Helen Maguire MP: speeches

Speeches

• 15 Jun 2026 · Social Media Ban for Under-16s · Hansard source

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  Parents are doing all they can to keep their children safe online, and are taking the initiative to achieve this. In Epsom and Ewell, I attended a phone-free childhood event at St Martin’s school in Ewell. Over 150,000 people all over the country have signed the pact not to give their children a phone before the age of 14. I welcome today’s announcement as a step forward, but we need to ensure that the ban is enforced. When it is in place, what real enforcement ability will Ofcom have to ensure that social media giants are held to account, in order to safeguard our children?

• 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?

• 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.

• 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.

• 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?

• 28 Jan 2026 · Defence Industry: Environmental, Social and Governance Requirements · Hansard source

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  It is an absolute pleasure to serve under your chairship, Ms McVey. I thank the hon. Member for Windsor (Jack Rankin) for securing this important debate. Private investment is the lifeblood of our defence industry—now more than ever. In an era defined by geopolitical volatility, from Russia’s brutal invasion of Ukraine to the unpredictable actions of global leaders, defence preparedness must be at the heart of the Government’s agenda. The landscape is shifting. World leaders are recalibrating their strategies, and the private sector is doing the same. ESG-focused funds are increasingly recognising the strategic and ethical imperative of investing in defence. Since Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022, exposure of ESG European equity funds to aerospace and defence has surged by a factor of 2.7. That is not an anomaly; it is a trend. There is often confusion from some stakeholders who claim that ESG rules exclude defence companies from sustainable finance, but ESG disclosure and labelling rules do not require defence exclusion. Let me be clear: ESG rules do not exclude defence companies. The confusion is misplaced. Many sustainable funds invest in defence, and those that exclude it typically do so for voluntary ethical reasons or because of reputational concerns, not because ESG rules mandate it. I am pleased that the Government have been clear that they agree there is nothing contradictory between ESG considerations and defence. This position is shared by the Liberal Democrats, who see the industry’s broader structural problems, such as political uncertainty over defence procurement, long production cycles, export controls and delays in Government payments, as the much bigger issue. Having met many defence companies, including SMEs, I have heard how they are lacking long-term certainty, making it difficult to invest in capacity, innovation and workforce development. Take Labour’s recent indecision on the new medium helicopter contract, which my hon. Friend the Member for Yeovil (Adam Dance) recently alluded to. Delays risk jobs and investment. Meanwhile, the defence investment plan remains unseen. Will the Minister confirm when the plan will be published? Defence companies, especially SMEs, need certainty. They need to invest in capacity, innovation and their workforce. The war in Ukraine has shown what is possible when industry and Government work together at pace. Yet our current system is failing them. Will the Minister commit to replacing rigid defence reviews with a flexible, continuous assessment of security threats? As part of this, the Government must look to improve collaboration with European and NATO partners to develop new technologies, equipment and training, including via the northern group. Will the Minister therefore give us an update on the UK’s access to the Security Action for Europe fund? Prioritising interoperability with NATO allies and other strategic partners means that we can support each other during peace and war; in times like these, that is paramount. SMEs are the backbone of the UK defence industry, providing flexibility, innovation and supporting high quality jobs across the UK. However, they face unique challenges that limit their potential to contribute fully to defence capability and UK prosperity. They receive just 5% of the procurement budget, with 42% of contracts going to the same 10 suppliers. That is not just unfair; it is short-sighted, so will the Minister update us on the defence office for small business growth? We know that the previous Conservative Government bungled defence procurement in our country, overseeing budget overruns and insufficient equipment supplies. It is time for a concerted effort to get behind the defence industry. That means no more delays to vital contracts, and timely and relevant investment plans. That is why the Liberal Democrats will partner with industry to provide the confidence to boost private sector investment in research and development, training and facilities, securing key skills and employment opportunities and ensuring that the economic benefits build the prosperity of UK regions. To incentivise defence spending, we have also shared our plans for war bonds. Members of the public could loan the Government money in the form of a bond that would run over a period of two to three years and pay out the same interest as standard Government bonds. The bonds could raise up to £20 billion for the military, and would give the public a chance to support our defence patriotically, so has the Minister reviewed those proposals and will she set up a meeting to discuss it in more detail? The world is changing rapidly. We can no longer rely on old certainties, and thanks to Donald Trump, we can no longer depend on our closest allies. The UK’s defence industry must come first. Will the Minister stand with defence businesses of all sizes and private investors and commit to making the UK a global leader in defence, innovation and resilience?

