Claire Young MP: speeches

Speeches

• 30 Jan 2025 · Proportional Representation: General Elections · Hansard source

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  I wonder whether the hon. Gentleman remembers how many Prime Ministers there were between the last election and the one before, and whether voters knew what they were getting at the start of 2019.

• 30 Jan 2025 · Proportional Representation: General Elections · Hansard source

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  Following up on that point, does the hon. Gentleman agree that, in our current system, people vote for what can actually be very loose coalitions? Our electoral system forces us to have very large coalitions in order to form a Government, but voters do not know which parts of those coalitions they are going to get after an election.

• 30 Jan 2025 · Proportional Representation: General Elections · Hansard source

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  rose—

• 29 Jan 2025 · A432 Badminton Road Bridge · Hansard source

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  I want to start by setting the scene. The A432 M4 overbridge forms part of a key route from my constituency into Bristol. It was erected in 1966 when the M4 was built and is a post-tensioned concrete bridge. That is, it has high-strength steel tendons in ducts within concrete to which tension was applied after the concrete set, before they were anchored in concrete and the ducts filled in with grouting. I will come back to the problems of such bridges later, but for now the key point to note is that it usually takes around 16,000 vehicles a day over the motorway to the Wick Wick roundabout, where drivers can continue on the A432 into Bristol or take the A4174 ring road. I say usually, because in June 2023 National Highways closed the bridge, having given 48 hours’ notice to South Gloucestershire council, of which I was leader at the time. In December 2023, after six months of investigations, National Highways announced that the bridge would have to be replaced and could not reopen in the meantime, and that the work would take between two and three years, backdated to June. At one point, an end date of 2025 was mentioned, but that has now become the spring of 2026. The closure is having a massive impact on local residents. The official diversion is long, so many of the 16,000 vehicles are ending up on local country lanes such as Henfield Road, Ram Hill and Down Road. Even part of the official diversion route is only a C road. The council has put in extensive measures to improve traffic flow, but roads are taking loads that they were never designed to take. That is resulting in long queues, residents being unable to get out of their properties safely or at all, and more potholes and the edges of roads breaking up. Heavy goods vehicles are using roads with weight limits and there is no enforcement to stop them. Henfield Road and Ram Hill are in a quiet lanes scheme, where walkers, cyclists, horse riders and drivers are supposed to share the roads respectfully, but that is not happening. The situation has also exacerbated flooding on Henfield Road, and high levels of traffic are pushing water on to people’s properties. That has left villagers feeling cut off, especially when flooding has taken other routes out of action. Further, when the bridge is demolished, which we are told is due to happen in March, pedestrians and cyclists will also be forced to divert. Above all, people question the length of time that it is taking to replace the bridge. One wrote: “For the past 16 months, we have had just one route to exit Yate to reach the city centre, which has been plagued by continuous temporary traffic lights—often two sets on Bristol Road. Why is it taking so long?” Another said: “When the bridge is eventually replaced, it’s likely to be the best part of 3 years to fix the issue. This is an utter embarrassment and quite frankly an absolute disgrace. The inconvenience this is causing to businesses, commuters and homeowners to name but a few is immeasurable. Those responsible for this debacle should hang their heads in shame.” The closure has left the usually busy stretch of Badminton Road between Coalpit Heath and the bridge practically deserted, which has had a huge impact on local businesses. Kevin at the Bigger Eater burger van has been trading in that lay-by for 30 years. He provided a great service to local people during the pandemic, but the loss of passing trade because of the closure could be the final straw. There is also a kebab van in the lay-by in the evenings. Viaduct Café has lost 60% of its turnover since the bridge closed, resulting in its losing half of its staff. The premises where it is located have lost two business tenants. PM Autos, which services cars and has an agreement to take vehicles for their MOT to a garage in Downend on the other side of the closure, has to take a round-about route that adds significantly to the time taken and cuts into their takings. The Golden Heart pub has lost the passing trade of people deciding to stop for a meal on their way home from work. Heritage Sheds and Fencing has complained that potential customers are not sure whether it is still open; again, it is losing trade. The impact on the local economy does not seem to be fully recognised. This is not something that businesses can reasonably insure against, yet when I wrote to the Minister I was told simply that there is no right to passing trade. In the same way that viable businesses needed help to see them through covid, these businesses need support to ensure that they survive this closure. Although the bridge is the responsibility of National Highways, it has fallen to South Gloucestershire council to deal with the impacts that I have described on the local road network. I wish to put on record my thanks to the many officers involved for their efforts in responding to such an unexpected event. After initial monitoring, they put in place temporary measures, including traffic lights, road closures and temporary signage, and when it was confirmed that the road would remain closed for two to three years, they reviewed the existing measures and implemented more. Although some were funded by National Highways, others were deemed to be an “existing problem”—overlooking