Catherine Atkinson MP: speeches 2026

Speeches

• 19 May 2026 · Family Court: Harassment of Domestic Abuse Victims · Hansard source

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  Perpetrators must not be allowed to use the family courts to further their abuse. While the family courts already have a range of tools designed to protect victims, we are going further by rolling out the child-focused courts model nationally.

• 19 May 2026 · Family Court: Harassment of Domestic Abuse Victims · Hansard source

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  I thank the hon. Member for raising this important issue. Alongside the roll-out of child-focused courts, more work needs to be done to look at coercive control. I know it is an issue of real interest to many across the House, and it is something that the Government take very seriously.

• 19 May 2026 · Family Court: Harassment of Domestic Abuse Victims · Hansard source

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  I thank my hon. Friend for again speaking up on behalf of domestic abuse victims. I remember the powerful debate that he secured on protecting children from domestic abuse. The Government recognise the vital role that legal aid plays in supporting victims of abuse. Child-focused courts, otherwise known as pathfinder courts, have been rolled out to 10 court areas, most recently the Isle of Wight in January. Legal aid is available in child-focused courts for victims of domestic violence or those at risk of abuse, but we are aware that there are challenges affecting timely access. I am happy to meet my hon. Friend on this issue, and I assure the House that we are working to resolve this matter swiftly.

• 19 May 2026 · Topical Questions · Hansard source

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  It is unsurprising, but yet again we do not have any Reform MPs in the Chamber. People will be shocked to hear about those cases of racially aggravated sexual violence, and any comments celebrating them are utterly repugnant. The Government are determined to support victims of violence against women and girls. We are committed to supporting victims not only with £550 million for victim support, but we are also introducing independent legal advisers for adult rape victims.

• 19 May 2026 · Topical Questions · Hansard source

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  I thank my hon. Friend for her consistent efforts to raise the issue of online harms. Whether it is physical, verbal or online, abuse is abuse, and this Government are determined to tackle violence against women and girls online as well as off. We are making it illegal to take or make intimate images without consent, including deepfakes. Our new deletion orders will ensure that courts can require offenders convicted of intimate image offences to delete images of their victims. The VAWG strategy sets out our plan across Government to tackle digitally facilitated violence.

• 19 May 2026 · Topical Questions · Hansard source

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  My hon. Friend and neighbour shares with me a keen interest in rail, as we represent a city that is at the centre of the largest cluster of rail companies in Europe. We have launched a new campaign to drive up reporting of harassment on trains, and the new safer railway scheme, under which train operators must show what they are doing to tackle violence against women and girls so that they can travel with confidence. I look forward to working with my hon. Friend on that initiative.

• 19 May 2026 · Topical Questions · Hansard source

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  I am honoured to take up the role and build on the incredible work that my hon. Friend the Member for Pontypridd (Alex Davies-Jones) undertook. She was absolutely essential to the development of the VAWG strategy, “Freedom from violence and abuse”, so that this Government have a plan to prevent violence, pursue and prosecute perpetrators and support victims. We will be working across Government to deliver the strongest crackdown in British history.

• 19 May 2026 · Topical Questions · Hansard source

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  Those of us who have spent years campaigning to address violence against women and girls know that we are building on the work of pioneers. Baroness Harman was one of those pioneers, and I am looking forward to working closely with her across Government to deliver our VAWG strategy. As part of that we will be delivering the new victims’ code, which will set out the service, support and information that victims are entitled to. We are supporting victims with the largest ever investment of £550 million in victim support services.

• 27 Apr 2026 · Child Maintenance Service · Hansard source

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  My constituent Rebecca and her now 13-year-old have not received child maintenance for over a decade. Arrears exceed £10,000, but because her son’s father has moved in and out of employment he has evaded enforcement, even where deduction from earnings orders have been made. I welcome that child maintenance systems are being reformed, but will the Minister tell us what action will be taken so that Rebecca and parents in similar situations across the country get the support they are entitled to?

• 23 Apr 2026 · Topical Questions · Hansard source

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  In Derby we have many businesses, including small and medium-sized businesses, that are investing in people through apprenticeships or by enabling people to turn their lives around after prison through work. How will reforms to public procurement better recognise the social value that businesses provide when making procurement decisions?

• 23 Apr 2026 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  The 14 to 18-year-olds who study at university technical colleges are three or four times more likely than the national average to secure an apprenticeship. The UTC in Derby is oversubscribed—it got 450 applications for just 100 places —and demand outstrips the number of places in other UTCs too. Many of our industries are concerned about skills shortages, so might we have a debate on how to expand UTC provision, or enable UTCs to team up with other schools, so that more young people can benefit from the skills that UTCs teach and from those strong routes into apprenticeships?

