Graeme Downie MP: speeches 2025

Speeches

• 11 Jun 2025 · British Coal Staff Superannuation Scheme · Hansard source

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  Does the Minister agree that it is thanks to campaigners such as Bobby Clelland in my constituency and to the local party that we have managed to succeed in having the MPS move towards a resolution and seeing that money being paid out to those communities in the coalfields in my constituency? It is also thanks to people such as Alan Kenney in my constituency, who is leading the campaign in Scotland on the BCSSS. I hope that she will be able to give us some good news. Does she agree that this is thanks to those former miners who are always standing up for their communities and still fighting now for the justice they deserve?

• 11 Jun 2025 · British Coal Staff Superannuation Scheme · Hansard source

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  Will the hon. Member give way?

• 11 Jun 2025 · Sustainable Aviation Fuel Bill · Hansard source

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  I thank the hon. Member for that intervention. I will not ask for a second intervention on how that relationship progressed. Aviation is a critical part of our national story and our economy, as others have said. As an island nation, we rely on the maritime and aviation sectors to get goods and people in and out of our country, so it is clear that aviation must continue to play a role in our future. In Scotland and in my constituency, that includes the movement of products like salmon and whisky, as well as tourists, to and from Dunfermline and the rest of Scotland. However, with aviation expected to become the largest transport sector emitter of carbon by 2040, it is clear that a range of transformational, long-term changes are needed in the sector to make it sustainable. I recently had the privilege of hosting a sustainable aviation technology showcase in Parliament with companies such as Airbus, Boeing, easyJet, International Airlines Group and others, including some of the ones that have been mentioned. There I saw technological solutions ranging from radical changes to aircraft design to hydrogen-powered aircraft, as well as a number of SAF producers. I have also heard from Edinburgh airport, one of the largest employers in my constituency, of the importance of airspace reorganisation and regulatory changes, all of which will have a role in modernising aviation and reducing the environmental impact. I know that the Minister has been relentless in pursuing all these avenues to improve aviation in the UK, and we should thank him, his officials and the ministerial team for that work and commitment. For all those people from different parts of the aviation ecosystem, the issue of SAF has been prime. On taking office, this Government took action much faster than many expected with the introduction of the SAF mandate. It obligates companies supplying fuel to airlines operating out of the UK to either incrementally increase the amount of SAF in use or pay a buy-out fee. That mandate started at 2% and will rise to 10% in 2030 and to 22% in 2040. That is the kind of direction and steer that the industry needed, but it will mean nothing if we do not produce SAF in the UK and invest now in the much longer-term plans for third generation SAF to make that a reality here and to make the UK a world leader in this technology, as well as playing a part in the future of our fledgling hydrogen sector. Developing a strong SAF industry is a major industrial opportunity for the UK, as others have said. The UK can lead the SAF industry with job creation and innovation. At the event I mentioned, Airbus told me that it is committed to enabling 100% SAF capability across its aircraft production by 2030. According to the Back British SAF campaign, there is potential for over 10,000 jobs in the UK by 2030 and 60,000 jobs by 2050, a number of which would be in Scotland and in my constituency, as well as in the constituencies of other Members across the country. In due course, I hope that some of that might include investment in different parts of the SAF infrastructure in Fife, with proximity to Edinburgh airport and excellent sea, road and rail links. For these and other reasons, I am delighted to see the Bill come forward. It clearly sets out the revenue certainty mechanism and the framework for setting a strike price that will support businesses and investment cases to make SAF a reality in the UK. It also establishes the route for funding via a levy on suppliers, along with enforcement and oversight. I hope the Minister might respond in his summing up to a few specific points, some of which have been mentioned by colleagues. Under clause 1, what process does he intend to use to shape precise price points for producers and to calculate the market reference price? Clause 11, on financial penalties, contains provision to amend amounts in the light of inflation. Are those the only circumstances in which penalty amounts can change? Under clause 14, what oversight does he envisage if financial assistance is required to ensure value for money? Clear and stable policy frameworks like this SAF Bill will be essential to unlocking private investment, accelerating SAF supply chains and positioning the UK as a global leader in the net zero transition, but the pace at which the legislation is introduced will be key, so will the Minister consider what steps he can take to accelerate the creation of a successful SAF industry here in the UK? As my hon. Friend the Member for Falkirk (Euan Stainbank) asked earlier, will the Minister begin work to create strike price contracts so that they are ready as quickly as possible when the legislation is passed? Will he consider moving the start date for the revenue mechanism forward to allow projects to get started as quickly as possible? The Bill will be a significant part of the future of British aviation, British industry and British growth. I look forward to seeing its progress through the House.

