Dan Aldridge MP: speeches 2024

Speeches

• 18 Dec 2024 · Banning Conversion Practices · Hansard source

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  Conversion practices trade and prosper on fear, prejudice and intolerance. Charities in Weston-super-Mare and across this country do amazing work to bring communities together to promote tolerance and tackle prejudice. Will the Minister outline what support the Government are providing to help charities deliver that vital work in constituencies like mine?

• 18 Dec 2024 · Banning Conversion Practices · Hansard source

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  4. What steps she is taking to ban conversion practices.

• 16 Dec 2024 · Water (Special Measures) Bill [Lords] · Hansard source

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  The protection of our beaches, rivers and bathing waters is incredibly important to my constituency, as hon. Members may expect me to say, as I represent a coastal constituency. My friends, family and I are regular swimmers in Weston-super-Mare’s fantastic Marine Lake, so my interest is personal as well as professional. Marine Lake is a 200-metre infinity lake, said to be the largest of its kind in the world. It is a phenomenal asset to our community and I am proud of the work of so many to restore it over recent years. Having Marine Lake in Weston means that despite us having the second highest tidal range in the world—finding the sea in Weston can sometimes be a bit tricky—we have access to bathing water whenever we need it. So many people from across the country have memories of spending summers on the beach, with ice cream, fish and chips and swimming in the sea, creating memories with family and friends; that is part of the very fabric of our town. In recent years the decline in water quality has damaged that fabric, and compromised access and enjoyment. As the previous Government left office, the number of bathing waters classified as poor across the UK was at a record high. Distressingly, that still includes Weston, Uphill and Sand Bay beaches—that has a profound impact on our town. There is so much anxiety among local residents and businesses about something that we should have certainty about: that it is safe to swim in our bathing waters. Many have also experienced the negative impact that it has had on tourism and hospitality—a vital source of employment to so many in Weston. The degradation of water quality in recent years must be reversed. Towns like mine need this Government to deliver where the previous Government did not. I am grateful for the investigations by the Environment Agency and the local bathing water steering group of the causes of the poor water quality, but there is still no smoking gun. I have been reassured that over the next 12 months those investigations will be ramped up to investigate sewage from Avonmouth as the possible cause, but time is critical, and the need of my constituents for answers and swift action cannot be overstated. I have written to the Minister to outline the urgency, and request the boldest action for Weston-super-Mare. I pay tribute to the amazing work of volunteers in Weston—first, the legendary Debbie Apted of Cleaner Coastlines. Debbie has been a personal inspiration for years because of her tireless advocacy, evidence-led approach and ability to motivate a community to action. I also pay tribute to the fantastic Mudlarks community, who work so hard to maintain Marine Lake, and the litter pickers such as Sophie and Jules from Sophie’s Super Litter Picking, and the many individuals who walk our streets and coastline daily to prevent rubbish from ending up in our waterways. The Bill is so welcome in Weston, and I am especially pleased to see how quickly the Government have acted on this issue. It is clear to me and many campaigners in my constituency that stronger powers to properly hold water companies to account is critical if we are to change behaviour and get them to do their job. I am hopeful that, along with cleaning up our bathing waters, the Bill will go a long way towards restoring the trust that has been so sadly lost.

• 16 Dec 2024 · United Front Work Department · Hansard source

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  It is disappointing that some Opposition Members are trying to turn what should be a moment of collective unity in the face of a shared security threat into a political row. Does the Security Minister agree that it is pretty incredible for the party whose Defence Secretary was sacked for leaking vital intelligence about the Huawei 5G contract now to pose as the protector of our national security?

• 12 Dec 2024 · LGBT Veterans: Etherton Review · Hansard source

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  In the 1980s, aged 18, my constituent Robert moved from Scotland to sunny Weston-super-Mare to pursue a bright career at RAF Locking, which was then a vital part of the RAF’s technical training, radio and radar network. However, not long after moving to Weston, Robert was questioned by the special investigations branch about being a practising homosexual. Very soon after that, his career in the RAF was over, and the shame and embarrassment cast a long and powerful shadow over the rest of his life. Robert was unable to return to Scotland because of the hostility and rejection associated with being gay. After being treated so terribly by the state that he was working so hard to protect, it took Robert a long time to be able to live a happy, healthy and fulfilled life. For so many gay people over many generations, moving away from the home and family was a way of finding acceptance, or at least anonymity, and an escape from judgment and shame. For Robert, like for so many others—myself included—Weston-super-Mare is a place of sanctuary and healing. Our town looks after people, and I am very proud of that. Over the past decade, the RAF and our other armed forces have become international beacons of inclusion, demonstrating that who we are is no barrier to serving our country. Today’s announcement is a profound statement of who we are as a country and, importantly, it reminds us that we are stronger and better defended because of that openness and candour. There are some things, however, that only a Government can and should do. The independent review by Lord Etherton is a powerful move towards justice, and so many people are grateful to him for his diligence and compassion. Today’s announcement follows the Government’s commitments to the victims of the contaminated blood and Post Office scandals. Those are profound acts by the state to apologise to and rebuild trust with those who have waited far too long for fair treatment. I am grateful to the Defence Secretary, the Minister for Veterans and People, Fighting With Pride, and the previous Government for their work to right this wrong. I hope that the thousands of affected veterans, including my constituent Robert in Weston, will receive meaningful justice.