• 28 Jan 2026 · Firearms Licence Holders: Mandatory Medical Markers · Hansard source

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  I absolutely agree, and I will be coming on to that further in my speech. Let me be clear that this debate is in no way about firearm ownership—the Government are consulting on that separately, and that is its own debate. Today’s discussion is about how we can ensure that medical professionals have the information required to best support the individuals they serve. Emma and her daughter Lettie Pattison, who lived in my constituency, were shot and killed by Emma’s husband almost three years ago, before he turned the gun on himself. Before his latest shotgun licence renewal, George Pattison had used an online doctor to receive a “significant amount” of propranolol between 2019 and 2021. However, despite his change in mental health, the online doctor was unaware of his firearms licence, and the medication was not disclosed to his GP, which meant that neither professional was able to intervene. If they had, maybe Emma would still be working at Epsom college and Lettie might have celebrated her 10th birthday this year. Robert Needham killed his partner Kelly Fitzgibbons, and their children Ava, age four, and Lexi, age two, in West Sussex in 2020. In Needham’s case, as a result of changes to gun licence guidelines, a flag was initially inputted and then removed. A statement from Kelly’s family following the inquest into their deaths described the monitoring and sharing of information between police and medical professionals about Needham’s shotgun licence as a “shambles.” Having corresponded with medical organisations, I recognise that balancing the need for patient-doctor confidentiality is paramount. In the first instance, the GP should always ask for the individual’s consent before contacting another authority, such as the police, about how the issues they are facing may impact their ability to safely possess a gun. However, doctors can break confidentiality when it is in the public interest. According to the British Medical Association, public interest is likely to be justified where it is essential to protect other people from risks of serious harm or death. GPs also must already abide by several safeguarding protocols and laws. The Care Act 2014 sets out six key principles of safeguarding, including prevention, noting that it is sometimes possible to act before harm has come to an individual. With those existing guidelines, mandatory markers are not an attempt to reinvent the wheel; they are simply a way of flagging vital information that is key to the patients and public safety. The Royal College of General Practitioners considers it valuable to have those digital markers in place, and notes that software systems should develop, implement and secure the functionality of the markers in patient records. The college recommends that the Government work with the providers of GP systems to resolve this issue. The BMA also supports medical markers. They told me that doctors have a professional responsibility to share information that might impact on the safety of someone holding firearms in the community, and we need effective systems to do so. The Domestic Abuse Commissioner’s office welcomes the digital medical marker and recognises the work of bereaved families who have lobbied tirelessly to ensure that action is taken to prevent future harm and further loss of life. The British Association for Shooting Conservation and the Countryside Alliance, who have a combined membership of over 200,000 people, both support the introduction of mandatory medical markers. June 2010, March 2020, August 2021, February 2023—these dates are etched in the memories of families torn apart by gun violence: each one a failure of the system; each one a life that could have been saved. The Government have a choice: they can listen to the families of victims, to medical professionals, gun owners and the organisations working to end violence, or they can continue to leave the door open to tragedy. The Liberal Democrats believe that mandatory medical markers are a proportionate evidence-based safeguard. They allow concerns to be flagged early if someone’s health changes, rather than waiting years until a licence renewal, and can save lives. So I ask the Minister today: will he finally release the data on how many GPs are using the markers and will he commit today to making them mandatory?

• 27 Jan 2026 · Medical Training (Prioritisation) Bill · Hansard source

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  Last year, research by the Royal College of Radiologists found that 76% of English cancer centres had patient safety concerns due to workforce shortages. While we welcome the Government’s recent commitment to ending the postcode lottery of cancer care, does my hon. Friend agree that the Government need to publish an assessment of the Bill’s impact on doctor numbers, broken down by speciality, to ensure that cancer treatment is not delayed because of staff shortages?

