Liz Jarvis MP: speeches

Speeches

• 2 Jun 2026 · Workplace Exposure to Silica Dust · Hansard source

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  I beg to move, That this House has considered silica dust exposure in the workplace. It is a pleasure to serve under your chairship, Dr Allin-Khan. I want to begin by paying tribute to my constituent Caroline Hudson and her sister Sandra, who are both here today. I thank them for their determination in bringing this issue to me and the wider public. None of us should underestimate how difficult it is to relive the loss of a loved one in public, but they are doing so because they do not want other families to suffer the same heartbreak. Sandra’s husband, George Elliott, was a keen golfer, a proud Spurs fan and a man deeply loved by his family and friends. He was a highly skilled stonemason who worked on buildings including 10 Downing Street. George died in November 2023 from silicosis, a devastating lung disease caused by inhaling respirable crystalline silica dust. His family did not know that he had silicosis until his post-mortem. By then it was too late. Before his death, George suffered through severe breathing difficulties, constant exhaustion, oxygen dependency and the cruel deterioration that the disease inflicts upon its victims. Silicosis is progressive and incurable. Tiny silica particles become embedded in the lungs, causing inflammation and permanent scarring. Over time, lung capacity is destroyed. Victims struggle to breathe, struggle to work and struggle to live normal lives. It also dramatically increases the risk of other serious illnesses, including tuberculosis, kidney disease, chronic bronchitis and lung cancer. The key thing about silicosis is that it is preventable. The Health and Safety Executive estimates that around 600,000 workers in the UK are exposed to silica dust every year, yet for far too long the Government’s response has not matched the scale or seriousness of the threat. One of my uncles died from mesothelioma. We cannot let silica dust inhalation become another scandal on the scale of asbestos. It is important to note that silicosis is increasingly affecting young workers—people in their 20s and 30s—and that the increase is largely due to engineered stone. The rise in the popularity of engineered stone has transformed modern kitchens, and these products are now everywhere, but many engineered stones contain extraordinarily high levels of silica—in some cases, up to 95%. When dry cut without proper controls, they release enormous quantities of deadly dust into the air. The current system is leaving workers vulnerable. I welcome the recent steps the HSE has taken, following public concern and pressure from campaigners, clinicians and affected families. It has declared the dry cutting of engineered stone to be unacceptable, and introduced new guidance requiring water-suppression techniques, respiratory protective equipment and health surveillance, and a programme of more than 1,000 inspections across the UK. However, there are concerns that the HSE’s current resources, enforcement powers and inspection capacity are not sufficient to deal with what could become a major national occupational health crisis. There is a fear that enforcement remains inconsistent, and that rogue operators continue to evade scrutiny altogether. Does the Minister believe the HSE has the capacity, staffing and resources necessary to effectively regulate the sector? If not, what additional support will be provided? Australia has already prohibited engineered stone, following hundreds of silicosis cases among workers, and last week California took the first step in that direction. There should be absolute agreement on some fundamental principles: exposure limits must be rigorously enforced, proper personal protective equipment must be mandatory, workers must receive proper training, and health surveillance must become vastly more robust. Australia’s national screening programme identified hundreds of cases that otherwise might not have been detected until the disease had progressed to a dangerous stage. Experts there found that one in four screened workers had silicosis. Why are we not introducing a targeted national screening programme here in the UK for workers in high-risk sectors, such as kitchen fitters, stonemasons and construction workers? There needs to be a large public awareness campaign for those potentially at risk and for NHS practitioners. I would like to recognise the journalists who have been campaigning and raising awareness of this issue, including Joe Duggan at The i Paper , and the all-party parliamentary group for respiratory health. Recent analysis provided to senior NHS officials and reported by The i Paper suggests that more than 1,000 UK stonemasons could already have silicosis linked to exposure to engineered stone. The same report estimates that around 4,000 workers in the UK may be operating in informal or illegal parts of the industry, where basic safety protections are routinely ignored. Silica safety should form part of compulsory training in construction, stonemasonry and apprenticeship schemes. Real-time dust-extraction systems should be properly explored and rolled out where appropriate. Occupational health records and GP systems should better identify workers exposed to silica, so that symptoms are not repeatedly missed or dismissed. One of the most alarming aspects of this crisis is that we still do not know its true scale. It beggars belief that silicosis was removed from the official list of notifiable occupational diseases in 2013. As a result, cases are frequently hidden within broader categories such as lung cancer.

