not be sitting. The provisional business for the week commencing 8 December includes: Monday 8 December—Consideration of Lords messages to the Employment Rights Bill, followed by consideration of Lords messages to the Planning and Infrastructure Bill, followed by consideration of Lords messages to the Mental Health Bill [Lords] . Tuesday 9 December—Second Reading of the Railways Bill. Wednesday 10 December—Opposition day (14th allotted day), debate on a motion in the name of the official Opposition, subject to be announced. Thursday 11 December—General debate on St Andrew’s day, followed by a general debate on the impact of foreign interference on security, trade and democracy. The subjects for these debates were determined by the Backbench Business Committee. Friday 12 December—The House will not be sitting.

• 27 Nov 2025 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  I will take great pleasure in doing so. I have had the honour of knowing Tony Wright. As I said to him recently, his work has improved people’s lives for the better, including the lives of people he will never have met. I am sure that many Members across the House will not only wish Tony the best and thank him for his work, but acknowledge the impressive veterans in their own constituencies who, like Tony, do such fantastic work on behalf of the veteran community—indeed, on behalf of the whole community. These sessions are a good opportunity to highlight that work, and I am grateful to my hon. Friend for doing so.

• 27 Nov 2025 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  I will draw the matter to the attention of Ministers, because my hon. Friend is right that the people involved deserve an answer, and we will see what Ministers can do to provide that.

• 27 Nov 2025 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  That is a fair point. We owe a great debt to public servants, and it is important that they be treated fairly at work and in their tax matters. If my hon. Friend intends to speak in the Budget debate, he may want to raise this issue then.

• 27 Nov 2025 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  If my hon. Friend does not mind, I might duck that one. [ Laughter. ] We are laughing, but these are serious matters for businesses and firms, and I will therefore ensure that the issue is drawn to the attention of the relevant Minister, and that my hon. Friend gets a response.

• 27 Nov 2025 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  As the hon. Lady will know, the Government are committed to bringing forward measures to address those issues. When we do so, there will be ample time to debate the points that she raises.

• 27 Nov 2025 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  I certainly join my hon. Friend in congratulating the Natalie Couper Dance Academy on its growth and thanking it for everything it does. I am frankly not surprised that he has been recognised as a man of the left, because he has been proclaiming it for such a long time. Local businesses like dance academies can add so much to a local community, and I am pleased to hear that it is expanding its business again.

• 27 Nov 2025 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  As my hon. Friend acknowledges, there was a statement after the earlier report. The Government will want to keep the House updated as matters evolve, so I will look at making that happen. I should add, though, that we do not need to wait for that to address some of the issues; the Chancellor is addressing them by pursuing the beneficiaries of dodgy deals, and getting £400 million back to invest in public services.

• 27 Nov 2025 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  I absolutely join my hon. Friend in congratulating Owen and others for the efforts they are making. We are backing them by investing over £1 billion in tackling homelessness in the next year. My hon. Friend may wish to attend the Westminster Hall debate on Tuesday 2 December on the adequacy of funding for the support of homeless people, to highlight and amplify Owen’s efforts.

• 27 Nov 2025 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  These are very serious matters, and the Government take stalking very seriously indeed. I will meet my hon. Friend and see what further we can do.

• 27 Nov 2025 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  The hon. Gentleman raises important matters. I am sure that the Government will bring forward a full explanation of how the charges will work. Following yesterday’s Budget, I invite him to spend this period of Budget debate raising those matters so that he can hear the answer he seeks from Ministers themselves.

• 27 Nov 2025 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  These are ultimately, as the right hon. Member says, matters to be resolved locally. It is important that public bodies work together where they can, especially where a road may be particularly dangerous. I will draw his remarks to the attention of the Department for Transport to see whether anything can be done to get the action he wants.

