Lillian Jones MP: speeches

Speeches

• 14 Oct 2025 · Postural Tachycardia Syndrome · Hansard source

  More

  I share my constituents’ concerns about the average time for diagnosis of PoTS; seven years is simply too long, and it is unacceptable—and that is in Scotland too. Given the limited awareness of postural tachycardia syndrome among healthcare professionals, does my hon. Friend agree that the introduction of one dedicated care pathway across all health boards, including the devolved nations, would help to improve early recognition, streamline referrals and ensure that patients receive timely and appropriate care?

• 14 Oct 2025 · Topical Questions · Hansard source

  More

  T6. Ofgem’s latest 2% price cap rise means higher bills for millions of households this winter, with the average annual cost now over £1,700. For families who are already struggling, even a small increase can push them into hardship. While the expansion of the warm home discount to more than 6 million homes is welcome, standing charges have also risen and energy debt now exceeds £4.4 billion. Can the Minister outline what further targeted protections are planned for vulnerable households this winter? More broadly, what are the Government’s plans to bring down bills, especially for those on low incomes?

• 9 Sept 2025 · Diego Garcia Military Base and British Indian Ocean Territory Bill · Hansard source

  More

  I rise in support of the Diego Garcia Military Base and British Indian Ocean Territory Bill. This Bill is not only timely, but essential for our national security, our international obligations and the strategic future of the United Kingdom. To be clear, Diego Garcia is not just an isolated atoll in the Indian ocean, but one of the most geopolitically significant military outposts of the 21st century. It serves as a critical base for joint UK-US operations in a region fraught with instability from piracy off the horn of Africa, and given the growing threat of Chinese expansionism in the Indo-Pacific. This Bill secures long-term operational certainty for our armed forces. It ensures our ability to meet NATO commitments, protect trade routes vital to the global economy and respond quickly to humanitarian crises across Asia and Africa. In a time of escalating global tensions everywhere from the South China sea to the Red sea, we cannot afford ambiguity when it comes to our defence infrastructure. I have listened with concern to the arguments made by Opposition Members, some of whom appear more preoccupied with ideological purity than practical governance. Is it not strange that 85% of the negotiating rounds on the Diego Garcia deal took place under the Conservatives? They had access to the same legal advice, the same security briefings and the same threat assessments as we do. Only after leaving government and with no deal of their own did they begin playing politics with national security. Their sudden opposition is not principled; it is opportunistic and irresponsible. Opposition Members talk about international law and cite advisory opinions from the International Court of Justice as if they were binding judgments. Let us not forget, however, that sovereignty is not a matter of hashtags or press releases; it is a matter of law, treaties and responsibility. The United Kingdom has administered the British Indian Ocean Territory for more than half a century, and we have done so in close co-ordination with our allies, especially the United States. Simply to walk away, as some have suggested, would be an act of geopolitical negligence. To those who argue that the base should be dismantled or handed over to another power under the banner of anti-colonialism, I say that they should be very careful for what they wish. If Britain and the United States vacate Diego Garcia, we would leave behind not a vacuum, but a prize, a strategic jewel, which would be swiftly eyed by authoritarian regimes that have little regard for human rights, international law or democratic principles. Our responsibility is not to rewrite history by dismantling today’s defences, but to shape the future by ensuring that they remain strong, legitimate and effective. The Bill provides legal clarity and the operational authority for the continued use of Diego Garcia. It will strengthen the framework for oversight, introduce renewed commitments to environmental stewardship and, importantly, establish a pathway for dialogue with Chagossian representatives about resettlement and heritage—it is important that their voices are head and listened to. This is not a Bill that closes doors, but one that opens them, without compromising national and global security. Opposition for the sake of opposition is not leadership. Would the Opposition have us abandon a key, NATO-aligned military base to prove a point? Would they rather hand strategic influence in the Indian Ocean to those who undermine the international rules-based order? Let me remind the House of the real threats in our world: cyber-attacks, terrorist attacks and networks, illegal arms trafficking and hostile naval activity. Diego Garcia is not some relic of the cold war; it is a strategic capability that we rely on today.

• 9 Sept 2025 · Diego Garcia Military Base and British Indian Ocean Territory Bill · Hansard source

  More

  Could the right hon. Lady tell me why the US and the Five Eyes have backed this deal?

