Chris Vince MP: speeches

Speeches

• 2 Mar 2026 · Representation of the People Bill · Hansard source

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  I declare an interest as chair of the all-party parliamentary group for young carers and young adult carers. Does the Secretary of State recognise that when young carers and young adult carers get to the age of 16, they have potentially already been caring for a loved one for over a decade? They are emotionally intelligent and educated enough, and have enough life experience, to deserve the democratic right to vote.

• 24 Feb 2026 · Cyber Security and Resilience (Network and Information Systems) Bill (Seventh sitting) · Hansard source

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  I declare an interest as a member of the Public Accounts Commission, which regularly scrutinises the National Audit Office. Can the Minister give some reassurance to Labour Members, who are being accused of hypocrisy, that we do make sure that the highest levels of cyber-security are met?

• 24 Feb 2026 · Online Harm: Child Protection · Hansard source

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  I have not mentioned Harlow yet today, so I feel that I should. When I spoke to some young people at Mark Hall Academy in my constituency of Harlow—there we are, I have done it—about the potential social media ban, I was interested to hear what they had to say. They said, “We don’t care about Facebook”—because only old people like us use Facebook—but they did not want us to ban platforms like WhatsApp, which I had not thought of as being social media, although I suppose it is. Does my hon. Friend agree that it is important for young people’s voices to be heard during the Government’s consultation, so that we can understand their views on this issue?

• 24 Feb 2026 · Online Harm: Child Protection · Hansard source

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  This is a genuinely friendly intervention. I am raising this point because I know that the hon. Member does a lot to champion and support people with eating disorders. I am completely changing the subject, but does she think that the rise of social media and online platforms has had an increased impact on people with eating disorders?

• 24 Feb 2026 · Online Harm: Child Protection · Hansard source

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  Will the hon. Lady give way?

• 24 Feb 2026 · Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor · Hansard source

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  The hon. Lady makes a really important point about the victims of crimes perpetrated by people in the public eye. It is particularly difficult for those victims, and almost as if the trauma is repeated again and again when these things come to light in the press and the media. Does she agree that, in particular, we need to support victims of crimes of that nature?

• 23 Feb 2026 · Grey-belt Land · Hansard source

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  The Office for Budget Responsibility has concluded that this Government’s overhaul of the planning system will mean more house building in this country than at any time in the past 40 years. That is good news for residents in my constituency, who are desperate to get a home for themselves and their families. What more can this Government do to provide the uplift in social and affordable housing that residents in Harlow desperately need?

• 23 Feb 2026 · Lord Mandelson: Government Response to Humble Address · Hansard source

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  I thank the Chief Secretary to the Prime Minister for his statement and for coming again to the House to talk about this important matter. I also thank the Intelligence and Security Committee for the work it has done on this issue. Does the Chief Secretary agree that ensuring we get this process right is what our constituents deserve, and what the victims of these vile crimes deserve?

• 23 Feb 2026 · Schools White Paper: Every Child Achieving and Thriving · Hansard source

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  As a former teacher—something I obviously rarely mention—I cannot emphasise enough how much hope this White Paper gives me. Residents in my constituency of Harlow found that the EHCPs they got were not worth the paper they were written on; schools were unable to meet their so-called legal requirements. How will the reforms benefit parents and children in my constituency who have battled a broken system for too long?

• 12 Feb 2026 · Lord Mandelson: Government Response to Humble Address Motion · Hansard source

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  I thank you, Mr Speaker, for granting this urgent question; I also thank the Minister for his responses, because this is an important issue that people in my constituency and across the country are obviously very interested in. Can he assure my constituents that this process will be fully transparent? I also wish to add my support to the words of my hon. Friend the Member for Paisley and Renfrewshire South (Johanna Baxter), who spoke about the importance of people in power listening to the victims of these terrible crimes.

• 12 Feb 2026 · Rail Fare Affordability · Hansard source

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  Yesterday, I had a very productive meeting with representatives of Greater Anglia about my campaigns to improve connectivity at Roydon station and improve safety at Harlow Mill station. Does the Minister agree that the move to Great British Railways and renationalisation will mean a better-connected rail service that is safer and will bring prices down for commuters?

• 11 Feb 2026 · Hughes Report: Second Anniversary · Hansard source

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  I thank the hon. Member for bringing this important debate to Westminster Hall. I secured a debate on the Cumberlege report 18 months ago; I said at the time that I hoped it would be the last time we debated this issue, yet here we are again. Does the hon. Member agree that the emotional impact on the women involved is hugely important? I was approached by a number of constituents in my constituency, including Debbie, who joined me for my debate. It is so important that the review’s recommendations are acted on.