• 21 Apr 2026 · Middle East: Economic Update · Hansard source

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  Does the Chancellor agree that economic security, energy security and national security all go hand in hand, which is why home-grown lower-carbon power that we control is so important? Can she tell us more about how small modular reactors, which are being delivered by Rolls-Royce and are backed by this Labour Government, will play their part in delivering power, security and good British jobs?

• 16 Apr 2026 · Housing Needs: Young People · Hansard source

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  It is a pleasure to serve under your chairship, Ms Butler. I am grateful to the hon. Members for Mid Dunbartonshire (Susan Murray) and for Taunton and Wellington (Gideon Amos) for securing the debate. Housing is an issue that goes to the heart of opportunity for young people. A generation that came of age in the wake of the financial crisis and saw youth services slashed under austerity then had their lives put on pause by the pandemic; now, when they seek to be independent, they face a housing market that is too often still inaccessible. Young people in the private rented sector spend a higher proportion of their income on rent than any other age group—if they are able to live independently at all, that is. In 2014, 36% of those aged 24 still lived in their family home; by 2024, that had risen to 49%. Thankfully, this Government are treating the issue with the seriousness it deserves. The £39 billion investment in social and affordable housing is the most ambitious in a generation, and planning reforms will unlock growth. Together with the Renters’ Rights Act 2025, which was passed by this Labour Government and comes into force next month, it represents not just policy change, but a long-term commitment to rebuilding a housing system that works. Young people, particularly 25 to 34-year olds, are disproportionately more likely to rent, as is already clear from the debate, so they are highly vulnerable to high housing costs. Regulating rental increases will significantly benefit young people, providing greater housing stability and increasing financial predictability. I often talk about ensuring that, when we build homes, the infrastructure that communities need is in place, and I would like to talk about partnerships in delivery. In Derby, we have seen at first hand the role that organisations such as the YMCA play in supporting young people into safe, stable housing. The Foundry Point development, opening in the next couple of weeks, is one such example. Once fully developed, it will support young people aged 18 to 30 with 60 affordable, self-contained flats on land that forms part of the Rolls-Royce estate. It is about not just providing a roof, but enabling independence, employment and long-term stability, and it is possible because of the partnership between the YMCA, Homes England, Rolls-Royce, community groups and individuals donating and fundraising to help keep rents affordable. The Minister would be very welcome to come and visit. With ambitions to deliver 10,000 affordable homes, YMCA and similar organisations will be vital partners in meeting the Government’s housing goals, particularly when it comes to creating genuinely affordable homes for younger people. As such, the Government continuing to engage with charitable providers, so that 100%-affordable housing projects get support, will help to ensure that the needs of young people are sufficiently recognised. It is clear that this Government are serious about tackling the housing crisis, and about who it is hitting hardest. Government plans are essential, because they are quite literally building the foundations of a housing system that will work for the next generation. We must all play our part to ensure that they succeed. With Derby College Group becoming one of the new construction technical excellence colleges, we are ensuring the skills we need to build those foundations.

• 16 Apr 2026 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  Many thousands of children in Derby will be lifted out of poverty by this Labour Government through the changes that came in earlier this month, but there is no complacency in a city that has some of the highest salaries outside London yet a high number of children living in poverty too. That is why the Tale of 2 Cities charity has been set up. It is working with businesses to create an improved life chances fund for around 500 children in our community nurseries—children who will be eligible for free school meals once they start school. Will the Leader of the House allow time for a debate on the next steps in tackling child poverty, so that all children have the chance to thrive?

• 16 Apr 2026 · British Industrial Competitiveness Scheme · Hansard source

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  I hosted a meeting of small and medium-sized manufacturers in Derby about the challenges of energy costs as part of a manufacturing commission inquiry on SMEs and growth. I welcome the expansion of Government support for British business in energy-intensive sectors by slashing their electricity charges. Can the Business Secretary assure us that the scheme will support smaller manufacturers as well as the largest, and can he tell us more about how this Government will continue to work proactively, hand in hand, with businesses to meet challenges, rather than sitting on their hands like the last Government?

• 14 Apr 2026 · Knife Crime · Hansard source

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  Derby is a city that unites to tackle the toughest challenges. When more co-ordination has been needed in relation to knife crime involving young people, school leaders, the council and Derbyshire constabulary have been around the table to strengthen that joined-up response locally. Local organisations such as Safe and Sound also do crucial work with our young people. Does the Minister agree that tackling knife crime requires a partnership response that brings together communities, the police, schools and health authorities, and can she say a little about how the Government’s plan will strengthen those local partnerships?

• 13 Apr 2026 · Topical Questions · Hansard source

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  The week before Easter, Derby suffered a terrible incident in which a car was driven into crowds of people on Friar Gate and several people were seriously injured. Will the Minister join me in thanking the emergency services for their response, as well as members of the public who delivered first aid? Will she meet me to discuss how we can strengthen local preparedness and design out risks, not just in Derby but across the country, to help to keep people safe in future?