• 24 Mar 2026 · Endometriosis Services · Hansard source

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  It is a pleasure to serve under your chairship, Mr Dowd. I am grateful to the hon. Member for Ipswich (Jack Abbott) for securing this important debate. I welcome to the House all the women in the Public Gallery. I have also heard from many women in my constituency who have lived with the devastating impact of endometriosis. It is shocking that so many have had to endure years of pain, uncertainty, dismissal and a lack of access to timely diagnosis and specialist endometriosis services. According to the charity Endometriosis UK, it takes on average nine years and four months to receive a diagnosis of endometriosis in the UK—nearly a decade of a woman’s life blighted by debilitating pain, missed employment and educational opportunities, declining mental health, difficulties with fertility, and being told far too often that what they are experiencing is normal. We know that one in 10 women are affected, yet awareness remains far too low among the public and healthcare professionals. The economic cost alone is estimated at £11 billion a year. Behind the statistics, however, are real people, real families and real suffering. My constituent Lucy, who is a teacher, told me that she has been suffering tremendously every month, unable to work on the first day of her cycle due to the pain and side effects. Every single month she has been left unable to stand, doubled over in pain, and with dizziness and vomiting. After nine years of debilitating pain, fertility issues, being refused treatment and being told that some people just suffer, she has finally had a laparoscopy, which revealed that she has endometriosis. She is hoping that she can now grow her family, but it should never have taken so long for a diagnosis.

• 10 Mar 2026 · Topical Questions · Hansard source

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  T3. David, who owns the Steam Town Brew Co. in my constituency, tells me that his biggest concerns right now are inflation and the ability to plan ahead. What reassurance can the Minister give him that businesses in my constituency will be supported with the stability and certainty that they need?

• 25 Feb 2026 · Student Loan Repayment Plans · Hansard source

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  I have heard from many young constituents who are frankly pretty despondent right now. They have endured a global pandemic. They are grappling with the cost of living crisis, a housing crisis and difficulties in securing entry-level jobs. On top of that, they carry the incredible burden of large student loans, made ever larger by high interest rates and a frozen repayment threshold, leaving many feeling they will never be free of it. We need to acknowledge that an entire generation of graduates on plan 2 student loans have essentially been mis-sold their loans. One constituent told me about their son who, despite repaying his loan for five years, has seen his balance increased by 33%. How can that possibly be justified? The cumulative impact of successive changes to the terms and conditions of student loans in England has fundamentally undermined confidence in the system. The threshold has been moved around haphazardly by successive Governments, being regularly frozen, including by the current Government. Many students were told that this was manageable debt, but in reality it has developed into something totally different from the graduate contribution system it was intended to be. The repayment threshold was supposed to rise with earnings. The previous Conservative Government’s decision to freeze it was a needless move to take money away from graduates. It is a stealth tax. According to the money-saving expert Martin Lewis, the most direct thing that would help all students would be not to freeze the repayment threshold. Will the Minister look at that as a matter of urgency? Student loans also impact the ability to get a mortgage because they are used for affordability calculations. There must be an immediate reversal of the repayment threshold freeze, and RPI should no longer be used to calculate interest.

• 24 Feb 2026 · Online Harm: Child Protection · Hansard source

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  I would like to start by thanking the hundreds of parents in my constituency who have written to me about this important issue. For too long, tech companies have treated children as data to be mined, rather than young people to be protected. We cannot let social media bosses off the hook for the way they have normalised harm, prioritised profit and ignored warning signs. We cannot keep allowing them to act with impunity in putting our children at risk or continuing to escape scot-free while the consequences of their business models are borne by families, schools and already overstretched public services. As we have heard, harmful content and addictive algorithms are taking a profound emotional and psychological toll, contributing to rising levels of anxiety, depression and self-harm. The dangers cannot and should not be underestimated. It beggars belief that the tech companies have been able to operate without proper regulation. At the heart of this debate must be the children and young people who have been subjected to appalling online harms. ChatGPT has reportedly given extremely harmful answers to young people experiencing a mental health crisis, while other AI chatbots possess capabilities to foster intense and unhealthy relationships with vulnerable users and to validate dangerous impulses. As we have heard, it has also been reported that ChatGPT and Grok chatbots are advising children with potential eating disorders on dangerous meal plans of just 600 calories a day. This is terrifying. Although I recognise the difficulties in policing everything online, will the Minister consider establishing a cross-Government approach to ensure that mental health support is expanded and to equip public services to respond effectively to social media-related harms? Can he also clarify whether Ofcom is being given the resources to meet the scale of the challenge and oversee the rapid evolution of online technologies?

