Alex McIntyre MP: speeches 2025

Speeches

• 17 Jun 2025 · Victims and Courts Bill (Second sitting) · Hansard source

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  Q Thank you, Minister, for your answers so far. We have had an awful lot of questions this afternoon from the hon. Member for Bexhill and Battle about individuals who are avoiding judgment and avoiding taking responsibility for their actions. I am a new Member, but I understand that the measures in the Bill about asking offenders to attend their sentencing were part of a previous Bill, before the general election. In what ways are the measures in this Bill stronger than the measures in the previous Bill? Alex Davies-Jones: To repeat my answer to Anneliese, the measures in the previous Government’s Bill, which fell before the general election, would have only added an extra two years on to the sentence of a perpetrator who failed to attend their sentencing hearing. The measure in this Bill goes significantly further. For the first time ever, judges will have the ability to sanction perpetrators in prison who fail to attend their sentencing hearing or are disruptive while in the courtroom. If the perpetrator does attend the sentencing hearing, but proceeds to disrupt it, the judge will be able to apply the sanctions. That is a measure in the Bill. We are also providing prison officers with the ability to conduct reasonable force to get the perpetrator to attend the sentencing hearing. That is a measure in the Bill. Our Bill is markedly different, and that is because we have listened to victims and survivors about what they wanted and felt was appropriate to ensure that there was culpability and accountability.

• 16 Jun 2025 · Air India Plane Crash · Hansard source

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  I thank the Minister for his statement and for the support that he and his team have given my constituents and my team over the weekend. My city of Gloucester is in mourning for the loss of Akeel Nanabawa, Hannaa Vorajee and four-year-old Sara Nanabawa. I am sure the whole House will join us in sending our thoughts and prayers to their family and friends, and to the wider Barton and Tredworth community at this time. Understandably, the Indian authorities and hospital staff are overwhelmed by the scale of this tragedy, and I would be grateful if the Minister could outline what more we can do to support our constituents who have travelled to India to identify bodies and lay them to rest. He mentioned the support that has been given by Air India. Understandably, a number of my constituents who travelled to India at great personal expense over the weekend have real reservations about travelling with Air India at this time. Without wanting to sound alarmist, what support or financial assistance is being given to those who may have had to travel at great personal expense at very short notice?

• 12 Jun 2025 · Spending Review: Health and Social Care · Hansard source

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  I welcome my hon. Friend’s statement about the record funding going into our NHS. We are already seeing the benefit in my constituency, with millions of pounds going into investment in our hospital; that is so desperately needed to get waiting lists down. People were left behind by the Conservative party, and I note that there is still no apology to any of my residents who were left in pain and agony for years and years under their watch—not one word of an apology. One of the big challenges facing my constituents is accessing an NHS dentist—my hon. Friend knows about that from the time she came to visit me during my campaign. I am campaigning to get new dentists for my constituents in Gloucester, so will she help me to get a meeting with the relevant Minister to ensure that some of this record funding comes to Gloucester to get an NHS dentist for all my constituents?

• 3 Jun 2025 · Reoffending: Young Offenders · Hansard source

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  I thank the Minister for his response. It is so important that we break the cycle of reoffending, particularly for young offenders. In Gloucester, we are really lucky to have amazing organisations working with young offenders, including Young Gloucestershire and the Nelson Trust, which offers holistic trauma-informed support for women of all ages. Will the Minister join me on a visit to the Nelson Trust to see the great work being done in my city of Gloucester?

• 3 Jun 2025 · Reoffending: Young Offenders · Hansard source

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  5. What steps her Department is taking to help reduce reoffending by young offenders.

• 22 May 2025 · Access to NHS Dentistry · Hansard source

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  Will the hon. Lady give way on that point?

• 22 May 2025 · Access to NHS Dentistry · Hansard source

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  Will the hon. Gentleman welcome the Government’s partnership with Colgate on tooth- brushing in schools so that we can tackle prevention with children and make sure they are not going into hospital with tooth decay because they are learning how to brush their teeth and doing so properly?

