Helen Maguire MP: speeches 2026

Speeches

• 18 Mar 2026 · Fuel Duty · Hansard source

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  We know that Trump’s illegal war in Iran has driven up global oil prices. To give an example, just yesterday I visited Edward Thomas & Son, a coach company in Epsom and Ewell. Last Thursday, it was forced to accept an unpriced oil delivery for its regular order of white diesel at £31,082 for 18,000 litres. In February, the same order was £23,614. That is almost a 30% increase. Ninety per cent of its work is helping children get to school, go on school trips and so on. Does the hon. Member not agree that this is just unacceptable? These are people trying to go about their day-to-day lives and just get to school.

• 17 Mar 2026 · Rural Roads · Hansard source

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  I am very glad that the hon. Member was able to provide support to his constituent in that really awful case. In Surrey, we have some of the busiest roads and they are absolutely littered with potholes. Longmead Road has over 30 potholes, and there is a secondary school on that road called Blenheim high school. A huge number of students cycle to that school, so this is frankly an accident waiting to happen. Does the hon. Member agree that, as well as fixing the potholes, having a central highways team to answer to councillors and residents might be a good way forward, so that we can better identify where all the potholes are?

• 16 Mar 2026 · GP Contract · Hansard source

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  I welcome the fact that the Government have adopted our policy of seeing clinically urgent patients on the same day, but patient safety has been put at risk by increasing workloads, according to members of the Royal College of General Practitioners. One in five patients has been forced to wait at least two weeks for an appointment. Although the Government’s funding of 1,600 new GPs is welcome, it is insufficient to deliver the required shift to community care. The Health Foundation says that an additional 6,500 GPs will be needed by 2031, and the Liberal Democrats would provide 8,000. What is the Minister doing to address the shortfall? Residents in Epsom and Ewell, who already struggle to get a GP appointment, are concerned that increased housing will make it even harder. What is the Minister doing to ensure that there is funding for GP buildings, as well as GPs? I welcome the Government’s focus on the obesity crisis, but it does not fix the root cause. Aside from the junk food ban, what steps are the Government taking to encourage children and young people to create active and healthy habits for life from an early age?

• 11 Mar 2026 · Disability Equipment Provision · Hansard source

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  I thank the hon. Member for Aberdeenshire North and Moray East (Seamus Logan) for securing this debate. I also thank you for your chairmanship today, Mr Betts. There are fantastic organisations in Epsom and Ewell that support my disabled constituents, including Mid Surrey Mencap, which I met last year. Its work is profound, but without the right equipment, organisations can only do so much. A lack of equipment often leaves people reliant on family members to manually help them with essential tasks, including going to the toilet and washing. From grab rails to shower seats, equipment can mean the difference between dependence and independence. The report on this issue from the APPG for access to disability equipment revealed that staff shortages, supply chain delays and inconsistent local authority processes cause widespread delays to equipment provision. It is clear that we need structural change, and the NHS reform Bill provides an opportunity to deliver a co-ordinated, national approach on disability equipment. Will the Minister commit to using that legislation to deliver this? It is widely recognised that access to wheelchairs varies significantly across the country, and demand is skyrocketing. In September 2025, the charity Whizz Kidz was forced to close its wheelchair waiting list for the first time in its 35-year history because of high demand. Moreover, the average wait time between being discharged from hospital after life-altering injuries and being assessed for a wheelchair is 10 months. Although the Liberal Democrats welcome NHS England’s wheelchair quality framework, I am concerned that with ICBs facing cuts and reorganisation, a framework may not have the impact necessary to deliver change. What makes matters worse is that equipment wastage in the NHS is huge, and we only need to go to the local tip to see it. In July, I wrote to the Minister for Secondary Care following concerns from a constituent about NHS equipment wastage. In her response, she highlighted the Design for Life road map, which includes a framework for decontamination infrastructure across NHS trusts to enable the safe sterilisation and reuse of medical equipment. I find it shocking that disabled people are waiting months or even years for equipment, while other patients are forced to throw away useful equipment that could be reused once they have recovered. Will the Minister confirm how much equipment has been diverted from waste since the road map was published over a year ago? The debate has reinforced a simple but vital truth: everyone deserves to live independently and with dignity. After the Conservatives left social care in disarray, the Liberal Democrats are committed to ensuring that people with disabilities have access to suitable housing, meaningful employment and the opportunity to enjoy the activities that make life fulfilling. I ask the Minister to make the simple commitment that specialised services and disabled equipment will no longer be treated as an afterthought but as an essential part of enabling people to live full and independent lives, and to work if they can do so, and that more equipment is reused.