• 11 Jun 2025 · Sustainable Aviation Fuel Bill · Hansard source

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  Like my hon. Friend the Member for Harlow (Chris Vince) said, the hon. Member for Sutton and Cheam (Luke Taylor) should never be ashamed of being a geek of any kind. I definitely do not have his knowledge of formulas or anything like that, but I certainly am a self-professed aviation geek who has spent probably far too long sitting at the end of runways watching planes land for hours on end. When I was in high school, I used to cycle with one of my friends who lived close to the end of Edinburgh airport runway to just sit and watch aircraft come in—to the point that one time, the police came along and asked why these two 14-year-olds were sitting at the end of the runway watching aircraft land. I can assure everyone that nothing untoward or illegal was happening—we were just being that sad and geeky. I think that was the problem the police had; they did not believe that that was what two 14-year-olds were intending to do.

• 10 Jun 2025 · Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories · Hansard source

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  This Israeli Government continue to perpetrate horrific and appalling violence against Palestinian people, and that is also against the interests of Israel and Israeli people. We know that Hamas are only interested in death and destruction. I welcome the action today as a sign of willingness to take action against anyone who might be a bar or a block to a two-state solution. The Minister has already heard from Members from all parts of the House and been urged to take specific steps, but will he confirm what options are open to him to support and strengthen the overwhelming majority of Israelis and Palestinians who want a peaceful future? What action can he take against anyone who is a bar to a two-state solution in the future?

• 4 Jun 2025 · Engagements · Hansard source

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  Q10. Carnegie UK, which was established by Dunfermline-born philanthropist Andrew Carnegie, has found that people under 49 are twice as likely to have been negatively impacted by the rising cost of living as those over 65. It is vital that we increase opportunities for younger people and help put more money in their pocket, but sadly this week, we saw the Scottish Government seek to close off an opportunity for young people by refusing to support new skills investment from Rolls-Royce, while the college sector in Scotland also warns of a funding crisis. What more is the Prime Minister doing to ensure that young people in Scotland get the opportunities they deserve, despite a failing and stagnant SNP Scottish Government?

• 3 Jun 2025 · Inheritance Tax: Family-owned Businesses · Hansard source

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  I congratulate the hon. Lady on securing this debate on a very important issue. Like herself, I have spoken to GAP, as well as other family businesses in my constituency. Does she agree that although the Government are absolutely right to ensure that we have enough funding to pay for public services through tax changes, one option might be to allow businesses to pay inheritance tax in the way proposed if that business is passed on to another family member, so that the tax liability is still met, but in a way that does not impact on future generations and allows the businesses to succeed and thrive?

• 3 Jun 2025 · Armed Forces Commissioner Bill · Hansard source

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  The Minister mentions family members and other individuals raising complaints, but some of the complaints will be about devolved issues such as health, education and other issues that affect families. Can he reassure me that the Armed Force Commissioner will have an effective method of working with the devolved Administrations to make sure that the concerns of armed forces across the UK can be addressed?

• 2 Jun 2025 · Strategic Defence Review · Hansard source

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  I thank the Secretary of State for his statement. The review puts shipbuilding firmly in the UK’s future defence plans, particularly in the high north, as I have mentioned in the House many times, and looks towards a Royal Navy that is powerful, cheaper and simpler. The workforce at the dockyards in Rosyth, in my constituency, is ideally placed to deliver this. Just last week, we saw the roll-out of HMS Venturer, the first Type 31 frigate for the Royal Navy. Will the Secretary of State confirm that he is committed to shipbuilding in Scotland, including in my constituency, in contrast to the SNP, which just this week turned down the opportunity to bring new skills to that sector in Scotland?

