Harpreet Uppal MP: speeches

Speeches

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

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  In recent months, I have met and heard from local charities that are doing incredible work in our communities, including S2R, Huddersfield Mission and Headway Huddersfield. Many of those charities have told me of the challenges they currently face as demand increases and the cost of their services rise and funding opportunities decrease, so what steps is the Secretary of State taking to ensure charities in Huddersfield are given the funding they need to deliver vital services?

• 14 Jan 2026 · Northern Powerhouse Rail · Hansard source

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  Madam Deputy Speaker, like you, I am a proud northerner. For too long, we have had to face challenges of under-investment in the north, so this is good news, particularly for Yorkshire. The plans for Northern Powerhouse Rail, alongside the upgrades to the trans-Pennine route, which are on time and on budget, will be a game changer for our communities and our economy. Will the Secretary of State outline how they will support regeneration and communities in northern towns such as Huddersfield, and how NPR will build on and connect to the trans-Pennine route upgrade?

• 9 Dec 2025 · Grooming Gangs: Independent Inquiry · Hansard source

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  I welcome the appointment of Baroness Longfield and the two panellists to the inquiry. The Home Secretary mentioned that victims and survivors will be at the heart of the inquiry. Can she set out a little more about what that participation will look like? On the potential reinvestigation of 1,200 cases—that is really important; we must ensure that happens—we know that too many victims and survivors are already facing unacceptable court delays. What discussions is the Home Secretary having with colleagues at the Ministry of Justice to ensure that progress happens at pace?

• 8 Dec 2025 · Child Poverty Strategy · Hansard source

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  I welcome the strategy, particularly the work on the new measure of deep material poverty—that will be important for understanding the experience of children. For how long will the holiday food programme be extended, and how quickly will family hubs be rolled out?

• 2 Dec 2025 · Topical Questions · Hansard source

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  Since the beginning of 2025, the United Nations Office for the Co-ordination of Humanitarian Affairs has documented more than 1,600 attacks in the west bank perpetrated by Israeli settlers. What more can the UK do in terms of sanctions for illegal settler outposts and settlement trade and to hold the Israeli Government to account?

• 2 Dec 2025 · Criminal Court Reform · Hansard source

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  In September, I attended a roundtable meeting with survivors of child sexual exploitation, hosted by the Mayor of West Yorkshire, and one of the key issues that they raised was the delays in court proceedings. It is unacceptable that perpetrators are not being brought to justice more quickly. I welcome these reforms, but how will we ensure that court delays are reduced as much as possible and perpetrators are brought to justice as quickly as possible?

• 1 Dec 2025 · Budget Resolutions · Hansard source

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  Poverty wastes potential and harms our country’s success and prosperity. The two-child limit has been the single biggest driver of increasing child poverty in this country, and by finally making the decision to remove that one policy, Labour will lift 4,560 children in Huddersfield out of poverty, which is something I am proud of. I know that that matters to many of us in the Chamber and to many outside it. When I visited the Welcome Centre, which is the largest food bank in my constituency, Ellie the manager told me how she has seen more families coming through its doors, and this one policy has been one of the biggest drivers of that. When I visit schools, teachers tell me how child poverty impacts school readiness. When I attended a “Poverty Matters” event in my constituency, many of those working on the frontline spoke about why removing the two-child limit would be one of the most significant steps the Government could take. That step, alongside other policies announced by the Government, means that this Parliament is set to see the largest fall in child poverty on record. This Labour Government will therefore ensure that every child—no matter where they are born, their background or their circumstances—is given the best possible start in life. There would be a cost in not doing so from the impact of children not meeting their potential, as well as in ill health, unequal economic growth across our regions and a reduction in productivity. We saw a significant slowdown in average annual productivity between 2010 and 2022 compared with the time of the last Labour Government. Let us not forget that the Tory and coalition Governments saw the closure of over 1,000 Sure Start centres and 300 children’s centres in England. Between 2010 and 2018, overall Sure Start funding fell by two thirds in real terms; it was left to local people and local communities to pick up the mess. The social contract in this country is important. Through our contribution, we all play a part in ensuring that this country—our country—thrives. It should not be about pitting one citizen against another or setting up a false dichotomy; it is about ensuring that we all do better through good, secure jobs. I know from my conversations with constituents that many continue to face financial struggles and that those who have not seen enough improvement in their living standards and pay since the financial crisis of 2008 continue to face an affordability crisis. I therefore welcome the steps that the Government have taken on energy bills as well as freezing rail fares, boosting the national living wage and the minimum wage, delivering a rise in the state pension and freezing prescription charges. I also strongly welcome the fact that apprenticeships for the under-25s will now be free and that 18 to 21-year-olds will receive a guaranteed six-month work placement when they have been out of work or learning for 18 months. Those are significant steps in the right direction. It is important that we support our local businesses, many of which are family-run in Huddersfield. Our manufacturing sector and textiles play a special part in our town, and it is good to see that UK manufacturing output across the sector rose last month and that business optimism has hit a nine-month high. We must continue to back those firms through our industrial strategy, investment in local infrastructure and Government procurement and by tackling high energy costs. While the Transport Secretary is in the Chamber, I must mention that the Government are backing major transport projects, including Northern Powerhouse Rail and the trans-Pennine route upgrade. That is important for my constituency and provides much needed stability for supply chains and the sector. There has been a bit of a hysterical response to the Budget from the Tories, but it has been well received by the markets, and we have seen UK borrowing costs come down—

