Jim Shannon MP: speeches

Speeches

• 10 Feb 2026 · Small Modular Nuclear Reactors: Jobs · Hansard source

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  I thank the Secretary of State and I know he is interested in small modular reactor schemes, which we are very interested in having in Northern Ireland. The shadow Secretary of State has also giving a commitment to them. Can I please ask the Secretary of State what discussion he has had with the Northern Ireland Assembly—Gordon Lyons, in particular—to ensure that we can also benefit?

• 10 Feb 2026 · Small Modular Nuclear Reactors: Jobs · Hansard source

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  rose—

• 10 Feb 2026 · Court Reporting Data · Hansard source

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  I thank the Minister for her full answers. The fact that justice should be open and transparent is not negotiable. Anything other than that is not democracy but, by its very nature, despotic. The Minister has provided a justification. However, it is clear that although the system could undoubtedly be tightened up, completely scrapping it without a viable alternative does not provide confidence in the judiciary; it does the opposite. Will the Minister reassure the House and those outside about the decision that has been taken?

• 9 Feb 2026 · UK-India Free Trade Agreement · Hansard source

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  I thank the Minister very much for his enthusiasm and energy in doing this job. I think that we welcome the tariffs. The agreement was projected to give Northern Ireland’s economy a boost of some £50 million. Three distilleries in my constituency— Echlinville, Hinch and Rademon—will take advantage of the reduction in the whisky tariff. The opening of markets for manufacturing and engineering has also been referred to. Let me say with great respect, however, that six months after the agreement, Northern Ireland has not yet seen much happen. I know that the Minister is keen to make it happen, but may I ask him, please, when it will happen?

• 9 Feb 2026 · UK-India Free Trade Agreement · Hansard source

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  Sometimes.

• 9 Feb 2026 · Russian Influence on UK Politics and Democracy · Hansard source

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  I could not let this opportunity pass by. My point is about Russia’s influence; I want to mention in particular Russia’s abuse and disregard of lives. I am thinking of human rights and the persecution of religious minorities, and I could give some examples right away. Those of us who have stood up to condemn Russia for what it has done have found ourselves banned from travelling there. I am not particularly worried about that; I will never go to Russia anyway, but that is by the way. Four Baptist pastors in Ukraine, in the Donbas region, went missing; they were kidnapped and are now believed to be dead. That is just one example of Russia’s disregard of human rights, religious minorities, Christians and all those who have values in life. Does the hon. Gentleman agree that we should condemn Russia not just for the issues he has outlined but for its abuse of human rights, its persecution of religious minorities and its disregard of human life?

• 9 Feb 2026 · Russian Influence on UK Politics and Democracy · Hansard source

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  Will the hon. Gentleman give way?

• 9 Feb 2026 · Procedure committee · Hansard source

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  I thank the hon. Member for Newbury (Mr Dillon) very much for what he has said, and I agree with the right hon. Member for New Forest East (Sir Julian Lewis)—it is not often that we have two people agreeing spontaneously with the Member speaking on behalf of the Committee. I think that I have the strongest legs in the Chamber, because I am nearly always called last. In the previous statement, Madam Deputy Speaker, you brought me in fourth from the end, so that record has been beaten today for a change. I enjoy the spontaneity that we have in the Chamber, and I do not think there is any need whatsoever for change. I am not a traditionalist, but I love the way we do it—let us not change it.

• 9 Feb 2026 · Standards in Public Life · Hansard source

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  The Chief Secretary is an honourable man. He is answering incredibly difficult questions, and we have to recognise that. He will know that I seek to find solutions rather than prioritising point scoring in this House—I say that very respectfully—and in this instance it is clear that the public want a solution to the seeming litany of trust-breaking decisions taken by successive Governments. While we cannot please all people, the issue of a basic standard for public servants is non-negotiable, and this breakdown has highlighted the need for accountability at the highest level. Does he believe that that can be achieved without a complete overhaul of the appointment system?