• 9 Sept 2025 · Diego Garcia Military Base and British Indian Ocean Territory Bill · Hansard source

  More

  I will not give way. The Bill is pragmatic, proportionate, grounded in the national interest and fully compatible with our democratic values. It does not ignore the past; it confronts it, and seeks to chart a responsible path forward. I urge my colleagues across the House, especially those wavering on the fence, to vote not out of ideological purity, but out of practical necessity. The world is watching. Our allies are watching. History, too, will judge what we choose today. Let us choose strength, responsibility, regional and global security, and to back the UK’s national security.

• 9 Sept 2025 · Topical Questions · Hansard source

  More

  The Bellfield interchange is situated on the A77. Its location has significant strategic importance in the south-west trunk road network, connecting to the A71, the A75 and the A76, making it critical for transport and economic connectivity across the Ayrshire region and beyond. East Ayrshire council had previously submitted a bid to the levelling-up fund under the previous Tory Government to upgrade the interchange, but it was rejected. Given the Chancellor’s recent announcement of £66 million of UK Government investment in Scottish transport infrastructure, will my hon. Friend join me in calling on the Scottish Government to invest in and agree to vital infrastructure projects such as upgrading the Belfield interchange, to support the Ayrshire growth deal, to unlock growth, and to deliver jobs and prosperity across the region?

• 8 Sept 2025 · Cadets · Hansard source

  More

  As one of the first female cadets in Scotland during the mid-1980s—I know I do not look old enough—I am aware of how transformative the cadet experience can be, but now, in 2025, girls make up only a third of our cadet force. What more can my hon. Friend do to ensure that joining the cadets is seen as an exciting opportunity for girls as well as boys, and will he join me on a visit to the brilliant cadet units in my constituency to see these brilliant young people in action?

• 8 Sept 2025 · Cadets · Hansard source

  More

  9. What steps he is taking to increase the number of cadets.

• 4 Sept 2025 · Business of the House · Hansard source

  More

  The SNP Government have awarded public contracts to China, Turkey and Poland to build Scottish ferries and buses. Does my right hon. Friend agree that the SNP Government should accept the offer from the UK Government to rewrite Scottish procurement rules—as they have previously in a range of other areas, including regulation around the sale of vapes and keeping ScotRail in public hands—and that those changes should get on to the statute book as soon as possible, to stop the disadvantaging of local firms, boost the Scottish economy and protect thousands of Scottish jobs?

• 22 Jul 2025 · Accident and Emergency Waiting Times · Hansard source

  More

  1. What steps he is taking to help reduce waiting times at A&E departments.

• 22 Jul 2025 · Accident and Emergency Waiting Times · Hansard source

  More

  I welcome the progress this UK Labour Government have made in reducing A&E waits in England. That sadly contrasts with a crisis in Scotland, where recent figures revealed 2,472 Scots waited over eight hours to be seen. Jackie Baillie rightly warned that “Lives are being put at risk” under the SNP, and it has been years since the Scottish Government last met any of their targets. Does the Secretary of State agree that only Labour in Westminster and in Holyrood has a serious plan to back NHS staff and cut waiting times?

• 2 Jul 2025 · West Bank: Forced Displacement · Hansard source

  More

  It is a pleasure to serve under your chairship, Mr Turner. I congratulate my hon. Friend the Member for Glasgow North (Martin Rhodes) on securing this important debate. For decades, Palestinians living in the west bank have faced increasing pressure from settlement expansion, home demolitions and military restrictions. Entire communities, such as those in Masafer Yatta and the Jordan valley, are being pushed off their ancestral lands under the pretext of those places being military zones or sites of illegal construction. Yet many of these people have lived there for generations. Recent weeks have seen intensified actions in Masafer Yatta and Silwan. On 18 June, the Israeli Civil Administration barred all Palestinian building permits in Masafer Yatta, prompting fears of enforced evacuation for roughly 1,200 people—a move that UN experts have called tantamount to forcible transfer, which often violates international law, particularly the fourth Geneva convention, which prohibits the forced transfer of protected populations under occupation. Beyond the military campaigns, area C in the west bank has seen a notable rise in home demolitions. Between January and April 2025, Israeli authorities razed over 450 structures, displacing at least 445 people, including 112 children. That is a fivefold increase compared with the previous year. This is not just a political issue: it is a human one. Families are losing their homes, access to water, farmland, education and healthcare, and children are growing up amid trauma and instability. Every demolished home is not just bricks and mortar; it is a life uprooted—a future disrupted. If we are to stand for justice and human dignity, we cannot ignore this reality. The international community must uphold human rights for all, without exception, and demand accountability where those rights are denied.