• 14 May 2025 · Ministerial Code: Compliance · Hansard source

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  As the Member of Parliament for Dunfermline and Dollar—which was, after all, where the infamous campervan was found—I have had a front row seat for the SNP’s commitment to transparency. Having heard more from SNP Members about their position on transparency and openness, does the Leader of the House agree that it is scandalous for them to raise transparency when it took freedom of information requests to find out more about when the former First Minister met the President of Turkey to discuss, among other issues, Scottish trade?

• 8 May 2025 · Arable Farms: Cost of Materials · Hansard source

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  13. What steps he is taking to help reduce the cost of materials for arable farms.

• 8 May 2025 · Arable Farms: Cost of Materials · Hansard source

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  Farms in my constituency and across Fife produce some of the highest quality grain in the world. However, many farmers are struggling to make a profit as imported grain is often produced at a different standard. That can undermine or undercut cereals grown in Scotland, which are produced to the highest standards. Scottish grain is a vital ingredient for high-quality Scotch whisky, and with the news this week of the trade deal with India, welcomed by the Scotch Whisky Association, demand for Scottish grain is likely to rise. What steps will the Minister take to increase standards for imported grain, and ensure profit for farmers in my constituency and a consistent supply for sectors including Scotch whisky?

• 6 May 2025 · Petrol prices in Dunfermline · Hansard source

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  I rise to present a petition regarding high fuel prices for people and businesses in Dunfermline. Prices in Dunfermline, Scotland’s historical capital city, are often as much as 6p per litre higher than in towns as close as 10 miles away. This cartel of pricing in and around Dunfermline is damaging small businesses, and unnecessarily increasing the cost to people getting to work, families on the school run or the child taxi service, as well as young people getting to college or training places. It is also increasing carbon emissions as a result of drivers travelling outside the city for cheaper fuel. The petition is signed by my constituents and backed by more than 600 people who have signed an online petition relating to the same issue. The petition states: The petition of residents of the constituency of Dunfermline and Dollar, Declares that residents in Dunfermline are being unfairly charged higher fuel prices compared to nearby areas; states that fuel is an essential commodity required by the majority of people within Dunfermline for their daily lives and essential for the local and regional economy; understands unfair petrol pricing puts a significant strain on family incomes particularly younger people, those on low incomes and small businesses; and notes that over 600 people have signed an online petition relating to this issue. The petitioners therefore request that the House of Commons urge the Government to instruct the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) to investigate higher petrol prices in Dunfermline compared to the immediate area and take immediate action to address this that will ensure petrol prices are fair and competitive in Scotland’s historic capital and newest city. And the petitioners remain, etc. [P003066]

• 1 May 2025 · Parkinson’s Awareness Month · Hansard source

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  If Rory has already told my hon. Friend a little bit about the Parky charter, she is about to get a repeat. On World Parkinson’s Day, the Movers and Shakers group brought hundreds of people with Parkinson’s together in Old Palace Yard. Those people sang with one voice, in a reworked version of “I Will Survive”, their demands to have the Parky charter adopted. I will spare the House my singing voice, but that charter is a bold five-point plan backed by the three major Parkinson’s charities in the UK. It is not a wish list; it is a road map to dignity, and I will take some time to outline those five demands. The first demand is for speedy specialists; people referred for a possible Parkinson’s diagnosis should see a consultant within 18 weeks and have annual reviews thereafter. The second is instant information; a Parkinson’s diagnosis should be accompanied by immediate, clear and accessible information. The third is the Parkinson’s passport, a tool to communicate patients’ needs across all healthcare touchpoints. The fourth is comprehensive care; every person with Parkinson’s should have full access to a multidisciplinary team of specialist nurses, physiotherapists, and occupational and speech therapists. The fifth is the quest for a cure—a determined and funded national commitment to support Parkinson’s research. These are not unattainable dreams; they are basic standards of decency, fairness and evidence-based healthcare. I will start with the first two demands, which are diagnosis and information. Currently, neurology services in England are seeing only about half of patients within the 18-week target, and the waiting list for neurology services now exceeds 230,000. The situation in Scotland and Wales follows a similar pattern of long waiting lists. In my constituency, NHS Fife has a median wait for a first neurology appointment of 31 weeks, and nine out of 10 people are seen within 87 weeks. In contrast, next door in Forth Valley—which is also part of my constituency —nine out of 10 people are seen within just nine weeks. There are currently 1,836 people waiting to see a neurologist in Fife, and 403 in Forth Valley. It can never be acceptable for a person’s postcode to dictate the quality of care they receive. As part of my preparation for today’s debate, I heard from someone who has been diagnosed with young onset Parkinson’s disease at the age of just 47, just a few years older than me. He told me that when his GP identified symptoms, he was referred to his neurology service urgently—I underline the word urgently—and that the expectation from his GP was that “urgent” meant that he would be “seen within days”. When he had not heard from the hospital five days later, he called to check that it had received his referral, and was told that the person at the top of the waiting list had been waiting for 39 weeks so far—39 weeks so far for an urgent appointment.