the fact that the closure is exacerbating those existing problems—or too far away to be related to the bridge, despite the fact that closing such a major route has ripple effects across the local road network. Unfortunately, the measures that the council put in place are not enough, for example, to stop the HGVs using unsuitable roads, because any physical measures that stop lorries also stop buses, and the police do not have the resources to enforce the restrictions. For a long-term issue such as this, it is vital that the police have the resources to manage it. I also highlight the impacts on other council services: carers, waste lorries and so on all have to take longer routes The council has been dealing with extensive communication from the public and liaising with National Highways, the police and bus operators, which has been a significant drain on resources in itself. One thing that I was determined to do when I became leader of South Gloucestershire council was improve communication with our residents. In the case of the bridge closure, that meant doing video updates in which we put residents’ questions to National Highways officers. At the beginning, it felt that getting information out of National Highways to share with the public would be a challenge, but I am pleased to say that it got on board with the updates, so much so that I understand it was considering rolling them out elsewhere in the country. Not only have the video updates continued with my successor, but National Highways has attended public-engagement sessions alongside councillors and council officers. Although communication cannot remove all the frustration and disruption, it is vital that people know what is going on and can get answers to their questions. Why am I bringing what could appear to be a hyper-local issue to the House? I believe that there is a significant wider risk. National Highways manages 169 post- tensioned concrete bridges on the strategic road network in the south-west alone, and 1,195 nationwide. In addition, there are an estimated 675 that are the responsibility of 105 local highway authorities. Of those 675, research by the RAC Foundation in 2021 reported that a whopping 293 required intrusive inspections that could cost £100,000. “CS 465 Management of post-tensioned concrete bridges”, a document I am sure we are all familiar with, says in its introduction that “tendons can be vulnerable to corrosion and severe deterioration where internal grouting of tendon ducts is incomplete and moist air, water and contaminants can enter the ducting system.” It goes on to say that “construction practices and a lack of maintenance” are the key factors affecting deterioration. In the case of the A432 bridge, workers discovered when they drilled through to the tendons that the grouting was missing. CS 465 also explains that the problem with post-tensioned concrete bridges is that “safety critical defects in post-tensioned concrete are typically hidden, very difficult to detect and may result in a brittle mode of failure.” Unfortunately, visual inspections alone will not give warning of imminent collapse, and intrusive investigations can be expensive and potentially damaging. If a problem is identified, these bridges have to be removed very carefully, as the tendons are under tension—if we think about what happens when we release a taut elastic band, we can see why that would be dangerous. With many bridges having been built during the height of motorway building in the ‘60s and ‘70s, it is entirely possible that this sort of major disruption is coming to many other communities across the country. I come now to my asks of the Minister. Given the high level of disruption and the local dismay about the length of time the work is taking, will the Minister work with National Highways to try to bring forward the reopening of the road? Turning to the wider issue, what reassurance can the public have that all the thousands of post-tension concrete bridges in the UK are safe? What is the plan to ensure that that is the case, and has it been reviewed in the 19 months since this bridge was discovered to be failing? How will lessons be learned from this experience to reduce the time needed to replace other bridges that are identified as failing? Will the Minister review how residents and businesses are supported and compensated when National Highways inflict significant disruption on them for an extended period? Will he also look at how the local highway authority is helped to manage its road network when impacted by a National Highways closure, and at how the police are resourced to help it to do that? Will he review how the assessment is made of which measures should fall within the costs ascribed to National Highways, whether an existing problem is being worsened by the closure, and how widely the impact is recognised, so that local highway authorities are not left with huge bills? Will the Minister consider the approach taken to communications in this case, and work with National Highways so that initiatives such as the video updates are rolled out to other incidents, to ensure timely communication with the public? I have previously spoken in this House about the financial challenges facing local authorities in simply trying to maintain basic infrastructure, even without additional problems such as this road closure. Will the Minister commit to giving South Gloucestershire council the money that it needs to restore the damaged roads when the bridge has reopened?

• 28 Jan 2025 · Water (Special Measures) Bill [Lords] · Hansard source

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  Will the Minister give way?

• 24 Jan 2025 · Climate and Nature Bill · Hansard source

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  Will the Minister give way?

• 16 Jan 2025 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  Post offices provide vital services in our rural communities, such as banking. In my Thornbury and Yate constituency, however, there are concerns about the future of the post office in Tytherington community shop, following the announcement that its partner post office in Cromhall will close at the end of February. Will the Leader of the House agree to give us a debate in Government time on how we can support community post offices in the future?