• 26 Jan 2026 · Key Stage 1 Curriculum · Hansard source

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  Many constituents have contacted me about this important debate, and as a mum of three children, I have seen for myself just how important play is and how much it has helped them to understand teamwork and problem-solving. It is not just me who says that; UNICEF tells us how much it helps resilience, reduces stress and supports emotional wellbeing. Does the hon. Member agree that there are so many ways that play could be integrated into the key stage 1 curriculum as part of education?

• 20 Jan 2026 · Domestic Abuse-related Deaths: NHS Prevention · Hansard source

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  It is a privilege to serve under your chairship, Sir John. I thank the hon. Member for Stroud (Dr Opher) for securing this vital debate. In November 2025, Surrey police recorded 45 incidents of domestic abuse in my constituency, an average of 1.5 incidents every day. Let us be clear, those are not just statistics. Those numbers represent real people: mothers, daughters, sisters and children, experiencing some of the most harrowing abuses imaginable. I have met local organisations such as North Surrey Domestic Abuse Service, the Rape and Sexual Abuse Support Centre in Guildford and East Surrey Domestic Abuse Services to understand the support available to survivors. What I learned is deeply troubling. The overwhelming number of women whose lives have been shattered by domestic abuse is staggering. Many victims face financial hardship, debt and isolation. Children grow up in fear, forced to endure violence in silence, their innocence stolen. Yet for some escape never comes. Gemma Devonish, a much-loved teacher at a local girls’ school in Epsom, was found with 54 stab wounds in her home in December 2024. Her boyfriend was due to stand trial for her murder but justice remains delayed, as the trial is yet to begin. Aliny Godinho, a mother of four, was stabbed to death by her estranged husband in front of her three-year-old daughter while picking up her children from school in Ewell. Despite emergency accommodation having been arranged for Aliny in Streatham, her children remained at a school in Surrey. An examination of her husband’s computer revealed that he tracked her phone, accessed her emails and knew her new secret address. Those tragedies are not isolated incidents; they are symptoms of systemic failure. Recorded incidents are only the tip of the iceberg, because less than 24% of domestic abuse crimes are reported to the police. The NHS, however, has more contact with victims and perpetrators than any other agency. That places healthcare professionals on the frontline of the domestic abuse epidemic, not just for identifying and supporting victims but for monitoring potential abusers. Let us consider the case of Emma Pattison, the beloved headteacher at Epsom college, and her seven-year-old daughter, Lettie. Both were shot and murdered by Emma’s husband and Lettie’s father, George Pattison. George legally owned a shotgun and held a valid licence. Before his last licence renewal, which requires a letter from a GP, he used an online consultation service to obtain antidepressants. The online doctor had access to his medical records but they were unaware that he held a gun licence, and the medication was never declared to his GP. If medical professionals are a line of defence against abuse, it is unacceptable for them to be left in the dark about who owns a firearm. Mandatory medical markers would ensure that any health professional with access to a patient’s records could see if the patient held a gun licence. If necessary, the health professional could immediately notify the police. That measure is overwhelmingly supported. A survey by the Association of Police and Crime Commissioners found that 70% of existing certificate holders in England and Wales believe that a marker should be placed on the medical records of gun holders. Among the wider public, support rises to 86%. Will the Minister commit to exploring the benefits of mandatory medical markers with colleagues in the Home Office? The previous Government’s guidance for health professionals states: “Domestic violence and abuse is so prevalent in our society that NHS…staff will be in contact with adult and child victims…across the full range of health services.” Too often, however, staff feel ill equipped to support victims, and training opportunities vary widely across the country. Standing Together Against Domestic Abuse looked at all domestic homicide and abuse-related death reviews published in 2024 and found that 89% had at least one recommendation for health professionals or the health system. Its analysis also revealed that delivering training for healthcare workers at scale could cost as little as £2.66 million per year. Will the Minister review those recommendations and consider including them in the long-delayed workforce plan? I welcome the Government’s announcement of the Steps to Safety initiative, which aims to better equip GP surgeries to identify and respond to domestic abuse and sexual violence. However, any initiative must be grounded in lived experience. The IRIS programme, a specialist domestic abuse training support and referral programme for general practices, has shown remarkable success; practices with IRIS are 30 times more likely to recognise and refer domestic abuse victims to specialist support than those without. Will the Minister review the IRIS programme to ensure that Step to Safety mirrors its success? Finally, it is clear that we are missing a critical opportunity to use the NHS to detect and help victims of abuse earlier. Will the Minister set out a national plan to ensure that NHS staff across the country are sufficiently trained to spot the signs of domestic abuse? For Emma, Lettie, Gemma, Aliny and all other victims of domestic abuse, it is time to tackle this national crisis once and for all.

