Joe Robertson MP: speeches 2025

Speeches

• 3 Nov 2025 · Video Games: Consumer Law · Hansard source

  More

  The hon. Member makes a perfectly valid point with which I sympathise. It is certainly true that there are a number of different games providers and some are backed by large amounts of money and debt. We have to distinguish clearly between the variety of games providers out there; I will go on to say something about the smaller providers, but the principles that underlie this issue seem clear. It is incumbent on games companies to make it absolutely clear to consumers when there is the possibility that their games may become unplayable after a period of years. I hope that the video games industry will be happy to accept that responsibility by using clear consumer messaging; I would certainly expect the two industry trade associations to ensure that that happens as a matter of course. As I noted, however, we must also bear in mind the cost to video game publishers of continuing the software; this could become an unfair burden, especially on games producers that are comparatively small, independent businesses, which are all already facing increased costs. Will the Minister take this opportunity to reassure the industry generally that she is battling for the interests of the creative industries as a consideration in the forthcoming Budget that the Chancellor is in the process of writing? The Government also have responsibility for evaluating whether the protections in place for consumers are both effective and sufficient—we cannot simply assume that they are. Consumers are predominantly protected by the Consumer Rights Act 2015 and the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008. The CRA ensures that if software on sale is not supported by the provider, that should be made clear—on product webpages and on physical packaging and labelling, for example. Does the Minister believe that existing labelling and consumer information are sufficient? As I said, we cannot simply assume that because the law and regulations exist. We have had recent experiences in other fields—Oasis tickets and Ticketmaster, for example—where the Competition and Markets Authority found that consumers were not given sufficient information. If the number of games being disabled or deactivated is increasing, perhaps it is time to consider whether the existing information is suitable. If digital content does not meet the CRA’s quality rights, the consumer is entitled to a repair or replacement or, if that is not possible, money back up to 100% of the cost of the digital content. Those rights apply to intangible digital content, such as a PC game, as well as tangible content, such as a physical copy of the game. Has the Minister made an assessment of how successful consumers are at seeking redress from video publishers? Consumer protection rights, which the last Government put into primary legislation, prohibit commercial practices that omit or hide information that the average consumer needs to make an informed choice, and prohibits traders from providing material in an unclear, unintelligible, ambiguous or untimely manner. As with the CRA right to redress, does the Minister believe that the existing route—via Citizens Advice, trading standards, and, where appropriate, the CMA—is an appropriate avenue for consumers? Can the Minister update us on how many consumers have achieved compensation via those routes? The Government have already confirmed that they have “no plans to amend existing consumer law on disabling video games.” That may be a proportionate approach on the basis of what we currently know. However, the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 will give Ministers the power to add, amend or remove a description of a commercial practice that is, in all circumstances, considered unfair. Will the Minister be willing to use those powers in the case of video games, if the evidence suggests that the industry’s commercial practices fall short? Will the Minister confirm that the Government will ensure that the disabling of games is monitored to determine whether it is increasing? Can she confirm that the CMA will look at the existing information requirements for consumers to identify whether it is adequate? All said, the previous Government recognised the importance of the sector. I hope the Minister ensures that, while she considers whether more can be done to address this issue, any new measures do not stifle growth. Consumers must be protected, but we have a great UK video games sector. The Opposition want to see it go from strength to strength.

• 3 Nov 2025 · Video Games: Consumer Law · Hansard source

  More

  It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Mr Mundell. I am grateful to the Members who have spoken passionately about this issue, in particular the hon. Member for South Norfolk (Ben Goldsborough), who led the debate, and to the people who signed the petition. Video games are a significant part of the entertainment and creative industries and give pleasure to millions. As we have heard, they have a cultural relevance today that was perhaps not seen in previous generations. The lazy stereotype of a sector dominated by teenagers is far from reality: research has found that one in six adults in the UK regularly plays video games. If we include under-18s, there are currently 40 million gamers across the UK. Franchises such as “Call of Duty”, “FIFA” and “Assassin’s Creed” attract millions of players and have production values and graphics that earlier generations of gamers could barely dream of. The UK can be proud of its video games industry, which is the largest in Europe. “Grand Theft Auto” and “Tomb Raider” are just two of the most significant examples to come out of the UK games creative industry. Some estimates suggest that the UK games market could reach £8 billion by 2027, which would be more than the UK film industry today. That is why the previous Conservative Government took measures to support the video games industry and created the £13.4 million UK games fund, which supported the acceleration of growth in the UK games sector between 2022 and 2025. An independent 2025 review of the UK games fund estimated that overall, “the current three-year iteration of the UKGF will generate in the range of £30m to £58m in productivity benefits for the UK economy due to salary uplifts for supported video game developers.” The previous Government also set up the right economic environment to create the conditions for growth, including the announcement in the spring 2023 Budget that video games expenditure credit would be introduced from 1 January last year. VGEC is calculated directly from qualifying expenditure and has a credit rate of 34%, which provides a greater benefit than the earlier video games tax relief. Turning to the issue raised by the petition, the Stop Killing Games campaign did a tremendous job of raising awareness of video games publishers disabling, discontinuing or removing access to parts, or in some cases the entirety, of their games. Some Members in this Chamber have a favourite video game, some of which we have heard about, and they in particular will understand just how frustrating and disappointing it would be not to be able to play that game again. In a perfect world, everyone would have access to their favourite games forever, but this is not a perfect world. We need to strike a balance between consumer interests and the burdens on some video games producers. We need to tread carefully, and in particular avoid introducing changes that would increase the cost to successful video games companies of supporting older games with a declining number of players. That money might otherwise be spent on developing newer, better games. However, we have heard anecdotal evidence today of games being withdrawn without obvious reason, despite seeming to generate considerable profits and have a considerable number of consumers.