• 22 May 2025 · Access to NHS Dentistry · Hansard source

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  I thank my hon. Friend the Member for Great Grimsby and Cleethorpes (Melanie Onn) for securing this important debate. I also thank the dentists, hygienists, dental nurses and practice staff in my constituency who do so much to look after my constituents. The reality is that the dentistry system we inherited from the previous Government is broken, and we need to fix it. Time and again when I am knocking on doors in Gloucester, I hear that patients cannot get the dentist appointments they need, that we have people pulling their own teeth out at home, and that there are children with teeth rotting in their mouths. We need more NHS dentists in Gloucester. This week, I have launched a campaign to get a new dental practice in Gloucester city to deliver for my constituents, and I wrote to my local ICB earlier this week about it. We need to see this new practice as soon as possible, so I would welcome a meeting with the relevant Minister to discuss my campaign to deliver a new dental practice for my constituents. I recognise that my ICB and this Government have made fantastic progress on urgent dental care in Gloucestershire. We have another 11,000 urgent dental appointments in my constituency and the wider area, which is already delivering for my constituents who are most in need. But what we really need are regular check-up appointments so that people can be seen more regularly. I welcome reform of the dental contract and the consultation with local dentists, and I encourage all dentists and dental practices in my constituency to get involved with it so that we can deliver a better dentistry system than the one left behind a year ago by the Conservative party.

• 20 May 2025 · Victims and Courts Bill · Hansard source

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  May I also pay tribute to my hon. Friend the Member for Knowsley (Anneliese Midgley) and to Olivia’s family for their powerful campaign? The Bill seeks to challenge the power imbalance that has long existed in our justice system between perpetrators and their victims—for too long, offenders have had the upper hand. I am proud that this Bill and this Government will finally put victims first. The Bill will strengthen our courts, reinforce the core principles of our justice system and provide greater protection for the victims of crime. It will grant our courts the power to order offenders to attend their sentencing hearings, using reasonable force if necessary, and to extend sentences and impose sanctions in prison for the cowards who refuse to face up to what they have done. Once and for all, our justice system will ensure that those who commit crimes are held fully accountable for their actions. The Bill will strengthen the role of the Victims’ Commissioner in monitoring and reporting on compliance with the victims code. In doing so, it will drive meaningful and lasting change to ensure that victims’ rights are not only recognised but firmly upheld. At its core, the Bill is about shifting the balance of power, moving it away from offenders and placing it in the hands of survivors. It is about safeguarding the rights of every person across the country. The shadow Justice Secretary, the right hon. Member for Newark (Robert Jenrick), is no longer in his place, but he said that he wants transparency. Well, let us give him some transparency on the previous Government’s record on justice for victims. Ten months ago, this Government inherited a justice system in crisis, because the last Conservative Government left prisons on the brink of collapse, a backlog in our courts and a system that failed victims up and down this country. We heard from my hon. Friend the Member for Bolsover (Natalie Fleet) about how few people report rape in the first place, but shockingly, 60% of those who do report it drop out of the criminal justice system before getting to trial and are often retraumatised by the system. It is a shame that the shadow Justice Secretary is too busy—perhaps with his leadership bid—to hear what I am about to say: justice under the Conservative party means more offenders escaping justice and fewer victims receiving it. [ Interruption. ] The Conservatives do not like to hear it, but that is their record in government. As many Members across the House will know, we are facing an alarming rise in domestic abuse. Sadly, in Gloucester we are all too aware of the scale of that crisis. In December last year alone, nearly 250 arrests related to domestic abuse were made. Given how desperate and widespread that issue is, I am proud that the measures in the Bill will help to deliver justice for the one in four women and one in seven men who have experienced domestic abuse, and for the constituents I represent, who need and deserve that justice. Having spoken in my constituency surgeries to survivors and victims of domestic abuse, I welcome in particular the changes that the Government are making to ensure that victims receive information and support, particularly about their offender’s release. I hope that that will be part of wider reform of the parole and tagging system, which has led to far too many of my constituents being let down in the past. I am inspired by the pace and ambition with which the Government are delivering on their ambition to tackle and halve violence against women and girls. On the off-chance that the Government might welcome more ideas on how we can better support victims, I invite my hon. Friend the Minister to back my Domestic Abuse (Safe Leave) Bill, which aims, like this Bill, to place power in the hands of survivors and support them as they seek justice and rebuild their lives. This Bill brings us a step closer to halving violence against women and girls and delivering the transformative plan for change that our country and my constituents so urgently need. I look forward to voting to give the Bill its Second Reading.

• 8 Apr 2025 · Horizon Redress and Post Office Update · Hansard source

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  I thank the Minister for his statement and for the update on the redress scheme for victims of the Horizon scandal. I also thank him for listening to my campaign to save the Kings Square post office in Gloucester and for maintaining so many vital services for Gloucester residents with today’s announcement that they will be franchised and continued. Will he meet me to discuss the merits of the new franchise staying in its current location? Kings Square has a fantastic future, with the opening of the university’s new City campus later this year and the Forum, a new office, hotel and leisure facility, which will be fantastic. It would be great for the new franchise to be an important part of that future.