• 14 Jan 2026 · Horse and Rider Road Safety · Hansard source

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  Horse riders in my constituency are absolutely spoilt for hacking on Epsom downs, but there are lots of busy roads to navigate. Even at Pegasus crossings, drivers are jumping red lights as horses are approaching, which makes it incredibly dangerous. Many have reported near misses, and there have been instances of loose horses in Epsom as a consequence. Does my hon. Friend agree that better education on Pegasus crossings is vital to reducing the number of near misses and potential deaths of riders and horses?

• 7 Jan 2026 · Advanced Brain Cancer: Tissue Freezing · Hansard source

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  It is a pleasure to serve under your chairship, Mr Western. I thank the hon. Member for Caerphilly (Chris Evans) for securing this very important debate on equitable access to tissue freezing for brain cancer patients. My constituent’s son was first diagnosed at the age of 10 with a very rare brain tumour. When he should have been playing with friends and going to school, he underwent surgery and intense radiotherapy. After treatment, he returned to normality, but 13 years later the tumour recurred and he received the same treatment. Earlier this year, when he was 28 years old, and just three and a half years after his last treatment, the tumour was back again. Further radiotherapy was not safe, so he underwent six months of chemotherapy. His mum told me about the devastation of undergoing chemotherapy, knowing that it was never going to be a cure and that the tumour is expected to recur. In the 18 years that he has been living with the diagnosis and undergoing treatment, there has been no progress in treatment options, and a cure has not been found. Sadly, my constituent’s son is not alone; every year, 13,000 people are diagnosed with this brutal condition. Like many people, I was struck by the story of Owain, who was diagnosed with a 14 cm grade 4 brain tumour in his right frontal lobe. Similar to my constituent’s son, Owain was told that the standard treatment of radiotherapy and chemotherapy could only hold the tumour back for a period of time, until he sadly died. Owain’s campaign is now run in his memory by his brilliant wife Ellie, who is here today in the Public Gallery. The campaign has exposed the lack of communication, clarity and consistency in brain tissue freezing. Fresh tissue freezing can help to deliver personalised treatment, research and diagnostics, but across the country there is unequal access to it. Brain cancers are difficult enough to tackle. Even when tumours are surgically removed, cancer cells have already infiltrated the brain, often causing a tumour to regrow, sometimes within just a few months. We know that current drug treatments struggle to have an impact on tumour mass and that radiotherapy can only delay recurrence. Consistent access to brain tumour storage across the country could help to save future lives and improve outcomes for existing patients. A recent study by specialists from the department of neurosurgery at King’s College hospital and Guy’s cancer centre aims to implement a robust pathway whereby tumour tissue can be stored as a fresh frozen sample. Their report concluded that although the implementation of this pathway appeared to be straightforward, the limiting factor was the need for a fridge. There were also difficulties in liaising with the multiple teams involved, which was very time consuming, and disagreements about who should fund the freezer. Such concerns have been reflected by the charity Brain Tumour Research, which highlighted the variations in the basic infrastructure needed to support brain tissue freezing. The Tessa Jowell Brain Cancer Mission has also noted the numerous barriers to genome sequencing, which requires tissue freezing to enable precise diagnosis, prognosis and tailored treatments. Therefore, we are not struggling with unknown barriers. The solutions are right in front of us. When battling brain cancer, every day counts. Because of the lack of communication with Owain, there was not enough tissue frozen appropriately to create the vaccines needed to help tackle his tumour. Now his young daughter Amelia must grapple with life without dad. The Government have an opportunity to finally make a real difference to the thousands of people affected by brain cancer, by ending the postcode lottery of cancer treatments. The Conservatives spent 14 years failing to make any progress on improving cancer outcomes, and now it is time for action. The Liberal Democrats urge the Government to pay close attention to the specific difficulties facing brain cancer patients in the delayed national cancer plan. This includes setting out tangible improvements for brain cancer patients and equitable access to tissue freezing. We also cannot ignore that quick access to treatment saves lives, which is why I once again call on the Government to make sure that 100% of patients start treatment within 62 days of urgent referral. There can be no more families torn apart, left in the dark or blocked from possible treatments. With the UK lagging severely behind our peers on cancer outcomes, it is time for this Government to turn around the Conservative Government’s failure to improve cancer outcomes, and finally to place the UK as a global leader in cancer research and outcomes.