• 23 Oct 2025 · Civil Service Recruitment · Hansard source

  More

  7. What assessment he has made of the effectiveness of civil service recruitment.

• 23 Oct 2025 · Civil Service Recruitment · Hansard source

  More

  The Government are restricting applications to the civil service fast stream summer internship programme in favour of those kids who they deem to be from working-class backgrounds. What does the Minister have to say to the children of hard-working nurses, police officers and teachers who will now not get the same opportunities because of decisions made by this Government?

• 21 Oct 2025 · NHS Trusts: Performance · Hansard source

  More

  I see the Health Secretary is having a bust-up with the Chancellor over who pays his £1.3 billion redundancy bill for breaking up NHS England. Will he guarantee that, once he has resolved his differences with the Chancellor, not a single penny will be taken from delivering frontline health and social care services or from underperforming NHS trusts to pay for making staff redundant?

• 20 Oct 2025 · Topical Questions · Hansard source

  More

  Schools on the Isle of Wight have some of the most serious challenges to levels of attainment. The Isle of Wight council is a small unitary authority with unique challenges in an area disconnected from the UK mainland. What will the Government do to better support education on the Isle of Wight, rather than resort to top-down education views that do not cater for the unique pressures faced by my constituents and our children?

• 16 Sept 2025 · Ambassador to the United States · Hansard source

  More

  My right hon. Friend is being very generous. At the weekend, the Secretary of State for Business and Trade appeared to say that the Government believed it was “worth the risk” of appointing Lord Mandelson from the outset. As I heard it, what the Business Secretary was saying was that for the positive qualities Lord Mandelson had—as they saw it—it was worth the risk that he might be more involved with a convicted paedophile than they thought from the outset. If that is the risk the Government were judging him by, is that not shameful?

• 16 Sept 2025 · Ambassador to the United States · Hansard source

  More

  Will my right hon. Friend give way?

• 15 Sept 2025 · Topical Questions · Hansard source

  More

  T4. The Attorney General has claimed that we need the European convention on human rights and the European Court to solve the illegal migration crisis—an extraordinary claim. Will the Minister please explain, therefore, how Australia managed to tackle its migration problems and how the US is managing to implement our Rwanda plan, all outside the European convention that the Attorney General says we need?

• 11 Sept 2025 · Regional Transport Inequality · Hansard source

  More

  I agree with the points that my hon. Friend’s is making. The train to my constituency runs through his constituency, and he has referred to it already. Unfortunately, my constituency is reliant on entirely privatised ferry companies in order for us to get there. Does he agree that if this Government’s outlook on transport is to be truly integrated, they need to connect all parts of the United Kingdom and stop focusing only on cities?

• 11 Sept 2025 · Regional Transport Inequality · Hansard source

  More

  The hon. Member mentions ferries. Perhaps she will show a little sympathy to me and my constituents, because we are entirely reliant on ferries that are unregulated and privatised, so neither the local authority nor the Government have any say over those services, whereas her local authority does have a say over her ferries. She might want to reflect on the role of Government in all modes of transport across the UK.

• 11 Sept 2025 · Regional Transport Inequality · Hansard source

  More

  Will the hon. Lady give way?