• 11 Feb 2026 · Police Grant Report · Hansard source

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  I thank the shadow Secretary of State for lobbying on behalf of Essex. Obviously, I want more funding for Essex as much as he does. I should declare an interest at this point, as I have stood against Roger Hirst in two elections, but I want to make it clear that I have a great deal of time for the work that he does as police and crime commissioner. On his website, he says that he welcomes “another 69 new recruits into Essex Police, making the force bigger and stronger than ever before.” That does not quite fit with what the shadow Secretary of State said earlier.

• 10 Feb 2026 · Ministry of Defence: Palantir Contracts · Hansard source

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  I welcome this Government’s record funding for our defence, and I also recognise that the US is one of our closest allies. In this House we often talk about energy security, but I sometimes think that we do not talk enough about the security of security. What more can this Government do to invest in UK tech firms so that we are less reliant on foreign firms?

• 10 Feb 2026 · Cyber Security and Resilience (Network and Information Systems) Bill (Fifth sitting) · Hansard source

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  Will the shadow Minister give way?

• 10 Feb 2026 · Cyber Security and Resilience (Network and Information Systems) Bill (Fifth sitting) · Hansard source

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  I thank the shadow Minister for remembering my consistency—I have not mentioned Harlow. How is the new clause helpful, given the potential confusion it causes with listing a specific kind of incident as well as the generic one?

• 10 Feb 2026 · Cyber Security and Resilience (Network and Information Systems) Bill (Sixth sitting) · Hansard source

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  The shadow Minister will forgive me for taking the opportunity to defend the Government and the Prime Minister; I was not expecting to do that in this Committee this week. I reassure Members across the House that this Prime Minister and Government put national security first. The shadow Minister will know that intelligence agencies have been consulted about the relocation of the Chinese embassy. He will also be aware that the proposed new site at Royal Mint Court is actually further away from this place than the current site.

• 10 Feb 2026 · Cyber Security and Resilience (Network and Information Systems) Bill (Sixth sitting) · Hansard source

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  indicated assent .

• 10 Feb 2026 · Cyber Security and Resilience (Network and Information Systems) Bill (Sixth sitting) · Hansard source

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  I recognise that the shadow Minister cares passionately about the security of this country—as do I, which is why we are discussing the Bill. But does he not recognise that the site was purchased by the Chinese Government in 2018? There is a potential threat whether or not the new embassy is built there.

• 10 Feb 2026 · Cyber Security and Resilience (Network and Information Systems) Bill (Sixth sitting) · Hansard source

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  I am going to mention Harlow, because Harlow has young people with amazing potential. The point that the shadow Minister and other Opposition Members have made is really important. We need to make sure that this and the next generation of young people are trained up in these skills, because this is an emerging threat. I encourage the Minister to promote the Bill and what the Government are doing in cyber-security, because it is important that the wider public know that these important skills and jobs are available.

• 9 Feb 2026 · Standards in Public Life · Hansard source

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  I thank the Chief Secretary to the Prime Minister for his statement and his focus on the victims of these appalling crimes. What steps have the Government taken to ensure that victim-survivors of these vile crimes are heard by those in power?

• 9 Feb 2026 · Policing: Rural Areas · Hansard source

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  As well as Harlow, I represent a number of rural communities such as Great Canfield, Matching Tye and Nazeing. When I speak to residents in those parts of my constituency, they tell me that farm theft and fly-tipping are having a devastating effect on their families and their livelihoods. What is the Minister doing to ensure that we strengthen neighbourhood policing in those rural areas?

• 5 Feb 2026 · Cyber Security and Resilience (Network and Information Systems) Bill (Fourth sitting) · Hansard source

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  The shadow Minister is always very generous with his time. This is not meant to be a controversial intervention, but does he recognise that micro and small enterprises have been omitted from this legislation because we recognise the challenges they have with the guidance? I appreciate that small can mean mighty when it comes to businesses. The hon. Member for Spelthorne made the point that businesses may have only a small headcount, but a very important role in the cyber-security make-up of this country.

• 5 Feb 2026 · Cyber Security and Resilience (Network and Information Systems) Bill (Fourth sitting) · Hansard source

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  I seek some clarification on the shadow Minister’s statistics about the number of MSPs that are in scope, and what they are as a proportion of the MSPs in the country. Could he clarify that he is talking about individual organisations rather than what they do? For example, if there is one large organisation and nine small ones, but the large one takes up 80% of the market, the proportions are slightly different.

• 5 Feb 2026 · Cyber Security and Resilience (Network and Information Systems) Bill (Fourth sitting) · Hansard source

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  I am not going to tell the hon. Gentleman that he is completely wrong—he should not worry about that. I will make another point. I wonder whether the distinction might be how time-sensitive losing a particular service would be. That is just a suggestion.