Jonathan Brash MP: speeches 2024

Speeches

• 11 Dec 2024 · Border Security: Collaboration · Hansard source

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  I welcome my right hon. Friend’s statement and the frankly grown-up approach she is taking to tackling this problem. Does she recognise the fury that is felt by constituents in Hartlepool and elsewhere that, as this system collapsed over the past five years, with all the costs associated with that, simultaneously our public services were eviscerated? Does she understand that that is why people in Hartlepool want the system fixed, and fixed quickly?

• 11 Dec 2024 · Finance Bill · Hansard source

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  The right hon. Gentleman has spoken eloquently and at great length about the needs of children with special educational needs. Does he regret the state of special educational needs provision in this country, and that some people feel that they have to pay because they cannot otherwise get the service that they would like for their children? Does he regret that legacy of the previous Government?

• 10 Dec 2024 · Prolific Offenders · Hansard source

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  Retail workers in my constituency tell me that they can predict, almost to the week, when somebody will arrive at their store to begin shoplifting again after their oftentimes all-too-short sentence. Does my right hon. Friend agree with them that the solution to hyper-prolific offending must be longer sentences in certain cases?

• 3 Dec 2024 · Tackling Stalking · Hansard source

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  I welcome today’s statement. I think the House can agree that there is no better champion to deliver on this issue for those who desperately need it than my hon. Friend the Minister. A constituent of mine has raised a harrowing case of stalking, whereby the perpetrator, in order to avoid justice, has simply fled the country, yet the stalking continues. Does the Minister agree that borders cannot be a barrier to justice on this issue and will she meet me to discuss that specific case?

• 26 Nov 2024 · Tobacco and Vapes Bill · Hansard source

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  The hon. Member is completely correct in what he says, and it is the proportionate way to do it. Some of the arguments that I have heard today about freedom of choice are genuinely confusing. One Member asked earlier why we do not ban sugary foods or alcohol on that basis. I say that we have to draw the line somewhere. That is an argument for the decriminalisation of everything—cocaine, heroin, you name it, let’s go for it. No, we have to draw the line somewhere and, given the statistics around smoking, it is clear that this is the right line to draw. I do not want to say a great deal more on this issue other than to reflect on the conversations that I have had with my children. We have been on a long journey when it comes to smoking in this country. I remember telling my children that they could eat a meal in a restaurant, and that those on the table next to them, in the smoking zone, would be smoking while they ate. They thought I was mad. I remember going to school on the bus and seeing the little cigarette holders in front of me because people used to be able to smoke on the bus. My children think that is madness. I can only hope that not long in the future children will look back and think that it was mad that we smoked at all. I was asked about this Bill soon after I was elected by a friend, who is a parent. He knew it had fallen prior to the general election. He asked, “Will it be back?” and I said, “I am confident that it will be back.” He said, “But will it be in time?” and I said, “In time for what?” He said, “In time for her” and pointed to his teenage daughter. I am pleased to say to Mark, Kim and their daughter Bella that we are bringing it back in time and that it will make a massive difference to the lives of people in this country.

• 26 Nov 2024 · Tobacco and Vapes Bill · Hansard source

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  It is a rare thing in politics to have a moment when there is an absolute right thing to do, but consigning smoking to the history books for our children, our grandchildren and every generation that follows is one of those times. We should be under no illusion that the decision that we take today will, at some point in the future—long after we have left this place—result in a time when nobody smokes. That will be the legacy of this decision today. I ask the House to indulge me for a moment. Let us imagine that, at that point in the future, somebody brings forward a Bill to decriminalise smoking, and the Minister, clutching their impact assessment, tells the House that it will kill only 80,000 people a year, that it will cost our NHS £3.6 billion and that 80% of the people who take it up will be under 20. Which one of us would vote for it? Which party leader would refuse to direct their troops in such a vote? Who would argue that it is freedom of choice to smoke in those circumstances? It is nonsense. The decision we are taking today is clear and it is for the good of this country.

• 26 Nov 2024 · Tobacco and Vapes Bill · Hansard source

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  We have mentioned the fact that local government is responsible for public health. I have had our director of public health email me just today to say how supportive they are of this Bill. Local government wants this opportunity to try to improve the health of local people. The fears that local government would be under pressure are simply wrong, are they not?

• 26 Nov 2024 · COP29 · Hansard source

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  Constituencies such as mine and regions such as the north-east once powered the British economy. Does the Secretary of State agree that the leadership we are now showing must secure investment for those regions that have far too often been left behind, and that that investment must include new nuclear for towns such as Hartlepool?