• 27 Nov 2025 · Topical Questions · Hansard source

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  T4. Huddersfield contemporary music festival is the UK’s largest international festival dedicated to new music, and the programme this year has more than 30 world and UK premieres. Will the Minister join me in paying tribute to this festival, which brings national and international musicians to Huddersfield every November, and will he set out what the Government are doing to ensure we invest in culture in towns like mine?

• 25 Nov 2025 · COP30 · Hansard source

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  It was disappointing to hear from the shadow Secretary of State that tackling climate change and attending COP is student politics. Clearly it is not; it is about grown-ups coming to the table. I thank the Secretary of State and his team for their commitment and work to get the agreement at COP. As we start looking towards COP31, how are we advancing and monitoring the domestic implementation of our nationally determined contributions? Can the Secretary of State also set out how global agreements at COP translate to practical support for communities and businesses in Huddersfield?

• 20 Nov 2025 · Transport System: Economic Growth · Hansard source

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  As part of the trans-Pennine route upgrades, 25% of the route has already been electrified, with 40% due to be completed by summer 2027. Huddersfield’s famous railway station is also undergoing a £70 million reconstruction. Although there has been a 30-day closure that has led to some disruption for residents in my town, can the Secretary of State set out how the Government are ensuring the economic and social benefits of that investment will be utilised to help regenerate communities in Huddersfield?

• 20 Nov 2025 · Transport System: Economic Growth · Hansard source

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  10. What steps she is taking to help ensure that the transport system supports economic growth.

• 19 Nov 2025 · Specialist Manufacturing Sector: Regional Economies · Hansard source

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  It is a pleasure to serve under your chairship, Mrs Harris. I thank my hon. Friend and constituency neighbour the Member for Calder Valley (Josh Fenton-Glynn) for securing the debate. We have some Yorkshire people here today. Our manufacturing towns and communities have long been the engine rooms of this country. They built our economy, drove innovation and gave generations of working-class families good, secure jobs and pride in their local identity. From textiles and engineering to precision manufacturing, these industries shaped the story of our country. In my constituency of Huddersfield, that story runs deep. The town’s industrial heritage is woven into its very fabric—literally, as Huddersfield’s rich textile history dates back to the early 1700s. Since establishing a worldwide reputation for the manufacturing of fine woollen and worsted cloth, the words “Made in Huddersfield” have been a highly revered global brand. Merchants travelled from across the world to buy Huddersfield cloth, and generations of local workers powered an industry known for exceptional craftsmanship, precision and skill. I have seen at first hand the skill and dedication needed to work in these industries, as my dad worked as a weaver for over 30 years at a local textile firm, C & J Antich & Sons. It makes the cloth for the best fashion houses in the world, as well as putting together materials for Formula 1 cars, which is very exciting. The truth is that manufacturing matters to Huddersfield, and it matters that we make things in our country. Since becoming the MP for Huddersfield, I have had the opportunity to meet and visit many incredible family-owned and locally born manufacturers working in Huddersfield. That includes W. T. Johnson & Sons, a fourth-generation family-run textile finishing firm that has operated in Huddersfield since 1910; David Brown, a defence manufacturer providing highly complex equipment to the defence industry; the Textile Centre of Excellence, which provides training and research; Thomas Broadbent & Sons, which has run its company in Huddersfield since 1864; Olympus Technologies, which has been designing robotic solutions since the 1980s; Camira Yarns, a woollen spun yarn specialist that was founded in Huddersfield in the 1860s; and Reliance Precision, which has been around for 60 years and does some highly technical stuff that I do not fully understand, but it is very exciting. I also recently attended a roundtable hosted by the Calderdale and Kirklees Manufacturing Alliance. On those visits, manufacturers and industry leaders often told me the same story. They want to grow, innovate and recruit locally, but there is an issue with finding a younger workforce, so continued investment in vocational training and partnerships between industry and education is really important. Energy costs continue to be a concern, and they want to make sure manufacturing —not just advanced manufacturing—is a strategic priority for this Government. We must invest in the businesses that make things here in Britain. The ongoing impact of Brexit on trade and the supply chain is a concern for some businesses. SMEs particularly need support with cyber-security. Could the Minister explain what support is available to them? There was also some positive feedback on the export growth programme, which provides tailored advice to industry, and businesses asked what we can do to make sure that model goes further. These businesses are not nostalgic for the past; they are building for the future. The challenge and the opportunity is to make sure that the benefits of that innovation reach the people and places who need them most. Skills and workforce development will be particularly important for that. Without long-term funding for skills, the system will continue to fall short of what both learners and employers need. If we invest in people, prioritise skills and provide stability for the specialist industries that underpin our economy, we can restore pride and prosperity to the regions that built this country. That means creating secure, high-quality jobs. It means keeping our young people in the towns where we grew up, and it means ensuring that the next generation can take pride in the industries that define their communities.

