Linsey Farnsworth MP: speeches 2026

Speeches

• 10 Mar 2026 · Courts and Tribunals Bill · Hansard source

  More

  I absolutely agree with my hon. Friend that this is about getting justice to victims, which defendants game the system to prevent. Arguments against the Crown court bench division seem to presuppose some measure of unfairness of having a single judge deciding guilt or innocence, but district judges have sat alone in the magistrates court for decades, and there have been no campaigns suggesting that they should be abolished on the grounds of unfairness or otherwise. The Crown court bench division is predicted to save 5,000 sitting days in 2028-29. As well as reducing the time spent in the courtroom, fewer jury trials will also free up administrative staff, who are feeling under immense pressure. For those who suggest that greater investment and efficiencies alone will be sufficient, I remind them that Sir Brian Leveson has said that this alone cannot solve this crisis. That accords with my experience of working as a Crown prosecutor from 2003 right up until just before the general election, during which time countless efficiency initiatives were introduced but were ultimately unable to prevent the crisis from developing. Efficiencies alone cannot turn this around.

• 10 Mar 2026 · Courts and Tribunals Bill · Hansard source

  More

  On appeals against magistrates’ rulings, is the shadow Minister aware—as I am, through my experience—that appeals are essentially a retrial in the magistrates court, and that many appeals are successful simply because the victim cannot face giving evidence for a second time and being retraumatised? Defendants will use that to retraumatise the victim all over again, particularly in circumstances where there is domestic abuse.

• 10 Mar 2026 · Courts and Tribunals Bill · Hansard source

  More

  On that point, will my hon. Friend give way?

• 10 Mar 2026 · Courts and Tribunals Bill · Hansard source

  More

  Will the hon. Gentleman give way?

• 9 Mar 2026 · Topical Questions · Hansard source

  More

  T8. I was pleased to see that the schools White Paper outlines significant reforms to support children with special educational needs and disabilities. Will the Minister outline how the Department is working with colleagues in the Department for Education to ensure that efforts to tackle the NEETS crisis—those not in education, employment or training—including the new apprenticeships and youth guarantees, will be inclusive and accessible to young people with SEND, ensuring that they have the opportunity to progress into fulfilling careers?

• 9 Mar 2026 · Support for NEET Young People · Hansard source

  More

  12. What steps he is taking to support young people into employment, education or training.

• 9 Mar 2026 · Support for NEET Young People · Hansard source

  More

  I am delighted that the Secretary of State is planning to visit the David Nieper Academy in Alfreton later this year. The school recently achieved zero NEETs at age 18 for the second year running by working closely with local industry and teaching employability skills. Local initiatives such as that should be complemented by national programmes. Will the Secretary of State provide an update on the results of the Wakefield pathfinder, which is seeking to trial a new, locally led approach to jobseeker support? Given our success in Alfreton, can he confirm whether Amber Valley could be considered as a location for the next pathfinder?

• 5 Feb 2026 · Occupied Palestinian Territories: Genocide Risk Assessment · Hansard source

  More

  On 2 October, as part of the UK delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, I voted in favour of a resolution on the “devastating humanitarian catastrophe” in Gaza. Paragraph 8 of the resolution referred to the UN Human Rights Council’s finding that genocide was taking place, which the hon. Gentleman has mentioned, and it highlighted the obligation of all state parties to prevent genocide under article 1 of the UN convention. Would the hon. Gentleman also welcome a comment from the Minister on the UK’s response to that Assembly resolution?

• 5 Feb 2026 · NHS Dentists · Hansard source

  More

  I commend the hon. Member for securing this important debate. In Amber Valley, recruitment and retention continue to be the main barriers to NHS dental access, despite £240,000 of additional funding that I have managed to secure from Derbyshire locally. Does the hon. Member agree that the Minister should set out how the new NHS dentistry contract will include concrete, funded measures to increase the workforce so that my constituency and his, and those up and down the country, will finally see a material improvement in access to NHS treatment?

• 5 Feb 2026 · Domestic Animals: Welfare · Hansard source

  More

  8. What steps she is taking to help improve the welfare of domestic animals.

• 5 Feb 2026 · Domestic Animals: Welfare · Hansard source

  More

  Sticking with the theme of cats, my office was recently alerted to a rather troubling incident involving a cat whose owner had been taken into hospital unexpectedly, and no one was able to access the flat. It took many days for the police to obtain a warrant, and meanwhile all the RSPCA was able to do was post ice and food through the letterbox to keep the cat alive. Animals should not be left to suffer in those circumstances. Will the Minister consider granting the RSPCA limited powers of entry in order to rescue animals faster, without delays caused by constraints on police time and resources?