• 8 Dec 2025 · Child Poverty Strategy · Hansard source

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  I welcome the Government’s roll-out of free school breakfasts in every primary school. However, I recently visited a local school that is part of the early adopter scheme. Staff there shared their concerns that the funding is not enough to provide a full breakfast for each child. In some cases, children go without anything. I want to ensure that every child receives a free, fresh and nutritious breakfast, so will the Secretary of State confirm that schools are receiving enough money to ensure that children are getting a proper breakfast, and not just a snack or nothing at all?

• 19 Nov 2025 · Myalgic Encephalomyelitis · Hansard source

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  I absolutely agree with my hon. Friend. Although I welcome the Government’s final delivery plan for ME and chronic fatigue syndrome, and I recognise the contribution of the ME community in shaping it, I remain deeply concerned that the plan falls short of delivering the meaningful change that is urgently needed by people living with those conditions. I therefore reaffirm the calls rightly made by my hon. Friend the Member for Wells and Mendip Hills. In particular, the plan fails to set out dedicated funding to encourage early career researchers to specialise in ME research, or strategies to keep established researchers in the field. Those things are vital to develop new pathways that enable people to better cope with their diagnosis and, most importantly, improve their quality of life. Funding is also needed to step up education and training to improve understanding of the condition across the public sector and to pilot new approaches that strengthen the quality of care. Recent figures estimate that over 400,000 people in the UK have ME, and around 50% of the 1.9 million people in the UK with long covid are thought to have symptoms that are similar to ME. Those figures make it clear that there is a desperate need for research to develop better treatment options and training for doctors, carers and wider healthcare workers. We cannot ignore the fact that making those changes is a big task. Under the previous Conservative Government, cuts only made supporting people harder—from slashing health services to letting wait times pile up and overseeing a horrifying breakdown of community services—so it is no wonder that more people are suffering without support. That is why I urge this Government to make sure that the final delivery plan delivers real change for people living with ME and invests properly in research to change the course of diagnosis and treatment for good. For my constituent and for people living with ME across the country, we must take serious action to ensure that their experience with the healthcare system is rooted in dignity and care.

