Catherine Fookes MP: speeches 2026

Speeches

• 8 Jun 2026 · Topical Questions · Hansard source

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  I welcome my hon. Friend the Minister to her place. Surviving Economic Abuse estimates that around 750,000 women are trapped in a joint mortgage with an abusive partner or ex-partner, with the only way out often being to let their home be repossessed, as abusers refuse to contribute their share of repayments or prevent the sale of the property. I welcome the fact that the Government want to explore solutions, including what could be done through the Financial Services and Markets Bill, but what steps will the Government take to stop joint mortgage abuse as part of their wider commitment to halving violence against women and girls?

• 19 May 2026 · Energy Security · Hansard source

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  I point out to the hon. Lady that it would be helpful if the new Welsh Government could release the £3.8 million of funding that the UK Government have given to the Welsh Government to help people struggling with their heating oil costs. I wonder when that will be distributed.

• 19 May 2026 · Energy Security · Hansard source

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  I am delighted that measures in the King’s Speech will strengthen our economic security, our national security and—what we are debating today—our energy security. While the Tories and Reform want to ditch our net zero policies and our clean power targets, it is a huge relief to people in Monmouthshire and across the UK that Labour is taking clean energy seriously. Anyone hearing the speeches from those on the Conservative and Reform Benches would think that they wanted to take us back to oil lamps and candles, such is their disdain for clean energy and modern ways. I also flag my strong support for the clean water Bill. Rivers such as the Wye and Usk are incredibly important to the people of Monmouthshire. They are polluted, and we must tackle that. I am pleased that we are doing that with the stronger regulation promised by the clean water Bill. People in Monmouthshire are facing the realities of our dependence on global oil and gas markets, and many of us in the countryside rely on heating oil or LPG and have little choice but to pay up when prices spike. Earlier this year, a woman in her 70s wrote to me and told me that her quote for 500 litres of oil had risen by £250 in less than a week. Others are hamstrung as their electricity bill goes up or as their commute gets more expensive. All of that is triggered by international conflict that is out of the UK’s hands. That is why Labour has delivered the biggest-ever investment in home-grown clean power in British history. Part of that is Wylfa in north Wales being included as part of the biggest nuclear building programme in half a century. We also have serious investment in tidal power off the coast of Wales. I must also point out to Ministers that there is great potential in the River Severn, which borders my constituency. It would be an amazing spot for new tidal projects, and I hope that the Minister who winds up the debate will respond to that suggestion. The Climate Change Act 2008 has been emulated throughout the world as a leading framework for us to budget for and plan our emissions, and to hold Governments accountable for pollution. The Tories, who supported the Act years ago, now want to scrap it, while Reform backs fracking and its deputy leader actually calls net zero a “cult”. The energy independence Bill and other legislation set out in the King’s Speech affirm this Labour Government’s commitment to harnessing clean, home-grown power, and I am proud to back a Government who take decisions that protect our natural world, our security and our wallets. Those decisions will benefit not only my generation, but generations to come.

• 28 Apr 2026 · Economic Growth in Wales · Hansard source

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  13. What steps she is taking to support economic growth in Wales.

• 28 Apr 2026 · Economic Growth in Wales · Hansard source

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  The people of Magor and Undy have been celebrating the fact that they are getting a new train station, thanks to two Labour Governments working together to deliver it. It is therefore unbelievable that Reform’s leader in Wales recently said that nobody wants or needs these new stations. Does the Minister agree that new railway stations are essential for economic growth, and does he think that Reform does not listen to what people in Wales want, or that it just does not care?

• 22 Apr 2026 · Economic Growth · Hansard source

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  I was pleased to see the Secretary of State and the First Minister launch the local growth fund in Wales this week, to boost jobs and investment in local economies. That is on top of the local Wales placemaking grant funding and the UK Government’s Pride in Place funding, which will give £1.5 million to my constituency and improve six Monmouthshire towns. Will the Secretary of State update the House on how our two Labour Governments are working together to invest in our Welsh communities?

• 22 Apr 2026 · Economic Growth · Hansard source

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  6. What steps she is taking with Cabinet colleagues to support economic growth in Wales.

