Alex Easton MP: speeches

Speeches

• 15 Apr 2026 · Cost of Heating Oil · Hansard source

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  Given that between 60% and 65% of households in Northern Ireland rely on home heating oil, whereas 80% of the rest of the UK relies on gas, does the hon. Member agree that there is a strong case for the Government to enhance existing support schemes to reflect Northern Ireland’s higher dependence on home heating oil?

• 15 Apr 2026 · Pride in Place: Regeneration · Hansard source

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  Does the Minister accept that if Pride in Place in Scotland is to mean anything, as with elsewhere in the UK, it must include targeted funding for high streets and town centres to bring long-term vacant premises back into productive use?

• 14 Apr 2026 · National Suicide Prevention Standard · Hansard source

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  Does the hon. Member agree that BS 30480 will make a real difference only if businesses are actively supported in implementing it, rather than simply being left with a “do your best” approach? In that context, would she support formal a Government endorsement of the standard, including through health and safety guidance on work-related stress and psychological risk?

• 25 Mar 2026 · Proposed Police Training College: Kinnegar · Hansard source

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  Does the Minister agree that policing in Northern Ireland has consistently showcased excellence, with some of the most courageous public service anywhere in the UK, and that the development of a new police college on a 54-acre site at Holywood represents a unique opportunity to build expertise? Will he agree to join me for a site meeting to discuss funding opportunities to develop that policing college in Northern Ireland?

• 25 Mar 2026 · Proposed Police Training College: Kinnegar · Hansard source

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  4. If he will have discussions with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on the potential merits of providing funding for the development of a police training college at Kinnegar.

• 25 Mar 2026 · Voluntary Groups and Community Centres · Hansard source

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  I thank the hon. Member for securing this debate. Is it not the case that our community and voluntary organisations provide essential services in areas that Government simply cannot reach effectively? In my own constituency, we have the examples of uHub, Bangor food bank, and local community groups from working-class areas. Does the hon. Member agree that such groups must be recognised for the vital role they play in our community and properly supported?

• 24 Mar 2026 · Endometriosis Services · Hansard source

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  I thank the hon. Member for securing this debate. An estimated 75,000 women in Northern Ireland are living with endometriosis, with an average wait of seven to eight years for diagnosis. Does the hon. Member agree that it is vital that national clinical guidelines are properly implemented and that every hospital trust should have a designated endometriosis lead clinician?

• 18 Mar 2026 · Royal Mail: Performance · Hansard source

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  I thank the hon. Member for securing this debate. A recent Gallup meta-analysis of about 1.8 million employers found that a meaningful increase in employees’ wellbeing leads on average to a 10% increase in productivity. In the light of that evidence, does he agree that it would be beneficial for the chief executive of Royal Mail to meet urgently with the Communication Workers Union to ensure that existing agreements are honoured and that the wellbeing of the workforce is genuinely prioritised?

• 11 Mar 2026 · International Women’s Day · Hansard source

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  On International Women’s Day this year, many of us reflected on the scandal of group-based sexual exploitation of young women and girls in Britain. Will the Minister commit that, by International Women’s Day 2027, the Government will have implemented the key interim lessons from the independent inquiry into grooming gangs and from other reports commissioned on this matter by Members of this House?

• 10 Mar 2026 · Fur: Import and Sale · Hansard source

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  I know that the hon. Member will agree that fur is not just a by-product, but a product that relies on animals being caged, confined and killed solely for their pelts, and that a ban on the import and sale of fur would be a proportionate measure, consistent with our ethics, and would end our complicity in the wholly unnecessary suffering of animals.

• 10 Mar 2026 · Food Banks · Hansard source

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  Will the Minister join me in paying tribute to the work of the food banks, not only in my constituency but across the United Kingdom, in stepping up to plug gaps for families? Does she accept that urgent improvements in respect of benefit transitions and deductions are needed to prevent households from being pushed abruptly into crisis?

• 4 Mar 2026 · Child Poverty · Hansard source

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  Does the Minister accept that if the Government were serious about reducing child poverty in Wales, and across the United Kingdom, including Northern Ireland, they would prioritise public spending on measures that directly reduce child poverty, in particular investment in social housing and childcare?

• 3 Mar 2026 · Small Charity Sector · Hansard source

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  Does the right hon. Member agree that the small charity sector, including community and faith-based groups, plays a vital role in reaching the hardest-to-reach communities—not only in my constituency of North Down, but across our United Kingdom? Does he agree that the sector should be commended on its local leadership, which so often fills the gaps in statutory provision?

• 3 Mar 2026 · Small Charity Sector · Hansard source

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  Will the right hon. Member give way?