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

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  May I say what a pleasure it is to follow the hon. Member for Bury St Edmunds and Stowmarket (Peter Prinsley), and thank him for his knowledge of the subject matter, and the way that he portrays it with such empathy and understanding? I also thank the hon. Member for Mitcham and Morden (Dame Siobhain McDonagh) who set the scene incredibly well, as she always does. She has that deep personal belief, with her sister—a journey that we have often heard about in this House, and we sympathise with her. I thank the hon. Member for Witney (Charlie Maynard) for his contribution, including for speaking about his sister. Finally, I thank the Backbench Business Committee for selecting this topic. It is always a pleasure to see the Minister in his place. I wish him well, and we look forward to his response to the debate. In the short time that we have known him, he has shown an aptitude in responding to those of us who ask questions, which we appreciate. I look forward to how he can encourage us all at the end of the debate. I would like to give a Northern Ireland perspective. I always try to do that, as it adds to the flavour of the debate, and gives an opinion from Northern Ireland where health is devolved but where the issues are the same; they do not stop at the Irish sea, at Hadrian’s wall or at Cardiff—they are everywhere in this great United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. In Northern Ireland, 2,043 cases of malignant and non-invasive brain tumours were diagnosed between 2017 and 2021, averaging some 409 cases per year. At the end of 2021 there were 5,465 people living with a brain tumour, with diagnosis occurring between 1997 and 2021. That gives us an idea of the perspective and magnitude of brain cancer. During that period, some 53.2% of brain tumour cases were among women, which has been illustrated by the examples shared by those with personal knowledge of this issue. As we know, cancer is no respecter of colour, creed or class, and the increase in incidence means that so many more families are grieving or worried, and so much more must be done not only to support families who are going through cancer, but to carry out research and find a cure. Last week, I attended an event in the House on cancer, and I was encouraged when the lady I spoke to told me that 60% of people diagnosed now survive cancer. That is a wonderful figure, but unfortunately the numbers are not as good in relation to brain cancer. Brain tumours are the biggest cancer killer of children and adults under 40. In the UK, some 16,000 people are diagnosed each year with a brain tumour and the incidence of brain tumours is significantly higher in Northern Ireland. Some of the figures in Northern Ireland and Wales are incredibly worrying, compared with England and Scotland. Brain tumour cases in Northern Ireland are projected to increase by some 36% by 2035, with glioblastoma being the most common and malignant adult brain tumour, accounting for some 70% of all new diagnoses. Given that projected increase by 2035, which is not too far away, what discussions will the Minister have with the relevant Minister, Mike Nesbitt, in Northern Ireland to ensure that we can combat this terrible disease together? That is the outcome that I seek from this debate. GBM has the worst outcome for patients, as those tumours are resistant to therapy. Despite such treatments as surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy, unfortunately GBM tumours regrow, leading to patient relapse and death after 15 months, which is incredibly worrying. Although the picture is dark, with sadness there is always hope. Brain tumour survival rates in Northern Ireland show that for malignant cases there was a one-year survival rate of 49.9% between 2017 and 2021—a significant increase from 37.4% between 1997 and 2001, which is really good news. Non-invasive tumour survival is high, with 88.3% of people surviving for five years. There is much work being done in Northern Ireland to combat the darkness and bring light, such as through rapid diagnosis. This major project, launched in late 2025, uses rapid nanopore sequencing to reduce brain tumour diagnosis times from weeks to just hours. The technology reads tumour DNA almost immediately, helping clinicians to choose treatments faster. It is one of the incredible advances that have been made in cancer diagnosis; we are responding better than we have in the past. While not a cure in itself, this research is giving people more time and a choice. Researchers have also identified existing FDA-approved drugs that could potentially be repurposed to treat brain tumours, specifically targeting how genes change as cancer progresses. All these steps bring forward something that every cancer sufferer and their loved ones need: hope. May I plug, as I always do, Queen’s University, Belfast, and its wonderful work at the forefront of cancer diagnosis and cures? It gives me great pleasure to mention Queen’s University, because it shows that Northern Ireland is actively engaged in trying to find the cure. It has developed partnerships with big business, has students from all over the world and is always trying to find the cure. The adverts on television and elsewhere always encourage people to donate to cancer research so that the ultimate cure can be found. It will be a great day when that ultimate cure is found, and Queen’s University is leading the way. Funding for cancer research based at Queen’s University is bringing a dividend. We can and must allow the university to do more research and development to find the ultimate cure—the cure for cancer. More funding means more work, which means more breakthroughs and more hope, and I think we can all agree that this House and this great nation of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland will certainly do better with the light of more hope.