• 16 Jan 2025 · Marine Renewables Industry · Hansard source

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  It is a pleasure to serve under your chairship, Ms Jardine. I congratulate my right hon. Friend the Member for Orkney and Shetland (Mr Carmichael) on securing this important debate and on his efforts to keep this issue on the agenda in Parliament. I want to reinforce the point he made about the Crown Estate Commission. As Liberal Democrats, we believe in working with communities to deliver change. The Crown Estate may own the seabed, but that does not mean the commission should be allowed to ignore the needs of others who make their living from the sea, whether through fishing, tourism or any other means. That point was picked up by a number of Members, particularly my hon. Friend the Member for South Devon (Caroline Voaden), who spoke up powerfully for the fishing industry in Brixham. The commission should also not be exempt from the duty to protect nature that other public bodies have, recognising—as we do—that the nature and climate emergencies go hand in hand. On the wider issue, marine renewables will help us to meet our commitment to tackle the climate crisis—the single biggest challenge facing our generation.

• 16 Jan 2025 · Marine Renewables Industry · Hansard source

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  Absolutely—it is almost as though my hon. Friend has read the next section of my speech. I was about to say that marine renewables will also boost jobs and businesses throughout the supply chain, and will be part of the solution to the energy crisis that has hit people hard in recent years. Sadly, we are living in the shadow of the Conservatives’ failure to fully invest in renewable energy and to properly insulate our homes. The previous Conservative Government rowed back on their pledges to meet net zero and shamefully watered down policies aimed at reducing our carbon emissions. That means we need bold action now to put us back on the right course. Liberal Democrats want to see this Government step up to the plate and provide a comprehensive energy strategy designed to bring down bills, end fuel poverty, cut greenhouse gas emissions and deliver energy security. A key part of that strategy must be marine renewable energy. I welcome the initial progress being made, with a 50% uplift in ringfenced funding support for tidal stream energy as part of the contracts for difference renewables auctions. With a significant stretch of the Severn estuary coastline in my constituency, I am keen to see the UK leading the world in tidal power. My hon. Friends the Members for Taunton and Wellington (Gideon Amos) and for Melksham and Devizes (Brian Mathew) highlighted the opportunities in the wider south-west. Given that it is his birthday, I will not argue with my hon. Friend the Member for Taunton and Wellington today about his plans to make Taunton the centre of that enterprise. The 50% uplift is a good first step and shows that we are beginning to take the sector seriously. However, there is so much more potential out there, if only the Government would reach out and grasp it. My right hon. Friend the Member for Orkney and Shetland mentioned the parallels with the gas and oil industry, and I would like to look at wind power as an example of how these things can be done. When my right hon. Friend the Member for Kingston and Surbiton (Ed Davey) was Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, he made it his key priority to back renewables and managed to push through a bold climate agenda that embraced new technologies. That quadrupled the UK’s level of renewable power and made us a world leader in offshore wind energy. The Office for National Statistics has stated that employment estimates within the low-carbon and renewable energy economy are at record levels. Because of the willingness to back British renewables, the industry is now worth an estimated £69.4 billion to the UK economy and supports thousands of jobs. The economic benefits and the need to make sure they are kept in the UK have been highlighted by many Members, including the hon. Members for Edinburgh North and Leith (Tracy Gilbert), for Truro and Falmouth (Jayne Kirkham) and for Camborne and Redruth (Perran Moon). It is good to hear about the important partnerships with universities, including Heriot-Watt, mentioned by my right hon. Friend the Member for Orkney and Shetland, and Queen’s University Belfast, mentioned by the hon. Member for Strangford (Jim Shannon). The Government talk a lot about their drive for economic growth, and I suggest that that goes hand in hand with investing in renewable power generation. Putting a just transition front and centre allows us to not only reskill those already working in the energy industry, but upskill people to give them new opportunities around our coast. Our coastal areas have long felt left behind and forgotten about, as I know from talking to people in places such as Severn Beach in my constituency. Those areas now have the potential to become booming hubs of activity, which is why Liberal Democrats want to see marine renewables used as part of a plan to invest in them, with a dedicated skills fund to provide green skills and jobs to communities. I would like briefly to pick up the issue of grid connections, which I have mentioned in the House in reference to other renewables and which the right hon. Member for Dwyfor Meirionnydd (Liz Saville Roberts) raised today. A plan to deliver the supporting infrastructure must be part of any strategy. Britain has long been defined by our connection with the sea that surrounds our island. We have a unique relationship with the waves, and we need to make the most of that, understanding what it looks like in the 21st century. Our marine environments are already under threat from sewage and plastic pollution. Having a dedicated marine industry strategy will allow us to carefully manage the development of our biodiverse areas out at sea. That is why we need to have new targets for marine protected areas and to mandate the Government to monitor those sites fully. Addressing the climate crisis is about embracing opportunity and empowering communities to make the most of their surroundings. It is time that the UK stepped up as a world leader in this area, so I hope the Minister will agree to listen to our proposals, which will benefit the marine renewables sector greatly.

