Jim Shannon MP: speeches 2025

Speeches

• 24 Nov 2025 · HMP Downview: Female Prisoners · Hansard source

  More

  I commend the hon. Lady for bringing this debate forward; I spoke to her beforehand in relation to it, and I thank her for raising the issue. Reports have shown that there has been a 90% increase in the number of mentally unwell women at Downview, who face extended delays in getting the support they need. The situation is the same back home at Hydebank Wood in Northern Ireland. In addition, prison staff are not trained mental health professionals, so the necessary healthcare support is not in place. Does the hon. Lady agree that there must be provision to properly train prison staff to support them in supporting prisoners who are faced with long delays and deteriorating mental health?

• 24 Nov 2025 · English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill · Hansard source

  More

  Will the Minister give way?

• 24 Nov 2025 · English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill · Hansard source

  More

  I will not be the only MP who has received correspondence from the Country Land and Business Association. That organisation is quite clear that it fears that rural regions will be left behind, and is worried about mayors taking unprecedented control over transport, housing, planning, skills and economic development. How can the Minister assure all of us in this House that mayors will understand what uses of those powers will genuinely support rural businesses, which must not be left behind?

• 24 Nov 2025 · Private Rented Sector · Hansard source

  More

  I recognise what the Secretary of State has said about protection for those who rent houses, but desperation is the issue for many people who rent their accommodation, and who find themselves in financial difficulties while living—as we heard earlier from the hon. Member for South Basildon and East Thurrock (James McMurdock)—in a small, one-bedroom flat. Will the Secretary of State please speak to the relevant Minister in Northern Ireland, who I think would be the Minister for Communities, about what the Government here are doing, to ensure that we in Northern Ireland can be a focus of attention?

• 20 Nov 2025 · Business of the House · Hansard source

  More

  I am deeply concerned by the continuing persecution of Falun Gong practitioners in China, including some disturbing and well-documented allegations of forced organ harvesting. Will the Leader of the House urge the Foreign Secretary to outline what concrete actions the Government will take to press for an immediate end to the unethical harvesting of organs from religious minorities in China and to ensure the protection of the Falun Gong against transnational repression in the UK?

• 20 Nov 2025 · Russian Ship Yantar · Hansard source

  More

  I thank the Minister for his strong words and his answers, which encourage both hon. Members and those who are listening. Let us be clear and succinct: Russian ships have twice entered British sovereign waters, and to add to that aggression, they have been tracking our RAF pilots with lasers. Our enemy has breached our waters disgracefully, disregarded neutrality and shown disrespect. The facts and the evidence are there. To quote Winston Churchill, who I loved when I was a boy and who was certainly my hero: “We shall defend our island, whatever the cost may be”. Will the Minister confirm that this is a form of attack, and that the might of our armed forces is poised, their equipment is trained and they are ready to go?

• 20 Nov 2025 · Unpaid Carers: Inequalities · Hansard source

  More

  What the Minister is referring to is very positive; as always, I have a quick ask. The policy he is outlining seems very plausible and workable, so can I ask him to share those thoughts with the Northern Ireland Assembly and the Health Minister, Mike Nesbitt? I think that the two Ministers are in regular contact, so it could be done through that.