• 10 Mar 2026 · Courts and Tribunals Bill · Hansard source

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  Removing jury trials is surely an erosion of the criminal justice system. As the hon. Gentleman has alluded to, one judge cannot provide the same scrutiny as 12 random jurors. If the need is to reduce the backlog, maybe we should consider using courtrooms 100% of the time to actually reduce the backlog in the first place.

• 10 Mar 2026 · Local Government Reorganisation: South-east · Hansard source

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  My hon. Friend is eloquently explaining the serious financial situations that many potential unitary councils will be in. They will be saddled with such financial burdens that it will be difficult for them to deliver the services that local residents need. A three-year financial forecast for East Surrey has identified a potential £35 million deficit. The Whitehall funding settlement does not currently reflect the real cost pressures that such councils will experience. Does my hon. Friend agree that Labour needs to fix a broken funding system and not leave residents paying the price?

• 9 Mar 2026 · Type 1 Diabetes: Infant Testing · Hansard source

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  It is an absolute pleasure to serve under your chairship, Sir Alec, and to have the opportunity to debate this incredibly important issue. As a mum, I cannot begin to imagine the pain of Lyla Story’s family after she died last May from undiagnosed type 1 diabetes, less than 24 hours after a doctor diagnosed her with acute tonsillitis. It is an absolute tragedy that Lyla’s life was cut so short, and it is clear that change must happen. Every child must get the care that they need, when and where they need it. Every child should expect the best possible opportunities to grow up healthy and to exercise, play and eat well. Charities such as Diabetes UK have been instrumental in raising awareness of the common symptoms known as the four Ts, to which many hon. Members have alluded today: “toilet”, “thirsty”, “tired” and “thinner”. However, children are too often rushed into intensive care and hours later face a diagnosis of type 1 diabetes and diabetic ketoacidosis. DKA can mean a coma, organ failure and a traumatic hospital stay. If it is not treated quickly, it can be fatal. No child or parent should have to face that terrifying reality when the tools are at our fingertips. NICE guidance is clear: health professionals should know the signs and symptoms of type 1 diabetes, and any child suspected to have the condition should be referred on the same day to a multidisciplinary paediatric diabetes team to confirm the diagnosis and provide immediate care. The Liberal Democrats believe that early diagnosis of long-term health conditions is essential, offering the best opportunity for those suffering from type 1 diabetes to live healthy, long and fulfilling lives. I welcome the Minister to her place; will she confirm what steps have been taken to ensure that medical professionals are confident in identifying type 1 diabetes in children to avoid a traumatic late diagnosis? Research shows that patients who see the same clinician for most of their care have fewer hospital admissions and lower mortality rates. I therefore implore the Minister to take forward the Liberal Democrat proposal to guarantee a named GP to all those with type 1 diabetes to help improve their long-term care once a diagnosis is achieved. Another key issue with type 1 diabetes is that we do not know the exact cause of the disease. It is essential that the Government drive research so that we can establish the evidence needed for a viable and effective national screening programme. I urge the National Screening Committee to take on board all new evidence as it emerges, not least from the ongoing study of screening children aged three to 13, which is funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research. The Government must also take steps to facilitate medical research in the UK to make progress on paediatric type 1 diabetes testing and other conditions. Will the Minister consult the Chancellor about whether she will consider reversing the employer national insurance contributions hike to support the life sciences sector and boost research and development funding to end this information desert? The Liberal Democrats are clear that no child should die because of a missed or late diagnosis. The UK needs to be a world leader on research, diagnostics and patient experience. I think of Lyla and the many other children whose lives could have been saved, and I ask the Minister to pay attention to the many calls in this debate to ensure that no family spends a lifetime grieving.

• 4 Mar 2026 · NHS Capital Spending · Hansard source

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  The Minister is making an important point about the vital need for capital funding in the NHS. I and a number of colleagues are here in the Chamber because St Helier hospital is falling apart, and unfortunately patients are being affected, but the hospital build programme has been delayed another three years. There has been lots of goodwill in the debate, but we are looking for additional investment in the A&E. I hope the Minister will take that away, and that there might be something about it in a statement soon.

• 3 Mar 2026 · Small Charity Sector · Hansard source

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  Will my hon. Friend give way?

