Jim Shannon MP: speeches

Speeches

• 18 Jun 2025 · Banning Conversion Practices · Hansard source

  More

  Absolutely right, Mr Speaker. I thank the Minister very much for her answers, but can she outline what support is in place for people of all faiths and none to receive counselling that is right and appropriate, helping them to find the answers that they all seek?

• 18 Jun 2025 · Political Prisoners · Hansard source

  More

  With the utmost respect to the Minister, I made the case for Jimmy Lai being denied his right to religious worship. He is a practising Roman Catholic, but cannot have his mass or worship his God in the way he wants to. With that in mind, and as chair of the APPG for international freedom of religion or belief, I ask the Minister what has been done to ensure that Jimmy Lai has the freedom of religious belief that he should expect.

• 18 Jun 2025 · Political Prisoners · Hansard source

  More

  It is a pleasure to serve under your chairship, Mr Western. I commend the hon. Member for Cities of London and Westminster (Rachel Blake) for setting the scene so well. I have spoken about the imprisonment of Jimmy Lai on many other occasions in Westminster Hall and asked questions about it in the Chamber. I declare an interest as the chair of the APPG for international freedom of religion or belief, because I want to mention the human rights that have been denied to him. Democracy has been ignored. The hard hand of China and the Hong Kong authorities has come down strongly on democrats, of which Jimmy Lai is one, whose only crime was to speak up for democracy, liberty and freedom. It seems to me that those democrats did that without violence, but with a verbal strength, and I commend them for it. Hong Kong was once a bastion of western principles. I have supported many debates on it and sponsored pro-Hong Kong democracy events in this House to highlight Jimmy Lai and others. The Chinese Communist party has denied Jimmy Lai his right to worship his God with freedom. He is a practising Roman Catholic. He is not able to have the mass he wants or the freedom of religious worship that he had before he was put in prison—for some 1,630 days, let us remember. His health has deteriorated and he is in a worsened condition. Jimmy Lai is a British citizen. I say this circumspectly and with great respect to the Minister and the Government: there was a time when a British passport meant more than it perhaps means today. There was a gunboat diplomacy in that. If a UK citizen was under threat, they could expect the full weight of British authority to be used on their behalf. That does not happen today. But what we do, or try to do—the Minister and the Government do this all the time—is exercise the diplomacy that we need to. Jimmy Lai’s staunch criticism of the Chinese Government led to his arrest in 2020. His story is a rallying point for those defending democratic values and human rights in the face of increasing authoritarianism. His trial began in December 2023, with his son Sebastien fighting for his release. Jimmy Lai testified for 52 days. Closing arguments were scheduled for August 2025. The 77-year-old has lived in Hong Kong since he was 12 years old. Having stowed away on a fishing boat from China and worked as a child labourer in a garment factory, he built up a fashion empire. He has been an advocate for democracy since the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre in China. He set up a magazine in Hong Kong. Jimmy Lai has never held a Chinese or Hong Kong passport. Hong Kong authorities deem him to be a Chinese citizen because he was born in mainland China, even though he is as British as what you are, Mr Western, and what I am. Mr Lai has homes all over the world. It is only right that we advocate for his release. I am reminded of Romans 12:18: “If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.” That is a call not only to personal conduct, but to public policy. It urges us to pursue peace, and I believe that we should do that in every way we can—not passively, but intentionally, as far as it depends on us. My request today is to free Jimmy Lai. I hope the Chinese Government are listening—they are probably not listening to Jim Shannon, the MP for Strangford. Perhaps they are not listening to any of us. I am one of those people who could not go to China even if I wanted to. I have no wish to go to China, by the way, Mr Western. You will never see me on a plane going that way, and never see me on the beaches, wherever they have beaches in China. I am interested in human rights and freedom of religious belief. Jimmy Lai should be freed.

• 18 Jun 2025 · Post-industrial Towns · Hansard source

  More

  And Northern Ireland as well.

• 18 Jun 2025 · Post-industrial Towns · Hansard source

  More

  I commend the hon. Lady for securing this debate. I spoke to her beforehand and know exactly what she is after, and we all support her in that. The remnants of factories—I think of my old crepe weavers factory in Newtownards and Strangford as one example—are a reminder of the decline of industrial units in the textile sector in particular, and the impact of that on the local economy. Does the hon. Lady agree that greater investment in rebuilding these vacant spaces must come? We welcome the Labour Government’s commitment to that strategy, and does the hon. Lady also agree that making the change that really matters must come from here at Westminster?