• 1 May 2025 · Parkinson’s Awareness Month · Hansard source

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  The right hon. Gentleman has anticipated a point that I will make later, but I could not agree more about the need for volunteer support. Increasing the awareness of that volunteer support at the point of diagnosis is absolutely key, and I will refer to that later in my remarks. I thank him for the intervention. I found Bobbie’s poem so moving because it reflects precisely what I heard in preparing for this debate, which I suspect colleagues in the Chamber also hear, from constituents living with Parkinson’s. I have been truly touched by the willingness and openness of those constituents, supported by Parkinson’s UK and Cure Parkinson’s, to share their experiences and stories. They do so in the hope that their voices combined will be greater than the sum of their parts, and that together they can improve the journey for those following in their footsteps. The reality of living with Parkinson’s can be harsh. Although it is categorised as a movement disorder, it can affect movement, speech, swallowing and cognition. It can cause hallucinations, depression and pain. For many, their condition fluctuates unpredictably throughout the day, so what might seem like a good morning can spiral very deeply into a challenging afternoon, and too many people still wait too long for a diagnosis. I draw the attention of the House to the Movers and Shakers, a group of people with Parkinson’s whose outstanding contribution and production have been a beacon of support for those with Parkinson’s. Some of them are in the Gallery and will be familiar to many in this House, including Gillian Lacey-Solymar, Rory Cellan-Jones, Mark Mardell and Sir Nicholas Mostyn. I thank them for being here today.