• 3 Mar 2026 · SEND Provision: Local Authorities · Hansard source

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  I apologise for being late for the debate; business was going more rapidly than I expected. Many of us strongly believe that it is important that children are educated as close to home as possible. Unfortunately, I have a piece of casework in my constituency where one child is doing a three-hour round trip every single day just to get to school, which is unacceptable. With the new changes, will there be an option to change that? It would be helpful if the Minister could expand on that.

• 3 Mar 2026 · Community Cohesion · Hansard source

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  On Sunday, I celebrated iftar at the local Epsom Islamic Centre. We enjoyed lots of wonderful food and a real community spirit. Unfortunately, last October the centre was the target of vandalism and abuse, which included words and devils spray-painted on the building. That hatred does not represent the majority of people in Epsom and Ewell, but we cannot ignore the fact that there are those in our country who seek to divide us. Does the hon. Member agree that we must support our communities in standing firm against hatred and violence in all its forms?

• 2 Mar 2026 · Middle East · Hansard source

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  After the fall of the regime in Iraq, there was no long-term plan and civil society collapsed. In 2004, I was in Op Telic 4 in Iraq, retraining the Iraqi police service. One day I asked my lance corporal, “How do we know if the recruits are former Ba’athist regime supporters or not?” He said, “We don’t. We’ve no idea who we’re training.” The US has attacked Iran with no clear strategy, and now this Government have agreed that UK bases can be used for defensive attacks. I am seriously concerned about the potential for mission creep when there is no clear understanding of Trump’s military objectives. In deciding to allow the US to use UK bases for defensive actions, UK military and civilian lives have been put at risk. Military operations with no clear objectives tend to fail, so can the Prime Minister explain how such a decision—which could lead to mission creep—was made when we have no understanding of Trump’s long-term military aim or post-conflict plan?

• 2 Mar 2026 · Representation of the People Bill · Hansard source

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  The Bill presents a vital opportunity to pave a new way for politics —a politics that is good, honest and free from foreign interference. I welcome many of the Government’s proposed changes, but the Bill does not go far enough. Loopholes can still be exploited, with foreign billionaires simply needing someone in the middle willing to co-operate and act as the middle man before a donation reaches the party’s pockets. Using company revenue rather than profit to determine eligibility for political donations is also too weak a safeguard against foreign money. Furthermore, the issue of cryptocurrencies has also not been addressed in this legislation, as many Members have said this evening. International IDEA reports that 49% of countries worldwide place some kind of cap on donations to political parties. Labour must do what is right and use this Bill to finally cap donations to political parties. Free and fair elections are central to our democracy, so I am pleased that the Minister listened to my concerns when I met her last week, and the strategy and policy statement will now be withdrawn. This will ensure the independence of the Electoral Commission. There is also the growing issue of disinformation, which this legislation fails to address. With the welcome change in voting age, even more of our electorate must now wade through online content and determine what is real and what is false. It is therefore imperative that we do not go into another election without robust, updated measures to tackle disinformation. As we consider voters, I am pleased to see changes to move the postal vote application deadline to three days earlier in the electoral timetable, and I hope that this helps our overseas electorate. Finally, this Bill makes progress, but it cannot be the end of the road for electoral reform.

• 2 Mar 2026 · Representation of the People Bill · Hansard source

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  I totally agree with my hon. Friend. Indeed, I believe that at recent Labour conferences, many Labour members brought up the same point. This House must strive for a system that is bold and ambitious, and that puts everyday people at the heart of British politics. The legislation needs to go further to deliver for our constituents.

• 25 Feb 2026 · Ukraine · Hansard source

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  My hon. Friend makes a valid point about the tactics that Putin is using at the moment. Temperatures in Ukraine have dropped to minus 20°C, which has had profound consequences for everyone there. Not only are people freezing to death, which has a huge effect on the frontline, but military veterans with prosthetics are unable to recharge their limbs. There has been a 21% jump in damaged or destroyed energy infrastructure since last year, and the World Bank reports that it would cost £1 billion to rebuild it. Does he agree that the Government must urgently seize billions in Russian assets and use the proceeds to help Ukraine rebuild its infrastructure?

• 25 Feb 2026 · Student Loan Repayment Plans · Hansard source

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  The Minister talks about the history of the student loan, and it is helpful for us all to understand that, but at the moment the students on plan 2 face a freeze—the very thing, along with previous Governments, that the Minister is criticising. It seems bizarre that he is criticising something on the one hand when he has taken action to do the same thing himself.

