Bayo Alaba MP: speeches

Speeches

• 1 Jul 2026 · Coastguard Volunteers: Remuneration and HMRC Guidance · Hansard source

  More

  It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Sir Alec. I thank the right hon. Member for Orkney and Shetland (Mr Carmichael) for securing this debate on an issue that concerns those in my constituency. The south Essex coastline is one of my constituency’s greatest assets—beloved by residents, depended upon by our fishing community and a magnet for the more than 7 million day visitors who flock to Southend alone each year. But as beautiful as our coastline is, it can also be treacherous, from unpredictable tides to shifting mudflats. Protection from physical danger requires specialised skills, a rapid response and a deep local knowledge. The Southend-on-Sea coastguard rescue team covers roughly 70 miles of coastline, and its 11 volunteers are the reason why our community can safely enjoy locations such as Shoeburyness’s east beach, the marshes of Wallasea island and, of course, Southend pier. Rescue officers, those who—

• 22 Jun 2026 · Topical Questions · Hansard source

  More

  Like many other Members on both sides of the House, I have heard from countless families who have been let down by the existing SEND system. In one particularly upsetting case, a bright young boy was expelled from infant school owing to the mishandling of his complex needs. Thankfully, he was later re-enrolled as a result of his mother’s tireless work. Does the Minister agree that the reforms outlined in the Government’s SEND White Paper will support productive early intervention and create a fairer, more fulfilling school experience for every child?

• 27 Apr 2026 · Topical Questions · Hansard source

  More

  I welcome the £2.5 million funding boost recently awarded to South Essex college; that will help equip even more residents from Southend and Rochford with the skills needed for fulfilling, lifelong careers. Following my conversations with Louisa Strachan, founder of Song School in Southend, on their desire for greater support for creative apprenticeships, can the Minister outline the steps that his Department is taking to support young people into the creative and music industries?

• 10 Mar 2026 · Technology Sovereignty · Hansard source

  More

  It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Ms Vaz. I thank my hon. Friend the Member for Newcastle upon Tyne Central and West (Dame Chi Onwurah) for securing this timely and vital debate. In a world that is increasingly reliant on secure and stable access to digital technology, whether that is artificial intelligence or semiconductors, the ability to control those technologies must be a Government priority. Securing technology sovereignty in the United Kingdom should not be a difficult undertaking. We have world-class universities, industry-leading research institutions and the manufacturing capabilities to turn ideas into marketable products. However, world-class research is only half of the solution to achieving control over the innovative technologies created in the UK. When the UK university spin-out or research group is forced to trade its intellectual property for Silicon Valley venture capital, we lose more than just the business; we lose our grip on national security. I welcome the Government’s plans to streamline the Intellectual Property Office, but there are lessons we can learn from our intellectual counterparts, where strong links between universities, research groups and industry have given rise to countless pioneering companies. There is no reason the UK could not support universities to own their own intellectual property, and nurture their growth by encouraging partnerships with private enterprise. Closer collaboration between Government, businesses and research bodies will not only protect our national interests but bolster the financial situation of universities and higher education institutions, where funding shortfalls are already leading to lay-offs and even partial closures. Take the decision of the University of Essex to close its Southend campus, where dozens of my constituents face imminent redundancy and hundreds of students are searching for certainty regarding the future of their courses. The university’s senior leadership has pointed to an unsustainable funding model as a reason behind that devastating decision. I am grateful that the issue of technological sovereignty is getting the attention it deserves, and I hope the debate prompts further consideration of the benefits of IP capitalisation for our world-class universities.

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

  More

  I understand that in the United Kingdom, our universities operate as businesses independent from the Government. However, given the unacceptable lack of transparency from the senior leadership team at the University of Essex on the decision to close its Southend campus, can the Leader of the House facilitate a meeting with the Prime Minister, the Department for Education and the University of Essex leadership team to discuss the continuation of the university’s presence in Southend?

