Kevin Bonavia MP: speeches

Speeches

• 17 Jun 2026 · National Security (State Threats) Bill · Hansard source

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  I thank the right hon. Gentleman for his intervention. He makes a powerful point on AI. I was about to set out that we are already engaged in new legislative tools in this regard, including the Representation of the People Bill and the Cyber Security and Resilience (Network and Information Systems) Bill, which passed through this place yesterday. But we cannot just say “Right, job done; We’ve given the Government as much flexibility as we can, so let them now get on with it.” It will hit the wall, and we do not know as of today just how powerful AI in its widest forms can be. I have thought a bit about AI and about how in many ways in this place we are always catching up. Occasionally, we make laws that push society forward—we have made some great social reforms through legislation—which is great. However, too often we are reacting to a problem that has grown out of control. Our procedures in this place will not necessarily work in the future with things like AI. That is not a debate for today. However, I take the right hon. Gentleman’s point strongly in mind. Although I support the Bill, I make the point that it is part of a much broader governmental, parliamentary and—I hope—whole-society approach. When we think about the tools that the Government need, from what I have seen the Bill will give the Government of the day broad-ranging powers, but I hope and pray that this Government, or any future Government, know full well that they will have to move far quicker than before to do what is needed. We as legislators in this place must be willing to support that Government in doing the job in hand. I support the Bill and hope that, as a result, it will make our country safer for all our communities.

• 3 Jun 2026 · Public Service Reform · Hansard source

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  8. What steps he is taking to support public service reform in Northern Ireland.

• 3 Jun 2026 · Public Service Reform · Hansard source

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  Thanks to this Government’s investment in public services, Northern Ireland received a record funding settlement in the spending review. Given that settlement and the extra transformation funding, does my hon. Friend agree that it is now up to the Executive in Northern Ireland to deliver the changes in public services that are so clearly needed?

• 20 Apr 2026 · Security Vetting · Hansard source

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  Members of the public watching this matter will have been baffled by all the speculation about who said what and when, so I thank the Prime Minister for his calm and clear answers today. No Prime Minister wants to be or should be in a situation like this, where governmental processes mean that critical information is not brought to the attention of Ministers, so I welcome the Fulford review. Will the Prime Minister look at the wider relationship between Ministers and civil servants, so that trust can be restored?

• 16 Apr 2026 · Euro 2028 · Hansard source

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  1. What steps her Department is taking to help ensure that hosting UEFA Euro 2028 supports communities.

• 2 Mar 2026 · Representation of the People Bill · Hansard source

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  The shadow Secretary of State has asked, on a number of occasions, whether we agree with his so-called legal definition. The legal definition is always for the purposes of the law for which it is intended, so the Children Act definition is for the purposes of that Act, and what we are debating today is for the purposes of voting.

• 2 Mar 2026 · Representation of the People Bill · Hansard source

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  Will the right hon. Gentleman give way on that point?

• 2 Mar 2026 · Representation of the People Bill · Hansard source

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  rose—

• 15 Jan 2026 · New Towns · Hansard source

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  Can my hon. Friend confirm which is the oldest new town?

• 6 Jan 2026 · BBC Charter Renewal · Hansard source

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  I have not read all that report; I hear what the hon. Gentleman has said about it. But the point I am making is not about those facts; it is that it is good that we can have a debate about the national broadcaster, in a way we would not for any other broadcaster. That is so important, and it helps us to listen more. That is what we need to do more in the age we live in, and through the BBC we can do that. I say to all Members in this debate and beyond that we must make the BBC fit for the age we live in. If we did not have the BBC, we would not be in a world that I would want to be part of, so I ask the Minister to talk about how she will protect the BBC in the future.

• 9 Dec 2025 · Costs for Commuters · Hansard source

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  7. What fiscal steps she is taking with Cabinet colleagues to reduce costs for commuters.

• 8 Dec 2025 · Digital ID · Hansard source

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  Will the hon. Gentleman give way?

• 17 Nov 2025 · Parkinson’s Disease · Hansard source

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  I thank my hon. Friend for leading today’s debate, and the Movers and Shakers for promoting both the debate and the Parky charter. My hon. Friend talks about working together. One of the issues I have heard from constituents in Stevenage is misdiagnosis at the outset, where GPs have not identified the condition or referred patients to the right pathway. Does my hon. Friend agree that it is not just about funding, but about training as well?

• 4 Nov 2025 · Supporting High Streets · Hansard source

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  I am very happy to intervene. We are talking about changing the status quo under the hon. Gentleman’s Government.

• 4 Nov 2025 · Supporting High Streets · Hansard source

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  Will the shadow Minister confirm that under the previous Conservative Administration, thieves could get £200 worth of goods with impunity, and that has changed under this Government?

• 4 Nov 2025 · Supporting High Streets · Hansard source

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  My hon. Friend is spot on. Pride of place is about actually getting our local communities involved. They know their high streets best, and we should work with them to use that money for long-term strategic decisions. I oppose this motion. It is illiterate and has no answers for our future, it does not add up economically, and it ignores the good work that this Government are already doing for our high streets.