• 17 Jun 2025 · Topical Questions · Hansard source

  More

  This morning I attended an event about bladder cancer. Bladder cancer is the fifth highest killer in the United Kingdom, and people were anxious to meet the Minister and discuss those matters. Will he agree to meet bladder cancer organisations to take forward their four objectives to make things better for people in the United Kingdom?

• 17 Jun 2025 · Crime and Policing Bill · Hansard source

  More

  The hon. Lady and I have been friends for all the time we have been here. We had time last night to chat about these things, and we both know each other’s point of view. May I ask her to cast her mind back to telemedicine, if she does not mind? It is said that telemedicine is needed to protect vulnerable women who are unable to attend a clinical setting, but the risks are surely greater. Women may be coerced into abortions against their will with an abuser lurking in the background of a phone call, and pills can fall into the wrong hands, as we all know. Does she accept that, with all the protections she is putting forward to safeguard women, the one thing that does not seem to be part of this process is the unborn baby, and that concerns me greatly?

• 17 Jun 2025 · Crime and Policing Bill · Hansard source

  More

  Will the hon. Lady give way?

• 17 Jun 2025 · Crime and Policing Bill · Hansard source

  More

  Will the hon. Lady give way?

• 17 Jun 2025 · Crime and Policing Bill · Hansard source

  More

  The Bill applies to England and Wales, but it is important for knowledge and information to be shared with the Northern Ireland Assembly and the Scottish Parliament, for example, so that they are aware of what is happening here—and people may move from England or Wales to Northern Ireland or Scotland. We should ensure that information can be exchanged between police forces and other authorities here and those in the devolved Administrations: if we want security and safety for all our people, that really needs to happen.

• 17 Jun 2025 · Hydrogen-powered Aviation · Hansard source

  More

  It is a real pleasure to serve under your chairship, Mr Stringer. I thank the hon. Member for North Somerset (Sadik Al-Hassan) for leading the debate and setting the scene so well. It is a pleasure to see the Minister and shadow Minister in their places. I look forward to the Minister’s response and helpful answers to our questions, to ensure we are encouraged by this debate that benefits will come to our constituencies. Hydrogen is an alternative that is becoming more widely explored. There is no doubt it could and must play a part in the UK’s contribution to net zero targets. The ultimate secret to reaching net zero targets is how to do so without adversely impacting our constituents. I am not a sceptic—I never have been. Some people might be sceptics, but I am not one of them. I recognise the importance of meeting the targets, and hydrogen is one way to do that. Alternative forms of energy are being used in many transport paths, so it is important that we are here today to discuss the progression of our aviation industry. I want to mention some of the things that are happening in Northern Ireland. Undoubtedly, a progression to hydrogen rather than fossil fuels has its benefits in terms of the transport industry. There are zero carbon dioxide emissions. Hydrogen is attractive for long-haul flights and has faster refuelling mechanisms. Of course, cost implications are very important as we move forward. Any new technology is always costly at the start, but as it gets easier to do, the cost implications reduce. At this moment in time the implications are incredibly large. Airports across the UK will require massive infrastructure upgrades. Most planes will require to be redesigned with larger storage capacity and the freezing temperature of hydrogen must be considered, so there are cost implications there. But for every airport across this great United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, we can do it better together. Companies across the UK such as Airbus, easyJet, Boeing and Wrightbus in NI have looked at and announced plans for hydrogen-powered aircraft and other modes of transport. We just need to look at the transition that was made back home in Northern Ireland by Wrightbus in Ballymena, who developed a green hydrogen production facility capable of powering up to 300 hydrogen buses daily. It has taken some time to get there, but it was on the cusp of something new, and I understand that now almost every bus in London is a Wrightbus, with potentially more across the country. Furthermore, Airbus has announced plans for a hydrogen-powered commercial aircraft by 2035. That is another indication of the timeline. easyJet successfully tested a hydrogen combustion engine in 2022. There have been many advances—small steps now, but great steps for the future as we look forward. We have spoken a lot today about the importance of our aviation and aerospace sector to the economy of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. When we look at transforming capabilities for the future, the key word is investment, so I am keen to get the Minister’s thoughts on how he sees that investment happening with all of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland as the beneficiaries of that. We are very fortunate to have a Minister in place who is a friend of Northern Ireland and who regularly visits. He has had discussions with the Minister back home at the Assembly to formulate ideas and move forward positively and constructively. The key phrase is investment in the sector. I look at companies such as Spirit AeroSystems in Belfast and in my constituency of Strangford, which offers world-class aerospace engineering capabilities but is in the middle of a “buyover” that guarantees nothing for Northern Irish jobs. In the Chamber last week, when I had an opportunity to ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade about this, they were agreeable to the idea of meeting unions and people who could “buy over” to ensure the continuity of jobs across Northern Ireland. How can we possibly talk about investing in companies like this but offer nothing to preserve the future? It is really important that we get it all together in the right way. Perhaps this is a reminder to the relevant Ministers that issues like this will not go away, and that Government intervention to protect the future of our aviation sector is imperative. There are roles in which all companies across the United Kingdom can play a part, small to large. All of us have a role to play. Some are more critical, but all of them are very helpful. For the likes of Northern Ireland, for instance, we have smaller airports that are perfect for short-haul early flight trials. We are very fortunate to have Belfast International, Belfast City and Londonderry airports, but they are all for short-haul and domestic flights, although there is an indication that next year there will be direct flights to the United States of America. On early flight trials I have one thought. Ards airport is a small constituency airport—we have the Ulster flying club—and there are possibilities for using that for early trials. Why not? That shows that the reach of this debate can go even further. We have green targets that we are planning to meet. It would be fantastic if the UK could be a global leader in green aviation, but we must never underestimate the cost, the time and the infrastructure that are required. There is no doubt about the Minister’s commitment to the aviation sector, but I look to him to get an idea of his plans and strategy for the future. That is the encouragement that I am looking for today arising from this debate, and I seek reassurances about people’s jobs in the aviation sector. We need to retain people with the relevant skills, so in the event of any changeovers—for instance, at Spirit AeroSystems back home—we must ensure that jobs are retained and encouraged. The industry would be nothing without the workers in it, who make it what it is, and Government intervention is required to maintain its success. I look forward to seeing what the future looks like for hydrogen-powered aviation, and I have a very strong and positive hope—indeed, perhaps a vision—that the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland can showcase what we have to offer for the future of aviation, and particularly for hydrogen-powered aviation.

