Imogen Walker MP: speeches

Speeches

• 15 Sept 2026 · Violence against Women and Girls: AI-based Crime · Hansard source

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  Violence against women and girls is hardly new, but perverts and abusers now have the ability to generate huge amounts of appalling content at lightning speed, and we are not able to respond quickly enough. What can the Government do to give Ofcom the power and ability to crack down on disgusting online content more quickly, so that we can keep women and girls safer?

• 15 Sept 2026 · Violence against Women and Girls: AI-based Crime · Hansard source

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  8. What steps he is taking to help tackle AI-based violence against women and girls crime in online spaces.

• 15 Sept 2026 · Civil Service Pension Scheme · Hansard source

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  The people affected by this issue have worked hard, done the right thing and put money aside for the future, and of course the consequences when things go wrong are dreadful. One of my constituents has experienced a catalogue of errors lasting more than six months, from a £27,000 mistake about a lump sum to a tax code error that still has not been resolved. That is just one case among many. People are spending hours on the phone only to be fobbed off, paperwork is going missing, money is taking months to arrive and lives are being ruined. Capita’s response is arbitrary targets that come to little or nothing. Will the Minister say what will happen if Capita continues to set itself targets and then miss them? The Government’s action so far is welcome, and it is entirely right that Capita should be audited. Can we have progress on this, please? Can the Minister also tell me who will pay the interest on any delayed payments? A pension, of course, is about money, but more than that, when they have tried to sort out this mess with Capita, my constituents have been left feeling that they do not matter—but they matter very much. This is not Capita’s money; it is their money, and every single penny must go where it belongs.

• 8 Sept 2026 · Topical Questions · Hansard source

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  When the Bank of Scotland closed its Larkhall branch, it left the town with no high street bank. It is a problem not only for Larkhall but for nearby villages including Ashgill and Netherburn. I am grateful to Treasury Ministers for engaging with me on this issue over the last few months. What can the Government do to support towns like Larkhall and protect face-to-face banking services in rural communities?

• 3 Sept 2026 · Sporting Events Bill [Lords] · Hansard source

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  We are a nation of sports fans, and for good reason: from a kickabout in the local park to the great tournaments, getting together to watch or play sport brings joy to millions. When Scotland went to the world cup this summer, football even united the Scottish MPs on the Government side of the Chamber with hon. Members on the Opposition side—and that is quite the achievement. At home, we were so proud that Lewis Ferguson, from the town of Quarter, a former Hamilton Accies player, was part of the squad. He took our hopes and dreams with him to the States and he did us proud. Evi Mackie, from Lanark, represented Scotland at the Commonwealth games—another local talent to make it to the international stage on the back of her hard work and determination, and with the support of the brilliant Lanark Amateur Swimming Club. Those incredible athletes have not only done Lanark, Hamilton and Scotland proud, but shown the way for the next generation of athletes, who deserve the chance to compete at every level. The provision in this Bill for the Scottish Government to fund sporting events really matters. Our pride in our nations, our teams and our sportspeople cuts across political boundaries—a power sport has that is rarely seen elsewhere. When the Hamilton Accies ran into difficulties that threatened their very future, the fans made it clear what the club meant to them. One young fan, just 18 years old, wrote to me: “I was introduced to the club by my father…and I have been forever indebted to him for making me an ‘Accies Man’. He gave me a platform to develop relationships with others, take in live sport, and to help me understand the true meaning of joy when those victories occurred or goals hit the back of the net. I believe the club has a massively positive impact on the mental health of many people, man and woman, every week. Win, lose or draw, the club gives people a place they can go and get away from the stresses of employment, unemployment, addiction, financial stresses, grief and general loneliness.” That puts it very well, I think. It was fans like that who came together to show their love for the club, overcame all the odds and, after several months at another ground, brought the Accies home this season to Douglas Park. Sport is universal and it cuts across divides. Lewis and Evi show that we do not need to be from a big city to reach the top, and that the talent we have in Hamilton and Clyde Valley is world-class. But let me be clear: young people do not train day in, day out to make a profit for ticket touts. They have dedicated their lives to pursuing a dream—a dream that gives people hope, inspiration and something to believe in—not to buy some crook another Merc. This Bill is important, cracking down on ticket touts and building on the UK’s track record of hosting major events, bringing people together and supporting local economies. That is how we will inspire and support the next generation and make sure that their hard work leaves a legacy and keeps dreams alive.