• 9 Feb 2026 · Jimmy Lai: Prison Sentence · Hansard source

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  The Minister will have heard me ask numerous times over a number of years for interventions on behalf of Jimmy Lai, who is a British citizen, as other Members of this House have done—indeed, we have been very strong collectively. His sham trial has now ended and, unsurprisingly, Jimmy will be held in unknown conditions for 20 years until he is 98, if he lives that long. He will be denied his religious beliefs, with no mass, and will be unable to worship his God, as he so wishes to do. This surely cannot be acceptable to this Government, whose Prime Minister and Attorney General have been at the forefront of using human rights as a panacea for every decision. Are we in this House truly to believe that Government abandonment of Hong Kong has meant that there are no options for those who are British in Hong Kong and whose only crime is not agreeing with Beijing?

• 5 Feb 2026 · Veterinary Surgeons Act 1966 · Hansard source

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  We are a nation of animal lovers. When I got married, my wife loved cats and I did not, but I realised that if I loved her, I had to love her cats, and that is how it works. Can I bring to the Minister’s attention one thing that annoys me and my constituents, which is pet insurance? Pet insurance is okay until the day someone goes to claim. When they go to claim, they find out that the small print says they have not got the cover that they thought they had. When she is looking at veterinary regulation, will she look at pet insurance, too?

• 5 Feb 2026 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  I wish to raise concerns about the treatment of the Shi’a Muslims in Saudia Arabia. There have been long-standing reports of systematic discrimination, including restrictions on religious practice, unequal access to employment and limits on political participation. Such reports raise serious concerns about freedom of religion or belief and equal treatment under the law. Will the Leader of the House please ask the Foreign Secretary to set out what assessment the Government have made of those concerns and how they are being raised with the Saudi authorities?

• 5 Feb 2026 · Sudan · Hansard source

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  I thank the Foreign Secretary very much for her tone, her words and her obvious empathy and compassion for the Sudanese victims, which are greatly appreciated by us all. The UN’s presence in famine-stricken Kadugli in South Kordofan and risk zones in Darfur and Kordofan in order to prevent mass atrocities and widespread sexual violence against women and girls, and a substantial increase in UK and international funding, are needed to avert catastrophic further loss of life and what the UN describes as the world’s largest and most neglected humanitarian crisis—I think many Members of this House, including the Foreign Secretary, would say that that is exactly the case. Millions have been displaced, famine has been confirmed in multiple locations, and over 12 million people are in desperate need. What can be done to help provide the humanitarian and medical aid that is needed, including to address the psychological impact on those women and girls? I cannot begin to try to comprehend that, but I think the Foreign Secretary acknowledges that and understands it better than most.

• 5 Feb 2026 · CPS Serious Economic, Organised Crime and International Directorate · Hansard source

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  The Solicitor General announced an expansion of the victims’ right to review scheme, allowing rape and serious sexual assault survivors who request a case review by a different prosecutor before a final no-evidence decision is made. That is welcome news. What discussion has taken place with counterparts across the United Kingdom—the Policing and Justice Minister in the Northern Ireland Assembly in particular—to ensure that there is a UK-wide path to justice?

• 4 Feb 2026 · Construction Industry Training Board: Funding · Hansard source

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  I commend the hon. Gentleman for securing this debate. He is absolutely right on this. He has been an assiduous, committed and very industrious MP for his constituency, and I thank him for that. CITBNI is very similar to the organisation on the mainland to which he refers. It provides key support for some 6,500 apprentices over three years, and a 50% grant for net zero training. It is an absolute lifesaver for small contractors who can no longer afford the cost of apprenticeships, given that the cost of insurance alone for the apprentice is almost as much as their wage.

• 4 Feb 2026 · Nurseries and Early Years Providers: CCTV · Hansard source

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  I commend the hon. Lady for all she has done over the years. In the short time I have been here, I have found her to be assiduous, committed and dedicated on all these issues. As she knows, I have tried to support her in all her campaigns. Today, she is talking about another massive campaign, and I commend her for it. Child safety is core and imperative, and every one of us—including me, as a father and grandfather—worries about our children and grandchildren. CCTV could be the norm in affluent areas, but does hon. Lady agree that all those who provide care, in all areas, should be able to access affordable systems to meet this need? There is a cost—a financial factor—but it is really important that the No. 1 priority is safety.