• 17 Jun 2025 · Disabled People in Poverty · Hansard source

  More

  I withdrew my name so that other Members would have time to speak, but I will make a small intervention. In Northern Ireland, over a fifth of the population aged 16 to 64 are disabled. Among the UK regions, Northern Ireland has the lowest disability employment rate and the largest unemployment gap between disabled and non-disabled persons. The fact is, if someone is disabled and in poverty in Northern Ireland, they are really in trouble. Does the hon. Gentleman agree that it is up to this Government, and this Minister, to give us the changes that we need to help those disabled people in poverty in Northern Ireland and elsewhere?

• 17 Jun 2025 · Prostate Cancer Treatment · Hansard source

  More

  I thank the hon. Lady for bringing forward this debate; she is absolutely right to do so, and I congratulate her on that. She may not be aware that abiraterone is not routinely available in Northern Ireland for men with high-risk hormone-sensitive metastatic prostate cancer, unlike in Scotland and Wales. It is primarily approved for men with advanced prostate cancer that has already spread. While it can be accessed through an individual funding request process, it is not a standard first-line treatment option. Does she agree that men in Northern Ireland and right here in England should be able to access treatment that is available in Scotland and Wales?

• 17 Jun 2025 · Prostate Cancer Treatment · Hansard source

  More

  Will the hon. Lady give way?

• 17 Jun 2025 · Transport Infrastructure: Cramlington and Killingworth · Hansard source

  More

  I commend the hon. Lady for bringing forward this debate. Before she was elected, she had a scheme that she wished to happen. Now, as an MP, she has the opportunity to push it forward, and she will hopefully get a response from a sympathetic Minister. Does she agree that if that infrastructure is not in place, it will hold back economic growth in her constituency? It is important to move that project forward, because with that every other project can move forward.

• 16 Jun 2025 · Independent Complaints and Grievance Scheme · Hansard source

  More

  I thank the Leader of the House for bringing forward this motion. She is absolutely right that no one should have any doubts about the reason for it, and no one should have any opposition to it. I understand that there will not be any opposition to it—that is what I am told. Will she outline very quickly the process for those who have a grievance or a complaint, whether for Members or staff, so that staff will know all their rights?