• 1 May 2025 · Parkinson’s Awareness Month · Hansard source

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  I beg to move, That this House has considered Parkinson’s awareness month. I extend my gratitude to the Backbench Business Committee for granting me this debate, and I thank hon. Members for attending, especially given that local elections are taking place across some parts of the country—I know the pull of the doorsteps is strong for politicians, as can be the power of persuasion from party bosses and headquarters. I thank hon. Members for supporting my application for the debate, including my hon. Friends the Members for Aldershot (Alex Baker), for Newcastle-under-Lyme (Adam Jogee), for Redditch (Chris Bloore) and for Weston-super-Mare (Dan Aldridge), who are sadly unable to be here but who I wanted to mention. I also thank the current and former chairs of the all-party parliamentary group on Parkinson’s, my hon. Friend the Member for Newcastle upon Tyne East and Wallsend (Mary Glindon) and Baroness Gale. I found it surprising and, to be honest, a little shocking that there has never been a full debate in this Chamber on Parkinson’s, so I hope to lend my voice to the approximately 225 people in my constituency, and to the community of some 153,000 people across the UK, who are navigating life with Parkinson’s, along with their loved ones and the dedicated professionals who support them. Yesterday concluded Parkinson’s Awareness Month, but we must commit to doing much more than simply raising awareness; we must act. Awareness is not progress, and people with Parkinson’s can no longer afford to wait. Parkinson’s is the fastest-growing neurological condition in the world, ironically due mainly to people living longer lives and being diagnosed in their later years. It is sometimes said that people do not die from Parkinson’s, but the condition is life-limiting, complex and relentless. It does not discriminate by postcode, profession, political affiliation or any other characteristic. It strips away not only physical ability, but voice, independence and identity. It affects not only those diagnosed, but their loved ones in profound and lasting ways. There is no cure, no treatment to slow or halt progress and no respite, yet there is hope. There is a path to change, and today I call on the Government and this House to walk that path with the urgency and compassion that the Parkinson’s community deserves. When I was preparing for this debate, I was given a copy of a poem called “A Jump Too Far”, by Bobbie Coelho, a Parkinson’s UK campaigner who was diagnosed in 2002. I will read it out to put it on the record, because I feel that these words are important: “I wish you could jump into my shoes for just an hour or so To know just how I feel, for then you would know The truth about PD, as far as it goes I wish you could jump into my shoes when my face freezes You can’t understand when I talk (I know it’s not easy) To hear me called a miserable cow How I wish I could talk happily as they’re doing now I wish you could jump into my shoes when I can’t move across the floor. How I admire your movements, so easy and so free I just wish it could also be me I wish you could jump into my shoes when I can’t walk down the street And get stares from the people that I meet I wish you could jump into my shoes when I can’t do anything at all And, reluctantly, have to watch my husband do it all I wish you could jump into my shoes to see a future I don’t want to see With no cure in sight and I know there never will be You hear about cancer there’s adverts all around But awareness of PD there’s not a sound If you could jump into my shoes You would see how frightening PD can be”.