• 14 Apr 2026 · Crime and Policing Bill · Hansard source

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  I support Lords amendment 361 because some women, even after being found not guilty, have investigations that show up on their Disclosure and Barring Service checks, which impacts their life and future careers. That is the reality for a young woman named Becca, whose case I raised in the House a year ago. She was investigated at age 19 after giving birth to her son at 28 weeks, and she says that removing the investigation from her records would help her to be able to move on and live a proper family life. Does the Minister agree that this change will help to bring justice for women like Becca?

• 14 Apr 2026 · Crime and Policing Bill · Hansard source

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  I really welcome the Government’s amendment on image deletion orders, which will ensure that after a conviction, courts are properly mandated to destroy those intimate images and film. They will be able to give prison sentences, too; that is incredibly important. Does the Minister agree that this, coupled with the Government’s new requirements for tech firms to delete this horrifying content when it is found, is a crucial step forward in ensuring that non-consensual intimate imagery victims can finally move forward with their life?

• 26 Mar 2026 · Driving Test Waiting Times · Hansard source

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  I, too, have heard lots of stories from learners in my constituency about their long wait for driving tests, and waits for medical driving licences are also going up. I am delighted that this Government are taking the driving test backlog seriously. Monmouthshire residents will be relieved to know that I have heard that a new examiner is being trained up in Monmouth test centre as we speak, with another joining in Abergavenny soon. Will the Minister update me on what further steps the Department is taking to ensure that examiners are recruited, trained and out doing driving tests as soon as possible?

• 23 Mar 2026 · Violence against Women and Girls · Hansard source

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  Survivors in Monmouthshire tell me that economic abuse not only featured in their relationships, but stopped them rebuilding their lives long after they left. For some, the separation compromised their business. Others face continued control through child maintenance disputes. In what measurable ways will the VAWG strategy tackle economic abuse, and how will progress on that be reported to the House and elsewhere?

• 23 Mar 2026 · Violence against Women and Girls · Hansard source

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  15. What steps she is taking to help tackle violence against women and girls.

• 18 Mar 2026 · Fuel Duty · Hansard source

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  The Government are not just talking about it—we have put £53 million into supporting the cost of heating oil. That is doing something about it. When the Conservatives were in government, they took 200 days to do that.

• 18 Mar 2026 · Fuel Duty · Hansard source

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  In Wales, it is fantastic news that the Welsh Labour Government have put in place a £1 cap on bus fares for young people and a £3 fare for all people over 18. Does the hon. Lady agree that that is a fantastic use of funding by the Welsh Labour Government?

• 17 Mar 2026 · Child Maintenance Service · Hansard source

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  I thank my hon. Friend for securing this debate. As a child of divorced parents way before the CMS came into existence, I know that the whole issue of how much the paying parent should pay and getting them to pay on time is extremely stressful—for the children as well. My hon. Friend raised good points about child maintenance being routinely weaponised. Collect and pay may help lots of families by making it harder for abusers to withhold payment, but I know from my caseload that many parents say that income is being hidden and that the CMS is allowing that income to be hidden—if a parent is self-employed or becomes a “director”, for example. Does she agree that the CMS must be equipped to find that hidden income?

• 16 Mar 2026 · Heating Oil Support · Hansard source

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  I welcome the £3.8 million commitment, which will help Welsh households with rising costs. A 70-year-old woman in my constituency saw a quote for 500 litres of oil rise by £250 in less than a week. Farmers will also be hit hard: they will face increased red diesel prices and an exponential rise in fertiliser costs. Will the Minister share what support may be given to farmers?

• 11 Mar 2026 · Topical Questions · Hansard source

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  T2. According to Surviving Economic Abuse, an economic abuse victim loses her life every 19 days, with more than 50% of domestic homicide reviews involving that form of abuse by a partner. What steps is the Minister taking with Cabinet colleagues to tackle it, both through the Government’s violence against women and girls strategy and by improving understanding within relevant agencies?