• 19 Jan 2026 · Topical Questions · Hansard source

  More

  T5. The decision by the University of Essex to close its Southend campus has sent shockwaves through my city. Students deserve continuity of study and staff deserve job security. Will the Minister outline what steps the Government are taking to secure an alternative provider for the courses that are currently offered in Southend?

• 12 Jan 2026 · Higher Education: Government Support · Hansard source

  More

  Yes, I do agree. We need to look at the business model and make sure that it is sustainable, certainly when it comes to higher education, which is a huge and significant asset of our country. We need to future-proof it, so I welcome my hon. Friend’s comments.

• 12 Jan 2026 · Higher Education: Government Support · Hansard source

  More

  I am pleased to have secured this debate on Government support for higher education. The UK is home to some of the world’s most respected universities and we all benefit from the opportunities, knowledge and growth they create—whether it is for young people pursuing exciting academic ambitions, members of staff supporting students through their studies or small businesses capitalising on the busy trade of a university city, the value of our higher education institutions is undeniable. In my constituency, residents have enjoyed the opportunities for social mobility and the economic contributions of the University of Essex’s campus in Southend for the past 18 years. During that time, thousands of students have graduated, going on to fuel regional and national economies and finding fulfilling careers in the process. The university’s nursing, midwifery, dental hygiene and social care courses are particularly popular and often oversubscribed. Many of those enrolled grew up in south Essex and go on to work within the area after graduating. The campus is also a major employer of residents, some of whom have worked across catering, student support services and teaching for almost two decades. However, that is soon set to end. Just before Christmas, the University of Essex announced that it would be closing its Southend campus this summer, throwing the futures of the 1,000 enrolled students into uncertainty and putting 400 jobs at risk. The proposed closure will see a direct loss of £101 million from the city’s economy. In the wake of the announcement, I have spoken with dozens of staff, students and stakeholders impacted by this decision. I have heard from students like Lulu, a first-year marketing student who was just two months into her course when she was informed of the closure. Lulu describes herself as “a bright individual who has always enjoyed studying and does not want her educational journey to end”. There are also stories of dedicated student support staff like Judy, who has worked in the campus accommodation department for the past eight years and now faces the devastating prospect of redundancy. I have spoken with internationally headhunted lecturers, many of whom came to the UK on skilled worker visas, which could be revoked if their roles disappear. I met one Brazilian lecturer who spoke about the impending impact of the threat of compulsory emigration on her young family. If her job was lost, she would have just 60 days to leave the country. To her, the threat of deportation is a frightening reality. The Forum, Southend’s central library and a well-used community hub, could also be at risk following the closure of the campus.

• 12 Jan 2026 · Higher Education: Government Support · Hansard source

  More

  I thank my hon. Friend for his contribution, and I agree. I have met members of the aviation community. In my constituency, we have London Southend airport, so I have met its senior leadership team, who have expressed the need to get more talent—to get more pilots through. That is hard, and it is prohibitively expensive for people from particular socioeconomic backgrounds. More work needs to be done to enable people from all backgrounds to access all courses and career opportunities. It is encouraging to see the efforts being made to help our world-leading higher education institutions work with industry partners to capitalise on the research they produce. On that note, I am hopeful that the £30 million of funding recently awarded to universities and research experts will incubate growth and create jobs for the future. Those measures, paired with rejoining the Erasmus study scheme, are expected to deliver a brighter financial outlook for our universities following more than a decade of underfunding. Given the scale of the challenge facing higher education providers, I urge the Government to continue exploring additional support. Although I am focusing on Southend, it is vital that we acknowledge and address the increasing pressures emerging across the nation. There are things that we can learn from our international counterparts, where close ties between institutions and industry have often given rise to pioneering companies. These relationships not only fuel innovation but offer universities a reliable source of income that can shield their success from unpredictable financial pressures. We have the talent to do the same here, and we should support universities in commercialising their intellectual property through public investment and by encouraging private backing. Although I welcome this Government’s plans to streamline the Intellectual Property Office, I hope that universities and other higher education providers will be given adequate thought when carrying out those reforms. Beyond IP and investment, we should be supporting students to build industry connections during their time at university by offering a year’s work placement on every course and skill-building discovery modules. It is also worth expanding the investigation of the university grant reintroduction to reduce over-reliance on finding an ever-increasing number of international students. As I have acknowledged, universities offer far more than research and economic growth, and any plan for support must be accompanied by engagement with the wider community. The issues posed by the planned closure of the University of Essex’s Southend campus continue to evolve and develop. I thank the residents who have been in contact with me in recent weeks to share their stories; I share their very real concerns. I am also grateful for the support from unions such as Unison and the University and College Union on this matter. Unison recently launched its “Stop the Cuts” campaign in the hope of keeping the campus open and avoiding compulsory redundancies across Essex University. My colleagues and I are committed to continuing to push the senior leadership team to achieve a solution that works for staff, students and the whole of Southend. Will the Minister speak to how the Government are supporting higher education providers across the UK to prevent situations similar to that facing the University of Essex in Southend?