• 1 May 2025 · Parkinson’s Awareness Month · Hansard source

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  That was exactly my response when I heard that story. I imagined what it must be like for someone and their loved ones to sit with a suggested diagnosis of something so serious and significant, having to wait nine months before even seeing a specialist for the first time. To me, it felt like a clash between bureaucracy and humanity. We can and we must push for better. The UK currently ranks 44th out of 45 European nations when it comes to the number of neurologists per capita. That is not a workforce issue or a bureaucratic issue—it is a sign of a systematic failure and a life-altering injustice. Parkinson’s is a condition that can progress rapidly, and delays mean lost time, lost function and lost hope. However, the crisis does not end with diagnosis; in fact, for many, that is when the sense of abandonment begins. Nearly a quarter of people diagnosed with Parkinson’s report that they were not given adequate information about their condition. A similar number, as referred to by the right hon. Member for Gainsborough (Sir Edward Leigh), were not told about the support available through Parkinson’s UK, the helplines, the care advisers, the groups that offer peer support and the crucial services that can help people adapt, cope and find community. Can you imagine, Madam Deputy Speaker, receiving a life-altering diagnosis and being sent home with no clear path, no specialist nurse, no appointment, no physiotherapist and no speech therapist—just a prescription and a sense that your life has fundamentally changed? That is not care; that is neglect. Again, there is hope. The Parky charter calls for a Parkinson’s passport, and it is possible that the foundations for that already exist in the pioneering Parkinson’s Connect programme. That programme allows clinicians to refer patients directly to the full network of support that Parkinson’s UK offers, from specialist nurses to peer support groups, helplines and tailored advice. It is low-cost, high-impact and, crucially, scalable. When the Minister responds later in the debate, will she agree to meet Parkinson’s UK to explore how Parkinson’s Connect can be scaled across the country? It is the type of innovation that our health system needs: solutions that empower people and relieve pressure on the NHS simultaneously. The fourth strand of the Parky charter is comprehensive care. People with Parkinson’s should not be lost in a bureaucratic labyrinth while their condition worsens. Governments across the UK could deliver a diagnostic pathway that guarantees access to a Parkinson’s specialist within 18 weeks of referral—not occasionally, not when it is convenient, but every single time. That manageable goal aligns with existing National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidelines. I urge the Minister to consider that the NHS long-term workforce plan must deliver the neurological professionals and Parkinson’s specialist nurses that this country urgently needs. We must remember that delays in diagnosis and care lead to irreversible deterioration, and the cost is not just human, but financial. Parkinson’s costs the UK an estimated £3 billion a year, much of which is avoidable through better care and early intervention. I recently spoke with a clinician who was emphatic in his view that people with Parkinson’s need to be able to access specialist services easily. In turn, those specialist services need to be able to recognise when advanced therapies, such as apomorphine infusion, Produodopa and deep brain stimulation, may be helpful. Critically, patients must be able to access them easily and equally. Compared to our European counterparts, this clinician’s view was that we do not use those advanced therapies as much as we should. Despite there being no lack of ambition in Scotland, we are lagging behind on interventions such as deep brain stimulation, which can be hugely impactful on people’s quality of life. There is scope and there is hope to grow the provision for deep brain stimulation in Scotland, but we need to see urgent action, attention and focus to make that a reality. We cannot talk about comprehensive care without acknowledging the dedicated but wildly overstretched workforce. Our health professionals do heroic work, but they are overstretched. Today, we are 100 full-time equivalent Parkinson’s nurses short of what is needed. Only 44% of people with Parkinson’s have access to occupational therapists, only 62% have access to physio- therapists and just 40% have access to speech and language therapists, despite the fact that Parkinson’s affects speech and swallowing so acutely. We must do better. The NHS across the UK must invest in this multi- disciplinary workforce that enables people with Parkinson’s to live well. Investing in the Parkinson’s workforce is not just the humane thing to do, but the economically smart thing to do. We also need to make sure we are spending smarter in Scotland. It has been 14 years since the Christie commission talked about the urgency of reform for public services to make progress on preventive spend to improve outcomes for patients. That commission was started by a different political party from my own, but it was absolutely the right thing to do, and its findings were welcomed across the political spectrum. However, despite that working consensus, here we are 14 years later, still making the same arguments for change. I hope that during her speech the Minister will confirm that the forthcoming NHS 10-year plan will make a similar commitment on preventive spending, but with more of an outline about how we will deliver that change of funding priorities, unlike the promises that we have seen in Scotland. I will move on to talking about personal independence payments and the cost of living with Parkinson’s. Beyond the NHS, our support systems are failing people with Parkinson’s. The average person with Parkinson’s incurs extra costs of £7,500 a year, and when lost income is factored in, that rises to more than £22,000 annually. PIP is intended to offset those costs, yet Parkinson’s claimants are 10% more likely to be incorrectly assessed than those with other conditions. We know that the status quo of assessment and award for PIP is unfit for purpose and that reforms are necessary. Campaigners have welcomed some of the moves in the recent Green Paper published by the Government. However, the Government’s proposals to tighten PIP eligibility—for example, by requiring a minimum four-point score in one daily living category—would miss the bigger picture for people with Parkinson’s, and could deny support to many who are profoundly affected by their condition and who rely on this working-age benefit to underpin the quality of their life. As part of that necessary reform, I urge the Minister to work with colleagues in the Department for Work and Pensions to consider submissions from organisations, including Parkinson’s UK, in pursuing reform of this broken system. A Labour model of welfare support should start from a position of considering the individual and be a system that embraces the principles of dignity, fairness and respect. Let me draw my speech to a close on a note of hope from the charter’s fifth demand: the quest for a cure. We stand on the brink of transformative discoveries. We have scientists and there is momentum, but what we need now is funding. The UK is already leading the way in innovative research. The Edmond J. Safra Foundation’s “accelerating clinical trials in Parkinson’s disease” platform trial is hosted by University College London, and supported by the National Institute for Health and Care Research and Parkinson’s UK. It is a global first—a multi-arm, multi-stage trial that fast-tracks promising treatments. The Government have invested £4.6 million, which has leveraged an additional £3.8 million in overseas funding and catalysed a £16 million programme, but I urge them to go further. A national registry, modelled on successful schemes in the US, could connect patients to clinical trials more effectively. Better data would mean better, faster and more inclusive research. We will not find a cure without involving people living with Parkinson’s in trials, and they are willing. As one participant, Helen, put it to me: “You’re not doing it for you. You’re doing it for future generations.” The Government’s £20 billion R&D pledge is welcome, but a condition that costs the economy £3 billion a year and affects more than 150,000 people cannot remain under-prioritised. Will the Minister commit to meeting Cure Parkinson’s and Parkinson’s UK to discuss how targeted investment can turn hope into reality? Let me return to the voices that brought us here. The Parky charter is not a wish list; it is a manifesto for dignity. Its reasonable and fair demands offer us a clear and achievable path forward: speedier diagnoses, informed and empowered patients, co-ordinated care, comprehensive support and determination that we will find a cure. These are not luxuries; they are necessities for dignity and survival. We owe it to those living with Parkinson’s now, and to those who will be diagnosed tomorrow, to act decisively. This is the moment when we can turn awareness into action, and pledges into progress. I particularly thank my office staff member Vonnie Sandlan, who not only brought this issue to my attention but conducted much of the research for my speech. She has educated me and, I hope, others about the importance of tackling Parkinson’s effectively and in a co-ordinated manner, and allowed me to hear some of the incredible stories to which I have referred today. I look forward to hearing the various contributions from Members on both sides of the House, and the Minister’s response.