• 20 Nov 2025 · Unpaid Carers: Inequalities · Hansard source

  More

  It is a joy to serve under your chairship, Ms Vaz. I thank the hon. Member for Shipley (Anna Dixon) for championing the cause of unpaid carers so well, and congratulate her on how she has spent her time in this House. She is always making a name for herself on subjects important to her, such as carers—an issue that we all deal with every day. I also thank the hon. Member for Bexleyheath and Crayford (Daniel Francis) for telling us his personal story. Nothing illustrates a debate as well as a personal story, and the hon. Gentleman kindly and compassionately set the scene of what he and his wife do for their child. This issue affects everybody in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. We are all aware that, without unpaid carers, our health and care system would collapse. If we had to pay for taxi services, all- night care and daytime care for those in need, we could never afford it. The financial contribution made by unpaid carers in Northern Ireland is estimated to be some £5.8 billion annually, which is equivalent to 80% of the Department of Health’s budget. That is an increase of 42% over the last decade. Despite that massive economic value, many carers face significant financial hardship, with one in four living in poverty, rising to more than half for those not in paid employment. They are giving their lives to look after others, and they are living in poverty. Come on—that cannot be right. Juggling income and responsibility for care, their poverty is driven by the extra cost of caring and insufficient social security payments such as carer’s allowance. Carer’s allowance is worth only £2 per hour—there is no way that could ever be a minimum wage—based on providing a minimum of 35 hours of care. Young Lives vs Cancer has highlighted the fact that every year in the UK more than 4,200 children and young people aged under 25 are diagnosed with cancer—that is 12 per day—and sadly 10 of them die every week, making cancer the biggest killer by disease of children and young people in the UK. In many cases, the parents or close family members of a child or young person who has been diagnosed with cancer will be their primary care giver throughout their illness and treatment—never mind the trauma that carers feel as they deal with someone who may not come out the other side. That is the reality of life. That is physically and mentally challenging for families, and the impacts of cancer and its treatment, along with the care needs, can last many years, given the nature of the disability. The financial impacts of having a child with cancer include the loss of earnings. The families of children and young people with cancer face significant financial pressures and inequalities, which can start during the pre-diagnosis period but continue, and are most significant, following diagnosis. Many have to take time off or give up employment because of caring responsibilities. Seven in 10 households reported a loss of income and earnings because of having to take time to care for their child, or gave up work altogether because there was no other option. The average loss is around £6,000 a year, but for three in 10 households it is £10,000 a year. To try to meet caring needs, parents call on every source of leave and time off that they possibly can, frequently combining options until they are exhausted and, ultimately, the only option is unpaid time off or leaving employment. The Minister is a kind Minister. I do not just say that; I mean it. We are all making a plea today on behalf of the carers. Yvonne in my office deals with benefits five days a week—sometimes five-and-a-half or six days a week—and the carer issue comes up all the time. We understand it well, and when we speak about it, we are speaking from experience. In most cases, the carers of young cancer patients are eligible for carer’s allowance only once the child receives another form of benefit. For younger cancer patients, a young person receiving a personal independence payment or a child receiving disability living allowance is a gateway to their families receiving carer’s allowance. However, this leaves carers waiting months for support. There is a time period and a qualifying period, and I am asking that we get the money out as quick as possible. We should not drag our heels on this matter. A young person with cancer is eligible for PIP and DLA after being impacted by their condition for three months; this leaves the families of children and young people with cancer having to find and pay out nearly £5,000 extra in costs before their disability benefits are awarded. Due to the immediate nature of the costs experienced by families, children and young people with cancer and their families should be entitled to access welfare benefits immediately. If we lose the unpaid care system, our NHS will collapse, and if we do not give families more support, they cannot sustain the situation. The choice seems clear: give more support and take away some of their financial problems and worries.

• 20 Nov 2025 · Great British Railways: Passenger Consultations · Hansard source

  More

  I use the railways every Monday, Thursday and on other days in the week. The things that passengers look for, as well as those I talk to who come over here from Northern Ireland, are price, punctuality, space and comfort. Can the Minister assure us that those things are central to the Government’s obligation to the passenger? Let me add another factor. When it comes to safety, sometimes pedestrians stray on to the tracks, thereby holding up the trains. What is being done to ensure that security is taken into account?

• 20 Nov 2025 · Separation Centres: Terrorist Offenders · Hansard source

  More

  In Northern Ireland, we have dealt with the spread of extreme forms of paramilitarism in our prisons, and we have learned that the influence of the most hard-line prisoners spreads easily and completely; there are those who enter prison for, perhaps, petty crime and come out the other end with hatred they never felt before. Those with extremist views should not be able to proselytise and convert people —younger inmates in particular—to extremist views. Legislative change has been mentioned. Given what we have learned in Northern Ireland would it be helpful— I always try to be helpful—for the Minister to contact the prisons Minister in the Northern Ireland Assembly to get their ideas? Perhaps we can be helpful to each other.