• 5 Feb 2026 · National Cancer Plan · Hansard source

  More

  I thank the Minister for this excellent plan. In 1989, my wonderful mother Margaret passed away from bowel cancer. She died about six weeks after she was diagnosed. She had not wanted to go to her GP because she did not want to be a burden on the already overstretched NHS. Will the Minister join me in encouraging anyone who fears that they might have bowel cancer to see their GP, and will she provide assurances to those people regarding screening and early diagnosis for bowel cancer?

• 5 Feb 2026 · Business of the House · Hansard source

  More

  I am glad to end business questions on a joyful note. Just before Christmas, I launched Amber Valley’s business awards, and encouraged people to nominate their favourite local businesses and to shop locally. After hundreds of nominations, the winners are now in: Basilia and 47 Degrees Coffee in Langley Mill; By HeatherMay and Amber’s Beauty in Ripley; and Beth’s Groom Hut in Waingroves. Will the Leader of the House join me in congratulating the winners, and will he update the House on the support given to small businesses and high streets?

• 5 Feb 2026 · Road Safety · Hansard source

  More

  Driving instructors and cyclists in my constituency have contacted me because they are concerned that experienced drivers are not aware of the 2022 changes to the highway code. Does the hon. Member agree that a campaign for greater awareness among experienced drivers would be welcome?

• 5 Feb 2026 · Road Safety · Hansard source

  More

  Dave, a driving instructor in Amber Valley, contacts me regularly about road safety—he is a passionate advocate. However, he is concerned about the consultation in the road safety strategy on a three-month or six-month minimum learning period. Does my hon. Friend agree with Dave that structured training and lesson time is just as important as a minimum time period?

• 15 Jan 2026 · Business of the House · Hansard source

  More

  It is an indisputable fact that Amber Valley has the best pubs in the country. [ Interruption. ] It is true: they include the Moot Bar in Alfreton, Tom Said in Ripley and the Tip Inn in Loscoe, near Heanor. I welcome the Government support announced for pubs, including the £4.3 billion for businesses as covid-era business rates relief is phased out. However, increases in valuations mean that many pubs still face sharp increases. What assurance can the Leader of the House give directly to publicans, including those in Amber Valley, that there will still be support for the great British pub and that it will be protected as a community hub?

• 15 Jan 2026 · Prisons: Illegal Drugs · Hansard source

  More

  I thank my hon. Friend for speaking so powerfully about our Committee’s report. He knows that I am a huge supporter of policies that seek to maximise opportunities to rehabilitate offenders and prisoners, so I welcome the Government’s positive response to recommendation 6 on purposeful activity. We know that purposeful activity or access to it is a huge benefit in rehabilitating offenders and stopping them taking drugs while in prison through boredom. The recommendation requested that the Government provide an update to the Committee by April 2026 on the progress that has been made on purposeful activity. Could he outline what he would hope to see in that update to allow the Committee to properly scrutinise progress?

• 7 Jan 2026 · Jury Trials · Hansard source

  More

  I gently point out to the hon. Lady that it is not just about a courtroom being available, but the resources that have to go into that. It is about not just whether we have the space, but whether we have the barristers and the solicitors, and whether we have enough CPS lawyers, court clerks and ushers. There is a bigger picture, and that is why the whole package that the Government are putting forward is incredibly important. Just tinkering around the edges has been done for years, and we are in this crisis now.

• 7 Jan 2026 · Jury Trials · Hansard source

  More

  I gently say to the right hon. Member that the current system for appeals from the magistrates court requires a full retrial. When somebody comes to give evidence, we ask a lot of them, particularly the victims. To do that all over again, after a wait of a considerable number of months or even years, is very onerous. Quite simply, the victim does not want to go through it all over again. That is the problem, which this policy fixes.

• 7 Jan 2026 · Jury Trials · Hansard source

  More

  On the point of saving time through fewer jury trials, does my hon. and learned Friend agree that this is not just about the amount of time a jury is in the courtroom? It is about all the other factors within the criminal justice system that contribute to the time taken—the time it takes for back office staff to organise jury selection and summonsing, the time it takes for the Crown Prosecution Service to prepare reams and reams of paper for jury bundles, the time it takes to deal with the expenses, and so on. This is about the criminal justice system as a whole, not just the time spent in the courtroom.