Harpreet Uppal MP: speeches

Speeches

• 6 Mar 2025 · International Women’s Day · Hansard source

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  I thank my hon. Friend the Member for Brent East (Dawn Butler) for securing this important debate. It is with huge pride that I stand here today as the first woman MP for Huddersfield—[Hon. Members: “Hear, hear!]—but hopefully not the last. Female leadership continues in my local area, with a female leader of the council and our fantastic West Yorkshire Mayor, Tracy Brabin, and deputy Mayor, Alison Lowe. Of course, I have to mention you, Madam Deputy Speaker, as a proud Yorkshire woman —that is fantastic. International Women’s Day is a fantastic opportunity to celebrate the achievements of women, but it also marks a call to action to accelerate women’s equality. Around the world, we are witnessing a growing push- back against women’s rights—advances that were made painstakingly over decades. As parliamentarians, we have a particular responsibility to ensure that we do everything we can to progress women and girls’ equality and fight back against the culture wars from those who try to give easy and angry responses to complex problems, which too often pit us against each other when many of us are fighting for the same goals. I recently attended a Reclaim the Night march in Huddersfield, the first of which took place in Leeds back in 1977. As with those first powerful marches in the 1970s, we were there to renew our commitment to building a future free from violence against women and girls and to assert our right to go out without fear, whatever time of day or night it is. Recent data shows that 2 million women are estimated to be victims of violence perpetrated by men each year. That is one in 12 women. Police chiefs have warned of young men being radicalised online by so-called influencers. As the Safeguarding Minister, my hon. Friend the Member for Birmingham Yardley (Jess Phillips), said, “The scale of violence against women and girls in our country is intolerable, and the Government will treat it as a national emergency.” —[ Official Report , 25 November 2024; Vol. 757, c. 492.] I am very glad that she is in that role, doing this work. I am proud that we have more women in this Parliament than we have ever had, but we are only at 40%, so there is still more to do. I am glad that a women’s caucus has been established to look at issues on a cross-party basis, but the onus cannot just be on women; we must all act together and say, “Enough is enough.” I want to note a couple of local organisations in Huddersfield that work really hard to support women, including the Pennine Domestic Abuse Partnership, Kirklees Rape and Sexual Abuse Centre, WomenCentre and the Lipstick Project, among many others. When it comes to the responsibility of social media giants to curtail behaviour online, we must simply ask, are they doing enough? If the answer is no, we have to demand more. It cannot be right that at times, algorithms are driving this destructive and divisive behaviour.

• 5 Mar 2025 · Jammu and Kashmir: Human Rights · Hansard source

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  It is an honour to serve under your chairmanship, Dr Allin-Khan, and I give huge thanks to my hon. Friend the Member for Hyndburn (Sarah Smith) for securing this important debate. As other colleagues have said, in 2019 India made the unilateral move to downgrade Jammu and Kashmir to two union territories, revoking article 370 of its constitution. That was a huge move that India made unilaterally and it has had a huge impact on the Kashmiri people. As other Members have said, there was a complete communication lockdown in the immediate aftermath; there continue to be sporadic internet shutdowns to this day. As has been said, the Unlawful Activity (Prevention) Act has been used particularly against civil society activists and journalists. I especially mention Khurram Parvez and journalist Irfan Mehraj, who have been detained without trial under the UAPA. I have spent some time working on Kashmir with colleagues who are present for today’s debate. We have spoken directly with both civil society activists and non-governmental organisations in the region. Consequently, we know that, for example, Amnesty International India had its bank accounts frozen by the Indian Government. We also know that the BBC had to split its news operations to meet the laws that were put in place, and there were serious concerns about the moves that the BBC had to take at the time. Land laws in Indian-administered Kashmir have been amended or repealed, resulting in evictions, destruction of property and land confiscation. Just this week, there have been reports of books being seized by police, and of bookshop owners trying to go about their daily business but having books seized—a horrific example of what is going on in Indian-administered Kashmir. I must mention Gilgit Baltistan. The situation in Pakistan-administered Kashmir is far more open. As my hon. Friends the Members for Bradford East (Imran Hussain) and for Birmingham Hall Green and Moseley (Tahir Ali) mentioned, I joined them on a delegation to Azad Kashmir. We had quite a lot of access, not only to Government officials but to journalists and civil society activists, so we were able to speak to a large group of people. However, there is little or no representation for Gilgit Baltistan in Pakistan’s National Assembly or Senate, and there have been some concerns for journalists in the region. Also, we know that there are projects such as the China-Pakistan economic corridor, which has been seen as a beacon of progress by some in the region, but which has led to some land seizures without proper consultation. We must ensure that the Kashmiri people and Kashmiri citizens are put at the front of any moves involving their region. The right to self-determination exists under United Nations Security Council resolution 47, and we must do everything we can to support the Kashmiri people. As other Members have said, this is not a bilateral issue; this is an issue for the international community to be involved with. Finally, will the Minister tell us about the discussions that the Government are having with the Indian Government on trade agreements and human rights?