• 18 Nov 2025 · Gaza and Sudan · Hansard source

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  Given the reports of thousands of civilians being prevented from fleeing El Fasher by the RSF and allied militias, what urgent steps are the Government taking to ensure that there are safe humanitarian corridors to support unimpeded access for aid agencies? That is a particular issue we heard about this morning in the private briefing. What more can we do to ensure that we are holding international backers to account—not only the UAE, but across the region?

• 22 Oct 2025 · Engagements · Hansard source

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  Ahmad Al Ibrahim was only 16 years old when he was fatally stabbed in Huddersfield. His life was cruelly taken away in what the police described as an “unprovoked” and “motiveless” attack. Following a visit to Netherhall learning campus in my constituency last week, I know how important this issue is for young people. Will the Prime Minister commit to redoubling efforts to tackle serious violence and knife crime through more visible policing, stronger prevention and investment in youth services?

• 21 Oct 2025 · Rape Gangs: National Statutory Inquiry · Hansard source

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  I thank the Minister for her continued work. All victims and survivors have not had their voice heard for too long. We need to ensure that that happens and I am sure that the Minister is doing that. Will she confirm what resources are available to ensure that survivors are properly supported through the process? On system delays, we know that there are still issues with court delays and ensuring we go after all the perpetrators. Will she give an update on that and on the Jay inquiry recommendations?

• 15 Oct 2025 · Ukraine · Hansard source

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  I welcome the measures that have been announced, particularly on oil and gas revenues. They come as Russia continues to target Ukrainian energy infrastructure, including a state-run power plant last night. How are the Government helping Ukrainian homes to stay warm over winter, and will the Foreign Secretary join me in paying tribute to the Huddersfield Ukrainian club, which has continued to support Ukrainians who have arrived in Huddersfield since the conflict began?

• 1 Sept 2025 · Middle East · Hansard source

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  I welcome the Government’s commintment to recognising a Palestinian state at the United Nations General Assembly. Violence in the west bank has been horrific, with Israeli forces and settlers displacing more than 40,000 Palestinians due to assaults on northern refugee camps, and of course there are concerns about annexation. What actions will the Foreign Secretary take to protect Palestinians at risk of forced transfer? What work will he do with international partners to pressure the Israeli Government at UNGA?

• 22 Jul 2025 · Humanitarian Situation in Sudan · Hansard source

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  I agree. The Government have taken some urgent action, which I will come to, but I agree with my hon. Friend’s call. Half of Sudan’s population, about 25 million people, now need humanitarian assistance and protection. They face acute and extreme shortages of food, water, medicine and fuel. Famine is widespread and strikes first at the most vulnerable. Crucially, it is driven by the deliberate deprivation of livelihoods and the obstruction of aid. A cholera outbreak is also spreading across the country, compounding hardship that is already acute.