• 11 Sept 2025 · Integrated Public Transport Strategy: Ferries · Hansard source

  More

  6. What steps she is taking to include ferry services in the integrated public transport strategy.

• 11 Sept 2025 · Integrated Public Transport Strategy: Ferries · Hansard source

  More

  I welcome the new maritime Minister to his place—it comes to something when Isle of Wight ferry company Red Funnel is operating ferries that are older than the new Minister. Will he speak to his new colleague in the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, the Minister responsible for English devolution, to ensure that the new Mayor for Hampshire and the Solent actually has regulatory or licensing powers over transport across the Solent? If the Government create a new local leader without any powers over integrating the island that I represent, as the Member for Isle of Wight East, into the mainland, they will have failed to deliver any form of genuine integrated local transport for my constituents.

• 10 Sept 2025 · Bus Services (No. 2) Bill [Lords] · Hansard source

  More

  On the point about financial risk for local authorities, does my hon. Friend agree there is absolutely nothing in the Bill that local authorities such as mine, the Isle of Wight council, would possibly want to touch when it comes to franchising for buses across my constituency? The risk for small unitary authorities is just far too great. If there is any opportunity at all in this Bill—I am not sure that there is—it will apply only to large city councils and metropolitan areas.

• 10 Sept 2025 · Stockton and Darlington Railway: 200th Anniversary Festival · Hansard source

  More

  It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Mr Stringer. I thank the hon. Member for Newton Aycliffe and Spennymoor (Alan Strickland) for securing this debate and for speaking with such knowledge and passion, not only about the Stockton and Darlington railway but about railways more generally and the impact they have had on this country. The Stockton and Darlington railway was the first step in the great railway invention and expansion that shaped our country and the world. Britain pioneered steam locomotion and railways, and we have heard how George Stephenson set the global standard. Railways in turn powered the industrial revolution by enabling the efficient movement of raw materials, goods and people. Within just a few years our country had established a railway network that grew throughout the country; what was once a three-day trip to remote areas by horse and cart became, within a few years, a journey of a few hours by train. We take it for granted today in the age of the internet and artificial intelligence, but it is hard to overstate just how transformative the railways were in the 19th century—and it all started in Stockton and Darlington. Beyond the railways’ economic impact, they transformed the social fabric of our country. They opened the countryside to the urban population, offering access to fresh air and green spaces. Rail travel also revolutionised tourism. Affordable fares made trips possible for working-class families, reshaping the character of seaside towns such as those in my constituency on the Isle of Wight. Heritage railways act as living museums that preserve the rich legacy of our railways, and they will be doing so up and down the country—an essential part of the 200th anniversary celebrations. The central and most important part of that will be the cultural festival in the constituency of the hon. Member for Newton Aycliffe and Spennymoor. While discussing heritage railways, I must mention the contribution of the heritage railway in my constituency, the Isle of Wight steam railway at Havenstreet, which welcomes over 110,000 visitors annually. It is not just a tourist destination; it is an accredited Arts Council England museum and educational charity, employing 35 staff and enriching our local economy—particularly the visitor economy—and our community. Heritage railways contribute £600 million to the UK economy and welcome 13 million visitors each year. None of that would be possible without the extraordinary contribution of volunteers, and I am sure volunteers will play a very significant role in the upcoming cultural festival. Across the country, thousands of dedicated individuals give their time and expertise not only to restore locomotives and maintain rolling stock, but to guide visitors and passengers. On the Isle of Wight steam railway alone, we have a team of up to 500 volunteers, and it is one of the largest volunteer organisations on the island. In celebrating the 200th anniversary of our railways, we must do more to remove barriers to volunteers and offer more flexible opportunities that encourage people both young and old to volunteer. Recently, my noble Friend Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay identified just such a barrier to volunteering and sought to remove it during consideration of the Employment Rights Bill in the other place. An obsolete 1920s law governing the employment of young people has survived in later legislation. It means that, strictly speaking, it is not legal for heritage railways to give volunteering opportunities to anyone under the age of 16. My noble Friend was able to amend the Bill in the other place on a cross-party basis to remove that outdated provision in existing legislation. I hope very much that when the Bill comes back to the Commons, as part of the 200th anniversary celebrations and in that spirit, the Government will allow that amendment to stand. I close by again congratulating the hon. Member for Newton Aycliffe and Spennymoor and by celebrating the story of Britain’s railways. The Stockton and Darlington railway was the world’s first public railway to use steam locomotives. Its opening was pioneering proof of the role not only of steam, but of railway, as a means of public transport that continues to this day. It is only fitting that we all join in honouring 200 years of innovation, connection and progress.