• 19 Jun 2025 · Business of the House · Hansard source

  More

  My constituent Lynne recently wrote to me about a new car purchase. She paid £190 for a full year’s road tax, but then discovered that the tax expiry date was set for the first of the month, not the 29th—the date she bought and taxed the vehicle. When she queried that with the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency, she was advised that the tax was applied by calendar month, meaning that she effectively paid a full month of tax for just three days. As Lynne said to me, 12 months’ tax should mean 12 valid months. This outdated system is clearly unfair. Will the Leader of the House agree to a debate in Government time on the need for a fairer vehicle excise duty system?

• 18 Jun 2025 · Post-industrial Towns · Hansard source

  More

  My constituency has a proud industrial heritage and is renowned for the rich diversity of its industrial output during the 19th century. We had the world famous Johnnie Walker whisky plant which was linked to Kilmarnock for more than 190 years, Saxone, a shoe manufacturing and retail company, Massey Ferguson, producer of tractors and combine harvesters across the world, and BMK, a major carpet manufacturer which played a prominent role in Kilmarnock’s industrial landscape, even producing the red carpet for Queen Elizabeth’s wedding in 1947 and carpets for the movie “Titanic”. Does my hon. Friend agree that while these industries have, sadly, gone, post-industrial towns across Ayrshire do have a bright future and that there is potential for exciting developments in aerospace, renewable energy, AI and data centres to name just a few sectors, driven by a modern industrial strategy to support long-term sustainable growth?

• 17 Jun 2025 · NHS: Wasteful Spending · Hansard source

  More

  16. What steps his Department is taking to tackle wasteful spending in the NHS.

• 17 Jun 2025 · NHS: Wasteful Spending · Hansard source

  More

  I thank the Secretary of State for his earlier reply. In Scotland, there are more quangos than MSPs. After four years and £30 million of taxpayers’ cash down the drain, the SNP has scrapped its plans for a national care service—its flagship policy—which was seen as a significant setback for Scottish social care reform, and now we have people going to the pub in chauffeur-driven ministerial cars. Will the Secretary of State advise his Scottish counterpart on how to stop wasting Scottish taxpayers’ money?

• 16 Jun 2025 · Iran-Israel Conflict · Hansard source

  More

  Does my right hon. Friend agree that it is right that the UK as part of the international community comes together to urge all sides to show restraint through diplomacy to prevent Iran acquiring a nuclear weapon, and that it is also right that our focus is not diverted from Israel’s continued assault on Gaza and the rest of occupied Palestine and from securing the release of the hostages back to their families?

• 16 Jun 2025 · Animal Experiments: Medical Research · Hansard source

  More

  The use of animals in research raises serious questions about animal welfare, particularly in procedures that cause pain, distress or even death. Does my hon. Friend agree that advances in technology are making the transition away from animal testing more feasible? In vitro techniques using human cells and tissues, computer modelling, and organ-on-a-chip technologies provide promising human-relevant alternatives. These methods can offer faster, more cost-effective and more ethically sound results than traditional animal tests.

• 12 Jun 2025 · Business of the House · Hansard source

  More

  A well-established local business and employer in my constituency is facing an ongoing and costly administrative issue with His Majesty’s Revenue and Customs. It has been trying since January to close an outdated VAT bond that is no longer required, yet despite repeated attempts, including formal letters to six HMRC departments, it has received no response. Virgin Money continues to charge fees for this unnecessary bond, placing an unfair financial burden on a company that employs local people and contributes to our local community. Will the Leader of the House agree to a debate in Government time on how HMRC can be made more responsive and accountable to small businesses facing bureaucratic deadlock?

