Joe Powell MP: speeches

Speeches

• 12 Jun 2025 · Support for Small Businesses · Hansard source

  More

  13. What steps he is taking to support small businesses.

• 10 Jun 2025 · Grenfell Tower Fire: Eighth Anniversary · Hansard source

  More

  I thank my hon. Friend for sharing those statistics. I think the reality is that the money is there; what we need to do is go building by building and solve the problems. That is where I welcome the Government’s emphasis on devolving some of the decision making, for example, to a London remediation board, which might be something to look at for other parts of the country. I am sure the House would appreciate an update on the Prime Minister’s welcome commitment on 4 September that all the companies found by the inquiry to have been part of these horrific failings will stop being awarded Government contracts. As the inquiry said, the companies that made the cladding and insulation products—Arconic, Celotex and Kingspan—behaved with “systematic dishonesty” and “engaged in deliberate and sustained strategies to manipulate the testing processes, misrepresent test data and mislead the market.”

• 3 Jun 2025 · Serious Fraud Office · Hansard source

  More

  Obviously, there has been some concern about the US Administration’s recent shift on the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. Will the Minister assure us that the SFO is looking at the impact of that, where there is international bribery across jurisdictions? I am not expecting a political judgment about whether that is the right or wrong thing to do, but we must keep our eye on the impacts, particularly in developing countries.

• 8 Apr 2025 · Horizon Redress and Post Office Update · Hansard source

  More

  I thank the Minister for meeting me to discuss the directly managed branch on Kensington high street in my constituency of Kensington and Bayswater. More than 1,000 residents joined my campaign to save the services at the branch. Today’s news is welcome for them, but can the Minister give us some reassurance on when the transition will take place from the current system to a franchise model, and what guarantees he has on continuing service levels?

• 23 Jan 2025 · Topical Questions · Hansard source

  More

  Open end-to-end procurement data could be a goldmine for mission-driven government, and as the Competition and Markets Authority warned recently, it could make bid rigging harder. Can the Minister explain how we will grasp the opportunity of open end-to-end procurement data?

• 16 Jan 2025 · Foreign Donations to UK Political Parties · Hansard source

  More

  6. If the Commission will make an assessment of the potential merits of banning foreign donations to UK political parties.

• 16 Jan 2025 · Short-term Lets: Regulation · Hansard source

  More

  3. What plans her Department has for the regulation of short-term lets.

• 6 Dec 2024 · European Union (Withdrawal Arrangements) Bill · Hansard source

  More

  Perhaps the hon. and learned Member would like to reflect on a proposal that I support—a veterinary agreement with the EU to reduce the checks on goods moving between Great Britain and Northern Ireland. That would have to honour our commitments under the Windsor framework, if it was to come into effect.

• 6 Dec 2024 · European Union (Withdrawal Arrangements) Bill · Hansard source

  More

  North-south co-operation between institutions in Northern Ireland was a vital component of the Good Friday agreement, so I thank my hon. Friend for making his point about treaties, because the Bill, which I have read, in clause 14 makes it possible to disapply protections in the Windsor framework for north-south co-operation. Would my hon. Friend reflect on why disapplying the role of north-south co-operation would be consistent with the intent of upholding the Good Friday agreement? That is a relevant point for him to reflect on.

• 2 Dec 2024 · Grenfell Tower Inquiry · Hansard source

  More

  I simply wanted to ask for a clarification. Surely the issue, which was raised earlier, is that there is a conflict of interests when you are paying to have your product assessed. As we know from Sir Martin’s report, there was a cover-up of testing results. If you accept that, how do you get around the “conflict of interests” issue?

• 2 Dec 2024 · Grenfell Tower Inquiry · Hansard source

  More

  Will the hon. Gentleman give way?

• 14 Nov 2024 · Serious Fraud Office · Hansard source

  More

  I welcome the additional money for the Serious Fraud Office. My hon. and learned Friend will know that Transparency International has assessed the UK as having reduced enforcement of foreign bribery measures for the first time, and the last bribery investigation to be publicly confirmed was in 2020. What steps are being taken to ensure that the SFO actively fulfils its role as the primary enforcement body for foreign bribery?

• 13 Nov 2024 · Chagos Islands · Hansard source

  More

  I know that the Minister is a strong friend of our overseas territories. Could he explain the importance of putting the US base on a legal footing, and give us a bit more detail about how that will enable us to work with our allies in countering any potential Chinese threat in the region?

• 9 Oct 2024 · Renters’ Rights Bill · Hansard source

  More

  Does my hon. Friend agree that one of the unintended consequences of section 21 is that people often do not report damp and mould or the repairs that they need for fear of eviction, because they will be pushed into finding a new tenancy, which they simply cannot afford?

• 3 Sept 2024 · Topical Questions · Hansard source

  More

  A forthcoming Transparency International report has identified 28 contracts worth £4.1 billion that were awarded to parties with direct political connections to the Conservative party, so can the Chancellor update us on the progress in appointing the covid corruption commissioner and whether they will take evidence from corruption campaigners such as Transparency International?

• 2 Sept 2024 · Topical Questions · Hansard source

  More

  On Wednesday, the phase 2 report of the Grenfell inquiry will be published, and I am sure that the whole House will join me in remembering the 72 residents who lost their lives in an entirely preventable tragedy over seven years ago. Four recommendations for central Government are still outstanding from the phase 1 report, including personalised emergency evacuation plans for disabled people. Will the Secretary of State update us on the progress in implementing the phase 1 recommendations in full?

• 25 Jul 2024 · Public Procurement: Value for Money · Hansard source

  More

  14. What steps he is taking with Cabinet colleagues to help ensure value for money in public procurement.