• 12 Jan 2026 · Higher Education: Government Support · Hansard source

  More

  I thank the hon. Gentleman for his contribution and welcome his comments. Indeed, the business model that a lot of universities have used over the past 14 years has meant that they have focused on international students, which is one of the reasons that we are having this debate. Passionate staff fear that if the university’s share of the Forum library is sold, the result would be significant financial pressure on the remaining partners. They understandably fear the knock-on impacts of the campus closure. East 15, one of the UK’s leading performing arts schools, is set to cut its Southend courses as a result of the closure. Students training with East 15 contribute to the cultural character of the city long after they have graduated, providing Southend with links to arts and entertainment industries further afield. I share residents’ pride in the success of talented Southend East 15 alumni, such as the comedian Maisie Adam. There are also significant concerns that the suggestion that 800 students can relocate to the university’s main campus in Colchester has been overstated. What’s more, following dialogue with staff and students, the suggestion that 200 students will be unable to complete their courses at all appears to be an underestimation. This is simply not good enough. I am working with the leader of Southend council, Councillor Daniel Cowan, and my hon. Friend the Member for Southend West and Leigh (David Burton-Sampson) to ensure that if an alternative provider can be found for courses not available in Colchester, students will be able to complete their studies in Southend. Can the Minister provide any reassurance to these students, who rightly feel confused and concerned about the future of their studies? While questions remain unanswered about the university’s decision making and communication in the lead-up to the announcement, the planned closure is not an isolated event but a devastating symptom of 14 years of under-investment in higher education by the previous Conservative Government, which left universities and colleges across the country struggling to stay afloat. That Government slashed direct teaching grants for universities, making tuition fees the primary source of income for institutions. At the same time, they capped tuition fees, leading to an unsustainable business model that saw income tied to an ever-increasing number of enrolled students. The impact of that cannot be ignored. Elsewhere in the UK, the University of Nottingham is planning for job losses of 350 staff members, the University of Strathclyde is looking for £35 million in savings, and the University of Edinburgh is set to move towards a sweep of compulsory redundancies.

• 12 Jan 2026 · Higher Education: Government Support · Hansard source

  More

  Absolutely; this closure affects the community in Southend and in Colchester. Four hundred members of staff will be made redundant across both campuses. Another consequence is the uncertainty that this is causing the student community, the staff and the whole wraparound community that supports the institution. I welcome the Government’s actions to support students and universities financially, including through an inflation-based increase to both maintenance loans and tuition fees.

• 2 Sept 2025 · English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill · Hansard source

  More

  In Southend East and Rochford we are a proud coastal community, but we have been left behind when it comes to connectivity, educational outcomes and investment in skills. Does the Secretary of State agree that through this Bill we have a chance to deliver the long-term meaningful change that my constituents deserve?

• 1 Sept 2025 · NEET: Young People · Hansard source

  More

  Young people across the UK who are not in education, employment or training are more than twice as likely to come from disadvantaged backgrounds. What steps is the Minister taking to ensure that support reaches those who need it most?

• 1 Sept 2025 · NEET: Young People · Hansard source

  More

  16. What steps she is taking to support young people into employment, education or training in Southend East and Rochford constituency.