• 20 Nov 2025 · World COPD Day · Hansard source

  More

  I beg to move, That this House has considered World COPD Day. It is a pleasure to serve under your chairship, Mr Efford. I thank the Backbench Business Committee for making time for this debate. I am always pleased to see the Minister in her place—she knows that—and we look forward to her answers to our requests on behalf of our constituents. I am also pleased to have other colleagues here, including the shadow Ministers for the Conservatives and for the Lib Dems, the hon. Members for Farnham and Bordon (Gregory Stafford) and for North Shropshire (Helen Morgan), and also my good friend, the hon. Member for Surrey Heath (Dr Pinkerton). I am glad to be able to raise the issue of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Yesterday was World COPD Day, so I pay tribute to the wonderful work carried out by so many organisations and individuals to draw attention to the illness. We had an event here last night, which was well attended. The people in the Gallery are those who do the hard work for the all-party parliamentary group for respiratory health, which I chair. We had a great event last night with many excellent speakers. I want to reflect on the organisations and individuals that attended last night to draw attention to the illness. Hugh McKinney is going to look at me and say, “You mentioned that lady again”, because last night one of our special guests was Shirley Ballas of “Strictly Come Dancing”. I could not dance if my life depended on it—I have two left feet—but that lady can. Last night she was not there because she is a judge on “Strictly Come Dancing”. She was there to tell the story of how she cares for and looks after her mum, who has COPD. There are two sides to the lady—the side we see on TV and the caring side. The previous debate was about unpaid carers across the United Kingdom, in all constituencies, and the work that they do. It was a pleasure to take part in that debate and to see so many there. As chair of the APPG for respiratory health, I will cover a number of issues today around COPD. I will frame my comments around the latest initiatives and also the current policy direction. Hopefully we can try to marry those two together so that we can have a focus and a target to do better. To make that happen, of course, we need Government and ministerial support. As always, I am indebted to Sarah Sleet and her wonderful team at Asthma and Lung UK for their outstanding help and ongoing support. Without their enormous help to me and the APPG that I chair, we just could not manage as well as we do. I also want to say a special thanks to Jonathan Fuld, the national clinical director for respiratory disease, for his expert advice and counsel. I pay tribute to the ongoing work of our expert stakeholder groups, which comprise senior clinicians, industry, professional bodies and other experts. We have Zoom meetings because that is the best way for us to come together from all over the United Kingdom and it means people do not have to travel. When we have our Zoom meetings we have fantastic contributions from all over the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and sometimes further afield. I want to begin with a general point on the modern service frameworks. There is much to be thankful for in what the Government are doing and we want to focus on that as well, but there are also things that we want to ask for. Although the APPG warmly welcomed the initiative of the modern service frameworks, the Minister will not be surprised that we were disappointed that respiratory health was not included in the first wave. Respiratory health is an ideal candidate, I believe, as do others inside and outside the Chamber, for the next wave. What can the Minister do to include respiratory health in the next wave of the Government’s 10-year plan for health, which we very much welcome and are encouraged by? The outcomes of COPD are widespread and have a huge impact on the NHS. I will give some statistics to show that. Sometimes, people hear statistics and are sceptical. I always think about “lies, damned lies, and statistics”, but the stats are important because they set the scene. Many times when we are looking at the objectives and targets for the NHS, we need the statistics before us, because they indicate the policies that hopefully the Government will follow. Lung conditions, including COPD, are the largest cause of emergency hospital admissions, especially in winter, when respiratory admissions can increase by some 80%. These figures are worrying; we are in that season now, and we could see that figure. The rate of emergency admissions to hospital for COPD in England increased by 9% in 2024 compared with 2023; unfortunately, they are increasing consistently. That represents some 121,129 A&E admissions—significantly higher than in the previous year. Worryingly, the trends are upwards. I hope that the Minister, when she responds to the debate, can give us some ideas about how the Government can reverse those trends and reduce that figure. COPD is the second most common cause of emergency admission in the United Kingdom, and 1.7 million people in the UK have been diagnosed with it. In my office, when we meet constituents, we help them with their benefits forms and try to put them on the pathway to get some help to deal with their health conditions. I have known many people over the years who, unfortunately, are no longer here today because COPD has taken their life. Others are on oxygen, just trying to survive every day. Again, that is quite worrying. It has been estimated that there could be around 600,000 more people in the UK who are living with undiagnosed and untreated COPD. What can we do to identify those people and ensure that they understand what is happening to them, so they can get some help with the life that they will now lead? Lost productivity due to COPD is estimated to cost around £1.7 billion per year. There is a cost to every disease, but there is a real cost to this disease, and if we can diagnose and catch it earlier, perhaps we can reduce that sum. My last point is about something quite worrying. Each year, around 30,000 people in the UK die from COPD. That is the reality experienced by some of my constituents I have met over the years, but who are no longer with us. The disease progresses so fast that people’s life expectancy is reduced. Deaths caused by respiratory diseases are more strongly linked to deprivation than deaths caused by any other major disease. People living in the poorest areas of the United Kingdom are five times more likely to die from COPD than those living in the richest areas. That is a real disparity, whereby people in deprived areas are more susceptible to COPD and their life expectancy is also reduced. I have another ask of the Minister: how can the Government address deprivation and its impact on particular areas, specifically when it comes to COPD? Research from Asthma and Lung UK shows that someone from the poorest 10% of households is over two and a half times more likely to have COPD than someone from the most affluent 10% of households. That is a real disparity. If someone lives in an affluent area, they have 10% less chance of getting COPD than someone living in a deprived area. We hope that the transition from hospital to community under the 10-year plan for the NHS will transform COPD outcomes in the most deprived areas. A survey by Asthma and Lung UK found that almost a quarter of people with COPD