• 14 Jan 2025 · Renters’ Rights Bill · Hansard source

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  I am sure that all Members have plenty of examples in their inboxes of why this Bill is so needed. Recent cases in my inbox have ranged from someone who had to wait two years for a boiler to be fixed, to someone who has a home so damp that they cannot walk through it without shoes on, as the carpets are permanently wet. They have had numerous electrical appliances fail and have lost their property to mould. Worst of all, they are permanently ill. Even the ombudsman finding in their favour has not produced decisive action to address the problem. It is an outrage that people are living in such conditions in the 21st century and, after the inaction of the previous Government, I welcome the approach set out in this Bill to fixing hazards such as mould. I also welcome the security of tenancy. So often when people approach their MP about homelessness issues, they talk about the importance of being in a particular location. They say it is because their children are settled in their school, because they need to care for a relative who lives there, and because they need the support of family and friends. Repeatedly moving around robs people of vital community links and stability. It also affects the life chances of children and young people. It is not only no-fault evictions that lead to people moving around; so too do rent rises. So I welcome the amendment of my hon. Friend the Member for Taunton and Wellington (Gideon Amos) to limit the maximum rent increase. Far too many people are forced out of their rental properties by exorbitant rent rises, and this Bill does not go far enough to prevent that situation. The hon. Member for Cities of London and Westminster (Rachel Blake) asked where the properties will go. In some cases, as our new clause 2 sets out, they will go to people on short-term contracts. We therefore need to consider the impact on the market as a whole. I wish to raise one small concern of a landlord about the impact that the changes will have both on them and on their tenants. They own a single, upper-floor, leasehold flat. They own only the inside of the flat—not the exterior, the wall gaps or the loft. The Bill’s provisions on energy efficiency and so forth are of concern to them. Obviously, we want people to have homes that they can afford to heat and that meet climate change obligations, but not all small landlords are scrupulous, and relying on them to be so is not appropriate protection for tenants. As the Bill progresses, I ask the Minister to consider how the Government will support small landlords who want to do the right thing, so that the private rental sector does not become the sole preserve of well-heeled, large landlords.

• 14 Jan 2025 · Renters’ Rights Bill · Hansard source

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  I thank the Minister for that clarification. In conclusion, I welcome the Bill and the protections it provides, but I urge Ministers to accept the Liberal Democrat amendments put forward by my hon. Friends the Members for Taunton and Wellington and for St Albans (Daisy Cooper).

• 7 Jan 2025 · Topical Questions · Hansard source

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  T3. When we think of social care, we often think of those who are older, but at a recent advice surgery I met the mother of a 20-year-old with complex needs that local services are unable to meet, so the only option that would allow him to engage with his peers is residential care further afield, taking him away from his family. Will the Minister meet with me, my constituent and his mother to discuss how we ensure that those with complex needs are properly supported?

• 6 Jan 2025 · Flooding · Hansard source

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  Returning to the issue of wider infrastructure in surface water flooding, recent examples in my constituency include a householder who has been affected by water running from an incomplete major housing development who has been told nothing can be enforced until the development is finished, and another where a road safety scheme is funnelling water into their property. What action will the Government take to ensure that infrastructure is being designed with surface water flooding in mind and to ensure that developers have to provide appropriate drainage right the way through the build-out of major developments?

• 19 Dec 2024 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  A merry Christmas to you, Madam Deputy Speaker, and to everyone across Parliament and in my constituency. Thornbury and Yate residents driving home for Christmas will face a second festive season of chaos on local roads, with at least one more still to come, thanks to the ongoing closure of the A432 M4 over-bridge. There is no compensation for the small businesses affected, or for residents living on the now choked local country lanes. Given that hundreds, if not thousands, of such post-tensioned bridges were built in the 1960s, ’70s and ’80s, this horror could be coming to many constituencies, but I have so far been unable to secure a debate on this important topic. Will the Leader of the House ensure that we can discuss the issue in the new year?

• 17 Dec 2024 · Old Oak Common Station · Hansard source

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  My hon. Friend raises the need for improvements. The key issue for commuters in my constituency is that the existing GWR mainline is not fit for purpose. In recent weeks, we have seen significant delays and diversions caused by flooding and signalling failures, which has created even more pressure on other parts of the already overstretched network. Does he agree that work at Old Oak Common needs to be accompanied by immediate investment in existing infrastructure to improve the reliability of services for people from the west?

