Josh Newbury MP: speeches

Speeches

• 7 Sept 2026 · Surrogacy Law and Legal Parenthood · Hansard source

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  Yes, absolutely. I am making the case that where everybody involved—of course, the mother is paramount in that—is happy with the arrangement and wants to go ahead with it, it could happen ahead of time. My personal belief is that there should be a cooling-off period, even if there is a reform, to ensure space for mothers to change their minds. I am making the point that the system could be far more efficient. I am not suggesting that we remove the courts from the process altogether—they should be there when needed—but a properly regulated system could allow straightforward cases to be dealt with before birth while retaining a route to the courts where there is disagreement, a safeguarding concern, consent changes or judicial oversight is required. That would not weaken safeguards; it would allow the courts to focus their time and attention on the cases where their intervention matters most.

• 3 Sept 2026 · Churches: Financial Viability · Hansard source

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  3. What recent assessment the Church of England has made of the potential impact of payments that churches are required to make to it on the financial viability of those churches.