wait five years or more for a diagnosis, with one in eight of people with COPD waiting for over 10 years. Again, I have another ask of the Minister. How can we shorten the wait for a diagnosis of COPD? If we catch it earlier, we can reduce the impact on life expectancy and help with life conditions and how to reach a better level of care. The same survey showed that only 9% of people with COPD in the UK were receiving good basic care. That is worrying. Again, as chair of the respiratory health APPG, it is one of the things that we hope to address. While the statistics are stark, the APPG also acknowledges and welcomes a huge amount of work undertaken by NHS England ahead of the winter months to relieve the pressure on the NHS. We are all here to make lives better, and not to make them worse, but sometimes we need to have a better idea of what needs to be done. The NHS can do much, but it cannot perform miracles. It can only do the best it can, so how do we help it to do so, given all the pressures it is under? We commend the urgent and emergency care delivery plan, and Exercise Aegis, which will devolve accountability for winter readiness to the integrated care boards—probably a good idea. Under Aegis, NHS England will stress test winter preparedness by running seven regionally-led exercises. I ask the Minister for some detail on that, on what it means and how it will work—no doubt we are to hear that shortly. The initiative is welcome and a well thought-out plan, I believe—I am sure others will comment —that promises to deliver the regional outcomes that will make a huge difference. Only in the past few days have we realised that winter is coming—anyone who has not felt the cold must be wearing a strong and heavy coat—so will the Minister update us on the outcomes of the regional exercises and how they feed into the winter preparedness strategy? We are busy in the APPG—Hugh and the team clearly do that for us—and recently we held a roundtable on the winter pressures in partnership with the Centre for Applied Respiratory Research Innovation and Impact—CARRii, to abbreviate all those words—which gave an outstanding presentation. Early next year, we will produce a short report, taking the outcomes of that meeting and the data from this year into account. We are happy to share it with the Minister, because I think it will be helpful when drawing up a better way to do things. Key themes of the roundtable included an increase in vaccination rates—more focus on that has been because of, unfortunately, a slight reluctance to take up vaccination —and how we encourage that. At the Tuesday morning roundtable, with Lord Bethell from the other place, we had an opportunity to discuss how best to do that with those in the NHS, and with other companies and people who have a deep interest in the subject matter. Some of the ideas will be helpful for the future. We need better infection control. COPD exacerbations are mainly driven by infections. How can we address and target that in the system? We must implement fully the five fundamentals of COPD care by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, which outline what effective management of care looks like, such as vaccination, smoking cessation and pulmonary rehabilitation. Recent analysis has found that expanding access to PR services to all eligible patients could result in £142.6 million of direct NHS savings related to reduced exacerbations, as well as a reduction of 194,000 bed days, 66,000 of which would be saved over the winter period. Those figures cannot be ignored—at the end of the day, the NHS has to work within the figures, the money, it has available. When we look at the savings and the reduction in bed days, in particular over the winter period, we must try to do better. The final fundamentals are personalising self-management planning and optimising treatment for co-morbidities. Will the Minister please assure us that the NICE fundamentals of COPD care are being implemented consistently across the country? The Minister will know, because she is very knowledgeable and responsive to these issues, that the APPG strongly supports the 10-year plan and the three shifts, which are ideally placed to transform respiratory care and outcomes. Community delivery, especially, promises a great deal for improved respiratory outcomes by placing facilities closer to home. That is a better way to do it. We welcome the work already under way to place respiratory services in community settings and the introduction of spirometry in all CDCs and community health services. This a really positive way forward. There is, however, evidence to suggest that not all patients receive spirometry tests. If we are going to introduce spirometry, we need to ensure that all patients can receive those tests. Will the Minister make sure that these tests be undertaken on all eligible patients? Will the Minister also please look at the waiting lists for diagnostic testing and see whether they can be prioritised to test those at the highest risk first? That is a lot of asks—I have given the Minister and the shadow Minister a copy of my speech, so hopefully the Minister had all my questions in advance. I hate to throw around 20-odd questions at her in the space of an hour and a half and expect answers right away, but hopefully we can get those answers—I know that the civil servants who are here will work very hard to ensure that happens. Although it might be too late for this winter, perhaps that provision could be in place for people for next year. We are also looking forward to the upcoming NICE guidance on the biologic therapies for COPD, which will be a complicated process. We will keep an eye on the implementation of these drugs when they are approved. The advancements in medicine cannot be ignored; it is really good to have them, and it is encouraging that we are living that bit longer now. We can now extend and improve the lives of people with diseases that would previously have killed them fairly young. Finally, we have been looking at the incidental findings from lung cancer health checks. According to recent data, around 100,000 people who have been assessed under the targeted lung health check programme have been diagnosed with emphysema or symptoms of no recognised disease to date. What can be done to help those 100,000 and perhaps others facing those circumstances who have not yet been diagnosed? Lastly, there is no onward referral from the lung health checks, and I think there should be. It would be helpful to have an assurance about how that could be achieved. I know that this is a complex area—it always is—and that lung cancer health checks are carefully targeted, particularly for those in our most deprived communities, who are least likely to be well served, but this provision would seem to fit perfectly in a modern service framework for respiratory health. So, I end where I began: I hope that this will happen sooner rather than later. I have made a lot of requests, but we are fortunate to have a Minister who responds in a way that gives us all encouragement. We have a real problem with COPD, and this debate gives us the chance to highlight the issue for patients. The winter pressures are on. I am pleased to see my friend, the hon. Member for Blaydon and Consett (Liz Twist). She is the co-chair of the APPG, and she will hopefully speak next. I look forward to hearing all the contributions, including from the shadow Minister, the hon. Member for Farnham and Bordon, and, ultimately, the Minister.

