Chris Vince MP: speeches 2025

Speeches

• 4 Nov 2025 · Supporting High Streets · Hansard source

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  I thank the Minister for giving way; she has been very generous with her intervention time. In Harlow, we have a lot of sole traders—workmen and workwomen who are self-employed. One issue that they face is the long waits to actually get seen by the NHS, which has a huge impact on their businesses. Is it not right that we need to invest in the NHS, and that we should welcome the record investment that this Government have put into it?

• 4 Nov 2025 · Welfare Spending · Hansard source

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  I thank my hon. and gallant Friend for his intervention. I cannot pretend to be a huge historian—I do not know a great deal about the selling of the monasteries—but I take his point about the difficult decisions that Governments need to make, and that reform is really important. There are so many things that have been left for us to look at in terms of reform. As a former teacher—I always mention it—special educational needs and disabilities reform is obviously a huge one that needs to be on the agenda. As I was saying, I welcome the review into PIP being led by my right hon. Friend the Member for East Ham. After I left teaching, I worked for a homeless charity and had to help clients with PIP forms; they are cumbersome. I would encourage people from my constituency to participate in that review, either through the formal process or by writing to me. I will make sure that their feedback gets to my right hon. Friend. The one thing in the Conservative motion that I would agree with is the need for more face-to-face assessments. It is right to say that the number of assessments went down because of covid—of course it did—but it is important that we get back to those face-to-face PIP assessments. Finally, one of my top priorities in this place is to ensure that all young people in Harlow have the opportunity and aspiration to succeed, not just for the good of the community and our society, but for themselves.

• 4 Nov 2025 · Welfare Spending · Hansard source

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  It is a pleasure to speak in the debate, and I pay particular tribute to my hon. Friend the Member for Loughborough (Dr Sandher) —who has just left the Chamber—for speaking without notes, which I think is commendable. You will be aware, Madam Deputy Speaker, that my mind is currently dominated by thoughts about babies. It is incredible that human babies are so reliant on their parents and guardians to feed them, clothe them, bath them and keep them warm. That led me to consider how, given its humble beginnings, the human race has been so successful, creating societies, creating communities and—if I may give a local plug—creating the fibre-optic cable in Harlow. Then I realised that it was because of exactly these vulnerabilities that human beings formed societies and communities. It is not only human nature for us to support one another; it is essential. I believe it was Mahatma Gandhi who said that a society should be judged on how it treats its most vulnerable. The original motion claims that it is a moral duty to stop benefits for certain people. I must be honest and say that I do not like that wording, although I recognise the need for welfare reform. I feel that there needs to be a great deal more meat on the bones: what do the Opposition mean by “lower-level” mental health issues? The motion also refers to the Government’s “failure” to get people on benefits back into work. I mean, come on! Give us a chance. Let me gently point out that inactivity increased on the Conservatives’ watch, and the United Kingdom was the only G7 country whose employment rate was still lower than it had been before the pandemic. I support the Government’s aim to get people back into work, and I welcome the inactivity trailblazer scheme, whose purpose is to design local solutions to tackle this issue. I will talk later about having been a teacher, because I do that in every speech, but having worked for a homelessness charity, I know that the reasons for which people are out of work for long periods are complex and often vary, so those local solutions are very important.

• 4 Nov 2025 · Welfare Spending · Hansard source

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  I am going to make some progress, but I must get to my “teacher” point. I may have mentioned a few times in the House that I used to be a teacher. When I visit Harlow’s schools and colleges, I am blown away by our talented young people. I want the best for them: high-quality jobs, and an ambition that does not stop at a glass ceiling and a lifetime on benefits. I genuinely believe that getting people into meaningful employment can and will help some of the mental health issues that people suffer from. I have seen that in my work for a homelessness charity. I therefore welcome getting employment advisers into GP surgeries and mental health institutions. One way to get people back into work is by getting NHS waiting lists down. I know a number of self-employed people in Harlow who are really struggling because of the huge impact that long waiting lists have on them getting back to work. This Government are funding our NHS not just for now, but for the future. I gently add that the number of people claiming unemployment benefits has actually gone down over the last year under this Government, which we should welcome. I also welcome the review into PIP, and I am glad that my right hon. Friend the Minister for Social Security and Disability is leading the charge on that important piece of work.