• 27 Nov 2025 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  As my hon. Friend rightly says, we are committed to ending unscrupulous fire-and-rehire practices through the Employment Rights Bill. I hope that the company she refers to has heard her comments. She may wish to raise these matters during the Budget debate or in the upcoming Christmas Adjournment debate, so that, if necessary, she can call the company out.

• 27 Nov 2025 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  We are not in favour of solar radiation modification, given the uncertainty around the risks that it poses for the climate and environment, and we work closely with the international research community to evaluate the latest scientific evidence. My hon. Friend may wish to raise the point, however, at Department for Science, Innovation and Technology questions next month.

• 27 Nov 2025 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  It is right that teachers, wherever they are and whoever they are, are paid fairly for the vital service they do. We promised change for working people, and we are delivering: teachers and others are getting pay awards above inflation for the second year in a row. I will draw my hon. Friend’s remarks to the attention of the Minister, but he may also wish to raise them directly with Ministers on Monday.

• 27 Nov 2025 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  I will draw that to the attention of the relevant Minister, but I also invite the hon. Gentleman to hear about this from Ministers, at first hand. We will arrange an appointment, if he wishes for that to happen.

• 27 Nov 2025 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  I am sure that the whole House will join me in sending condolences to the friends and family of my hon. Friend’s constituents—and indeed to all friends and family who have been affected by deaths in custody, which are always a tragedy. Prisoners at risk of suicide and self-harm are supported through individual case management, but the case that my hon. Friend raises is worrying. I will ensure that the Justice Secretary hears his concerns, and I invite him to request a meeting—which I will facilitate—with the appropriate Minister.

• 27 Nov 2025 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  I thank the hon. Gentleman for updating the House on the important work of the Backbench Business Committee. I assure him that it is absolutely my intention that the pre-recess Adjournment debate will continue. The hon. Gentleman raises a matter of real and just concern, following on from the fire in Hong Kong. As I said, my thoughts are with everyone affected, but also with those in this country, particularly in Dartford, Grenfell and elsewhere, who will have had terrible memories revived because of the news. The Government are very clear in our approach that we aim to remove all barriers to remediation, so that buildings can be fixed faster and residents can feel safe in their homes. We published an update on the remediation acceleration plan this summer and we will act on all 58 phase 2 Grenfell Tower inquiry recommendations to build a more robust and trusted regulatory system that delivers safe and high-quality homes.

• 27 Nov 2025 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  I join my hon. Friend, who is a great champion of education and opportunity for young people in his constituency and his area. He is absolutely right that Reform’s message on the closure of important courses at the Alloa campus is an insult to not only lecturers and teachers, but to the choice that students themselves make. Scotland has a proud tradition and record on education, and it is unfortunate that Reform UK seems determined to undermine it and talk it down.

• 27 Nov 2025 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  I am pleased to hear about the success of the young martial arts athletes from Rossington, and I am grateful for the opportunity to thank Andy and all the sports coaches across our country who help to make achievements like this possible.

• 27 Nov 2025 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  I encourage the hon. Member to call for an Adjournment debate on this matter, because a number of Members across the House may share his concerns. We take the view that every child, wherever they are, should get the support that they need, but he has to acknowledge, as the previous Government did, that need is greater in some areas than others.

• 27 Nov 2025 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  I am happy to do so. I wish them luck, but of course I wish all the other schools involved luck as well.

• 27 Nov 2025 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  Many constituents will look at what the hon. Gentleman has said and recognise the concerns. I know that face-to-face contact with police officers is very valuable. However, over time, the usefulness of big, and often old, police stations has become questionable, particularly given the use of new technology. It is about balance. As for making decisions about police stations and front counters, that is a matter for the commissioner. I also gently refer to the historical underfunding of the police across our country in general in the last 14 years.

• 27 Nov 2025 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  I join my hon. Friend in congratulating Members who support Movember, not least because of the money that they raise for important causes. I am heartened that those issues get the awareness that they deserve. I congratulate him on what he is doing, and thank him for what was a very moving contribution to the debate on International Men’s Day.