• 20 Nov 2025 · World COPD Day · Hansard source

  More

  I thank all hon. Members for their contributions. I particularly thank the hon. Member for Blaydon and Consett (Liz Twist). She and I have been friends for ages and ages—so far back that I maybe had hair at that time. She underlined two issues: access to public transport, and how difficult it is for people to return home from hospital. She was keen to welcome the progress on the Tobacco and Vapes Bill and on access to drugs. She is no longer a Parliamentary Private Secretary, so she can now be active on the APPG—we are very much looking forward to having her energy back. The hon. Member for Surrey Heath (Dr Pinkerton) also set the scene very helpfully. COPD never goes away; it escalates, so how do we address it? He said that there were 200,000 admissions to hospital due to respiratory ill health in the last year. He also talked about access to data and to medical care for COPD. It is sometimes a postcode lottery in the United Kingdom, and that has to change. The hon. Member for North Shropshire (Helen Morgan) talked about chronic bronchitis and rehabilitation. She said that early diagnosis reduces the cost to the NHS. Shortness of breath means that there should be more checks for COPD. She said that anyone over 35 should get checked. That is very wise—we should all take note of that. She also referred to the Lib Dem ambition to recruit another 8,000 GPs, and she spoke about vaccination. The hon. Member for Farnham and Bordon (Gregory Stafford) made an excellent speech—it was a real pleasure to hear it. He referred to the inequality and deprivation across the United Kingdom, and talked about how to do spirometry tests better. The pressure on the NHS is enormous. He said that pulmonary rehabilitation treatment is a key way of responding, and we very much welcome that. He also referred to other COPD interventions, and said that this is a year-round emergency. I am very pleased to have the Minister here to respond to our requests. Anyone listening to her speech would recognise that she is keen, eager and energetic in giving us the answers that we are looking for. I am conscious of the look that you are giving me, Mr Efford, so I will be very quick. She said that her mother has COPD, and therefore this is a personal issue for her. She is as keen as all of us to see results. She set out the case for the prevention of COPD, and said it is the next disease to be considered in the respiratory service framework—hopefully in the next phase. I am looking to her to see whether the Government can deliver on that. Prevention is better than cure. We must work harder to introduce a vaccination programme. The hon. Member for Blaydon and Consett referred to housing and air quality. We need a pathway to work so that those with long-term illnesses can come back to work. The Minister set out lots of positive things. She referred to deprivation, which we all know about. She spoke about spirometry care from hospital to the community, pulmonary rehabilitation, which is key to reducing COPD, and lung cancer screening—all good stuff. I want to put on the record a big thank you to all those who participated, to Hugh, Will and the team in the Public Gallery for all that they have done, to you, Mr Efford, for your patience, and to the civil servants—they are not often thanked, but let us thank them for what they do. Question put and agreed to. Resolved, That this House has considered World COPD Day.

• 20 Nov 2025 · Ukraine: Forcible Removal of Children · Hansard source

  More

  I thank the Minister for his answers and for his strong focus on the Ukrainian children. I also thank the hon. Member for Paisley and Renfrewshire South (Johanna Baxter) for all that she has done—we appreciate it. The trafficking to Russia and forced adoption of Ukrainian children is truly despicable. The re-education camps that are brainwashing children to forget—or to erase—their Ukrainian heritage are detestable, and the need for British involvement is undeniable. Will the Minister please outline what steps we will take to bring those children home to their families, instead of accepting that they are prisoners of war, which is disgusting, inhuman and contemptible?