• 1 May 2025 · Parkinson’s Awareness Month · Hansard source

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  I once again thank the Backbench Business Committee for allowing the debate and hon. Members from all parts of the House for their contributions, which were often emotional—I thank them for sharing those stories. A few themes came through, largely around the value of local volunteers and groups, beginning with the first intervention from the Father of the House, the right hon. Member for Gainsborough (Sir Edward Leigh). We then heard from the hon. Member for Meriden and Solihull East (Saqib Bhatti) about Jane, from my hon. Friend the Member for Stirling and Strathallan (Chris Kane) about John and Anne, and from my hon. Friend the Member for Hertford and Stortford (Josh Dean) about Angie. We also heard the especially emotional story of Jagdeep from my hon. Friend the Member for Ilford South (Jas Athwal). Volunteer groups are vital to ensure that those with Parkinson’s can live with their condition, and they provide incredible value. We should always be grateful for the volunteers who give up their time. We also heard about the value of and impact on families, which I mentioned in my speech and which came through again in a range of hon. Members’ speeches. I thank the Minister for her response. I look forward to continuing to work with her and Members across the House, looking at the next steps for better diagnosis and better care, so that we can better support those with Parkinson’s and their families, and towards one day having a cure for Parkinson’s. Question put and agreed to. Resolved, That this House has considered Parkinson’s Awareness Month.

• 1 May 2025 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  Before others were successfully and bravely completing the London and Manchester marathons, Brian Innes, a maths teacher at Queen Anne high school in Dunfermline, was completing the very difficult course of the Boston marathon in a little over three hours—a fantastic achievement, setting a great example to his pupils. Will the Leader of the House join me in congratulating Mr Innes on his achievement, wish him luck in the Berlin marathon, which he hopes to complete later this year, and suggest ways in which this House can influence policy that supports increased physical activity?

• 1 May 2025 · UK-Europe Trade · Hansard source

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  3. What steps his Department is taking to help support trade with European countries.

• 1 May 2025 · UK-Europe Trade · Hansard source

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  The UK’s economic relationship with Sweden is among the most important of our economic relationships with our European partners, particularly with Sweden having recently joined NATO. As the Minister will know, Babcock is pursuing a partnership with Saab to build four Luleå-class corvettes for Sweden. That would involve significant work at Rosyth dockyard and secure thousands of jobs in my constituency. This would be a joint export product, bringing considerable further value to the UK. Given the significance of this deal to my constituency and shipbuilding in the UK, will the Minister confirm its importance to our relationship with Sweden, and do all that he can to support and champion this vital defence industrial partnership?

• 30 Apr 2025 · UK Airstrike: Houthi Military Facility · Hansard source

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  In his statement, the Secretary of State referred to Russian attempts to support Houthi operations. Without compromising any information that he is unable to share, how would he rate the effectiveness of those Russian interventions, as well as the UK response? Does he agree that they show that we must continue to support Ukraine in every way we can to undermine the dictator Vladimir Putin?