• 12 Jun 2025 · Covid: Fifth Anniversary · Hansard source

  More

  My right hon. Friend is speaking about children. Does he agree that the covid pandemic really affected children who were going through school? All of a sudden, they could not see their friends for many, many weeks. I worked in the NHS. When we are living in the moment, we do not think of these things, but when we reflect, we think, “Oh God, what a time we lived through.” That struck me when I was with my niece, who was running through the park, and she saw her friend—she was 10 years old. They ran and hugged. It was fantastic to see. They had not seen each other for so long. That act of kindness, friendship and coming together of spirit really lifted me, because even children of that age were feeling something huge that they had never felt before. That was an inspirational point for me during covid, and the same point hit me when carrying out my NHS role.

• 12 Jun 2025 · Covid: Fifth Anniversary · Hansard source

  More

  Will the right hon. Member give way?

• 11 Jun 2025 · British Coal Staff Superannuation Scheme · Hansard source

  More

  Will the hon. Member give way?

• 11 Jun 2025 · Sustainable Aviation Fuel Bill · Hansard source

  More

  I rise to speak in this important debate as we address the challenge of modernising fuel sources and reducing our dependency on fossil fuels. I declare my interest as chair of the all-party parliamentary group for the wood panel industry. The transition to net zero in aviation is not just a climate imperative but an industrial opportunity. I commend the Government for bringing forward the Bill, which aims to provide long-term certainty for investors in the UK’s growing sustainable aviation fuel sector. However, in our efforts to decarbonise aviation, we must be careful not inadvertently to harm other strategically important industries that also contribute to our economic growth and environmental goals. The UK wood panel industry is one such sector. It generates more than £1.1 billion in gross value added and supports more than 10,000 jobs across the UK, many in high-skilled manufacturing roles in Wales, the north of England and Scotland, including my home of Ayrshire and beyond. Those are well-paid, productive and future-facing jobs. The sector is one of the UK’s largest industrial recyclers of post-consumer waste wood. It takes what would otherwise be discarded and turns it into essential materials for furniture, interior design and—crucially—the homes we are building, yet there is genuine concern that the SAF revenue certainty mechanism could distort markets by incentivising the diversion of recyclable wood and forestry products to fuel production. We have seen that before with the renewable heat incentive, where subsidies inflated virgin wood prices and squeezed out established manufacturers. We cannot afford to repeat that mistake. I am pleased to hear that Ministers have met industry representatives, listened to their concerns and responded positively. I would like to invite my hon. Friend the aviation Minister to come and speak to the APPG so that he can hear from the industry at first hand. The SAF mandate rightly references the waste hierarchy, prioritising reuse and recycling before energy recovery. However, the enforcement mechanisms remain unclear. If high-quality waste wood is drawn into SAF production, prices will rise, availability will fall and our domestic supply chain will suffer. Let me be clear that I support the ambition of SAF. I also support the Government’s ambition to build 1.5 million new homes, but that will not be possible without affordable, sustainable construction materials, including wood panels. I urge Ministers to maintain the current safeguards in the SAF mandate, uphold the exclusion of virgin and recyclable wood from eligibility, ensure robust enforcement of the waste hierarchy so that only truly non-recyclable wood can be used, and put in place transparency mechanisms so that we can track what feedstocks are being used. If we get the balance right, we can deliver cleaner skies and affordable homes, and we can decarbonise aviation without decimating domestic manufacturing. Let us make SAF sustainable in every sense: environmentally, economically and industrially.

• 10 Jun 2025 · Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories · Hansard source

  More

  I welcome the Minister’s statement to the House and the steps the UK Government are taking thus far. The humanitarian assistance must not be obstructed, politicised or treated as a threat. What concrete steps are the UK Government taking to ensure that aid reaches all areas of Gaza without further delay or interference by the Israel Defence Forces to allow aid workers to carry out their lifesaving work without fear of injury or death, to secure the release of hostages back to their families and to finally recognise the state of Palestine?

• 10 Jun 2025 · Nuclear Power: Investment · Hansard source

  More

  Happy birthday, Mr Speaker. While I welcome this fantastic announcement, Scotland will unfortunately not benefit due to the SNP’s ideological block on nuclear power, blocking billions in investment and thousands of well-paid secure Scottish jobs and blocking growth across our Scottish communities. Does my right hon. Friend agree that Scotland and, indeed, Ayrshire need a new political direction, and that the only way to get that will be at the ballot box next year?