• 22 Jul 2025 · Humanitarian Situation in Sudan · Hansard source

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  I absolutely agree. There is no doubt that rape and sexual violence has been used as a weapon of war, and we must consider that when deciding on our actions and priorities. Solutions do exist. What is missing is the international political will to implement them with urgency. Members of this House, our international partners, the Sudanese diaspora community and the organisations labouring on the frontline are right to ask why the gap between promise and delivery remains. I close with a reminder. Behind every statistic lies a face, a voice and a story. Behind every data point, there is an individual who dares to hope that the international community will help to alleviate their pain and suffering. Let us honour that hope by matching words with decisive action.

• 22 Jul 2025 · Humanitarian Situation in Sudan · Hansard source

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  I thank my hon. Friend for making those points. That is an awful situation that the people of Sudan should not have to go through. The impact on children is particularly brutal. In some famine-affected areas, as many as 29% of children show signs of acute malnutrition. At that level, children risk lifelong complications even if they survive the hunger that they face today.

• 22 Jul 2025 · Humanitarian Situation in Sudan · Hansard source

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  I agree, and I thank my hon. Friend, both for joining me at that roundtable and for the work that she is doing. The blackout also hinders access to mobile money, which is used to buy essential goods. That enforced silence not only conceals the scale of the atrocities but actively impedes life-saving support and documentation of abuse. There are many courageous organisations and individuals working with survivors to protect them and to bear witness, but they cannot shoulder the burden alone. The sheer scale of the emergency requires a full humanitarian response.

• 22 Jul 2025 · Humanitarian Situation in Sudan · Hansard source

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  I will come on to that issue later, but I am sure the Minister has heard what the hon. Gentleman has said. Previously, I have also raised in the House and with Ministers the terrible reality that rape and sexual violence are being used as weapons of war. Women and girls bear the brunt of the crisis: over 6.7 million of them are at risk of gender-based violence. Between December 2023 and December 2024, the UN found a 29% increase in the number of people seeking sexual and gender-based violence services. Reports of intimate partner violence, sexual exploitation and abuse, and the specific targeting of ethnic minority groups, are both widespread and on the rise.

• 22 Jul 2025 · Humanitarian Situation in Sudan · Hansard source

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  I beg to move, That this House has considered the humanitarian situation in Sudan. It is a pleasure to serve under your chairship, Dr Huq. I am grateful for the opportunity to open this debate, although I do so with a heavy heart because we meet at a moment of almost unimaginable suffering for the Sudanese people. The war in Sudan has created the largest humanitarian crisis in the world today, and the situation continues to deteriorate at a frightening pace. Investigators from the United Nations have found that war crimes have been committed by both the Rapid Support Forces and the Sudanese Armed Forces. Both sides continue to target civilians. The SAF have used barrel bombs to target civilians and, in Kordofan, the RSF have eradicated entire villages. Hospitals and medical sites—places that should symbolise safety and healing—are becoming battlegrounds. This is a war on civilians. It shows no respect for international humanitarian law. This debate is about recognising that the scale of suffering in Sudan demands the full attention of the international community, and the targeted assistance that must follow. Two years since the crisis began, nearly 13 million people—one in every three Sudanese—have been displaced from their homes.

• 22 Jul 2025 · Humanitarian Situation in Sudan · Hansard source

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  I thank the hon. Member for his important point, which I am sure the Minister has heard. Behind every number, there is a human being: a parent trying to find water for a child; a grandmother who has not eaten for days; a teenager who dreams of going to school but instead hears shellfire. As the rainy season approaches and worsening weather conditions make it increasingly difficult for aid to reach those most in need, the parties to the conflict continue to fight fiercely, heightening insecurity and disrupting critical trade and aid routes. Hoy da, a member of the Sudanese diaspora community in my constituency of Huddersfield, has spoken of the “colossal devastation and destruction of all aspects of normality of life in Sudan throughout the last two years”. Hoy da also says that efforts by authorities to establish normality, and a return for those who have been internally or externally displaced, face severe challenges.

• 22 Jul 2025 · Humanitarian Situation in Sudan · Hansard source

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  I thank all colleagues for their contributions to this debate and the Minister for her commitment and actions. At the heart of this are the people of Sudan, who need sustained, co-ordinated and courageous leadership from the international community. Let this House be part of delivering that. Question put and agreed to. Resolved , That this House has considered the humanitarian situation in Sudan.