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

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  I rise to speak in favour of the Bill, but first I want to remind the House why these reforms matter to victims. When the powerful wave of the MeToo movement washed over us in 2017, almost 10 years after the incredible Tarana Burke began the MeToo programme in US schools and women began to share their stories, I froze when I heard on the radio what Harvey Weinstein had been doing in plain sight. I spent the rest of the day scrolling through courageous women’s stories online, and despite my horror at each of their experiences, I felt relief and hope. I felt relief that we could share our stories of experiences that I know every woman in this Chamber and, unfortunately, every woman and girl in the UK, has at some level had to endure. And I felt hope that this would be a watershed moment and that there would be no more Harvey Weinsteins. Recently, however, we have come to learn of the monstrous abuses committed by Jeffrey Epstein and his associates, reminding us that this fight is by no means over. Regardless of whether a victim has survived a high-profile repeat offender or abuse from someone they knew and trusted at home or at work, they deserve justice. The Tories utterly failed victims in their 14 years. They ran up a huge backlog. Some women victims have said recently that they have waited 10 years, and that is a 10-year sentence for them. We cannot accept these delays. Over 90% of all criminal cases are already heard fairly without a jury by magistrates. Clause 8 of the Bill puts restrictions on evidence or questions about a survivor’s sexual history. That should never have been part of the trial in the first place. Clause 17 will mean that courts will no longer have to start from the presumption that parental involvement will always be in the interests of a child. Women’s Aid has called this “a significant shift in the ‘pro-contact’ culture” that puts children at risk. This change will be incredibly encouraging for one of my constituents whose ex-partner was convicted of child sex offences and who has seen her children’s wellbeing massively impacted. I pay tribute to the campaigners here today, who have worked so hard to make this happen. Today we can move the dial towards a system that does not unfairly advantage perpetrators and does not retraumatise victims.

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

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  I agree that we need to do more. As a recipient of legal aid myself in the past, I know how important it is that its budget is increased. It is almost 10 years since the birth of the MeToo movement. We must now ensure that we deliver on the hope that it engendered. Real change is needed. I back survivors of domestic abuse and sexual violence, and I therefore back the Bill.

• 9 Mar 2026 · Topical Questions · Hansard source

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  Sadly, I have been contacted by a number of constituents who are facing a hidden problem in the child maintenance system: their ex-partner has found ways of hiding their income to avoid having their monthly payments increased or paying the arrears that they owe. Can the Minister share with me the work that the Department is doing to ensure that income assessment of paying parents is accurate, agile and serves the children it is meant to support?

• 5 Mar 2026 · Civil Service Pension Scheme · Hansard source

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  5. What recent discussions he has had with Capita on ensuring timely payments under the civil service pension scheme.

• 5 Mar 2026 · Civil Service Pension Scheme · Hansard source

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  I welcome my hon. Friend to her place. My constituents Richard, Peter and Chris all planned to retire in January and all gave at least the required notice to get their pensions; I have many other cases of people waiting too. January has been and gone, as has February, and despite repeated attempts to get their pensions and hours in phone queues, these poor people have not seen a penny. Will the Minister please update me on when she expects a return to proper service levels, and whether she will look at MyCSP and Capita providing compensation to those who face such serious financial hardship?

• 5 Mar 2026 · Energy Markets · Hansard source

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  I thank the Secretary of State for his statement and for the Government’s laser focus on renewable energy in England and Wales. Does he agree that this should deliver basically a triple whammy for us? We will not be at the mercy of foreign states for our energy, bills for consumers will go down and, finally, we will reduce the impact of the biggest threat to our planet, which is climate change.

• 26 Feb 2026 · St David’s Day and Welsh Affairs · Hansard source

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  My hon. Friend mentioned her new railway stations. She used to be the MP for part of my constituency, and I want to pay tribute to her. Will she join me in welcoming the new Magor and Undy railway station? I want to say a big thank you to her for all the work she has done with the Magor Action Group on Rail to make that station a reality.

