Jo Stevens MP: speeches

Speeches

• 27 Feb 2025 · St David’s Day and Welsh Affairs · Hansard source

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  If the hon. Gentleman does not mind, I will carry on because we do not have much time. We have given the green light to Welsh freeports to unlock billions in private investment and galvanise almost 20,000 jobs in our port communities of Milford Haven, Port Talbot and Holyhead. Two investment zones, in Wrexham and Flintshire and in Cardiff and Newport, have been confirmed, with £320 million of funding to support growth in key sectors of the economy to create those new jobs. We have also secured funding for local growth projects across Wales worth £440 million, including money for Cardiff Crossrail and the recently opened Porth transport hub. We have protected key programmes that are important for local regeneration and economic growth, such as the iconic Newport transporter bridge and Venue Cymru in Llandudno. We are continuing to invest throughout Wales, with over £790 million in UK Government funding through the city and regional growth deals. Unlike the Conservative Government, whose £22 billion in unfunded commitments left many Welsh levelling-up developments at risk, our investment in these initiatives is an example of how our plan for change will lead to a decade of national renewal for people the length and breadth of Wales. Wales now has the benefit of two Labour Governments committed to the regeneration and economic growth that will put more money in people’s pockets, raising living standards. This is a partnership in power that will continue to deliver for the people of Wales. As we have heard this afternoon, the Welsh Government had a record-breaking funding settlement from the UK Government in the Budget of £21 billion, with £1.7 billion extra to spend on improving public services in Wales. The Welsh Government have committed £600 million of that extra funding to health and social care. I really welcome the recent news that waiting times in Wales are heading in the right direction. I hope that both Conservative and Plaid Cymru Members of the Senedd will reconsider their position on voting against the Welsh budget next week, because they are sending the message that they do not want that extra investment into public services in Wales.

• 27 Feb 2025 · St David’s Day and Welsh Affairs · Hansard source

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  I will not. After years of deadlock, it was this UK Government that stepped up with £25 million for the Welsh Government to keep coal tips safe. There is no better illustration of the new relationship between the two Governments than that co-operation on a matter that I know is of concern for people in former coalmining communities across Wales. Today’s debate has raised some important issues and we have had some excellent contributions from colleagues. I will run through a few, such as that of my hon. Friend the Member for Neath and Swansea East (Carolyn Harris). Whenever I hear the word “Neath”, I just think of the “Neath, Neath, Neath!” rugby chant. That was definitely a “Neath, Neath, Neath!” speech. On the contribution by the Member for Chester South and Eddisbury (Aphra Brandreth), I recognise, having grown up very near to the border, the economic, cultural and personal ties that she described. My hon. Friend the Member for Newport East (Jessica Morden) asked for a meeting with her colleagues to talk about Newport. I will be delighted to do that. My hon. Friend the Member for Monmouthshire (Catherine Fookes) talked about the 21st century schools programme, as did my hon. Friend the Member for Clwyd North (Gill German). My hon. Friend the Member for Monmouthshire also paid tribute, which I echo, to all the public sector workers of Wales. To my hon. Friend the Member for Wrexham (Andrew Ranger), I was delighted to see Wrexham AFC promoted last season. I went to the game against Stockport at the end of the season and have, in my time, drunk quite a lot of that famous export, Wrexham Lager. My hon. Friend the Member for Cardiff West (Mr Barros- Curtis) talked about the political DNA in his constituency and about Ely, and I recognised his descriptions of the sports clubs. I have spent many weekends on the touchlines of pitches in Cardiff West and it is great to see the clubs going from strength to strength. My hon. Friend the Member for Montgomeryshire and Glyndŵr (Steve Witherden) gave a passionate speech about the history of his constituency, which is full of people with big hearts. He definitely has a big heart. My hon. Friend the Member for Mid and South Pembrokeshire (Henry Tufnell) mentioned his constituency’s proud city of St Davids and the £1 million regional skills fund that we have recently announced for Pembrokeshire. I was very interested to hear mention from the hon. Member for East Grinstead and Uckfield (Mims Davies) of her Wind Street escapades. I had some of those as well, so maybe we should have a chat outside the Chamber about that at some point. I want to wish everybody a very happy St David’s Day. I thank them for their contributions and I look forward to celebrating on Saturday.