• 2 Apr 2025 · Gaza: Israeli Military Operations · Hansard source

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  The killing of innocent Palestinian civilians, many of them women and children, by Israeli forces is simply heartbreaking. The Minister knows that I have been raising my concerns, and those of my constituents, with him since I was elected to this House last July. I am grateful for and appreciate the steps that he and the Government are taking on aid and arms, yet here we are. What more can the Government do to stop the killing of innocent Palestinian civilians, ensure the release of all remaining hostages, and ensure that aid gets to those who so desperately need it in Gaza?

• 17 Mar 2025 · Domestic Abuse Offences · Hansard source

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  I thank the hon. Gentleman for making a powerful speech on a subject that I know matters to so many people in this House. Does the hon. Gentleman agree that we need to consider not just aggravated offences but sentencing? Killed Women is campaigning to close the sentencing gap. Perpetrators who murder women at home receive shorter sentences than those who murder women on the street. Having domestic abuse aggravated offences would end that injustice when it comes to sentencing.

• 6 Mar 2025 · International Women’s Day · Hansard source

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  I thank my hon. Friend the Member for Brent East (Dawn Butler) for bringing this important debate to the House. It is vital that we honour International Women’s Day to not only recognise the remarkable achievements of women in my city of Gloucester and across the country, but accelerate the drive for equality that is still so desperately needed. Sadly, far too many women come to my surgeries with harrowing experiences of discrimination in the workplace, inequalities in the healthcare system and violence and domestic abuse at home. Many are deeply concerned about the alarming rise in violence, and last year, sadly, we saw sexual and domestic abuse and violence reach record levels in Gloucester. On the latter point, I am proud to have presented my ten-minute rule Bill earlier this year, which seeks to provide victims and survivors of domestic abuse with the right to access 10 days of paid safe leave. I have had the privilege of working with employers and organisations such as the Hollie Gazzard Trust, Women’s Aid, FearFree, SafeLives and the Gloucestershire Domestic Abuse Support Service to develop that Bill. We know that one in four women will experience domestic abuse in their lifetime, meaning that the Bill will help many women to rebuild their lives, and I encourage the Government to add that to their mission. The theme for this year’s International Women’s Day is “Accelerate Action”, and I am encouraged by the Government’s commitment to do just that. We have committed to an ambitious plan to halve violence against women and girls by introducing Raneem’s law; protecting victims of stalking, domestic abuse and harassment; criminalising spiking; improving healthcare and maternity services, particularly for women of colour, and closing the racial mortality gap; tackling sex-based discrimination at work; supporting women during maternity and the menopause; and closing the gender pay gap. I would like to take this moment to celebrate some of the inspirational women in my city, including the fantastic Gloucester-Hartpury women’s rugby team, who go for their third successive title next Sunday; my good friend Mary Smith, the only female leader of Gloucester city council in the past 30 years; Carol Francis, the first black female councillor in Gloucester, who continues to champion her community; Zafeera Karim, who as the Member of the Youth Parliament for Gloucester and the Forest of Dean gave a brilliant speech in this House just last week; and Julie Kent, who founded the charity Emily’s Gift and will soon become high sheriff. Earlier this year, we lost Baroness Sally Oppenheim-Barnes, who died in January after years of service to our city. We also thank other inspirational women for their service to Gloucester and the wider county as they step down this year, including Sally Byng at the Barnwood Trust, Anne Whitworth at the Gloucester Law Centre, Sue Cunningham at GL Communities and Mary Hutton at the Gloucestershire integrated care board. I echo the comments of the hon. Member for Bridgwater (Sir Ashley Fox) about the Nelson Trust, which does brilliant work in my constituency. I will continue to use my position in this House to celebrate the successes of women in Gloucester, but also to advocate for a brighter future for women, which I hope we can all agree will lead to a brighter future for Gloucester and for our country.