• 10 Dec 2024 · Reducing Reoffending · Hansard source

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  15. What steps her Department is taking to help reduce reoffending.

• 10 Dec 2024 · Reducing Reoffending · Hansard source

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  Providing quality education and training for offenders is one of the most effective ways of reducing reoffending. Weston College in Weston-super-Mare runs a transformational prison education programme across the south-west of England, which supports successful rehabilitation, resettlement and employment of offenders on release. Can the Minister advise what steps the Department is taking to ensure that more offenders can develop the skills they need to successfully gain employment and reintegrate into society?

• 4 Dec 2024 · Future of Farming · Hansard source

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  As so often, I agree with my hon. Friend and fellow south-west MP. As she has identified, we are trying with the Budget to fix the neglect of the previous Government. It is important to say that so many of my constituents in Weston-super-Mare are dismayed at the idea that tax relief of up to £3 million is not enough. These are finances outside the concept of the vast majority of my constituents. For people living in a community where we all work together, the rhetoric we are hearing is quite divisive. It is a hard pill to swallow when so many have little to no savings, nor any prospect of owning property to pass on to their children. Many millions of people, including farmers throughout the country, are working harder than ever to pay for the basics that their families need simply to survive. The Government are simply saying that, in any community, those who can pay more should.

• 4 Dec 2024 · Future of Farming · Hansard source

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  I think we can all agree that food security is national security. The future of British farming deserves a stable Government with a funding strategy reflective of that significance. I and so many others welcome the Government’s £5 billion increase to the farming budget over the next two years—the largest budget for sustainable food production in our history. The size and scale of the commitment to our farming future are unprecedented and not talked about enough. The reforms and investment, all detailed online, will future-proof our domestic food production and food security. I will not go through them now because we do not have time. When the political winds have blown the Opposition on to another topic, we will be here, in government, to work with farmers on improving the sector and its resilience.

• 27 Nov 2024 · Supporting Innovation · Hansard source

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  Free trade across the UK single market, from major tech hubs in London, Edinburgh and Cardiff to smaller towns such as Weston-super-Mare, is vital to supporting innovation in Northern Ireland and across the UK. What steps is the Minister taking to streamline Northern Ireland’s ability to trade with all corners of the UK, and vice versa?

• 27 Nov 2024 · Supporting Innovation · Hansard source

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  3. What steps he is taking to help support innovation in Northern Ireland.

• 26 Nov 2024 · Online Safety: Children and Young People · Hansard source

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  I thank my hon. Friend for allowing me to intervene again. In my previous role as head of public policy at the British Computer Society, the one thing that my colleagues and I talked about a lot was the lack of focus on education in the Online Safety Act. I commend the previous Government for passing that legislation, which was very brave. The Act has tried to do some wonderful things, but what is missing is that we have failed to empower a generation of young people to act safely online, to be able to take back the power and say, “No, I am not going to do that.” We have failed in that so far. How do we build that in for the future?

• 26 Nov 2024 · Online Safety: Children and Young People · Hansard source

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  Numerous mental health charities and a number of civil society experts have raised with me that there are powers within the Online Safety Act that must be used by the regulator. Indeed, the Secretary of State for DSIT made it very clear last week that he backed the Act and those powers. Does my hon. Friend agree that the regulator could and should act with more powers than it has?

• 25 Nov 2024 · Israel-Gaza Conflict: Arrest Warrants · Hansard source

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  Many of my constituents have written to me to express their horror at what is happening in Gaza. Does the Minister agree that the United Nations Relief and Works Agency plays an indispensable role in the provision of humanitarian assistance, and does he oppose the Bills recently passed in the Knesset that would prevent UNRWA’s operation?

• 19 Nov 2024 · NHS Dentists: Access · Hansard source

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  Some 37% of five-year-olds in Weston-super-Mare have enamel or dental decay—a figure well above the national average. The Better Health North Somerset team does amazing work to promote good oral health, but regular dentist check-ups are the oral health silver bullet. Will the Minister explain and outline the work he is doing to ensure that children in Weston and Worle and across the country get the dentistry service that they so desperately need?

• 19 Nov 2024 · NHS Dentists: Access · Hansard source

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  23. What assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of access to NHS dentists.

• 14 Nov 2024 · Street Crime · Hansard source

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  8. What recent discussions she has had with regional mayors on rates of prosecution for street crime.

• 14 Nov 2024 · Street Crime · Hansard source

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  Shoplifting is a major concern for my constituents, businesses and retail workers in Weston-super-Mare, many of whom have contacted me for support. Shoplifting has increased massively, with more than 1,000 cases these past 12 months. That is a 31% annual increase. To reassure my constituents, can the Solicitor General outline what steps she is taking to prosecute those responsible for shoplifting?