• 24 Feb 2026 · Local Transport: Planning Developments · Hansard source

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  Epsom and Ewell has the highest accommodation costs in England. That pressure is being addressed by building new housing, but the challenge is that in one development in my constituency, residents had to wait nearly a decade after moving into their new homes to get a bus route and new school, with additional pressure on train services. Although housing and some development is essential, does the hon. Member agree it should reflect community needs and the capacity of local transport services?

• 24 Feb 2026 · Online Harm: Child Protection · Hansard source

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  Last week, the chief executive officer of Meta took the stand in Los Angeles as part of a landmark trial examining Instagram’s impact on the mental health of young users. This highlights the confusion about who is responsible for what in the online space. We know that we need Government legislation, but we also need clarity on what social media companies are responsible for. Does my hon. Friend agree that it is time that we establish a clear framework and proper accountability so responsibilities are understood and the right people are held to account for any failings?

• 24 Feb 2026 · Ambulance Response Times · Hansard source

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  In November, I joined a local ambulance crew and saw at first hand the great work they do for our community, but services are under huge strain. Will the Minister designate ambulance stations as critical infrastructure to protect them from closure and set up an emergency fund to support them?

• 24 Feb 2026 · EU Membership Referendum: Impact on the UK · Hansard source

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  Does the hon. Gentleman find it bizarre that at the moment British citizens can spend only 90 days out of every 180 in Europe, yet reciprocally EU nationals can spend six months in the UK? Does he think that at the next EU-UK summit we could pursue a reciprocal visa travel arrangement?

• 24 Feb 2026 · Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor · Hansard source

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  On that point, I have been contacted by a constituent who played a public role in the middle east. They said that during their time in that role, they had to go through incredible checks—background checks and so on. Does my hon. Friend agree that the release of these files would enable us to see whether the same background checks that are applied to citizens like us in public life are applied to the royal family?

• 10 Feb 2026 · Decarbonisation Schemes: GP Access · Hansard source

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  Primary care accounts for around 25% of the NHS’s carbon emissions, with many GPs working in ageing, energy-inefficient buildings with high running costs. Research from the Royal College of General Practitioners reveals that only five GP practices in England and Wales have accessed the boiler upgrade grant scheme since May 2022, and most are unable to access the public sector decarbonisation scheme. GP partners across the UK identify a lack of capital funding as the main barrier to decarbonisation, yet 260 NHS trusts are rightly receiving Government funding for new solar panels. Will the Minister meet me and the Royal College of General Practitioners to discuss how GPs can access decarbonisation schemes, and will she expand GB Energy’s investment model to GPs?

• 10 Feb 2026 · Decarbonisation Schemes: GP Access · Hansard source

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  4. What plans his Department has to help improve GP access to decarbonisation schemes.

• 10 Feb 2026 · Independent Water Commission: Final Report · Hansard source

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  The Rye brook in Ashtead, which runs past local schools, has suffered loads of raw sewage leaks. It feeds into the River Mole, which has seen 3,000 hours of storm overflows in January 2026. The run-off pollutes local chalk streams as well. The hon. Lady might be interested to know that, while the report also ignored reforming water companies, it mentioned chalk streams only twice. Does she agree that privatisation is not working and that we need to bring water companies into mutually owned public benefit companies and end the sewage scandal for good?

• 9 Feb 2026 · Brain Tumour Survival Rates · Hansard source

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  I congratulate my hon. Friend the Member for Witney (Charlie Maynard) and the hon. Member for Mitcham and Morden (Dame Siobhain McDonagh) on securing this really important debate in the Chamber, and I thank them for campaigning so tirelessly on this issue. I know how closely it affects families, including the family of my hon. Friend the Member for Witney. I was pleased to work with Georgie and Brain Cancer Justice on a letter to the Minister for public health and prevention, the hon. Member for West Lancashire (Ashley Dalton), regarding brain cancer vaccination trials before Christmas. For brain cancer patients in the UK, no vaccine trials are running. The national cancer plan, published last week, committed to delivering up to 10,000 cancer vaccines. The ambition is that this kind of treatment will be more widely available by 2035. However, for many, that will be too late. Around 35 families every single day hear the news that a loved one has been diagnosed with a primary brain tumour, and many see that as a life sentence.