Harpreet Uppal MP: speeches

Speeches

• 25 Jun 2026 · Public Procurement: SMEs · Hansard source

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  7. What steps he is taking to help support small and medium-sized businesses through reforms to public procurement.

• 25 Jun 2026 · Public Procurement: SMEs · Hansard source

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  This week I welcomed Antich & Sons to Parliament. It is a family-owned textiles company that, for the past decade, has been innovating by using traditional local skills and methods to develop 3D weaving techniques and provide cutting-edge advanced material solutions. Given how that aligns with the industrial strategy and the northern growth strategy, what are this Government doing to help companies like Antich & Sons access procurement processes?

• 17 Jun 2026 · Steel Tariffs · Hansard source

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  Local manufacturers in Huddersfield have raised real concerns with me, particularly about the unintended consequences of this policy, the lack of a level playing field for raw materials and finished imports, and uncertainty around supply. Some are already seeing cost inflation in key steel outputs. Can the Minister please look at these matters again? Categories 14 and 27 have also been raised with me, and we must communicate better with our local companies.

• 17 Jun 2026 · High Street Shops: Illicit Activity · Hansard source

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  It is a pleasure to serve under your chairship, Mr Dowd. I congratulate my hon. Friend the Member for Halesowen (Alex Ballinger) on securing this important debate. As other Members have noted, town centres are incredibly important to residents, and Huddersfield is no different. The town centre is a part of our identity; it is a reminder of our childhoods, and, for many, it represents whether a place is doing well and whether agencies, councils and Governments care about them. In too many places in the north and the midlands, people have seen the slow decline of their town centre—the place they call home. That has led to resentment and a lack of trust in politicians and agencies to get the basics right. On top of that, the number of vape shops in England has grown by nearly 1,200% in little over a decade. While cash-intensive businesses are not new, for too many residents the rate at which they are rising is alarming. The National Crime Agency estimates that at least £1 billion of criminal cash is laundered through UK high street stores each year. Not only do those stores often provide hotspots for illicit activity, they also destroy the character that makes towns so special. From my conversations with constituents at coffee mornings, at business round tables and on doorsteps, I have heard loud and clear that closing those stores is vital to injecting the life back into our town centre. I welcome the creation of the Government’s high street organised crime unit, particularly its focus on strengthening partnership working and the intensified enforcement action on businesses that are committing these offences, which includes additional raids, closure orders and cash seizures. In November 2025, the West Yorkshire trading standards team conducted undercover raids to crack down on high street businesses suspected of laundering criminal cash. The operation seized £2.7 million of criminal assets. The feedback from those operations has been positive and they will be continuing. Will the Minister set out when further enforcement activities like those will be increased in local areas? In addition, what further steps are being taken to connect information across agencies and to flag suspicious entities so that such operations can be closed down quickly and, as other Members have said, stopped from popping up again? A recent report by the Chartered Trading Standards Institute, titled “Hidden in Plain Sight”, highlighted a corridor of crime across the north of England, from Liverpool to Hull and Grimsby. Unfortunately, Huddersfield has been ranked in the top 10 UK towns and cities with the most dodgy shops on the high street. The report calls on the Government to urgently invest in enforcement capabilities and particularly mentions trading standards. Over the past decade, trading standards has seen its resources cut by up to 50%. In 2002, more than 4,000 staff were employed by trading standards, but in 2025, there are now 2,300. Since then, crime has become more visible, so will the Minister confirm the steps being taken to support trading standards on the ground? We must ensure that our town centres can once again become vibrant spaces worth fighting for.

• 17 Jun 2026 · Rail Network · Hansard source

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  7. What steps she is taking with Cabinet colleagues to improve the rail network in Wales.

• 17 Jun 2026 · Rail Network · Hansard source

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  It is brilliant to see you wearing your Yorkshire rose, Mr Speaker. The UK Labour Government are investing in our railways to boost economic growth right across the country. In my constituency, we are seeing continued investment through the trans-Pennine route upgrades in Huddersfield. Will the Minister set out what rail upgrades are coming to Wales, and how they will deliver economic growth and boost employment across the nation?