• 25 Feb 2026 · Defence Manufacturing Jobs · Hansard source

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  Does the Secretary of State agree that increased defence orders in Scotland have the potential to strengthen the defence industry and the industrial base across the whole of the United Kingdom, and will he make an assessment of the opportunities that that presents, in particular for Northern Ireland companies?

• 24 Feb 2026 · Army Reservists: Employment Rights · Hansard source

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  There were more than 40,000 members of the Ulster Defence Regiment, half of whom—about 20,000—were part-time members. In the light of this ruling, does the right hon. Gentleman agree that they should be entitled to a pension as well?

• 24 Feb 2026 · Foster Care: Recruitment and Retention · Hansard source

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  I thank the hon. Member for securing the debate. Does she agree that there should be greater recognition of foster carers as part of the professional team around the child, and that fully promoting a team-around-the-child model in which social workers, foster carers and therapists are regarded and treated as equal partners would enhance the experience and outcomes for children in care and, importantly, support the recruitment and retention of foster carers?

• 23 Feb 2026 · Leasehold Reform · Hansard source

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  Have the Government made an assessment of the potential merits of introducing a mandatory standard service charge statement for leaseholders to ensure a clearer breakdown of costs and improve transparency in the administration of service charges?

• 11 Feb 2026 · Defence Industrial Strategy 2025 · Hansard source

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  Does the Minister agree that there is a clear need for a stronger role for Northern Ireland firms in the UK defence supply chain, and will he commit to encouraging far greater inclusion of Northern Ireland small and medium-sized enterprises in Ministry of Defence framework contracts and sub-contracting opportunities?

• 10 Feb 2026 · Place-based Employment Support Programmes · Hansard source

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  Does the hon. Gentleman agree that place-based employment schemes are a vital way of converting local strengths into local jobs, and that sector-specific initiatives can and should be tailored to the circumstances of individual constituencies? In North Down, there is particular potential in tourism, hospitality and the wider marine and coastal economy.

• 5 Feb 2026 · NHS Dentists · Hansard source

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  I am grateful for the opportunity to draw the attention of the House to an issue that affects millions of British people and families right across our country: the current state of NHS dental services throughout the UK. Our NHS dentistry, from which I and so many others in North Down have benefited, as have countless people across our United Kingdom, was founded on the basic principle—indeed, I would call it a promise—that everyone regardless of income, background or postcode should be able to access essential dental care when they need it. It is a foundational pillar of our wider health system and a critical measure of our nation’s public health. Every Member of this House would do well to ask where that basic principle and promise now stands in Britain in 2026. Our NHS dentistry is under severe and unsustainable strain. I want to speak plainly about where we are, why and how we have reached this point, how it is affecting both patients and professionals alike, and, if we are truly serious about saving NHS dentistry for future generations, what must be done if it is to be resolved. Across North Down, Northern Ireland and, indeed, the whole United Kingdom, the picture is deeply disturbing and for too many, painfully familiar. Finding an NHS dentist has become increasingly difficult. My constituents in North Down, like so many in England, Scotland and Wales, are joining waiting lists that stretch for months and in some cases even years. Some are ringing multiple practices in their area only to be met with the same response: “We are not taking on NHS patients.” Others are told that their only option is to go private or travel long distances simply to access basic dental care. I would love to tell the House that this is a marginal problem that affects only a small minority, but it is increasingly becoming the lived reality of British families, older people and children in towns, cities and rural communities across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. The reality in Britain is that fewer practices are offering NHS appointments, there are growing backlogs for routine check-ups, and increasing numbers of patients are turning up with dental pain and infection at GPs or accident and emergency departments—places that were never designed for dental care.

• 5 Feb 2026 · NHS Dentists · Hansard source

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  That is certainly one of the major issues that needs to be addressed. Shockingly and frighteningly, people are resorting to DIY dentistry because their pain is so great and they simply cannot afford treatment. No MP can sleep easily in 2026 when British people are pulling out their own teeth at home. Our NHS system is under pressure. Why is this happening? Is the reality not that funding has not kept pace with demand or with the cost of prioritising high-quality dental care?