• 28 Oct 2025 · World Stroke Day · Hansard source

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  It is a pleasure to serve under your chairship, Ms Vaz. I thank my hon. Friend the Member for Twickenham (Munira Wilson) for securing this important and timely debate and for her personal and emotive speech. I send her mum my best wishes. I thank all other Members for their speeches and for their personal stories. Over the summer, a constituent wrote to tell me that, after having a stroke, he was looking for a support group to aid in his recovery. He reached out to the closest group he could find, but they informed him that the council services were drastically cut about 12 years ago under the Conservatives, leaving only volunteer-led groups. The stroke left him with limited mobility, so he is unable to travel the distance from his house to the nearest volunteer-run group and he is therefore unable to access a vital support network. We have heard just how quickly lives can change following a stroke. They leave people to navigate a whole new reality, which has been made even harder by the stripping of local services under the Tories. That is why I urge the Government to invest in prevention, community care and rehabilitation, including by restoring the public health grant to 2015 levels, and to empower local communities to co-design health initiatives that address their specific needs. More must also be done to support social prescribing and community projects that tackle loneliness and improve mental and physical wellbeing—key factors in stroke recovery and prevention that would make a direct difference to people in my constituency and across the country. We know that preventive action and early intervention are key to increasing survival rates and improving outcomes for those affected. The Sentinel Stroke National Audit Programme at King’s College London found that 57% of people believe that they should have two to three symptoms of a stroke before calling 999, despite just one being a sign of a medical emergency. Furthermore, nearly two thirds of respondents said that they would not call 999 as their first course of action if they noticed that someone was suddenly struggling to smile. Although I welcomed the launch of a new NHS stroke awareness campaign last year and this Government’s preventive policies, including regulations on the advertising of less healthy food and drink and the measures in the Tobacco and Vapes Bill, far more needs to be done. The most common risk factors for cardiovascular diseases, including strokes, are environmental and behavioural. They include smoking, diet and weight, physical inactivity, excessive alcohol consumption and air pollution. That is why it is imperative that we get more people moving and encourage healthy eating, including by closing loopholes in the soft drinks levy by extending it to milk and juice drinks that are high in sugar. There is also scope to go further by requiring better labelling of junk food and restricting the advertising of products that are high in fat, salt and sugar. Furthermore, encouraging some form of exercise throughout people’s lives improves not only their physical outcomes but their mental health. To make a real difference, the Government must invest more in public health budgets to enable active travel, supporting local clubs and making cycling and walking routes more accessible. We also cannot ignore the social differences that dictate stroke survival outcomes. People in the most deprived 10% of the population are almost twice as likely as those in the least deprived 10% to die prematurely. No one in this country should be subject to poorer health outcomes just because of where they live or how much money they make. For the 240 people who wake up every day in the UK to the life-changing impact of a stroke, and the 60% of survivors who leave hospital with a disability, we must go further to reduce the environmental and health risk factors of strokes, to educate people on the signs of a stroke and empower them to act immediately, and to provide easy, accessible rehabilitation and support services for survivors and families. We cannot leave more people, such as my constituent, alone to navigate the complexities of post-stroke life. The Government must invest in prevention, community care and rehabilitation, and undo the Conservatives’ devastating cuts to public health funding.

• 10 Sept 2025 · Bus Services (No. 2) Bill [Lords] · Hansard source

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  North East Surrey College of Technology in my constituency is not accessible by bus, leaving students having to travel even further for their education because local bus services are simply not serving young people. Does the hon. Member agree that the Bill must expand the definition of socially necessary local services to explicitly include schools and colleges?

• 8 Sept 2025 · Defence Industrial Strategy · Hansard source

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  I thank the Minister for advance sight of the defence industrial statement. I welcome the announcement today of the new defence industrial strategy because for too many years, the Conservatives chose to ignore the challenges across our defence industrial base. In light of the threats that we face from an imperial Putin and other revisionist powers, it is right that this Government have a serious approach to the defence industrial base in our country. The opportunities offered through the defence skills passports will add vital channels for people who are already in employment to make the transition to the sector. UK businesses are playing a vital role in supporting military operations in Ukraine, yet we know that many businesses operate internationality. Will the Minister ensure that all British individuals working in the defence sector in offices abroad will also have the skills that they need to support our allies? As the need to work closely with our European allies continues to grow, will he provide an update on what progress the Government have made on securing the UK’s access to the EU Security Action for Europe fund? It is vital that we properly incorporate small and medium-sized companies into the defence supply chain across Britain. While I welcome the Government’s commitment to a new defence office for small business growth, will the Minister set out how the new office will effectively support the integration of small and medium-sized companies into supply and procurement? It is crucial that the UK is prioritising spending its money at home and with the best businesses. To create a forward-thinking defence industry, will the Minister support an innovative approach to the development of new defence capabilities that continue to give businesses opportunities to innovate, even when the product is in use? While the Type 26 deal with Norway is a positive step in working closely with our allies, will the Minister confirm that the delivery timeline for expanding the UK’s own Type 26 fleet will not be delayed? Finally, last week my hon. Friend the Member for St Ives (Andrew George) asked the then Foreign Secretary to assure the House that the Government would not award a £2 billion contract to Israeli defence manufacturer Elbit, to which he replied with a resounding yes. Will the Minister reconfirm that position today?