• 3 Feb 2026 · Universal Credit (Removal of Two Child Limit) Bill · Hansard source

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  Scrapping the two-child benefit cap is the single most important action this Government could take to improve outcomes for children in poverty. My Liberal Democrat colleagues and I have called for it consistently, so I am pleased that the Government are finally taking this step. Children and young people in Eastleigh and across our country have paid the price for a policy that was never about fairness, but instead about cutting support to the families who are often struggling the most. This cruel, shameful policy should never have been introduced in the first place. I reiterate that circumstances can change in a heartbeat: redundancy, bereavement or discovering that a child needs special care, meaning that a parent has to give up work—these life-changing events can all have a huge and sometimes devastating impact on household income. According to the End Child Poverty coalition, 20.6% of children in Eastleigh are growing up in poverty. These experiences in early childhood shape outcomes for life, affecting health, educational attainment and future earnings. Without further action, over 4 million children in the UK will still be growing up in poverty by 2029. Housing costs, inflation—particularly food inflation—and high energy costs continue to be central drivers of hardship. The Department for Work and Pensions’ own impact assessment has found that around 50,000 low-income families currently affected by the two-child benefit limit will gain nothing when it is lifted in April. A further 20,000 will see their incomes lift only partially from April, due to having their income raised to benefit cap level. What further measures will the Minister take to ensure that all children can fulfil their full potential? Citizens Advice Eastleigh recently advised a single parent whose universal credit was reduced by nearly 30% due to the benefit cap, which, combined with her high rental costs, left her with only £400 a month to feed and clothe her children and keep them warm. Charities in my constituency and across the UK say the same thing: the Bill on its own, while welcome, is not enough. A fair society does not balance its books on the backs of children. It is frankly astonishing that the Conservatives would reinstate the two-child benefit cap. According to the Institute for Fiscal Studies, the Conservatives’ policy did not have a significant impact on labour supply and has not considerably affected fertility decisions, so the only thing it did was to drive more children into poverty. What a terrible legacy that is. I wonder what they would say to the 72% of children living in poverty who are in working families, and the families with three or more children who are in poverty through absolutely no fault of their own. A fair society protects its children, invests in them and gives every child the chance to thrive. That is why I support this Bill, and why I will continue to press for further action until child poverty in this country is eradicated once and for all.