• 29 Apr 2025 · Topical Questions · Hansard source

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  The Scottish National party celebrated the closure and demolition of Longannet coal power station in my constituency without having a plan for its future. The former First Minister pressed the button on the charges herself. What conversations do Ministers plan to have with the site owner, Scottish Power, about the future of the site, and what role might there be for the UK Government in bringing investment and jobs to my constituency?

• 8 Apr 2025 · Easter Adjournment · Hansard source

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  I wish briefly to cover three things in this debate. First, the world as we know it has changed drastically in the nine months since the general election. To our constituents, those threats can sometimes feel abstract and distant, but we know that it is our constituents who will feel the pain in their pockets, and it is probably those who have the least who will be rocked most by the destruction and chaos we see all around us. Some of those threats have meant that difficult decisions have had to be taken, including the reduction in overseas aid to fund necessary increases in defence spending over this Parliament and the next. I remain of the opinion that even those increases might not be enough to counter the new security threats that we face. If this period is to be remembered by history as one of instability and global shifts, let it also be remembered as a time when we endeavoured to build a new foundation that helped future generations to succeed and build a better world. Our response to those threats must be to invest in our young people and their aspirations, opportunities and skills. Not only will necessary increases in defence spending support thousands of jobs, but as necessity is the mother of invention, the new conditions create an unmissable opportunity for investment in innovative engineering and high-tech skills that can be applied in other sectors. In my constituency, those opportunities are widespread, whether at the port of Rosyth, which is increasingly becoming a hub for renewables, or at the hoped for redevelopment of the Longannet generating station. My second point follows from a consideration of that future: the imperative to invest in skills. We must invest in skills for the long term by working better with further education establishments, such as Fife college in my constituency, and building better links with businesses. Sadly, in Scotland that link with businesses is lacking, and a stalled skills agenda is failing our talented and ambitious young people. Businesses of all sizes in my constituency have told me that they are increasingly using, or considering using, City & Guilds or similar training modules in England, and not even bothering to have discussions with the Scottish Qualifications Authority, such is the long, laborious and bureaucratic process. The Scottish National party’s abject failure on skills will have long-term implications for young people across the country. If we are to make the future truly one for the next generation, we must support those young people to build that future. That firstly means stopping demonising young people, who have struggled with more once-in-a-lifetime crises by this stage of their lives than any other generation, from credit crunches and pandemics to political instability and uncertainty at home and around the world. They have seen services and support for them eradicated, chances to get on the housing ladder vanish, and secure long-term employment become a pipe dream, and all while wealth sits with the generations of their parents and grandparents. This Parliament must not continue the trend of giving only to the older generations. Without engaging and energising younger people, there will be no money left by the time people of my age hope to retire. Young people are not asking for mango sorbet and Malbec, but for respect and understanding, and that is what we should be giving them. Antisocial behaviour and crime are not the preserve of the young; alcohol and drug misuse is rising in people of older generations, not among younger people; and tolerance of others is much higher among younger people than among people my age and older, as everyone in this House will attest from our encounters on social media and our dealings with some constituents. As we enter the recess, we should remember that we are still very much in the early stages of this Parliament, and yet we have already seen unprecedented turmoil and change that is shaping our future. While much of that might be outside the control of the Government, it is vital that our response is to enshrine in place the right foundations, built with confidence and commitment, for the future of young people and our country, because the two are indivisible. If we do not leave this place in a better condition for those who follow us, then all that we strive for is, after all, for naught.

• 8 Apr 2025 · Congenital Hyperinsulinism · Hansard source

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  I congratulate my hon. Friend the Member for Warrington South (Sarah Hall) on securing this important debate. I had not intended to intervene, but my hon. Friend raised issues similar to those in my constituency in respect of young boys diagnosed with Duchenne muscular dystrophy, who are having difficulty accessing the drug Givinostat in Scotland. I am aware that the Minister might not be able to respond immediately, but will he meet me to discuss access to that drug in Scotland, and how we can help other young people affected by a rare disease?