• 16 Jun 2025 · Outdoor Education: National Curriculum · Hansard source

  More

  I thank the Minister very much for her answers. Worryingly, obesity levels are predicted to rise between 20% and 30% in the next five to 10 years. To combat that, physical education is important, as is the Government looking at children’s diets at school. Those two things can address obesity, so I am keen to hear the Minister’s thoughts on them.

• 16 Jun 2025 · Iran-Israel Conflict · Hansard source

  More

  I thank the Secretary of State for his statement. The role of the IRGC in life in Iran over the years has been human rights abuses, religious freedom abuses and gender abuses, with acts of global extremism and terrorism often having their roots and support in Iran. The war in Israel is a prime example of that. Anyone who pretends that Iran, with its nuclear potential, is in any way an innocent bystander is being deliberately dishonest. Will the Foreign Secretary commit again to working with allies, such as the US, to minimise bloodshed and ensure that Israel is able to remain safe and free from all attacks?

• 16 Jun 2025 · Air India Plane Crash · Hansard source

  More

  I thank the Minister, his Department and all his civil servants for their sterling efforts on behalf of the families. At this time we all think about how we can help; we help through our Minister, our Government, and our officials, so I thank them. On behalf of the Democratic Unionist party and myself, may I convey my thoughts and prayers for all those families who lost loved ones in the Air India crash—for the pain, the void they have and the ache in their hearts? Our hearts ache for them. The air accident is a tragedy, and the loss of life is incredibly difficult to understand. All our focus is with families within this United Kingdom, and globally, who mourn today. But although they mourn today, there will come a day when they want to understand how this could have happened. Will the Minister confirm how we can be assured that current global airline safety measures are adequate and robust? What role does this great United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland have in the safety of air travel?

• 16 Jun 2025 · Windrush Day 2025 · Hansard source

  More

  I want to have a point on the record, as it is very important to do so—I was talking to the Parliamentary Private Secretary beforehand, and I talked to the Minister earlier on. On behalf of Windrush people who got their status in Northern Ireland, I will say that the Windrush scheme for Northern Ireland enabled people to work and remain and to have equality with the rest of us. I put on record our thanks for that scheme, because those in Northern Ireland who came through the Windrush scheme were enabled to help our country and Northern Ireland be a better place because of the culture, history, and interaction and social action that they bring.

• 16 Jun 2025 · Windrush Day 2025 · Hansard source

  More

  It should also be recognised that drama and TV have a way of enriching the Windrush story. I think of probably my favourite programme—it is perhaps the hon. Lady’s favourite programme—“Call the Midwife”, which shows the drama of the Windrush scheme through the people in that programme, what they endured and what they have given to society. Does she recognise that drama and TV also can tell the story of Windrush in a great way?

• 16 Jun 2025 · Animal Experiments: Medical Research · Hansard source

  More

  I commend the hon. Lady for securing this debate, and for leading the Petitions Committee debate in Westminster Hall this afternoon. I spoke to her beforehand. Does she recognise that there have been world-leading innovations in anti-tumour necrosis factor treatment for arthritis, and that has had a life-changing impact across the world on those with auto-immune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis, Crohn’s and colitis? That would not have been possible without limited research on animals. Research on animals must be considered as an option, given that people with those diseases now at least have the opportunity for a better life due to the medications perfected because of it.

• 13 Jun 2025 · Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill · Hansard source

  More

  Will the hon. Gentleman give way?

• 13 Jun 2025 · Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill · Hansard source

  More

  What assurances does the Bill give to the families of people with a disability, or those with mental health issues and those who are anorexic? I do not see any. Does the hon. Lady see any assurances for those who want to end their lives but suffer from those ailments?

• 13 Jun 2025 · Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill · Hansard source

  More

  On the evidential basis, on page 15 of today’s edition of The Times there is a story about a gentleman who was born in South Africa and lives in Australia. He has come to London this week for this particular Bill in order to give his story. He was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and told he had only two weeks to live: he lived for three years and one month, and he is still living. There is a growing evidential basis. He said that he was never afraid to die, but he says that he is afraid of the process of dying, and the hon. Lady is the initiator of that. Will she acknowledge the evidential basis and the importance of this subject? Does she realise that the evidential basis against this Bill is growing?