• 13 Jan 2025 · Hospice and Palliative Care · Hansard source

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  It is an absolute honour to follow the hon. Member for Wimbledon (Mr Kohler), who made a wonderfully poignant speech. I thank him for securing this debate. As the Member of Parliament for Huddersfield, I have had the privilege of witnessing at first hand the exceptional work of hospices such as Forget Me Not children’s hospice and Kirkwood. These organisations are lifelines for individuals and families facing life-limiting conditions. I welcome the recent announcement of the expansion of hospice funding, which is a crucial step in addressing the financial challenges that these vital organisations face. Hospices such as Forget Me Not and Kirkwood do not just offer medical care but provide emotional, psychological and practical support to patients and their families. They ensure dignity and compassion at every step of their journey, addressing the full spectrum of needs for those they care for. Steve, a local dad whose son, 10-year-old Ethan, receives support from the Forget Me Not hospice, spoke of its life-changing work for Ethan and the whole family. Steve said: “When he’s here he’s comfortable, it’s a lovely environment. It’s not clinical and he’s treated like a normal person.” They are not just care providers but community builders, offering spaces of comfort and support during life’s most difficult times. Huddersfield University is leading on joint work with local hospices about research and clinical practice in end-of life-care. It includes working with Kirkwood hospice to create a postgraduate certificate in end of life care, the first of its kind in the UK to link with a hospice. While I am sitting next to my hon. Friend the Member for Spen Valley (Kim Leadbeater), I must pay tribute to how she conducted the debate on her Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill. There is no doubt that she has moved the debate on funding for hospice care, and I thank her very much. The expansion of hospice funding is a significant and welcome development, but we must acknowledge that many hospices, including those in my constituency, still face immense financial pressures. Forget Me Not children’s hospice recently launched an urgent appeal to address a £1 million funding gap. The expansion of funding must be part of a larger, ongoing strategy to ensure that long-term commissioned funding for hospices is part of the 10-year NHS plan.

• 7 Jan 2025 · Northern Gaza · Hansard source

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  May I return to the issue of UNRWA? Philippe Lazzarini, its head, visited Parliament just before Christmas and was very clear about the consequences if its operations are banned. There will be an impact on the provision of schools and primary healthcare, as well as on a number of municipal services that it delivers in Gaza. May I urge the Minister to continue to take action on this matter, and to be clear that there will be consequences for the Israeli Government if they carry out this ban?

• 19 Nov 2024 · Topical Questions · Hansard source

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  Last week, the chief executive of Forget Me Not children’s hospice visited Parliament with local dad Steve, whose son is supported by the hospice. The hospice provides vital services to families such as Steve’s, but its services are at risk in the longer term without sustainable funding, including the NHS England children’s hospice grant. Can the Health Secretary take urgent steps to improve funding for hospices?