• 4 Sept 2025 · Future of Terrestrial Television · Hansard source

  More

  It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Mr Twigg. I want to begin by thanking my right hon. Friend the Member for Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale and Tweeddale (David Mundell) for bringing us this debate and for speaking so eloquently. It is always good to see colleagues from across the House, particularly my neighbour, the hon. Member for Isle of Wight West (Mr Quigley), contributing to an important discussion like this one on the future of television. Terrestrial television matters. For generations, it has been one of the few services in public life that, subject only to payment of a licence fee, is free, universal and trusted by the public. Beginning almost a century ago, programmes were broadcast via radio waves through local transmitters to household aerials. Here in Britain, the British Broadcasting Corporation—the BBC—launched regular television services in 1936. Independent Television, or ITV, followed in 1955, breaking the BBC’s monopoly. Channel 4 followed in 1982, as did Channel 5 in 1997. The commercial sector too has enhanced the choice and diversity available to consumers in recent decades. For more than half a century, free-to-air channels have helped to shape our national culture and to inform our shared experiences. The digital switchover, completed in 2012, expanded choice and picture quality, with terrestrial television remaining a vital, universal service, trusted for news, public service broadcasting and live national moments. With the simplest of aerials and without any subscription or broadband package, families can switch on their televisions and know that they will find news, culture, sport and drama of the highest quality. That civic reach, as we have heard in this debate, is available to 98.5% of households. The current guarantee, provided by the last Conservative Government, for terrestrial broadcasting runs into the early 2030s. Decisions will soon need to be taken about what comes next, and that is why my right hon. Friend the Member for Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale and Tweeddale sought this debate. Ofcom and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport are considering whether to maintain, reduce or phase out digital terrestrial television—DTT. These are weighty choices, which will have real consequences for households up and down the country. It is true that viewing habits are changing, and changing rapidly. Already, most households combine terrestrial, satellite and online streaming. According to Ofcom, 94% of households have internet at home, and 85% use video on demand services. It is not just younger people; older people do so too, but younger people are certainly doing it in greater numbers, and they of course will carry forward their viewing habits into the future. This debate is not about technology in the abstract; it is about people. If terrestrial television were to be withdrawn too hastily, it is clear who would be worst affected: older people who rely on accessible services they are used to; our rural communities; lower-income households, for whom streaming subscriptions are often a stretch too far; and people with certain disabilities who continue to depend on reliable and familiar formats. Those groups are not small in number; indeed, many such people live in my constituency on the east of the Isle of Wight. Those are good examples of groups that could struggle if this is done too early or in the wrong way. Maintaining the current system for a declining audience will not come for free. There will almost certainly be a need to upgrade transmission equipment by 2034 if DTT continues beyond that date. It will come at a cost to public service broadcasters too, and they may not be willing to bear that indefinitely. Managing the transition into a world without DTT, if that becomes the Government’s final decision, would need very careful planning, communications and support. The successful digital switchover in 2012 demonstrated what can be achieved when change is handled carefully. It was gradual and well supported, and no household was left behind. That must remain the principle today: whatever the future holds, nobody should be excluded. This debate is not about nostalgia for the past, but about fairness, resilience and continuity. It is about ensuring that the march of technology does not leave anyone behind, and about giving broadcasters and audiences alike the reassurance that free-to-air television, in whatever form it takes, will continue to serve the whole nation. I would also urge the Government and public service broadcasters to ensure that in the internet protocol television world, when it comes, their content is made as freely available as possible on as many platforms as possible. There should be no walled gardens.

• 4 Sept 2025 · Support for Victims of Crime · Hansard source

  More

  As the Solicitor General knows, I have been campaigning to support victims of spiking. I thank her for meeting me before the recess, but unfortunately the correspondence from her office subsequent to that meeting seems to entirely miss the point and does not follow at all the conversation we had. Given that it quotes heavily the CPS, will she agree to meet again with me, and with representatives from the CPS, to understand the loophole in the law that I have identified? It would be a tragedy for the victims of spiking if this were not dealt with because of something as frustrating as a misunderstanding by people who were not in the room at the time.

• 3 Sept 2025 · Hospitality Sector · Hansard source

  More

  My hon. Friend referred to the Minister’s representations to the Chancellor, but I think the Minister said he was not going to make any representations to the Chancellor.

• 2 Sept 2025 · English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill · Hansard source

  More

  How does my right hon. Friend think my constituents on the Isle of Wight feel about being fused under a combined mayoral authority with Hampshire without having a single say?