• 17 Dec 2024 · Community Pharmacies: Devon and the South-west · Hansard source

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  Does my hon. Friend agree that in addition to the issues with the cost of drugs, the funding model for providing all the other services that pharmacies are expected to provide, including the Pharmacy First approach to avoiding GP appointments, needs addressing?

• 17 Dec 2024 · Topical Questions · Hansard source

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  Local further education colleges are actively pursuing the formation of a skills partnership to meet the opportunity and challenge of potential small modular reactor development in Oldbury in my constituency. Does the Minister welcome their proactive approach, and will she join me in meeting them to better understand the support that the further education sector needs to deliver this vital work?

• 17 Dec 2024 · Women’s State Pension Age Communication: PHSO Report · Hansard source

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  I am sure that the 69-year-old who contacted me explaining how she had missed out on being able to care for her dying mother due to needing to work longer would have welcomed a letter giving her enough notice to plan her finances to allow otherwise. What support can the Secretary of State offer WASPI women, who are still disproportionately taking on caring responsibilities?

• 12 Dec 2024 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  Last week, the Government stated that they would move away from SEND safety valve agreements, which have seen many local authorities across the country enter short-term funding deals with the Department for Education. Although that is welcome news, it has left those in existing arrangements —including my local authority, South Gloucestershire council—worrying about the future. Will the Leader of the House agree to a debate in Government time about the nature of the changes and ensuring that existing arrangements are fair, and to discuss how to provide all children with special educational needs and disabilities the quality education that they deserve?

• 12 Dec 2024 · Building Homes · Hansard source

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  I wrote to the Secretary of State in November concerned about the impact on local authorities, such as South Gloucestershire, that are at an advanced stage of bringing forward plans to deliver much-needed homes. I welcome the extension of the transitional period, but I remain concerned that areas whose figures have increased will be vulnerable to planning by appeal, while they get the new consents lined up. Will the Minister explain how authorities that are doing the right thing will be protected from their strategy being wrecked by speculative applications, while their plan goes through the process for adoption?

• 12 Dec 2024 · SEND Provision: Autism and ADHD · Hansard source

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  One concern is that many children end up being out of education because they are not getting the support that they need in school. Does she agree that it is an outrage that, in that situation, some parents face prosecution? Does she also agree that we need to provide support for children to receive an education, whether in school or through alternative provision, and that we should record that in a better way? At the moment we have authorised and unauthorised absences. We do not record the fact that some children are missing school because their parents do not believe that they are receiving the support that they need.

• 11 Dec 2024 · Engagements · Hansard source

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  Q2. The people of Thornbury have been promised a new health facility for more than 20 years, but they have seen every proposal fall by the wayside. That is why it was a great relief to residents when the Minister for Secondary Care) confirmed to me in writing that the funding to rebuild the centre would be made available. However, we are still months away from seeing the final plans signed off, never mind having spades in the ground. What reassurances can the Prime Minister therefore give me and my constituents that this is not just another hollow promise and that the proposals will be approved swiftly once they hit the Health Secretary’s desk?

• 11 Dec 2024 · Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects and Local Road Networks · Hansard source

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  The emergency closure of the A432 motorway overbridge has had a massive impact on the local road network in my constituency. It is a good example of how national infrastructure projects can have damaging impacts on local residents and businesses. Does my hon. Friend agree that we need investment in national infrastructure so that we do not get these damaging, multi-year closures, which have such an impact on local people?

• 10 Dec 2024 · Storm Darragh · Hansard source

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  Storm Darragh is the second serious storm to hit my Thornbury and Yate constituency in recent weeks; it came soon after Storm Bert, which caused serious flooding disruption. I thank everyone involved in the response. These storms are not going away; owing to the impacts of climate change, they are likely to get worse. We need a clear framework for local authorities, so that they know when they will get support and what that support will be. Can the Minister please provide some clarity on that?

• 5 Dec 2024 · Improving Public Transport · Hansard source

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  What did I say? [Hon. Members: “You said ‘you’”.] Did I? Sorry! The Minister mentioned infrastructure. We have seen significant delays on the line from the west country in the last few weeks owing to flooding. In particular, trains are having to divert between Bristol Parkway and Swindon and having to go via Bath and Chippenham. Local residents fear that the work to try to stop flooding on that length of the line, which is very prone to flooding, may have led to their houses being flooded. Will the Minister meet me to discuss the infrastructure issues on that section of the railway?