• 3 Nov 2025 · Army Recruitment · Hansard source

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  I take this opportunity to thank you, Mr Speaker, for the remembrance service we had this morning. It was hugely emotional, and made me think of those from my constituency who gave their lives for our freedom 80 years ago. What will my hon. and gallant Friend the Minister do to continue to champion the servicemen and women who protect this country? We should celebrate all of them, no matter their ethnicity, religion or nationality.

• 29 Oct 2025 · UK-Türkiye Typhoon Export Deal · Hansard source

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  I welcome the Secretary of State’s statement, in particular the 8,000 jobs in the east of England resulting from the deal. Does the Secretary of State agree that this further demonstrates this Government’s commitment to being a key NATO ally, which will inevitably keep residents in my constituency safe? I will briefly also pay tribute to my workforce—the Minister will be aware that Raytheon is based in Harlow, and we have a lot of expertise there.

• 28 Oct 2025 · Stamp Duty Land Tax · Hansard source

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  The Minister is always generous with his time—I thank him for giving way—and I am always smiling in the Chamber, as the right hon. Member for Beverley and Holderness (Graham Stuart) will know. Conservative Members seem to be suffering from collective amnesia. Will my right hon. Friend remind me if the national debt went up or down under the last Government? [ Interruption . ]

• 28 Oct 2025 · Topical Questions · Hansard source

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  T5. Friday was World Polio Day. My constituent Anne Strike, a former Paralympian, continues to campaign for the eradication of polio. What reassurances can the Minister give me that the UK will continue to be a leading player in that aim?

• 27 Oct 2025 · Pension Age Increase: Institute for Fiscal Studies Report · Hansard source

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  Previous to my election to this place, I worked for a homeless charity in Harlow called Streets2Homes. One of its cases involved a man who was homeless due to delays in getting his state pension. How is the Department ensuring that delays like that are not commonplace?

• 27 Oct 2025 · Prisoner Release Checks · Hansard source

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  I thank my right hon. Friend for his statement, and I thank the hon. Member for Epping Forest (Dr Hudson) for starting his question with a recognition that the situation really affects the victims of this terrible crime. We all need to recognise the devastating effect on the families and those who are victims of crime when the person who committed those crimes is released in this way. What reassurance can my right hon. Friend give to residents in my constituency that this Government will finally get on the front foot when it comes to this issue and tackle it?

• 27 Oct 2025 · Victims and Courts Bill · Hansard source

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  I add my personal admiration for my hon. Friend the Member for Bolsover (Natalie Fleet), who has been a fantastic champion for this new clause. Her predecessor in the House was called the beast of Bolsover, but I think she is the brave of Bolsover, because every time she speaks in this House she is incredibly brave, and I pay tribute to her.

• 16 Sept 2025 · Sentencing Bill · Hansard source

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  I saw a worrying statistic that one in 20 people in the UK will be victims of domestic violence, which is truly shocking. I am sure that communities such as mine in Harlow will be particularly concerned about that. What will the Bill do to tackle that scourge?

• 16 Sept 2025 · Topical Questions · Hansard source

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  Will the Secretary of State join me in paying tribute to officers at Harlow police station? During recess, I went on a ride-along and saw their professionalism and dedication at first hand.

• 15 Sept 2025 · Draft Building Safety Levy (England) Regulations 2025 · Hansard source

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  I had not indicated that I wished to speak, Sir Desmond, but I briefly welcome the regulations and welcome the Minister to her place. I would be glad to have further conversation with her on some of my concerns about care homes. I wrote to her predecessor about that, and I will write to her in due course. Sorry, Sir Desmond, for the confusion.

• 15 Sept 2025 · Official Secrets Act · Hansard source

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  I thank the Minister for his statement. The first duty of any Government is to keep their citizens safe, and I know that he has a track record of doing just that. He also rightly recognises that politics is not just about MPs or Members of the other place; it is also about political staff, the Clerks, everybody who works in this place, and everybody in local government. What reassurances can he give my constituents and the greater population that he will ensure that we stop foreign influence over our democratic processes for everybody?