• 27 Feb 2025 · St David’s Day and Welsh Affairs · Hansard source

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  I do not think the right hon. Lady has really listened to the list of things that have been announced for Wales in the past seven months. It is always the same with Plaid Cymru; it is always about the structures and the process and not about the outcome and the priorities of the people of Wales.

• 27 Feb 2025 · St David’s Day and Welsh Affairs · Hansard source

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  I will not, because the hon. Gentleman has had his speech. Turning to steel, hon. Members may recall that on election day last year, Tata was intending to shut down both its blast furnaces, ending steelmaking at Port Talbot. Again, unlike the last Tory Government who promised to Port Talbot £80 million of support that did not exist, this Government have secured that amount of support and we are delivering for our steel communities right across south Wales. In just six months, more than £50 million has been allocated through the transition board to help people and businesses, and this month I announced the first regeneration project to be supported by £8.2 million of transition board funds. I mentioned earlier my priority to reset the relationship with the Welsh Government. Since the election, people across Wales have been able to see the results of that reset: significant inward investment, a record-breaking Welsh Budget settlement, investment zones, freeports, clean energy projects on and offshore, and UK and Welsh Governments working together and delivering for the people of Wales on economic growth, clean energy, water regulation, health and plans for future rail improvement.

• 29 Jan 2025 · Net Zero · Hansard source

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  I am working with the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero to ensure that Wales plays a leading role in reaching our net zero targets and clean power by 2030. By supporting floating offshore wind, onshore wind, hydrogen, nuclear, tidal and carbon capture, we are seizing the unique economic opportunity of net zero to boost growth and create jobs across Wales.

• 29 Jan 2025 · Net Zero · Hansard source

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  The economic opportunities of floating offshore wind are significant, and, obviously, the Celtic sea is a big area off parts of both England and Wales. We are working closely to seize those economic opportunities to deliver jobs and growth, and we want to see economic growth and jobs throughout the United Kingdom.

• 29 Jan 2025 · Crime Prevention · Hansard source

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  We were elected on a manifesto that included a mission for safer streets across every nation of the United Kingdom. We will put police back on the beat, ensure there is a named officer for every neighbourhood, and provide 13,000 additional officers, police community support officers and special constables in neighbourhood roles in England and Wales. The provisional police funding settlement has been increased this year by up to £1 billion.

• 29 Jan 2025 · Crime Prevention · Hansard source

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  Our plan for change will put an extra 13,000 police officers, police community support officers and special constables on our streets across the UK, including in Wales. In December, I opened a brand-new base for Gwent police in Abergavenny, so that officers can better serve the town and restore the visible, accessible policing that our communities deserve.

• 29 Jan 2025 · Crime Prevention · Hansard source

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  That is a bit rich coming from the hon. Lady. Previous Conservative Governments—her Governments—decimated the Ministry of Justice budget. Crown court delays, victims waiting years for Crown court trials—that all happened under their watch. We are protecting women and girls in Wales, where the Tories failed to do so.

• 29 Jan 2025 · Crime Prevention · Hansard source

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  My hon. Friend will know that the Prime Minister’s plan for change reinforced our manifesto ambition to halve violence against women and girls in a decade. We will do everything in our power to achieve that. We will put specialist rape and sexual offences teams in every police force in Wales, and early this year we will start the process of introducing domestic abuse experts into 999 control rooms, so that victims can talk directly to a specialist for the advice and support that they need and deserve.

• 29 Jan 2025 · Crime Prevention · Hansard source

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  The hon. Lady will be aware that, unlike the previous Government, we are determined to give the victims of child sexual exploitation the long-overdue justice that they deserve by enacting the recommendations of the Jay review. On 16 January, the Home Secretary announced that victims will be given more power to have their cases re-examined. We have also unveiled a rapid national audit, to be led by Baroness Louise Casey, to uncover the scale and profile, including ethnicity, of group-based offending in the UK today.

• 29 Jan 2025 · Visitor Levy · Hansard source

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  There are a number of assumptions in the hon. Member’s question. As I say, more than 40 countries and holiday destinations around the world have introduced a form of visitor levy, and many of us have paid levies when visiting other countries. As I say, one of the Conservatives’ own councils is championing a tourist levy. They need to do their research better.

• 29 Jan 2025 · Visitor Levy · Hansard source

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  Ahead of the opening game of this year’s Six Nations in Paris on Friday evening, I know Members right across the House will want to join me in wishing the Wales team good luck in their campaign. Wales has joined a long list of other countries that have introduced a visitor levy, including Germany, Spain and France. The Welsh Government’s Bill will enable local authorities to decide whether to implement a small levy locally. The money raised will be used to invest in Wales’s thriving tourist sector, and develop and maintain attractions for residents and visitors alike.