• 20 Nov 2024 · Apprenticeships and T-Levels · Hansard source

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  It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Sir Christopher. I congratulate the right hon. Member for East Hampshire (Damian Hinds) on securing this important debate. Hartlepool is very lucky to be served by some outstanding providers, including Hartlepool College of Further Education, under the inspiring leadership of its principal Darren Hankey, Hartlepool Sixth Form College, where I was privileged to once chair the board of governors, and the Northern School of Art, with its international reputation. Diminished funding and demographic pressures have too often resulted in providers being in competition rather than collaboration. My first point to the Minister is that we must create an environment where providers in towns such as ours can collaborate effectively to deliver for young people. On the 2017 reforms that were mentioned by the right hon. Member for East Hampshire, part of the issue is that the levy, and its spend-it-or-lose-it mentality, meant that there was often a rush to spend it, rather than thought being given to proper workforce development. Indeed, £700 million ended up being top-sliced by the Treasury. The Association of Employment and Learning Providers said that this was money raised for skills but not being spent on skills. I welcome the new growth and skills levy and its greater flexibility, because the money it raises has to go into developing the skills of our young people, and too often in the past it did not. We have to think about the parity of esteem. In principle, with T-levels I genuinely support the idea of creating that parity of esteem. The problem in places such as Hartlepool, which has already been referenced and acknowledged, is that we do not currently have the economy and the industrial placements to effectively support them. In the words of the principal of Hartlepool College of Further Education, the 2017 reforms and the rush to T-levels taken together have actually resulted in fewer opportunities for younger people in constituencies like mine. Unfortunately, Hartlepool has one of the highest levels of those not in education, employment or training in the country. Another point has to be raised, but it is a difficult one. While I absolutely understand the principle of the functional skills element in those qualifications, there is a genuine concern in industry that the element is acting as a blocker to some of our young people’s accessing the skills, training and careers that they would like to have, because they feel unable to get past that barrier. I ask the Minister to give that some consideration. In the round, we have to think about the agenda from an immigration perspective. I marvel at the fact that the FE college in my constituency, which has seen a 10% cut in funding, trains bricklayers, and yet we are importing bricklayers from abroad. I have a constituency with one of the highest levels of unemployment in the country. It is not hard to square that circle. Let us train our own and fund our skills properly, so that we do not have to rely on immigration from abroad. The right hon. Member for East Hampshire made the point extremely well that in this country we have been obsessed with supply-side reform for far too long, with the numerous different qualifications and the constant changing of what offer there is. We have to move to a demand-side approach. If we get industry and jobs into places such as Hartlepool to drive the industrial growth that we want to see, the skills will follow. That is the change that we have to see, and I would like to see it delivered in constituencies like mine.

• 20 Nov 2024 · Asylum Seekers: Hotel Accommodation · Hansard source

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  I associate myself with the comments of the hon. Member for Boston and Skegness (Richard Tice), who has eloquently described how it used to work under the previous Labour Government. In fact, on the last day of 2010, the number of people on an asylum waiting list was around 14,000. In June this year, the asylum caseload was 224,000. That is 16 times higher. The brass neck, frankly, of Conservative Members to come here and criticise us is genuinely breathtaking. Given that we have gotten three of the largest deportation flights in British history off the ground in four months, does the Minister agree that although there is far more to do, the plan is working?

• 18 Nov 2024 · Bus Funding · Hansard source

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  My constituents know that bus services are not good enough. We welcome the announcement of more powers and more funding for our area, but sadly the Conservative Tees Valley Mayor, Ben Houchen, has ruled out any exploration of giving the public control of bus services. Can the Secretary of State tell me how we can get around the bus blocker to ensure that there are decent bus services for Hartlepool constituents?