• 4 Feb 2026 · Armed Conflict: Children · Hansard source

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  The hon. Lady is absolutely right. In Ukraine, some 30,000 children have been kidnapped and taken away from their parents—that cut-off between parents and children is devastating. In Nigeria, young Leah has given birth to three children. Her freedom, and the freedom of many like her, remains unresolved. Too often, children affected by armed conflict are forgotten once the headlines fade, yet their suffering does not end when the world looks away. I am therefore grateful that we can use our voices as Members of this House, in this debate and others, as well as on the global stage, to advocate for the protection of these children and to press for accountability, rehabilitation and long-term peace for them. I say honestly to the Minister and the Government that I am proud to support a Government who recognise that every child, wherever they are born, has the right to grow up in a safe, healthy and protective environment. We should be encouraged by a Government who state that. Finally, to those children who, in the face of relentless adversity, continue to hope for a better future, I end with scripture. John 16:33 says: “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

• 4 Feb 2026 · Armed Conflict: Children · Hansard source

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  I was talking to the Liberal Democrat Northern Ireland spokesperson, the hon. Member for Wimbledon (Mr Kohler), last night, and he asked me a similar question. We have the urban and the rural: in the urban areas—Belfast, Londonderry and the big cities—the influence on people is perhaps more direct and harder to get away from. If people are living in the smaller towns or villages, as I have, there is not the same direct influence. Government collectively are trying to work to ensure that we can deliver a better life. Some of that involves such things as Catholics and Protestants playing together, going to school together, and playing football and other games together. Lots of things are being done, but there is more to do, and we have to influence that. There is a role for churches to play as well. I thank the hon. Member for Caerphilly (Chris Evans) Gentleman for that intervention. I draw the House’s attention to the particularly harrowing context of Nigeria. Boko Haram’s sustained campaign of violence, particularly against religious minorities, has devastated countless lives. Children have been forcibly recruited into armed groups, while many more have lost parents, families, access to education and even their own childhoods. Some girls have borne children while still children themselves, as a direct result of captivity and abuse. In 2024, the all-party parliamentary group for international freedom of religion or belief, which I chair, and our secretariat, the Freedom of Religion or Belief Foundation, had the privilege of leading a parliamentary delegation to Nigeria, alongside other hon. Members and Julie Jones, the director of the foundation. We worked with the Gideon and Funmi Para-Mallam Peace Foundation, and met women and girls who had survived Boko Haram captivity. The Gideon and Funmi Para-Mallam Peace Foundation continues to work tirelessly to secure the release of those still held by the group, often at great personal risk. One of those children is Leah Sharibu. I pray for that wee girl every day. Leah is now in her eighth year of captivity, having been the only student not released following the abduction of 110 Dapchi schoolchildren by Boko Haram on 19 February 2018.

• 4 Feb 2026 · Armed Conflict: Children · Hansard source

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  What about Nigeria?

• 4 Feb 2026 · Armed Conflict: Children · Hansard source

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  It is a real pleasure to serve under your chairship, Mr Stringer. I thank the hon. Member for Hyndburn (Sarah Smith) for setting the scene incredibly well and for all the work she has done on the issue over the years and in her time in Parliament. She has championed the protection of children in armed conflict in the past and has done well to set the scene today. We must confront a deeply troubling reality. Children are not only being drawn into armed conflict; they are increasingly becoming its direct victims. According to a 2023 United Nations report on the recruitment and use of child soldiers, tens of thousands of boys and girls worldwide, some as young as eight or nine, are recruited and exploited by armed forces and armed groups, with their roles ranging from combatants and cooks to spies and messengers and, most disturbingly, victims of sexual slavery. Of growing concern is the use of children to plant explosive devices, which reflects the brutal evolution of modern warfare. As conflict continues to escalate across the globe, we must ask ourselves, “What more can we do?” What more can the Government do to protect children from lives that no child should ever be forced to endure?