• 3 Sept 2025 · Use of Drones in Defence · Hansard source

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  It is an absolute pleasure to serve under your chairship, Ms Lewell. I thank the hon. Member for Bromley and Biggin Hill (Peter Fortune) for securing this important debate; I was sorry not to be able to hear from him yesterday in the battle of Britain debate. The integration of drones, or unmanned aerial vehicles, into defence has transformed the way that nations think about security and the battlefield. Over the past decade, we have seen a steady growth in their use, and the war in Ukraine has made clear to the world just how central they have become. What was once considered cutting-edge technology is now an everyday feature of modern warfare. It is alarming that more soldiers today are being killed by drones in Ukraine than by any other form of warfare. However, the benefits of drones are undeniable. Drones allow us to project force and gather intelligence without putting soldiers directly in harm’s way. They give commanders a real-time picture of the battlefield, overcoming traditional line-of-sight limitations and extending awareness deep into enemy territory. They have become central to surveillance, targeting, logistics and even battlefield medical support. For example, drones equipped with advanced thermal imaging can locate casualties hidden in rubble, smoke or woodland. They can deliver medical supplies, bandages, medication and even defibrillators into remote or inaccessible areas, providing rapid aid while reducing the need to send medics into danger. In defensive operations, tethered drones are able to remain airborne for hours, providing uninterrupted surveillance and protecting bases from surprise attack. AI-enabled drones can patrol throughout the night, automatically detecting and flagging suspicious activity, which reduces the pressure on human surveillance teams and cuts the risk of fatigue. Cost is another factor. Compared with tanks, aircraft or armoured vehicles, drones are relatively cheap to produce, quick to deploy and often expendable. Ukraine’s experience shows how even commercial drones adapted for reconnaissance or artillery targeting can deliver immense tactical advantage. Their real-time video and geolocation data have significantly improved artillery accuracy, reducing waste of ammunition and increasing strike precision. Drones have also enabled Ukraine to conduct long-range strikes deep into Russian territory, disrupting logistics and undermining morale. However, alongside those advantages, we must acknowledge the challenges. Drones are not a silver bullet. They come with ethical concerns about remote warfare, accountability and lethal decision making, and the potential for escalation when operators can strike from thousands of miles away. Technically, they are also highly vulnerable. Drones depend on data links—radio or satellite based—and GPS signals to navigate and communicate. Adversaries with electronic warfare capabilities can jam, spoof or hijack those links. That is not theory: as has already been mentioned, in 2009 Iraqi insurgents intercepted live US drone video feeds using cheap, commercially available software. In Ukraine, Russian jamming and interference has disrupted as many as 60% to 80% of drones before they reach their targets. That has forced Ukrainian forces to innovate using frequency-hopping communications, deploying fibre-optic cables up to 50 km long, and even experimenting with AI-based navigation when comms fail. The lesson is clear: we must be realistic about what drones can do. Overreliance on them would be reckless. Ground forces remain indispensable for holding territory, engaging with civilian populations, providing humanitarian relief and responding to dynamic battle conditions. Drones can enhance these missions, but they cannot replace them. A balanced force of combined arms structure is essential. I welcome the Government’s announcement of a £2 billion drone investment package and the establishment of a drone innovation centre. Those are important steps, but technology alone is not enough. A fleet of advanced drones is only as effective as the people who operate and maintain it, and all three services will need drone pilots. That should form part of basic training. Drone warfare requires highly skilled professionals—pilots trained to control aircraft in contested environments, engineers able to maintain complex systems, data analysts capable of interpreting live feeds and AI specialists who can design resilient autonomy. Without those skills, our investment risks being underutilised or, worse, ineffective. Recruitment, training and retention must therefore be a central part of any strategy. We need a robust pipeline of talent if we are to scale drone operations responsibly and securely. We must also recognise the speed of innovation because our adversaries are not standing still. They are rapidly working to advance their drones as well; if we are to maintain our edge, sustained research and development is a necessity. That means investment not only in next-generation drones, but in secure communications, anti-jamming technology, counter-drone systems and resilient AI. It also means collaboration, working closely with universities, private sector innovators and start-ups that can bring new technologies quickly to the table. It is essential that the UK can quickly adapt to the rapidly evolving nature of warfare. Drones are not just another tool; they are reshaping the character of conflict. They save lives by keeping soldiers out of harm’s way, they improve precision and they provide persistent surveillance and awareness, yet they also carry risks—ethical, strategic and technological. Our task is to embrace their potential while also guarding against the vulnerabilities. We need investment in technology but also in people. The Government must work to balance technological innovation with conventional strength and ensure that the UK remains at the forefront of research and development, so that we are not only consumers of new technologies but leaders in shaping how it is used responsibly in defence.