• 21 Jan 2026 · Animal Welfare Strategy for England · Hansard source

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  It is a pleasure to serve under your chairship, Ms Lewell. I congratulate the hon. Member for South Derbyshire (Samantha Niblett) on securing this important debate. I believe that how we treat animals says everything about who we are as a society. I receive countless emails from constituents who care deeply about the welfare of animals, so I welcome the introduction of the Government’s animal welfare strategy for England and the recognition that animals are sentient beings. I am pleased that the Government have committed to measures that include the banning of cages for laying hens, ending puppy farming and phasing out pig farrowing crates. If Britain is to secure its reputation as a world leader on animal welfare, the strategy must go further, faster and be wider in scope. My constituency of Eastleigh is home to the Blue Cross, which regularly receives greyhounds that have been abandoned, injured and traumatised. Between 2017 and 2024, across the UK more than 4,000 greyhounds died or were put to sleep as a direct result of racing, and more than 35,000 injuries were recorded on UK tracks. Interest in greyhound racing is declining. The industry has repeatedly promised reform, but has failed to deliver meaningful improvements. That is why the largest animal welfare charities, including the Dogs Trust, the RSPCA and the Blue Cross, have jointly called for greyhound racing to be ended. The Welsh Government are already taking steps in that direction. I am therefore deeply disappointed that the animal welfare strategy does not mention greyhounds once. Will the Minister consider the calls made by charities and commit to end greyhound racing in the UK? I also want to raise again the issue of trophy hunting. I have previously asked the Minister why it remains legal to import hunting trophies of vulnerable and endangered species, including critically endangered rhinos, elephants, cheetahs and leopards. Despite repeated promises from the previous Government to end the practice, legislation has not yet been delivered. Will the Minister provide a timetable for when exactly the Government plan to introduce the legislation? I also urge the Government to stand firm against attempts by the Trump Administration to influence our country’s stance on trophy hunting imports. Turning to kept wild animals, the strategy states that the Government will work with experts and industry representatives to ensure that animals kept in zoos and aquariums in Great Britain are looked after to the highest standards. What reassurance can the Minister give me that zoo licensing inspectors and the Zoos Expert Committee will be given tangible powers to enhance that goal rather than simply offering advice, and that those powers will include the ability to mandate improvements, impose sanctions or ultimately withdraw licences where welfare standards are clearly not being met? I was proud to support my constituency neighbour, my hon. Friend the Member for Winchester (Dr Chambers), with his Animal Welfare (Import of Dogs, Cats and Ferrets) Act 2025 to protect those animals from mutilation and illegal trafficking. I welcome the strategy’s desire to take steps to improve the uptake of a pet-selling licence by those who sell cats and kittens as pets, but the lack of a commitment to regulate cat and rabbit breeding, which has been highlighted by the Blue Cross, is disappointing. The strategy is a very welcome step forward, but it must be more ambitious on timescales, enforcement and scope. Animals cannot wait another decade for change.

• 7 Jan 2026 · UK Town of Culture · Hansard source

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  It is a pleasure to serve under your chairship, Ms Furniss. I congratulate the hon. Member for Halesowen (Alex Ballinger) on securing this debate. The Liberal Democrats recognise the vital role that towns and communities throughout the United Kingdom play in shaping our rich and diverse cultural heritage. As a member of the Culture, Media and Sport Committee, I firmly believe that art, music, drama and sport bring people together across generations and backgrounds and that they are an essential part of any thriving society. Crucially, culture also delivers tangible economic benefits. Investment in the cultural sector creates jobs, supports freelancers and small businesses and provides training and development opportunities, particularly for talented young people who may not see a traditional academic route as the right path for them. That is why the Liberal Democrats support sustained investment in our cultural capital and in nurturing the next generation of talent—so that people in every town can enjoy the benefits of sport, music and the arts. We believe that the cultural contribution of each town should be recognised, and that adequate funding must be available to support cultural programmes in every part of the United Kingdom. We have heard so many wonderful examples of our cultural heritage today, including from my hon. Friends the Members for Chesham and Amersham (Sarah Green) and for Mid Dorset and North Poole (Vikki Slade), and the hon. Members for Southport (Patrick Hurley) and for Shipley (Anna Dixon). I am proud to be the MP for Eastleigh, the home of Hampshire cricket with the Ageas Bowl, which is both a world-class cricket venue and, in recent years, a growing events venue hosting acts such as Rod Stewart, Little Mix and the Arctic Monkeys. The Point theatre in Eastleigh puts on its own fantastic productions year after year, hosts national stand-up comedians and has been one of Arts Council England’s national portfolio organisations for the past decade. We are also home to the Bishopstoke Players, the Concorde club in north Stoneham and Thornden Hall in Chandler’s Ford. People from across Hampshire flock to Eastleigh every year for the Asian Welfare and Cultural Association’s Mela event, Eastleigh Pride and the family-friendly festival Eastleigh Unwrapped. However, despite this strong cultural offer, Conservative Hampshire county council has cut back funding for the Hampshire Cultural Trust, reducing its annual grant by £600,000 from April 2027. Arts and culture projects have been stopped in their tracks. This is incredibly short-sighted. I very much welcome the town of culture initiative, but I hope the Minister will agree that if we are serious about levelling up opportunity, pride and participation, cultural investment must reach every town. I look forward to seeing which towns will throw their hats into the ring to be cultural town of the year, so that we can all recognise and the celebrate their unique stories.