• 4 Feb 2026 · Lord Mandelson · Hansard source

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  I commend the shadow Minister and the Conservative party for bringing forward this matter for consideration. What we are listening to and what is happening is absolutely incredible. May I suggest that the five years during which Mandelson was EU trade commissioner should be part of the investigation as well? A full investigation should include every t that was crossed and every i that was dotted by Peter Mandelson. That is what this House and this nation want.

• 4 Feb 2026 · Fast-Track Visas: Skilled US Citizens · Hansard source

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  I commend the hon. Lady, because this is such an important issue; I am aware of it in my constituency, although there are not the numbers she referred to—those 200 email requests. With Belfast receiving a high level of investment from US companies that wish to avail themselves of our superior cyber-skills, and our low rent and business rates, it is essential that there is a swinging door for our US allies and for US investors and individuals. Does the hon. Lady agree that visa systems are not one size fits all, and that tailoring the US visa system makes perfect sense?

• 4 Feb 2026 · Postal Services: Rural Areas · Hansard source

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  I thank the Minister for responding to all the questions that we posed. One of mine was about the minimum wage. If a business wants to retain staff, it has to pay them a decent wage. The problem in Newtownards is that some of the staff who have been there for many years are not getting the minimum wage, so if something better comes up, they are away. We cannot blame them; if someone has to pay bills, they have to do that. Instead of Royal Mail paying a fine, which could be used to pay wages, would it not be better and more sensible for it to give workers a decent wage, retain them and improve the service from the bottom up? Is the Minister in any way able to encourage it to do that?

• 4 Feb 2026 · Postal Services: Rural Areas · Hansard source

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  It is a pleasure to serve under your chairship, Mr Stringer. I thank the hon. Member for South Shropshire (Stuart Anderson) for allowing us the opportunity to speak in this debate. I say well done to him for setting the scene incredibly well, although it does not give us any joy to highlight Royal Mail’s failings in communities, particularly rural communities. I wish to preface my remarks by highlighting that my own Royal Mail workers are great. I spent some time with them at Christmas, and I know most of them—I probably grew up with most of them. I know where the problems lie, and it is not in the staff, but in the surroundings. The building is not fit for purpose; there are parking spaces for 30 vans, but there are 50 vans that need to park; and there is not enough space for sorting, so it is little wonder that the post in some of my areas is taking up to a month to get through. There is a priority for parcels, which Royal Mail does not try to hide. I understand that it puts them first and the delivery of letters is downgraded as a result. On staffing levels, which the hon. Member for Yeovil (Adam Dance) spoke about in his intervention, when I spoke to the Royal Mail guys, they told me that one of the problems is maintaining and holding on to staff. If Royal Mail gives staff members the minimum wage and no more, it is not going to keep them, because they will always be looking for a different job that will give them better payment. That has to be addressed as well, and I know that the Minister does his best whenever it comes to addressing these things. In my constituency of Strangford, all the villages have problems. To give one example, in Portavogie, one gentleman had no mail at his house for a month, and then got 29 letters the next day, which included three about hospital appointments—he missed them all. His health has unfortunately been poor, and that had a detrimental effect on his health. It is not just a matter of not getting a monthly bank statement; in some cases, health is at stake. I believe that it is necessary that Royal Mail makes an investment in sorting offices to be able to get facilities in place and once again facilitate a routine post service that is fit for purpose. To give another example, the heater in my office broke over Christmas, and it amazed me to see that one of my staff had ordered a heater and it was delivered the next day. I did not pay one penny for that delivery. I do pay £7.99 a month for unlimited free delivery, but it astounds me that I pay more than £1 for one letter, and it takes weeks to make it, but other things can be delivered in a short time. It cannot just be the facilities in Newtownards that are not up to scratch, because I have listened to every other Member present saying the same thing. We need root-and-branch changes, and we need the Minister to stand firmly with us as we press for those changes. Officially, the Royal Mail website says that it is reducing second-class delivery to alternate days—Monday, Wednesday and Friday one week, and Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday the next week—and that first-class letters will continue to be delivered six days a week. The service we are seeing is nowhere near that, and Royal Mail must be held accountable. It is not easy to answer all these questions, but I look forward to what the Minister has to say in his response.