• 5 Mar 2025 · Department of Health and Social Care · Hansard source

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  In my last career, prior to entering this House, I was incredibly proud to represent our NHS and other healthcare providers, and I will continue to fight for our NHS now that I sit here as an MP. I saw at first hand the impact that Tory mismanagement had on our NHS, which breached one of the fundamental principles of medical ethics: “first, do no harm”. I saw that at first hand this week in my constituency when I visited Gloucestershire Royal hospital. I also met with Gloucestershire ICB this morning, and earlier this year I visited the surgery in Tuffley. The challenges that they face will not surprise anyone in this House, as they were set out in stark terms in the Darzi report, and they are replicated across the country in many constituencies—maintenance backlogs, lengthy ambulance waiting times, recruitment challenges and an ageing and sicker population. What struck me most about my visits this week was the resilience of our NHS staff, who are committed to people in our county and in my city of Gloucester. What a difference a Labour Government are making with more investment in our NHS. Waiting lists locally are already coming down, and patients are now able to access emergency dental treatment, rather than pulling their teeth out at home. We have more midwives and dentists and a new GP contract that will help to bring back the family doctor. That is what we can do in eight months—imagine the impact that we could have if we had 14 years, as the Conservative party did. From a personal perspective, I have seen how important that work is. I used to joke on the doorstep that I should be a poster boy for why prevention is better than cure—it will not surprise Members that I may have a few extra pounds that I could afford to lose. Sadly, the prevention piece came too late for me; I was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes earlier this year. The treatment I have received since then has been phenomenal. I am now on the path to remission programme—available in Gloucestershire, but not across the country—which has already brought my blood sugar levels down and helped me to lose 3½ stone. [Hon. Members: “Hear, hear!”] Thank you very much. It will help countless others across Gloucestershire and across the country. As we move to prevention work, it is so important that we also look at public health measures around diabetes; I echo the comments made by the hon. Member for South Northamptonshire (Sarah Bool). I also thank all the staff who looked after my little boy last year when he was really sick. We need to ensure that when we look at investment in our NHS, we prioritise maternity services and services for the youngest in our society to ensure they get the healthcare they need. We have talked about British values a lot in this place over the last few months. When people ask me what makes me proud to be British, I point them to our NHS—a system without comparison in the world that means that everyone can access healthcare, regardless of their wealth. I know that Reform Members are not in their places today, but they say that all options are on the table. I would like the Minister to make it clear in her remarks that standing against our NHS and its principles—being there for everyone, regardless of their wealth—is the opposite of being patriotic and that their options are not on the table. I welcome the record investment in our NHS and the shift from analogue to digital and from cure to prevention. I would also welcome the Minister’s comments on how we can ensure that we deliver on the people’s priorities in Gloucester.

• 5 Mar 2025 · Department of Health and Social Care · Hansard source

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  I am sure that the shadow Minister is about to come on to this in her speech, but given that she has just criticised this Government for lacking a plan —a plan that is about to come forward to the House later this year—surely she will now put forward her plan for how much extra the Conservatives propose to put forward for the NHS and how they would pay for it, and explain why they did not do that for the past 14 years.

• 5 Mar 2025 · Type 1 Diabetes and Disordered Eating Services · Hansard source

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  My hon. Friend makes the important point that this issue affects so many people. I have direct experience with a family member who had type 1 diabetes and what, back then, was referred to as diabulimia. They could not get support because the medical profession did not accept that it was a condition. Does my hon. Friend agree that part of tackling this issue is recognising its impact on families across the country, as that is the first step to ensuring that people get the support they need?

• 26 Feb 2025 · Engagements · Hansard source

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  Q2. I am delighted that Calton and Grange primary schools in my city of Gloucester will be among the first 750 schools to get free breakfast clubs, and I am pleased that this Government are already delivering on their manifesto promises in less than a year. So will the Prime Minister agree with me that, by helping working parents with childcare and delivering the best start to the day for every single child, we are delivering opportunity for the next generation?

• 25 Feb 2025 · SEND Education Support · Hansard source

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  I thank my hon. Friend the Minister for having the confidence and courage to accept interventions, unlike some hon. Members. Does she agree that the shadow Minister’s comments showed how out of touch the Conservative party is? Parents have been in tears in my surgeries due to the system that the Conservatives left behind.