• 3 Sept 2025 · Pavement Parking · Hansard source

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  I absolutely agree. We need to be encouraging active walking and encouraging people to use local businesses, and they cannot do that if they cannot access them by walking or being in a wheelchair on a pavement. Parents also face the same challenges, with 87% of parents saying that they have had to walk in the road because of pavement parking. They would be more likely to walk their child to school if there was not pavement parking. They are not simply statistics; I have heard directly from residents about delivery motorcycles on Epsom High Street riding up on to the pavement in front of pedestrians, blocking footways outside fast food outlets and creating a hazardous obstacle course. On one evening earlier this year, a constituent reported 23 mopeds and motorbikes clustered on the pavement, forcing pedestrians into the road and creating congestion as they pulled in and out without warning.

• 17 Jul 2025 · RAF Photographic Reconnaissance Unit · Hansard source

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  It is a pleasure to serve under your chairship, Ms Vaz. I thank the hon. Member for Carlisle (Ms Minns) for securing this very important debate. I am honoured to speak today in support of the long-overdue recognition for one of the most courageous and least understood elements of our second world war effort—the RAF Photographic Reconnaissance Unit. Formed on 24 September 1939, the PRU operated in the shadows, yet it was utterly central to the allied war effort. Its pilots flew unarmed, alone and at extreme risk, capturing more than 26 million images across all theatres of war. Those same-day photographs provided around 80% of the intelligence used in allied strategic planning—used in the Cabinet war rooms, for the Dambusters raid and for D-day. Although Enigma cracked the codes, it took days to decipher them; the PRU got intelligence in front of commanders by nightfall. It was, in the words of many, the most efficient intelligence-gathering operation of the war, but it came at a heavy price. Their aircraft—modified Spitfires and Mosquitoes—carried no armour, guns or even radios, and of the 1,747 known aircrew, 628 were killed. Nearly a third of those are still missing today. The average age of those brave pilots was just 24. Among them were two heroes from my Epsom and Ewell constituency. Squadron Leader Frank Gerald “Jerry” Fray, educated at the City of London Freemen’s School in Ashtead, brought back the iconic photographs of the Dambusters raid. He completed two operational tours and later commanded RAF squadrons in India and Germany. Flight Lieutenant William George Poulter, born in Leatherhead in 1914, trained to fly Spitfires in the RAF Photographic Reconnaissance Unit and by the end of the war he was serving in the middle east. He later went on to become a civilian pilot, and his quiet contribution deserves our loudest thanks. Despite their sacrifice, there is still no national memorial to the men and women of the PRU. That is why I back the efforts of the Spitfire AA810 project, which has campaigned tirelessly since 2018 for a national monument near to the Churchill War Rooms, where their work shaped the course of history. The planned memorial will also honour the 635 photographic interpreters, including 195 women, who turned the aerial images into actionable intelligence. Without them, we would have had 26 million photos but no intelligence to act upon. It was an international effort, with personnel from more than 24 nations, from the USA to Fiji and from Brazil to Poland. With such widespread representation, the PRU is one of the best examples of international collaborative work against fascism. Ministers have indicated support and welcomed public fundraising for the memorial, and I welcome that the Government are now helping to bring it to fruition. These brave individuals deserve to be remembered; let us ensure their story is no longer hidden in the shadows, but carved permanently into the stone of our national memory.