• 15 Sept 2025 · Employment Rights Bill · Hansard source

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  I welcome the Secretary of State to his new role. He will be aware—as will the Minister of State, Department for Business and Trade, the hon. Member for Rhondda and Ogmore (Chris Bryant), who is next to him—that IKEA in my constituency welcomed this legislation, but when the Conservatives heard that, they heckled, and said, “Oh, they’re Swedish.” Will my right hon. Friend recognise the huge amount of employment that IKEA provides in this country, and welcome its foreign investment? Does he agree that IKEA welcomes this legislation because it realises that supporting its staff leads to better productivity and more loyalty to the company?

• 10 Sept 2025 · Bus Services (No. 2) Bill [Lords] · Hansard source

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  I welcome the shadow Minister to his place. My question is on his comments on profitability. Part of the challenge we have found in Essex is that routes that were considered not profitable were being cut, which meant that rural communities were feeling isolated. Does he recognise that if bus services are based purely on profitability, they could be lost, and that that is an issue?

• 9 Sept 2025 · Jaguar Land Rover Cyber-attack · Hansard source

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  I welcome the Minister to his role. Previously, I inadvertently suggested that he was not a national treasure, and I would like to set the record straight on that one. More and more often, businesses and charities in my constituency of Harlow are reliant on the internet for sales, for trade and for human resources services. What reassurance and advice can the Minister give to charities and businesses in Harlow, if they are worried that they might be the next victims of such attacks?

• 9 Sept 2025 · Government Debt Interest Payments · Hansard source

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  Will the Chancellor remind us whether the national debt went up or down under the previous Government?

• 8 Sept 2025 · Cadets · Hansard source

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  19. What steps he is taking to increase the number of cadets.

• 8 Sept 2025 · Cadets · Hansard source

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  May I, too, welcome the Under-Secretary of State for Defence, my hon. and gallant Friend the Member for North East Derbyshire (Louise Sandher-Jones), to her place on the Front Bench? Before recess, I was lucky enough to visit Harlow and district air cadets and see the wonderful work that they do in supporting young people from across Harlow, teaching them leadership skills and building a sense of community. Will the Minister join me in congratulating Harlow and district air cadets on their work, and recognise the importance that all types of cadets—in this case, air cadets—make to communities like mine in Harlow, and particularly working-class communities?

• 8 Sept 2025 · Topical Questions · Hansard source

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  T4. My question is a bit like the buses this morning. I spend a lot of time knocking on doors and talking to residents in my constituency. A couple of weeks ago, one resident spoke with anguish about the challenges that his son, who is former armed services personnel, faces in suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder. I have met the Veterans Minister to discuss this on a number of occasions, but can I ask him once again to emphasise the importance that this Government put on supporting veterans who have PTSD? This links in with work that I did in a previous role, in which I supported veterans out of homelessness—

• 4 Sept 2025 · BBC Monitoring Service · Hansard source

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  I thank the right hon. Gentleman for letting me intervene and for his wonderful introduction to my intervention. He mentioned the importance of soft power, which we spoke a great deal about in the debate secured by my hon. Friend the Member for Bury St Edmunds and Stowmarket (Peter Prinsley). Does he agree that it is not only a case of not knowing what we have got until it is gone, but that, if we were to lose the BBC Monitoring service as well as the BBC World Service—not that we are suggesting that, of course—it would be very difficult to get it back, having realised the error we had made? On the BBC World Service, I will mention the conversation that he and I had in that debate about how, when the service was pulled out of particular countries, it was sometimes replaced with the propaganda that we are trying to avoid.

• 4 Sept 2025 · BBC Monitoring Service · Hansard source

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  rose —

• 4 Sept 2025 · House of Lords (Hereditary Peers) Bill · Hansard source

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  This is an opportune moment for me to mention my summer reading list and the first Labour Government in 1924. Even at that time, there was talk about reform of the House of Lords, so this is very much a tale as old as time itself. In fact, looking back in historical Hansard , it goes much further back than 1924, so is it not good that this Labour Government are finally getting on with dealing with it?