• 9 Jun 2026 · Middle East · Hansard source

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  I welcome the sanctions and guidance that the Secretary of State has set out. Given the scale and pace of settlements, can we ensure that the sanctions are regularly reviewed? I agree with colleagues that a ban on settlement trade should be looked at again. The London property conference sounds really concerning. What sanctions will be put in place if property is being sold on occupied land?

• 3 Jun 2026 · Engagements · Hansard source

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  I associate myself with the Prime Minister’s comments on Henry Nowak and the calls for calm over division. The rugby league family lost a giant last week. John Kear, the former England, Wales and challenge cup-winning coach died suddenly on Sunday afternoon on his journey north after commentating on the challenge cup final at Wembley the previous day. After playing for Castleford, his local team, he moved to teaching and coaching for a total of 700 matches with nine clubs, and his career included famous underdog challenge cup wins with Sheffield Eagles in 1998 and Hull FC in 2005. John loved, and in turn was loved by, his sport. Will the Prime Minister join me in paying tribute to John and sending condolences to his wife Dawn and his family and friends?

• 2 Jun 2026 · Murder of Henry Nowak · Hansard source

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  Henry Nowak’s murder was a senseless, evil act, a criminal act, which Vickrum Digwa bears responsibility for. It is horrific that he made false claims to evade that responsibility. The actions of a perpetrator do not represent the whole community, and I know the Sikh community in the UK wholly condemn them. Many of us are deeply distressed about the circumstances of Henry’s death and his treatment in his final moments. How will the Secretary of State ensure that those lessons are learned, and that Henry’s family are put first and fully considered? On knife crime, how will we ensure that the root causes are dealt with and that resources are provided to agencies and to communities?

• 21 Apr 2026 · Middle East: Economic Update · Hansard source

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  It is important that we look at long-term measures such as decoupling gas and electricity prices, because we know that previous temporary measures have not stopped our exposure to these shocks, leading to further insecurity for residents and businesses. Can the Chancellor say how quickly households and businesses such as textile manufacturers in Huddersfield will benefit from this new pricing model? Can she say a little more about accelerating vital grid infrastructure?

• 26 Mar 2026 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  Tommy’s Lounge in Huddersfield is a dedicated drop-in support hub for veterans and their families. It provides peer support, mental health signposting and community connection. However, the service is facing a funding shortfall. The Government have announced Operation Valour to build a national network of recognised veteran support centres. Will the Leader of the House ask Ministers what emergency funding is available for established community veteran support organisations such as Tommy’s Lounge, and how the Government will ensure that existing services are not lost while the Valour framework is rolled out?

• 24 Mar 2026 · Middle East: Economic Update · Hansard source

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  The Chancellor will be aware that we have a strong manufacturing sector in Huddersfield and in Yorkshire, including the defence businesses and small and medium-sized enterprises that are feeling the pressure of rising costs. The middle east war has seen import prices go up and disrupted supply chains, so how is she supporting manufacturers in particular?

• 23 Mar 2026 · Knife Crime · Hansard source

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  Child criminal exploitation is a significant driver of knife crime in the UK. Around 15,500 children were identified as at risk or involved in exploitation in the year ending March 2025. Children are often coerced by gangs into carrying weapons for protection, storing drugs and trafficking illegal goods, often being criminalised themselves rather than treated as victims. What work is the Home Office doing to target the organised criminality behind CCE, and what structures are in place to support children and families in vulnerable situations?

• 23 Mar 2026 · Knife Crime · Hansard source

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  11. What recent steps her Department has taken to help tackle knife crime.

• 17 Mar 2026 · Topical Questions · Hansard source

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  T6. As my hon. Friend the Member for Erewash (Adam Thompson) said, the consequences of knife crime are always tragic. It devastates communities and too often involves young people. There has been under-investment in the criminal justice system and, in particular, in provision for youth justice by previous Administrations. What steps is the Minister taking with Departments across Government to increase prosecutions for knife crime, and for child exploitation in organised criminality in particular?

• 9 Feb 2026 · Money Laundering: High Street Businesses · Hansard source

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  Police operations last year saw hundreds arrested and thousands of high street shops raided across the country, including in West Yorkshire. What further steps are being taken to tackle money laundering, including by connecting information across agencies and flagging suspicious entities, so that such operations can be closed down quickly?

• 9 Feb 2026 · Money Laundering: High Street Businesses · Hansard source

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  17. What steps she is taking with Cabinet colleagues to help tackle money laundering by high street businesses.