• 2 Sept 2025 · English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill · Hansard source

  More

  As I am sure all Members in this place do, I support the principle of devolution and empowerment—two of the words on the face of the Bill—but this Bill is about centralisation and disempowerment. For the Isle of Wight, it is about fusing our island with Hampshire under a combined mayoral authority, where 93% of the population live in Hampshire on the mainland and just 7% live on the island. There is no empowerment, because island people will not have a say. This plan was last crystalised under the previous Labour Government, who gave islanders a say through a local referendum. Islanders voted no, and the previous Labour Government respected that vote. This Government do not respect my constituents enough to ask them whether they are happy to be fused with a much, much larger county that sits across the water. It is centralising because my local authority, the Isle of Wight council, will lose some of its powers. It will lose powers over strategic planning, so a mayor who represents largely Hampshire voters will be able to allocate more housing on the island, and any mayor who is interested in getting re-elected will, of course, be responsive to the much larger voter cohort in Hampshire. There are three particularly offensive things about the Bill that the Government are imposing on my constituents. Our police authority is called Hampshire and Isle of Wight. Our health commissioning body is called Hampshire and Isle of Wight. Our fire and rescue service is called Hampshire and Isle of Wight. The vast majority of organisations that operate across our two counties are named after our two counties—Hampshire and Isle of Wight. This Government are going to call our mayoral combined authority Hampshire and Solent, potentially removing our name from all the organisations that the mayor will end up having power over—from our police, our fire and rescue service, our health commissioning body, and who knows what in the future. That will be done without anyone on the Isle of Wight having a say. The second offensive thing about this proposal for my constituency is the powers that it gives the mayor over local transport. The authority will have Solent in the title, yet the mayor will get no contingent powers over the biggest transport issue facing my residents: crossing the Solent on ferries. Solent is in the name of the combined authority, but the mayor will get no powers over ferries. Our ferries are the only unregulated, entirely privatised, foreign-owned, debt-laden key transport provider in the UK. The Government are prepared to nationalise railways, extend the arm of Government in buses and put more money into roads, but they are not prepared to do anything about my constituents being left at the mercy of foreign-owned, debt-laden companies. I will acknowledge that they have used some warm words, and the Minister has visited the island, but this is the opportunity to deliver on those words and put powers in the hands of the mayor to regulate cross-Solent transport. To make a really important point on ringfenced funding, because the Isle of Wight will be fused with Hampshire, the mayor will be able to spend money as they wish across a homogeneous single zone. There is no special provision in the Bill to ensure there is ringfenced funding for the Isle of Wight that cannot be raided for Hampshire. The local integrated care board is already raiding money from our hospice to spend on Hampshire hospices. In the mayoral deal, we need powers to stop that from happening. Finally, in the consultation of my constituents on the key issue of transport, the F-word—ferries—was not mentioned even once.

• 22 Jul 2025 · 10-Year Health Plan: Prevention of Ill Health · Hansard source

  More

  The Minister talks about her 10-year health plan, with “Fit for the Future” splashed across the front cover, but really, it is a plan from “Back to the Future”, with no new ideas that have not been discussed since Alan Milburn tried to do this in the year 2000. It will only be successful if the Government deliver, but there is no detail in there on how they will deliver. Can the Minister help us: how will she deliver on the priorities, including preventive ill health? Where can we read the “how”, or is it all still fermenting in Ministers’ heads?

• 22 Jul 2025 · Music Streaming: Label-led Principles · Hansard source

  More

  May I invite the Minister to congratulate Isle of Wight band Wet Leg on reaching the top of the albums chart, a particular achievement given that it has beaten Oasis, which I know has personally disappointed my hon. Friend the Member for Old Bexley and Sidcup (Mr French)?

• 15 Jul 2025 · Sustainable Aviation Fuel Bill (Second sitting) · Hansard source

  More

  I have realised that Professor Maslin was an undergraduate tutor of mine quite a few years ago. Professor Maslin : Oh, this is becoming a real embarrassment; it just makes me feel really old. But it is great to see you in a position of power.

• 15 Jul 2025 · Sustainable Aviation Fuel Bill (Second sitting) · Hansard source

  More

  Q By the look of it, you have had an easier life than I have had. I have a fairly brief question. This morning, we heard representations that the SAF mandate is enough in that it creates the demand and requirements that the market will adjust to and fulfil, and that the Bill is therefore not needed. I invite your thoughts and comments on that bold statement. Professor Maslin : I think that is deflection. The Bill is absolutely required. You need to support this fledgling industry; as with any of our green industries, we need to support it so that we can be world leading. SAFs are going to be the future. There are 14,000 planes in the air at any moment, and in 30 years’ time they will hopefully all be flying on SAFs. If we can get our industrial might to actually produce the technology, patent it and push it forward, we will be ahead of the curve, because everybody else is starting to throw money at it.