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

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  Currently, the rules and standards for taxis vary across the country, and they can operate in completely different areas from where they get their licence. Government action to tackle that will take a step forward next week when the consultation ends. Derby taxi drivers have worked with me and my hon. Friend the Member for Derby South (Baggy Shanker) to push for higher standards, greater safety and a level playing field for taxis. Will the Leader of the House join me in encouraging drivers and passengers to take part in that consultation? Will he ensure that there is parliamentary time to hear from Ministers about next steps, once we have the results?

• 19 Mar 2026 · Climate Change · Hansard source

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  Year 6 pupils from Reigate Park primary academy in Mackworth have written to me in some beautiful handwriting to say how concerned they are about climate change. Does my hon. Friend agree that it is absolutely essential that this Labour Government are committed to tackling the climate and nature crisis, and to accelerating to net zero? Does he agree that going further and faster on clean energy is the only way to secure energy security and cheaper bills?

• 17 Mar 2026 · Youth Unemployment · Hansard source

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  Having seen the 40% fall in youth apprenticeships over the past decade and the long-term trend of increasing numbers of young people not in education, employment or training, I welcome the fact that this Labour Government are enabling more apprenticeships and opportunities for young people. Derby is a city of makers with a highly skilled workforce, but we need to train up the next generation, so can the Secretary of State tell us more about how this Government will work in partnership with businesses, including SMEs, to provide opportunities to young people, so that we can benefit from their talents?

• 17 Mar 2026 · Productivity and Economic Growth: East Midlands · Hansard source

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  It is a pleasure to serve under your chairship, Dr Huq. I congratulate my hon. Friend the Member for Rushcliffe (James Naish) on securing this important debate. I welcome a debate on productivity and economic growth in the east midlands, because it is a region with extraordinary potential, but for far too long that potential has been under-realised. Nowhere is that more evident than in Derby. Derby is a city that helped to power the industrial revolution. The River Derwent, which runs through our city, once powered the mills that transformed Britain’s economy. Today, Derby remains at the heart of Britain’s industrial strength. We are home to globally significant engineering and manufacturing industries, from aerospace to rail, with thousands of highly skilled workers who design, build and maintain some of the most advanced technology in the world—technology that is crucial to this Government’s industrial strategy. For years, however, under Conservative mismanagement, deindustrialisation and chronic under-investment, regional disparities have meant that our region has not fulfilled its potential. Nowhere is that clearer than in transport. The east midlands received a lower level of spending per person than any other region. If our region had received just the UK average across the five years between 2019 and 2024, we would have had an additional £10 billion. That is billions’ worth of missing rail connections and bus services that would have connected people to work, training and opportunities. We cannot talk about economic growth without discussing investment in the skills that drive productivity. Derby is a city of makers, and we are known for our skilled workforce, but even in Derby it is clear that additional investment in our skills is essential. At the Nuclear Skills Academy, Rolls-Royce and the University of Derby are already delivering 200 apprenticeships a year, but there is so much appetite for good skills to deliver good jobs. I believe that Great British Railways, which will have its headquarters in Derby, can and should be an important vehicle for the skills that we need. We can also see that appetite at Derby’s university technical college, which has specialisms in engineering and life sciences. There were 450 applicants for just 100 places. If we are to deliver what we need and deliver what Team Derby foresees—good jobs, regeneration and skills—we need to ensure that we are investing in our future.

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

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  Monday 16 March marks the start of Sign Language Week. Derby has the largest deaf community of any local authority in the country, thanks in large part to the Royal School for the Deaf, which was founded in 1898, and the strong and supportive community that has arisen ever since. Even in Derby, however, too many people find public services inaccessible. Does the Leader of the House agree that, across our public services, everyone should be able to access information and communicate in a way that works for them? Will he join me in wishing everyone who uses British Sign Language in Derby and across the country a very happy Sign Language Week? [In British Sign Language: Happy Sign Language Week.]

• 11 Mar 2026 · Engagements · Hansard source

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  Q11. Team Derby is our partnership ensuring that the billions of pounds in investment that this Labour Government are bringing into Derby benefits the people of Derby in regeneration, skills and good jobs. The Government’s record investment in Rolls-Royce submarines means hundreds of new jobs and apprenticeships in Derby. Will the Prime Minister firmly reject the Green party’s defence policy that would decimate jobs in Derby and leave the United Kingdom unprotected?

• 10 Mar 2026 · Courts and Tribunals Bill · Hansard source

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  Will the right hon. and learned Gentleman give way?

• 10 Mar 2026 · Courts and Tribunals Bill · Hansard source

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  I, too, am a passionate believer in the jury system, but Sweden—which is No. 1 in the World Justice Project’s global rankings—does not use jury trials at all, and neither do Norway, Germany or the Netherlands. In France, Denmark and Canada, only the most serious cases are dealt with by juries. My hon. Friend is not suggesting that those countries do not have liberty, is he?