• 5 Feb 2026 · National Cancer Plan · Hansard source

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  I join others in thanking the Minister for all the work on the national cancer plan. Last week I was lucky enough to visit the brand-new NHS community diagnostic centre on the national health innovation campus at Huddersfield University. Diagnostic radiographers are being trained on the second floor of that building. I also welcome the work of Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS foundation trust, which is ranked as one of the best performing trusts in the country for meeting cancer waiting times. How will we learn from that best practice across the country?

• 5 Feb 2026 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  Last weekend, I joined a thanksgiving service at Huddersfield parish church that paid tribute to local volunteers and residents who organised donations to Jamaica and the Caribbean islands following the devastation of Hurricane Melissa. Will the Leader of the House join me in paying tribute to those residents in Huddersfield? Will he set out how the UK Government are supporting relief efforts in the region?

• 5 Feb 2026 · Sudan · Hansard source

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  I thank the Foreign Secretary for her statement and for the sanctions she has announced today. Her account of the impact on civilians is devastating, with more than 21 million people facing high levels of acute food insecurity and 9.5 million internally displaced. What representations does she continue to make to parties to the conflict to secure unhindered humanitarian access, particularly for neighbouring countries that face destabilisation?

• 3 Feb 2026 · Town and City Centre Safety · Hansard source

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  It is a pleasure to serve under your chairship, Mr Dowd. I congratulate my hon. Friend the Member for Derby South (Baggy Shanker) on securing this important debate. Huddersfield is my home town, and I am so proud of it. Regeneration is on its way, including investments in Our Cultural Heart, the George hotel, the TransPennine route upgrade and the national health innovation campus at Huddersfield University. Those investments are important because, like many towns across the north of England, Huddersfield has faced decades-long challenges from under-investment in our communities and town centres. That can be seen in the visible decline of our high streets, the increase in vape shops and stores dealing in counterfeit items—many of which are propped up by organised criminal networks—and in the drop in visible policing and growing concerns about public safety. It is also apparent in the feeling that institutions, agencies and Governments have let our areas down, and in the lack of trust in us to deliver. On a recent visit to Kirklees college, one of the key concerns raised by students was safety and the perception of safety in the town centre. Those concerns have been echoed in my meetings with town centre business owners and in contacts with residents at coffee mornings. I am proud to have stood on a manifesto that committed to supporting town centres, and we have seen that in the commitment to neighbourhood policing, which includes 12 additional officers in Huddersfield town centre. The Home Secretary announced plans to reform policing last week, which included the creation of a new police force to tackle serious crime and further restore neighbourhood policing. Those measures are all important, but will the Minister set out how we will tackle organised crime and county lines networks, and give us an update on the role of violence reduction units in providing youth-focused prevention networks in Huddersfield? More importantly, we must ensure that we continue to invest in young people. Investing in young people, alongside increasing policing and levels of infrastructure, is really important for our town centres.

• 3 Feb 2026 · Iran · Hansard source

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  I welcome the sanctions that have been announced, including those on prolific IRGC members. At the weekend, residents in Huddersfield took part in demonstrations to highlight the brutal repression in the region, particularly that of the Kurdish community in Iran and Syria. As my constituents have said to me, many of the UK-Iranian community are concerned for their safety and the safety of their families in Iran. What assurances can the Minister provide for my residents, and what else can he say about making sure that we proscribe the IRGC?

• 26 Jan 2026 · Police Reform White Paper · Hansard source

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  I welcome in particular the commitment to visible and neighbourhood policing. Many towns across the country continue to face challenges with organised crime and county lines networks. How will the reforms help to tackle that systematically? May I ask the Home Secretary about the future role of violence reduction units, which are really important in providing new focused prevention work?

• 21 Jan 2026 · Warm Homes Plan · Hansard source

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  I welcome this significant investment. My constituents were badly let down by the previous faulty cavity wall insulation scheme. They were then chased for adverse legal costs. Ensuring confidence in future schemes will be really important. How are we supporting the really good suppliers under the ECO scheme and how quickly will the transition be in place to support them?

• 15 Jan 2026 · Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise Sector · Hansard source

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  1. What steps her Department is taking to help ensure that the voluntary, community and social enterprise sector has access to adequate funding.