• 17 Dec 2025 · Membership-based Charity Organisations · Hansard source

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  It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Mr Twigg, and I congratulate the hon. Member for Gosport (Dame Caroline Dinenage) on securing this important debate. It is also a pleasure to serve with her on the Culture, Media and Sport Committee. I begin by paying tribute to some of our fantastic membership-based charities, including the National Trust, the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds and English Heritage, which play a central role in our national story and do so much to enrich the country’s cultural, social and environmental life. Liberal Democrats recognise that membership-based charities safeguard our cultural and natural heritage, strengthen community life, and provide vital service that the Government alone cannot deliver. Last month, in response to my question at the Culture, Media and Sport Committee’s pre-appointment hearing for the chair of the Charity Commission, the successful applicant, Dame Julia Unwin, said that the hike to employer national insurance contributions was: “a crushing blow for many charities.” We are already seeing the consequences. In July, the National Trust announced plans to cut 6% of its current workforce, or around 550 jobs. At a time of sustained financial pressure across the charity sector, the Government should not be adding additional burdens and barriers. As we have heard, gift aid for membership-based charities is crucial, supporting organisations in increasing their fundraising income and financial stability, and enabling them to have a greater impact. In the tax year ending April 2025, UK charities received £1.7 billion in gift aid, but only around half of the value of gift aid payments went to charities that received less than £1 million each. There is concern among membership-based charities that the implementation of the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumer Act 2024, which was introduced by the previous Government, risks jeopardising the ability of those charities to claim gift aid on membership subscriptions. Organisations including the Tate, the Royal Horticultural Society, the Royal British Legion and the Wildlife Trusts have penned a letter to the Prime Minister stating that risking charities’ ability to claim gift aid on membership would increase cost pressures and could lead to them having to reduce their services. Will the Minister commit to bringing forward the necessary secondary legislation without delay to close the loophole in the Act and guarantee that eligible membership subscriptions continue to qualify for gift aid so that charities can plan ahead and protect the services our communities rely on? Before concluding, I would just like to take this opportunity to give a shout out to some of the amazing charities in my constituency, such as the Pavilion on the Park, Citizens Advice, YMCA Eastleigh, Age UK, Two Saints housing, Guide Dogs, the Asian Welfare and Cultural Association Eastleigh, the Blue Cross and 1Community. I urge the Government to look again at what more they can do to support those charities, including reversing the increase to employer’s national insurance contributions. Liberal Democrats welcome the Government’s commitment to greater engagement with civil society as part of the civil society covenant. However, we urge the Government to make that covenant a reality and look again at policies that run counter to its spirit. I hope that the Minister will engage in further discussion with organisations such as the National Trust, which is facing a potential cost of around £50 million in income if it can no longer claim gift aid on membership subscriptions. At a time of rising costs, pressures and increased demand, the Government must do all they can to avoid adding additional burdens and barriers on our incredible membership-based charity organisations. Protecting gift aid, fundamentally addressing the crisis in charity funding, and honouring the commitments set out in the covenant are essential steps forward. Small and large membership-based charities safeguard our cultural and natural heritage, support vulnerable young people and families, strengthen community life and provide the services that the state all too often fails to cover. I urge the Government to take all necessary steps to support charities so that they can maximise their impact for the people and communities who depend on them.

• 9 Dec 2025 · Railways Bill · Hansard source

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  It is a pleasure to contribute to this debate. I am proud to represent a railway town. Eastleigh has a long railway heritage. However, over the past year, my constituents have been subjected to lots of delays and cancellations, all while paying a premium for the privilege of travelling by train. I agree that the current structure of the rail industry is too fragmented and in need of reform. A long-term strategy, clearer accountability and a coherent approach to infrastructure and operations are well overdue. However, one of the biggest tests of this Bill is whether it will improve services and increase accessibility and safety. I campaigned successfully to keep ticket offices at our local stations in Eastleigh open, because for many passengers, including disabled people, older travellers, the vulnerable and those with visual impairments, staffed stations are essential. Accessibility must be built into the system from the start, to ensure that people can travel with confidence. We need proper staffing arrangements, clear information, reliable lifts, step-free access and a design approach that works for all passengers, not just the most agile or those most familiar with the system. Integrating rail infrastructure and operations under one public body is not inherently controversial. However, what the Government have designed here looks more like a top-down body answerable to Ministers, rather than a modern, customer-focused railway. We have seen what over-centralisation looks like in practice, and it rarely leads to better outcomes for passengers. How will the Minister ensure that Great British Railways is genuinely accountable to passengers, not just to central Government? To address the concerns of passengers, we need a much stronger and genuinely independent passenger voice in the system. People need to know there is someone who will stand up for them when services fall short. I also hope the Minister will look at expanding discount schemes for young people. My constituency is lucky to have two fantastic colleges that draw students from across the region, with many travelling to Eastleigh by train. Keeping travel affordable is essential to allow them to access their education without the cost of the journey becoming an obstacle. Eastleigh deserves a railway that is reliable, affordable and fit for the future. This Bill contains some welcome measures, but it needs to go further to bring about the transformation of Britain’s railways that our country needs and passengers deserve.