• 19 Nov 2025 · Suicide: Reducing the Stigma · Hansard source

  More

  I thank my hon. Friend for her words of wisdom. I know that she has tried, before and during her time in this place, to address the issue of online access to information about how to commit suicide. I cannot conceive how that can be available; maybe I am from a different generation, but the availability today is scary. It is not the Minister’s responsibility, but I know that he will give us some ideas on how to tackle that. People did not talk about mental health in the past. There was no awareness, and psychological conversations were not had day by day in the way they are today. We had a spate of suicides of young men in Newtownards a few years ago, and it was so tragic. There was a wee group of young boys who ran about together. One committed suicide, and unfortunately the other four or five all did the same. It is really difficult, sometimes, to deal with things. The hon. Member for Ashford (Sojan Joseph) spoke about the suicide rate among farmers. This is not about pointing fingers—I do not want to do that—but I can say from the family farms that I know in Northern Ireland that the pressure on farmers today due to the family inheritance tax is incredibly worrying. I will leave it at that. While any suicide is devastating, I would like to focus on the stats surrounding male mental health and suicide in Northern Ireland. The Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency revealed that there were 171 male suicides registered in Northern Ireland in 2023, which accounted for some 77.4% of all suicides. My goodness me! We men—that includes me and every one of us—need to have a look at how we deal with these things. Males in Northern Ireland are consistently three to four times more likely to die by suicide. It also noted that for males aged 15 to 49, such as those I referred to in Ballynahinch and Newtownards, suicide was the leading cause of death in 2023, followed by drug-related deaths. Male suicide in Northern Ireland has been a painful and persistent issue for years, and the stigma around it can make things even harder for those who are struggling. The harsh reality is that men do not talk. We tend to be private about our health issues. There is a very strong cultural script back home that we just get on with it; we do not want to come across as weak or unable to cope, which is how we fear it would be perceived. Furthermore, for many men and their families, the pattern is passed down from our parents. To give a Northern Ireland perspective, our dads and grandads who suffered during the troubles were told to be silent at that time and swallow their feelings. Some of them had PTSD—we never knew what that was until the last few years, by the way. That has had a knock-on effect on how we deal with issues now. We must do more to ensure that talking about mental health is as normal as talking about the weather or the news. That is how we will reduce the stigma. Transparency and openness is the way forward. First and foremost, we must ensure that help is accessible and available in this country. That is our responsibility. Our mental health services are not where they need to be. More should be done to provide counselling services, as opposed to going to the GP and walking out with a prescription for anti-depressants. With great respect, they are not always the answer. I urge the Minister to tell us how the Government will do more to ensure that those services are properly funded so that we can help more people stop making that final decision, which some feel is the only way forward.

• 19 Nov 2025 · Suicide: Reducing the Stigma · Hansard source

  More

  It is a pleasure to serve under your chairship, Mr Mundell. I thank the hon. Member for Richmond Park (Sarah Olney) for setting the scene, as she so often does. I know that this issue is very close to her heart; indeed, it is very close to all of us. I will give a couple of examples from Northern Ireland. They are never easy stories to tell, but both of them are solution-based. I will tell them without mentioning any names or specific details, so we can consider what steps we are taking to address the issue. It is a real pleasure to see the Minister in his place—I wish him well in his role—and, as always, to see the shadow Minister, the hon. Member for Hinckley and Bosworth (Dr Evans). He and I seem to be tag-teaming all the time on health issues in Westminster Hall and the main Chamber. When I thought about this issue, and I have given it a lot of thought because it is so real to all of us, I went back and forth in my mind about the title of this debate. The motion refers to “reducing the stigma associated with suicide”. I believe that we need to normalise talking about how we feel. I say that as a man, because men—myself included—seem to have some difficulty in understanding the issues that we face, especially the difficult aspects, relating them to others and acknowledging that we are not alone in having these thoughts. It is important that we recognise that, and that there is help for so many. The hon. Member for York Outer (Mr Charters) is not here, but anyone who heard his Prime Minister’s question today will know that he lived the story that he told. We need to recognise what suicide truly is. He took us through his experience: he did us proud and did his family proud in how he dealt with the things he faced up to. When I was first elected to this House back in 2010, the constituency of Strangford took in a new part, Ballynahinch. Around that time—in 2010, 2011 and certainly in 2012—there was a spate of suicides of young men in the area. It was horrendous. It was almost impossible to comprehend what was happening. However, a local Presbyterian minister, Rev. Mairisine Stanfield, galvanised the community in Ballynahinch to come together. What a lady she is! She organised all the churches and the individuals, who were all hurting and all wanted to know what to do. She was the prime mover: she created a hub in the area, which was a brand-new idea that gave young people and others a place to come together, talk about things, relate, socialise and have a chance. Alongside other things that were happening, the hub helped to reduce the suicides in that town, so I have never forgotten Rev. Mairisine. Indeed, I met her last Friday night at the mayor’s do over in Bangor. There she was, as bright as ever and with that wonderful smile. That lady motivated the people of the area, the community groups and others to come together and try to help, so I am always deeply indebted to her. I remember that when I was younger—this goes back to the title of the debate—a stiff upper lip was expected. That was the demand of the day, but that approach is not helpful attitude to take to mental health. If we look at the cultural climate across most western countries, attitudes were shaped by fear, silence and, in some cases, religious views. This was not spoken about.

• 19 Nov 2025 · Access to Healthcare: Bracknell Forest · Hansard source

  More

  I commend the hon. Gentleman for securing this debate. He is right to underline the issue of GPs. Does he agree that access to healthcare must begin with access to the local GP surgery, and that the Government must prioritise training and retraining GPs to ensure that people can access their GP and do not head straight to emergency care at the local hospital when it is not necessary? GPs first—then, everybody else can do better.