• 12 Nov 2024 · NHS Dentistry: South-west · Hansard source

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  It is important to look at the role of public health in local government as well. Better Health North Somerset has a great programme led by Catherine Wheatley that is all about promoting oral health, which the hon. Gentleman mentioned, in early years and for children and young people. One thing I have noticed is that what works and good practice is not often shared between integrated care boards across local areas. With the strength of feeling here, demonstrated by the amount of south-west MPs that have attended this debate, there is a real opportunity for us to collaborate and share what works. That would be really useful.

• 12 Nov 2024 · Topical Questions · Hansard source

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  T2. Following on from the exciting announcement of the £1 billion investment in wind power, it would be remiss of me not to mention the Severn estuary to the west of Weston-super-Mare, with its transformative potential for the generation of clean, renewable energy. The potential of domestic energy has been neglected for far too long in a world where global energy markets and the cost of living are turbulent. Does the Minister agree that the Conservative party appears to have learned absolutely nothing during its time in office, presiding over the worst cost of living crisis in generations and failing to act—

• 12 Nov 2024 · Topical Questions · Hansard source

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  Can I urge the Minister to go further and faster in delivering clean power for our communities, which the NESO report so clearly stated would lead to lower bills and energy security?

• 11 Nov 2024 · Topical Questions · Hansard source

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  T7. Weston-super-Mare is a town of sanctuary for many people with care needs, and 1,319 people there will be better off because of the Government’s increase to carer’s allowance. Can the Minister share the timescales for the independent review of carer’s allowance?

• 5 Nov 2024 · Income Tax (Charge) · Hansard source

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  Will the right hon. Lady give way?

• 5 Nov 2024 · Income Tax (Charge) · Hansard source

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  It is privilege to serve in this Parliament, and I am immensely proud to speak in support of the Budget, the Chancellor, and her remarkable team. As someone raised by strong, brave, and kind women, I cannot in good faith ignore the significance of having a woman lead the charge to rectify the economic instability left by the men before her. This Budget lays the foundation for a fairer, more productive economy, and aims to fix the very bedrock of our society. It is genuinely inspiring to see how the Chancellor’s team has embraced the challenge of balancing both the big picture of reform and national renewal, and the critical details that support those most vulnerable to economic shifts. The investment outlined in the Budget cannot come soon enough, especially in constituencies such as mine, where average earnings are nearly £7,500 below the UK average. My sister is a nurse at Weston general hospital at the heart of my constituency, and as a family we know the true weight of the crisis in healthcare. Indeed, last week my mother, who has Parkinson’s, fell over. We waited for nine or 10 hours, and eventually ended up dragging her into the car. There was no dignity in that, and that is the state we have been left with. For us, if Labour had not won the election, healthcare free at the point of use would have been at risk of disappearing forever. Thankfully, under the Labour Government the NHS has been given a vital eleventh-hour reprieve. The £22.6 billion investment promised in the Budget will not only prevent further decline, but actively rebuild our health services. For Weston general and our GP surgeries, that means more appointments, long-overdue maintenance and improvements, and a sense of hope for our community. The Budget is not just about holding back the tide of decline; it is about building a dam to protect the future. It is progressive, targeted investment where it is needed most. In Weston-super-Mare, increasing the minimum wage will see nearly 4,000 workers in North Somerset up to £1,400 better off each year, and with £1.6 billion allocated for road maintenance, we can start to tackle the huge backlog of potholes that plague Weston, Worle, and everywhere between. The £6.7 billion investment in education will mean better funding for Weston’s schools and colleges, and the £1 billion uplift for special educational needs, disabilities and alternative provision, is a particularly welcome change for many families in my constituency, and will begin a much-needed reform of SEND provision. Although we know it will take time properly to address the crisis in local government funding that we inherited, £1.3 billion of new grant funding will increase resources for North Somerset council, supporting essential services for our communities. The Budget delivers on why we were elected: to tackle the cost of living crisis, get our NHS back on its feet, and lay the foundation for an economy that not only grows, but does so in a way that builds stronger, healthier and more resilient communities. When people see the changes in our hospitals, surgeries, schools and roads, they will once again believe that government can be a force for good. This is just the beginning of our journey towards a fairer, more hopeful future.

• 5 Nov 2024 · Supporting Victims of Rape and Sexual Violence · Hansard source

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  Avon and Somerset police, who are responsible for upholding the rule of law in my constituency, pioneered a new, innovative way of investigating rape and sexual violence called Project Bluestone. When rolled out nationwide as Operation Soteria it led to a 110% increase in rape prosecutions, according to Home Office data. While an increase in prosecutions is very welcome, it also means that more victims, including those in Weston-super-Mare, are reliving their harrowing ordeal when going through a trial. Will the Minister outline how her Department is working to provide support to the increasing number of victims experiencing the incredibly difficult trial process?