• 26 Feb 2026 · St David’s Day and Welsh Affairs · Hansard source

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  “Gwnewch y pethau bychain,” were the famous words of St David, meaning, “Do the little things.” I do hope I have not mangled the pronunciation too much; dw i’n dysgu Cymraeg—I am learning Welsh—so I am getting there. That is the message that many of my colleagues have talked about today: take those compassionate daily actions, even if they do not feel like much in the moment. Our community in Monmouthshire put this into action hugely in our response to the dreadful flooding that affected us as a result of Storm Claudia in November last year; everyone did their bit, big or little. I thought I could not be any prouder to represent my constituency, but I have been proven wrong. Seeing our community pull together was yet another brilliant reminder of the privilege it is to represent them; they are resilient, generous and determined. The flooding in Monmouthshire was devastating. Hundreds of homes and businesses were flooded, and they are still dealing with the after-effects, including anxiety every time it rains—which as we know, sadly, has been pretty much all day, every day recently. Particularly among our older community, there is anxiety about when, if ever, they will get back into their homes or residential spaces. People who have replaced every single thing in the ground floor of their flat or house are anxious about maybe losing it once again in a future flood. Let me take the House back to the early hours of the morning on that November day. What was described by constituents as a tidal wave came down Drybridge Street and Monmouth’s high street, leaving shops and houses badly damaged, a stinking mess, and a fine brown silt everywhere. Osbaston, Overmonnow, Little Mill and Rockfield Road were affected, as were parts of Abergavenny. For some, this was not novel; sadly, the communities in Skenfrith and on Forge Road in Monmouth flooded yet again, as they have every single year for the past few years. It was awful, but from that awfulness rose an astonishing response. It was not only the council, charities and emergency services that intervened immediately and did those little things; it was volunteers, ordinary members of the local community who heard the calls for assistance and answered them. Pets were rescued by Sara from Paws pet shop, and an elderly resident was also rescued by boat from Chippenham Court by Sara. I want to say a massive diolch yn fawr iawn to our emergency services, and to everybody who helped and continues to help. However, recovery is incredibly long and arduous. The media have most definitely moved on, but the people who live and work in Monmouthshire—especially in Monmouth—are still struggling, particularly with their mental health. Businesses have seen insurance costs jump, in one case from around £1,000 a year to £20,000 a year. As such, I am exceptionally relieved that additional funding was made available for the first stages of recovery, in part through the mayor’s fundraiser, which she set up and which people donated to, not just from the local area but from all around the world. Of course, I am also grateful for the emergency funding from Monmouthshire county council and the Welsh Government, and thank goodness for the £1.5 million Pride in Place funding from this UK Government. Alongside the Welsh Government’s town transformation grant, it will help to regenerate some of those areas affected by the floods. I was also delighted and very thankful that our Secretary of State came to visit and see for herself the community support in action, and the high street and what was going on there. In yet another show of resilience, businesses have been fighting to reopen as quickly as possible, and I am proud to say that Monmouth is very much open for business. Salt and Pepper, one of our lovely coffee shops, was quick to get back on its feet, thanks to the owner Catherine and her fantastic team, as was Bar 125. These became a visible sign of resilience in the town centre. Bee Beautiful nail bar is back—I had my lovely nails done there—and Harts of Monmouth, which was established over 50 years ago, showed real determination by continuing to trade from the first floor of its premises the weekend after the floods while flood repairs were still under way downstairs. Alex Gooch’s artisan bakery is now selling from a converted horsebox outside on the pavement while the damage in the shop is assessed. However, many places are still on the journey to reopening. The Robin Hood Inn, Monmouth’s oldest pub, remains closed; despite the challenges of repairing that listed building, it is working hard to reopen. Handyman House and the Bridges community centre are also working on their recovery after their premises were badly damaged, so now we need to apply that lesson—“Gwnewch y pethau bychain”—once again. I invite any of my constituents who can, as well as those living just outside Monmouthshire’s bounds, those from further afield and all fellow Members of this House, to please come and visit Monmouth. Come to our high street; come and have a coffee, have some lunch, and buy some gifts in our wonderful independent shops that need our support. I know you will be given a brilliant welcome. Finally, I wish a happy St David’s day to all in the House.