• 19 Nov 2025 · Film and Television Productions · Hansard source

  More

  I thank the Minister for that answer. I also thank him for his energy and interest in Northern Ireland. We hope to have him in Strangford shortly for a visit. Between 2019 and 2022, there was an increase in economic value of 19% in the Northern Ireland film sector, and there is the potential for much more. I live on the beautiful Ards peninsula—it is not beautiful because I live there; it was beautiful before I ever lived there—and in my constituency of Strangford there is the potential for much more. How do the Northern Ireland Office and the Minister intend to work further with Northern Ireland Screen to promote the high quality and the lower costs in Northern Ireland? We have lots to offer—let’s take advantage of it.

• 19 Nov 2025 · Local Government Reform: Huntingdonshire · Hansard source

  More

  I wish to be helpful, as I always try to be. I have spoken to the hon. Gentleman and I congratulate him on the debate. We had a local government reorganisation in Northern Ireland, reducing councils from 26 to 11. The idea was to save money and make the system more accountable. It did not save any money and became more bureaucratic, and the people were the ultimate sufferers. If reorganisation is not done right at this stage, problems will occur down the line later.

• 19 Nov 2025 · Myalgic Encephalomyelitis · Hansard source

  More

  I commend the hon. Lady on bringing this debate forward. In Northern Ireland, the figures for ME have unfortunately risen from 7,500 to 12,500 in the past few years. We have no clinical lead, no specialist services and no commission care pathways. We need research. Queen’s University Belfast is really good with research partnerships. Does the hon. Lady agree we should spend the money on research and find the cure? It has been said that the cure for cancer will come in 10 years’ time. The cure for ME could come too if research money were put into it.

• 19 Nov 2025 · Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill · Hansard source

  More

  I welcome what the Government are trying to do, and the thrust of what the Minister is saying, but I think that the Minister and the hon. Gentleman are referring to the fact that we have to ensure that there is a bit of muscle behind the legislation. My colleague Lord Weir was very clear in the other place about our party’s point of view on the legislation. There are people from across the world who flee their home because of persecution or human rights abuses, and who have nowhere to go. Does the hon. Gentleman share my concern about those who can never go back to their country again? I know people who came to Newtownards in my constituency six or eight years ago, and there are six Syrian families who are still there. They are established in the community. Does he agree that those who flee persecution must be protected in the legislation?

• 19 Nov 2025 · Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill · Hansard source

  More

  rose—

• 19 Nov 2025 · Specialist Manufacturing Sector: Regional Economies · Hansard source

  More

  Thank you for calling me early, Mrs Harris; you are very kind. I am sure hon. Members are wondering why. I thank the hon. Member for Calder Valley (Josh Fenton-Glynn) for securing today’s debate. In his short year and a half in the House, he has shown himself to be assiduous on behalf of his constituents. He works hard, with a key focus on the subjects he brings to the House, both in the main Chamber and here. Well done to him. Our manufacturing sector is crucial to the UK-wide economy. We must not forget the unique build-up of this country. I always say that we are better together, and there is no Scots Nats person here to tell me otherwise—not that that is a bad thing, but anyway. Whether it be Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland or England, we can do it better, with a significant contribution to the manufacturing industry. Library research highlights that in 2023, Northern Ireland added £2.2 billion gross value added in manufacturing economic output. In 2024, around 900 direct jobs were supported by the defence industry. Defence plays a crucial role in Northern Ireland, but it does not get its full percentage of defence contracts. I gently put that point to the Minister to get a helpful answer. The defence sector should get more contracts, although there have been lots of commitments. With great respect, Northern Ireland people—men and women—have proven themselves as leaders in their contribution to the sector. The best is yet to come, with more young people becoming interested in all aspects of manufacturing and engineering. There is a keen interest in science, technology, engineering and maths study and employment in Northern Ireland, especially from young people and from women who have leading roles in manufacture. We are doing and seeing good things happening; we see equality and opportunity. This is a good news story. Northern Ireland is home to major companies such as Thales and Bombardier. Bombardier at one stage had two major factories in Newtownards, hiring hundreds of people from the local area, showing our skill in the design and manufacture of composites and polymers. I usually visit Thales at least once a year with my right hon. Friend the Member for Belfast East (Gavin Robinson), who told me that the majority of the workforce live in my constituency of Strangford, so it is obviously to my advantage to be there. The good news with Thales is that, with Government help, 200 new jobs have been created there. There are also important apprenticeship opportunities. Given my age, I have known some of the young fellows there since they were born. Aged 18, 19 or 20, they now have jobs at Thales, with fantastic opportunities, a good wage and help with their student fees. I have met unions on various occasions to hear their concerns, and have brought this issue to the Floor of the House to seek assurances. There are some things I ask of the Minister. It would not be right to take part in this debate without highlighting the risks in the manufacturing industry relating to job security. At times like these, the Government are able to step in. That is my Great British Government, and everybody’s Government, whether we voted for them or not. On this occasion, efforts fell short in committing to the manufacturing industry in the way we wanted. I will mention Spirit AeroSystems, the plane manufacturer, and the contribution made by Northern Ireland. Northern Ireland may be a small nation, but we are mighty—a word not often used—just like small David, who took on big Goliath in the Bible and beat him. Alongside Scotland, Wales and the mainland, specialist manufacturing is crucial to economic prosperity. There must be an unwavering determination to achieve that. I ask the Minister to engage with me and my hon. Friend the Member for East Londonderry (Mr Campbell) and other Northern Ireland MPs to ensure that, when it comes to helping each other, to make this great United Kingdom of Great Britain even greater and better, we do that together. It takes that commitment. Will the Minister work alongside a Northern Ireland Assembly Minister, the Assembly and us to deliver for everyone?