• 18 Nov 2024 · Armed Forces Commissioner Bill · Hansard source

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  May I start by saying how humbling it is to share these Benches with those who have served our country? You add far more to this debate than I could ever hope to, and it is a genuine honour to have heard so many of you speak today. Our armed forces are too small; in the current geopolitical climate, that fact is undeniable. In this era of unprecedented global uncertainty, we must ask ourselves a fundamental question: are our defence capabilities sufficient to protect our nation, uphold our values and fulfil our obligations to allies? Russia’s brutal aggression in Ukraine has made one thing clear: conventional warfare is not a relic of the past, but a clear and present danger. Regardless of the decisions made by our closest ally the United States in the coming months, the UK must urgently stand ready to act with our allies. We must assert our position as a key strategic player in global security. To achieve that, we need a solid foundation for the expansion of our military capabilities, and that begins with addressing the challenges of recruitment and retention. Since 2011, we have missed our recruitment targets in every year but one. This Bill is critical to solving that crisis and arresting the decline. Fundamentally, it seeks to strengthen advocacy and accountability by establishing an independent figure dedicated to addressing issues faced by service members, including housing, healthcare, mental health and family support. The commissioner will have new powers to proactively investigate systemic problems, rather than simply reacting to scandals as they emerge, such as the housing issues we have heard so much about today. By holding decision-makers accountable, the commissioner will drive improvements that make military life more attractive to current personnel and potential recruits. Make no mistake: the passing of this Bill and the creation of this role will and should make the lives of decision-makers more difficult, as they are rightly challenged at every turn to do better by our armed forces. That proactive approach will enhance trust and transparency, creating a real sense that service members’ concerns are heard and acted upon. The Armed Forces Commissioner will provide a direct point of contact for personnel and their families, ensuring that their voices shape the future of military life. The Bill is part of a broader effort by the Government to honour the men and women of our armed forces, so I welcome the wraparound childcare for military families deployed overseas, which recognises the sacrifices that service families make. I welcome that after years of real-terms pay cuts, we have seen the biggest pay rise in 22 years delivered by this Labour Government. That is a critical and much-needed break from the recent past. I welcome the armed forces covenant being fully enshrined into law, ensuring that those who serve and their families are treated with fairness and respect. I speak to countless Hartlepool veterans, who have told me that far too many public services, whether GP practices, dentists, housing providers or others, pay only lip service to that covenant. That must change. Finally, I commend the Prime Minister’s commitment to homes for heroes, an initiative to end the disgrace of veteran homelessness. Veterans must be at the front of the queue if we are to honour their service to our country. In an uncertain world, we must expand our armed forces, but we can succeed only by renewing our country’s contract with those who serve or who have served, supporting them and their families. An independent advocate for service personnel, a real-terms pay rise and tangible support for veterans are not just policies, but the patriotic foundations of a stronger, more secure future.

• 18 Nov 2024 · Children’s Social Care · Hansard source

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  With more than 300 children in Hartlepool in social care, the council is being slowly bankrupted. The top four private providers on average are charging £12,000 per child per week. That is £624,000 a year per child. Does my right hon. Friend agree that only by capping that outrageous profiteering can we protect children, but also get value for money for local council tax payers?

• 14 Nov 2024 · Crustacean Die-off · Hansard source

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  The die-off on the north-east coast has devastated an industry that has served Hartlepool for generations. Fishermen, such as my constituent Stan Rennie, and their families want three things: support in the face of their livelihoods being decimated; a plan to repopulate and rebuild their industry; and, finally, answers to how this happened in the first place. Will the Minister meet me and fishermen from Hartlepool to discuss a way forward on this issue?

• 14 Nov 2024 · Crustacean Die-off · Hansard source

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  9. What recent progress his Department has made on investigating crustacean die-offs along the north-east coast in 2021.

• 6 Nov 2024 · Furniture Poverty · Hansard source

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  In my constituency it is estimated that around 1,500 children do not have a bed to sleep in at night. Given the monumental impact on their education and mental health, does my hon. Friend think that there is a special case that needs to be addressed, particularly to support children in my constituency and others?

• 4 Nov 2024 · Income Tax (Charge) · Hansard source

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  This is a Budget of aspiration. Unlike for the past 14 years, it aligns itself with the aspirations of ordinary working people. For a Hartlepool constituent hoping to live in a safe, secure and thriving community, the £21 million regeneration programme in the Budget meets their aspirations. For the 4,000 Hartlepool residents living on the minimum wage, desperately in need of a pay rise, this Budget meets their aspirations. For the thousands of carers whose aspiration is to be able to care for their loved ones and still make ends meet, this Budget meets their aspirations. For the parents, pupils and teachers at St Helen’s school—specifically name checked by the Chancellor in her speech—who aspire to have a building that is not crumbling around them, this Budget mees their aspirations. For a small business—the lifeblood of Hartlepool’s economy—the doubling of the employment allowance meets their aspirations. For a working family trying to get by, this Budget, with its expansion of free breakfast clubs, the extension of the household support fund and the freezing of fuel duty, meets their aspirations. The Labour party is in the service of working people. This Budget aligns itself with those working people and their aspirations, in Hartlepool and across this country, and I commend it to the House.