• 5 Feb 2026 · NHS Dentists · Hansard source

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  I agree that reforms need to be brought forward a lot quicker. What is the result? I will tell hon. Members what it is: we are seeing a growing number of dentists reducing the amount of NHS work, handing back NHS contracts altogether and leaving the profession earlier than they intended. I do not, for one moment, accept that that is a question of dedication or commitment. Our dentists, dental nurses, therapists and practice staff put in a hard shift day after day in a system that too often feels stacked against them. Their burnout is real; their morale is low. They are left apologising to patients, not only in North Down but right across the United Kingdom, for a system that is not of their own making and not under their control. There is a human cost here. This must never be reduced to a dry debate about contracts and budgets, because behind every statistic is a person. Let us think of the elderly person in a British care home struggling to eat properly because they cannot get regular dental visits and their dentures no longer fit; the British parent trying desperately to get their child seen for a broken tooth, only to be told that their nearest NHS dentist is many miles away; or the low-income British citizen—the person who never missed an NHS check-up—now being told they can only be seen privately, at a fee far beyond their means. Let me be absolutely clear: dental health is not a luxury; it is integral to our overall health and wellbeing. The facts are stark. Poor oral health is linked to heart disease, diabetes, respiratory infections and complications in pregnancy. Untreated tooth decay can cause severe pain, days lost from work or school, and a serious blow to confidence and mental health. Let us be honest: inequality runs through this story like lettering in a stick of rock. People on low incomes and those living in our most deprived areas are more likely to suffer the consequences of poor oral health and less likely to be able to escape them. Regrettably, the British reality in 2026 is this: children from our most deprived communities are still far more likely to be admitted to hospital for tooth extraction under general anaesthetic than anything else—an experience that is traumatic and, in many cases, entirely preventable. I recognise that health is a devolved matter and that the four nations of our United Kingdom have taken different approaches to organising and funding NHS dentistry. In Wales, new contract models focused on prevention and patient-centred care are being piloted. Yet, as I understand it, patients still report serious difficulties in finding an NHS dentist and securing regular check-ups.

• 5 Feb 2026 · NHS Dentists · Hansard source

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  The hon. Member makes a valid point, which I urge the Minister to pick up. In Scotland, efforts have been made to reform the system and expand free dental care for certain groups, but workforce challenges persist, as do the difficulties of sustaining practices in rural and remote areas. In England, some of the most acute access problems are reported. Many practices say that the current contract does not reward preventive care, nor does it adequately reflect the complexity of modern dentistry. In Northern Ireland, we have our own contractual framework. The concerns we hear, however, are strikingly familiar: rising costs, mounting workforce pressures and an unsustainable gap between what the NHS pays and what it actually costs to provide care. Northern Ireland is at a crossroads in NHS dentistry. We see a steady erosion of NHS dental provision, more practices moving to private models, longer waiting times at those practices that remain in the NHS, greater pressure on community dental services and growing inequalities between those who can pay and those who simply cannot. But it does not have to be like this. The lessons we draw for Northern Ireland are equally applicable across the rest of the UK. Let us work with dentists, patients, commissioners and independent experts to design a modern contract and funding model that can reward prevention and continuity of care; recognise the complexity of treating people with additional needs and vulnerable groups; support high street NHS practices as the backbone of accessible care; and provide a clear, attractive pathway for young dentists to enter and remain in NHS-focused practice. This House can shape what is needed in Northern Ireland and apply those principles right across the UK. To conclude, let me underline some urgent UK-wide actions. First, we need a realistic, sustainable funding settlement. Let us address this with honesty: if we truly desire a meaningful NHS dental offer, this Parliament must fund it. Secondly, we must move beyond temporary uplifts and crisis top-ups and design a long-term settlement. The real question before us is, are we prepared to put NHS dentistry on a stable footing not just for this Parliament, but for future generations? Thirdly, we must reform the dental contract with a new model that prioritises prevention; encourages regular check-ups, fluoride use and early intervention; creates clear incentives to take on new NHS patients; and rewards quality with a focus on outcomes and patient experience, not just on volume and throughput. Children, particularly those growing up in poverty, could benefit from school and community-based prevention schemes. People with disabilities and complex needs could access specialist attention and the longer appointments that they require. Older citizens, including those in care homes, could receive routine, dignified dental healthcare. We also need a credible solution focused on workforce planning that is based on real need, not short-term firefighting, as well as training pathways that support and prioritise NHS services, and effective retention measures so that experienced staff are not driven out of the system. The decline of NHS dentistry is not inevitable. We must answer these questions honestly. Are we prepared to drift into a future in which NHS dentistry is an optional extra, while the majority are pushed towards private care, or do we commit clearly to inclusive and universal NHS dentistry in which cost is not a barrier and postcode lotteries do not determine success? Let the UK lead in addressing this problem. Let this House reaffirm for the whole country the enduring British principle that good dental care is not a luxury but a right and entitlement of every British citizen.

• 5 Feb 2026 · NHS Dentists · Hansard source

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  I congratulate the hon. Member on securing that funding. I totally agree with all her sentiments. Maybe you can give me a clue how to get that funding as well for Northern Ireland.