• 19 Nov 2025 · Specialist Manufacturing Sector: Regional Economies · Hansard source

  More

  I hope the Minister will forgive me if he is going to address my earlier request, which related to the Northern Ireland Assembly Minister back home. I know that he travels to Northern Ireland and has an interest in Northern Ireland, and it is important that we work together. Will he give the commitment I mentioned?

• 18 Nov 2025 · UNESCO: 80th Anniversary · Hansard source

  More

  It is a real pleasure to serve under your chairship, Mr Dowd. I want to say a big thank you to the hon. Member for Mid Derbyshire (Jonathan Davies) for setting the scene incredibly well on a subject in which we should all be interested. It is wonderful to be here to celebrate UNESCO’s 80th anniversary—I am just 10 years behind it. It is the specialised agency dedicated to strengthening our shared humanity through the promotion of education, science, culture and communication. I and others believe that we must continue to protect UNESCO and advance education, so it is great to be here for that purpose. I love history; indeed, it is probably the only subject I excelled at in school, or did well at in school—that may be a better way of putting it. I also love the idea of UNESCO’s 80th anniversary, and—without being morbid—I love going round graveyards, looking at the old headstones and getting a bit of the history of the area. I love going round churches as well, where we have the same experience, and going round UNESCO sites. Their designation can go back 80 years, but churches may go back 300 years or more, and graveyards go back to whenever people were first buried, which is the beginning of time. For Northern Ireland, there are a few important UNESCO-related milestones to note, so I am pleased to be here to give the local perspective. The first relates to the Giant’s Causeway. It is said that that is where the giants walked and lived—I am sure it is quite true. It is one of Northern Ireland’s UNESCO heritage sites and was designated as such in 1986, meaning that its 40th anniversary will be celebrated next year. Hundreds of thousands of people visit each year; it is a much-loved attraction. In July 2024, only very recently, Gracehill in County Antrim was added to the UNESCO world heritage list as part of the Moravian Church Settlements. Northern Ireland is famed for its religious settlements—for its religious beliefs—and it is only right that we should have something like that. If we look abroad through UNESCO’s website, there are 1,248 properties on the world heritage list, so that gives people an idea; it is quite selective. They are properties that the world heritage list considers as having outstanding universal value. UNESCO has revealed that climate change is one of the biggest threats to world heritage properties. The issues range from coral bleaching to severe forest fires and droughts. We are increasingly seeing the devastating impacts that climate change has on all aspects of our world and especially on world heritage sites, which we must endeavour to protect. The UK National Commission for UNESCO launched a report to coincide with the opening of COP30 in Brazil, alongside 2025 being the International Year of Glaciers’ Preservation. The findings were shocking, to say the least. Since 2000, glaciers have lost some 6,500 billion tonnes of ice, which threatens the water supply of more than 1 billion people. I hope that someday, perhaps, my constituency of Strangford will become a UNESCO site, because it goes back to when time began. When the Vikings came to Strangford, it was called the strong fjord. That is where the name Strangford came from. We have a history that I believe someday we may even realise to our advantage. Those things all matter and it is crucial that we look to the future, and at how our current actions are impacting the future of our globe and our listed properties. As we celebrate the 80th anniversary of UNESCO, we are reminded of the power of education, science, culture and communication, and that much more must be done to preserve it.

• 18 Nov 2025 · Warm Homes Plan · Hansard source

  More

  I commend the hon. Lady for raising this issue. In Northern Ireland we have a slightly different scheme called the affordable warmth scheme, run by the Northern Ireland Housing Executive. The problem we have is that only a certain amount of money is set aside, and it is first come, first served, so some people in poverty do not receive the benefit, whereas others do. Does the hon. Lady agree that such schemes, whether here in England or in Northern Ireland, Scotland or Wales, must always make funding available to those who meet the criteria?