• 25 Feb 2025 · SEND Education Support · Hansard source

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  It is a pleasure to serve under your chairship, Mr Twigg. I thank my hon. Friend the Member for Suffolk Coastal (Jenny Riddell-Carpenter) for securing this important debate. I have been contacted time and again by parents in Gloucester who are desperate for support for their children. They have been failed by the system and their children have been left to suffer as a result. The message from parents is clear: they want more support, a reduction in the waiting times for EHCPs, and a system where every plan is processed quickly, fairly and effectively. It is clear that the last Government failed to invest, failed to plan and failed an entire generation of our children and their parents. They created a postcode lottery whereby parents are forced to battle the system rather than being supported by it. That is one of the biggest challenges facing parents in my area: a system that denies their child’s needs and puts the presumption on saying no, rather than asking how it can best support children. The repercussions are staggering. In the past decade, decision times on EHCPs increased by 140%, with two in five taking more than six months to process. In Gloucester, only 35% of EHCP decisions were issued within the 20-week target. That is a disgrace, and it is yet again up to the Labour Government to fix the Tory mess. I understand that there are no quick fixes and there is no magic wand that can undo 14 years of neglect, but I welcome the Government’s £1 billion uplift in SEND funding and the £740 million to create new specialist places in mainstream schools, as well as the commitment to train 400 new educational psychologists and retain these professionals. Will the Minister outline the steps the Government are taking to improve the EHCP process so that families feel supported through it? These measures will ensure that we do not repeat the failures of the last Government. We will be the voice of change, breaking down the barriers to give SEND children better support. These children face so many hurdles in their lives, and it is time we ensured that they have a brighter future and are supported.

• 25 Feb 2025 · SEND Education Support · Hansard source

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  Will the hon. Member give way?

• 24 Feb 2025 · Domestic Abuse: Gloucester · Hansard source

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  4. What steps her Department is taking to help tackle domestic abuse in Gloucester.

• 24 Feb 2025 · Domestic Abuse: Gloucester · Hansard source

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  I thank my hon. Friend for her answer, and for all the work she has done over many years to champion victims and survivors of domestic abuse. As she will know, one of the biggest challenges facing survivors and victims in Gloucester is the financial implications of fleeing that abuse. Will she agree to meet me to discuss my 10-minute rule Bill, the Domestic Abuse (Safe Leave) Bill, which would introduce safe leave for victims of domestic abuse and violence?

• 5 Feb 2025 · English Devolution and Local Government · Hansard source

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  Conservative-led Gloucestershire county council has a dreadful record. The Care Quality Commission says that adult social services require improvement, children’s services are described as catastrophic, the fire service is in special measures, the health service is failing, local authority schools are crumbling, the SEND system is broken, and do not get me started on the potholes. No wonder the Conservatives on the county council wanted our elections cancelled this May. Will the Deputy Prime Minister agree to meet me and local leaders in Gloucester to ensure that we get the best deal for Gloucester residents from local government reorganisation and devolution?

• 4 Feb 2025 · Apprenticeships · Hansard source

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  I agree entirely. SMEs are the backbone of our business community. I recently met the Federation of Small Businesses in the south-west to discuss the opportunities in small and medium-sized businesses in Gloucester and across the region. As my hon. Friend says, apprenticeships are so important to those businesses, as is ensuring that the new levy is flexible so everyone can take part and every person in our country can benefit from the opportunities. I recently met the principal of Gloucestershire College to discuss the opportunities and the vital role of FE colleges in helping young people to develop the skills that they need for the future, but challenges remain. Our higher and further education system is under significant strain. Many young people leave school without the skills or preparation that they need for the future. I will therefore be grateful if the Minister sets out the steps that the Government are taking to support FE colleges and work placements. Apprenticeships are not just a pathway to employment. They are a key driver of opportunity for future generations. They provide people with the chance to gain valuable skills, earn while they learn and build fulfilling careers. By supporting people to gain skills in sectors such as technology, science, engineering, health and education, we are building a skilled workforce that will benefit individuals, businesses and the economy. The steps that this Government are taking will leave a lasting legacy of opportunity, ensuring a prosperous future and a workforce ready for the challenges ahead. This will lay the foundations for a stronger Britain, one in which the future is bright and Gloucester thrives.

• 4 Feb 2025 · Apprenticeships · Hansard source

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  It is a pleasure to serve under your chairship, Ms Jardine. I thank my hon. Friend the Member for Peterborough (Andrew Pakes) for securing this important debate. Apprenticeships matter. They matter because they break down the barriers to opportunity, giving residents in cities like Gloucester the skills that they need to succeed in life. This Government are committed to creating a fairer, more inclusive system that equips individuals with not only the skills that they need today, but the skills that we will all need in future. We are introducing a youth guarantee, transforming further education colleges and fostering collaboration between businesses, training providers and Government to build a highly skilled workforce ready to support Labour’s industrial strategy. I hope that in Gloucestershire we will take advantage of the devolution of adult skills funding, empowering local leaders to take charge of skills development in our area. Importantly, we will reform the apprenticeship levy, which has proven ineffective. In its place, the Government will introduce a flexible growth and skills levy, creating a fairer system that works for employers and learners in Gloucester.