• 28 Oct 2024 · Local Authority Funding · Hansard source

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  This year, Hartlepool borough council is set to overspend on children’s social care by some £5 million, due in no small part to the outrageous charges levied by private sector children’s homes. What can the Minister do to cap those providers’ charges to ensure that local government can continue to deliver its statutory obligations?

• 23 Oct 2024 · Independent Water Commission · Hansard source

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  In 2024 alone, Hartlepool’s beautiful coastline has been marred by 49 separate incidents of sewage being discharged into our sea. At the same time, the water companies are making billions in profit. Whatever the outcome of the commission, can the Secretary of State commit to putting people in Hartlepool and across the country ahead of profit in cleaning up this mess?

• 23 Oct 2024 · Infected Blood Compensation Scheme · Hansard source

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  My constituent Alex Robinson lost her father to this scandal in 2006, having been his carer since the age of 13. In her words: “He never got to walk me down the aisle or hold his grandchildren.” She is incredibly concerned about getting justice. Can the Minister confirm that my constituent, along with all the families, will receive legal support to ensure that they can make their application to the compensation scheme successfully?

• 22 Oct 2024 · Sentencing Review and Prison Capacity · Hansard source

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  I welcome the Secretary of State’s statement, particularly her preference for the deportation of foreign criminals and her comments that for hyper-prolific offenders, a particular problem in my constituency, longer sentences may be best. Whatever the outcome of the review, can she commit that dangerous criminals who pose a threat to the public, in Hartlepool or anywhere else, will always be locked up under this Government?

• 21 Oct 2024 · Employment Rights Bill · Hansard source

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  As many Members have done, I proudly register my membership of the GMB and Unison, and that I am a co-owner of a small business. One of the consequences of the last 14 years is insecurity in every part of British life. Hartlepool people, who I represent, are insecure in their communities, in their homes and in their jobs. That is why I welcome the Bill, which has security at its heart, banning exploitative zero-hours contracts, ending fire and rehire, and providing day one rights. Listening to Opposition Members—maybe the shadow Minister could reflect on this in his wind-up speech—I would like to know on what day the Conservative party believes it suddenly becomes not okay to unfairly dismiss somebody. What is that time? If it is anything other than day one, then quite frankly they are abandoning the workers of this country. The Bill does more than give security to workers. It gives people dignity: the dignity to grieve without having to ask permission; the dignity to choose to become a parent without having to worry if it will affect their opportunities in the workplace; the dignity of knowing that they can afford to be ill; and the dignity of knowing that they can turn up to work and be safe. Security and dignity are what British workers, including in Hartlepool, deserve. When people have security and dignity in the workplace, they get opportunity: the opportunity to grow, to develop, to train, to become better at what they do and to become more productive. In recent days, I have heard people on the right of politics suggest that the Bill is somehow an attack on the “wealth creators” of our country. What nonsense. Let us be absolutely clear: the wealth of this country is created by its workers. Through the dignity, security and opportunity that the Bill provides, we will grow our economy and give respect to every worker in my constituency and beyond.

• 16 Oct 2024 · City and Town Centres: Regeneration · Hansard source

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  My hon. Friend is making an excellent case for our high streets. In Hartlepool derelict commercial properties are a similar problem. Just in the last few days the old Odeon building in Hartlepool was the victim of arson and is being demolished as I speak. Do we not need to give far greater powers to local authorities, as has already been mentioned, particularly around compulsory purchase, to get these buildings out of the hands of private developers who, frankly, are not interested in the pride and community of our high streets that we are arguing for today?

• 15 Oct 2024 · House of Lords (Hereditary Peers) Bill · Hansard source

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  The right hon. Member has made repeated references to the grand package of House of Lords reform that he would like to see. My hon. Friend the Member for Stoke-on-Trent Central (Gareth Snell) has already highlighted the problem, but we have seen it historically. In the coalition Government, the Liberal Democrats put forward their historic package of reform, and it was the Conservatives who put the bullet in it, because they did not agree with everything in it. Surely it is much better to get done what we all agree on than to present a package of reform that ends up dying at the hands of those who disagree with it.

• 14 Oct 2024 · Nuclear Industry: Cumbria · Hansard source

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  indicated assent.