• 29 Jan 2025 · Visitor Levy · Hansard source

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  As the hon. Member may know, tourism is devolved, and we work closely with the devolved Governments. The Department for Culture, Media and Sport—my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for that Department is here—will carefully monitor the proposal by the Welsh Government. There are currently no plans to introduce a similar tax in England.

• 29 Jan 2025 · Visitor Levy · Hansard source

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  As far as I am aware, Mid Bedfordshire is not in Wales. The hon. Member raises objections to the Welsh Government’s policy, but he should perhaps check his own ranks first, because Conservative-run Great Yarmouth borough council has supported a form of tourist levy for years.

• 29 Jan 2025 · NHS Reform · Hansard source

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  We are working in a spirit of genuine collaboration with the Welsh Government to do everything possible to cut waiting lists and build an NHS fit for the future in both England and Wales—a marked change from previous UK Governments, who were obstructive and hostile to the Welsh Government. We are sharing best practice, and the Welsh Government have established a ministerial advisory group to plan NHS reforms that will improve performance and reduce waiting lists. The group will draw on expertise from the NHS in both Wales and England.

• 29 Jan 2025 · NHS Reform · Hansard source

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  The £600 million that the Welsh Government are to invest in the Welsh NHS can happen only if the hon. Lady’s colleagues in the Senedd vote for the budget. If they do not vote for it, the money will not happen.

• 29 Jan 2025 · NHS Reform · Hansard source

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  The Budget provided the Welsh Government with an additional £1.7 billion to invest in public services, such as the NHS. The Welsh Government announced £157 million of funding for the NHS in Wales this year, and more than £600 million extra in their draft budget to fund health and social care and drive down waiting lists.

• 29 Jan 2025 · NHS Reform · Hansard source

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  The Welsh Government have no plans to close any hospitals. I will not be taking any lectures from the Conservatives, with their fictitious plan to build 40 new hospitals in England. The hospitals do not exist; the money did not exist—they are not happening.

• 29 Jan 2025 · Economic Growth · Hansard source

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  This Government have made economic growth their No. 1 mission. The Prime Minister is leading from the front in resetting the UK’s relationship with the EU. However, the right hon. Lady’s question highlights the stark risks associated with separatism. Those risks are why I will always be a strong and passionate advocate for a Wales that thrives as part of the United Kingdom.

• 29 Jan 2025 · Economic Growth · Hansard source

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  I know Ystradgynlais well, and would be happy to meet the hon. Member to discuss a banking hub. He will know that we have seen the decimation of high-street banks over the last 14 years. Banking hubs are a crucial element in keeping a community together, and in ensuring its access to cash.

• 29 Jan 2025 · Economic Growth · Hansard source

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  I thank my hon. Friend for his question, and I wholeheartedly agree with him. The freeports programme will deliver economic growth and jobs across Wales. Anglesey freeport’s tax sites have gone live, which is excellent news. The freeport aims to attract over £1 billion of investment into the green energy sector and to create nearly 5,000 jobs by 2030. The Celtic freeport is set to attract £8.4 billion of private and public investment, and to deliver 11,500 jobs.

• 29 Jan 2025 · Economic Growth · Hansard source

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  I am glad that my hon. Friend raised that. She will know that the Government are fully committed to harnessing AI to improve productivity and efficiency, and to boost economic growth. I was pleased to hear the Chancellor talking about AI growth zones in her speech. Like my hon. Friend, I want to ensure that Wales maximises AI opportunities. I will be happy to discuss that further with her.

• 29 Jan 2025 · Economic Growth · Hansard source

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  As I said, the Government are determined to see growth right across the United Kingdom, in all four nations. The relationship between Wales and Northern Ireland is very strong, and long may that continue.

• 29 Jan 2025 · Economic Growth · Hansard source

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  Economic growth is the No. 1 priority for this Government. Our new industrial strategy and national wealth fund will boost economic growth, create jobs and drive up living standards across Wales. Working alongside ministerial colleagues, I was pleased to confirm £320 million of funding for the two investment zones in Wales, and to give the green light for Welsh freeports. Together, these will unlock billions in private investment and create over 20,000 jobs in our ports and communities.