• 8 Dec 2025 · Digital ID · Hansard source

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  It is a pleasure to serve under your chairship, Ms Furniss. I welcome the opportunity to speak in this debate on behalf of the 4,000 people from my constituency who have signed the e-petition. They are deeply alarmed by the Government’s plans to introduce mandatory digital ID. They would rather see action on the issues that really matter: they want our NHS fixed, the cost of living crisis addressed and public services improved. At a time when GP waiting times are still sky-high, social care is in crisis and our NHS is stretched beyond breaking point, it is extraordinary that the Government are prioritising an enormous centralised database of everyone’s personal information. For decades, the British public has consistently rejected mandatory ID schemes, and with good reason. In an increasingly tech-driven world, the Government must work to empower individuals and give us more control over our own data and privacy, rather than empowering the state to gather, centralise and exploit ever more information. Handing over unprecedented volumes of personal data is a recipe for intrusion and future abuse. Criminal gangs and unscrupulous employers—those that the Government claim to be targeting—would continue to bypass the rules. It is simply naive to suggest that mandatory digital ID is the fix to tackle the shadow economy. As we know, 5% of the UK population does not have internet access and there is a real risk of digital exclusion, which will hit older people, disabled people and those on low incomes. I also have concerns about how a mandatory digital system could lead to profiling and the real risk of function creep. Although the Government may try to reassure us that this scheme is limited in scope, the technology could have the capacity to fundamentally change the relationship between the individual and the state. Last year, in his first speech to the British public, the Prime Minister promised that the Government would tread “lightly” on our lives. It is hard to think of a proposal that contradicts that promise more starkly than a mandatory digital ID scheme. I urge the Government to scrap this ill-judged plan and turn their attention to the reforms that will genuinely improve lives. Mandatory digital ID will not fix our public services, get our economy going again or address the real challenges facing the country.

• 3 Dec 2025 · Engagements · Hansard source

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  Q14. My constituent Tracey owns O’Briens, a lovely café in the heart of Eastleigh. She works tirelessly to make it a success, but spiralling costs including business rates, VAT and the hike to employer national insurance contributions mean that she has not been able to take a salary for four months. David, the owner of Steam Town Brew Co and Jayne, the manager of the Holiday Inn in my constituency, say that their businesses will be impacted by the Government’s stealth tax on our high streets. They feel let down. Will the Prime Minister look again at the Liberal Democrats’ call for an emergency cut in VAT for hospitality?

• 4 Nov 2025 · Supporting High Streets · Hansard source

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  Britain’s high streets are the beating hearts of our communities. They serve as social hubs, cultural landmarks and vital sources of jobs and prosperity. Yet in my constituency, as in the rest of the country, our high streets are under immense pressure. Local residents are concerned when they see empty shopfronts in the town centre and in our local shopping centre. As we know, the growth of online shopping has changed the culture of retail, and that trend has only worsened as a result of the pandemic. According to Eastleigh business improvement district, footfall in Eastleigh town centre is 56% below pre-pandemic figures, which shows the depth of the decline that our high street has faced. Cuts to local bus services by Conservative-controlled Hampshire county council have left many residents without bus services. The impact on our high streets has been an afterthought for the county council, and our local businesses are starting to feel it. It is not just declining footfall hurting our local businesses; there is also the growing threat of retail crime. According to the Office for National Statistics, shoplifting increased by 13% in the year ending June 2025. I recently met a local retailer who had been the victim of shoplifting and lost thousands of pounds-worth of stock. We have all heard stories of staff members at retail shops being subjected to verbal abuse. The Government must tackle that issue head-on and with more urgency. We need a return to proper community policing to deal with that type of crime, which is why I have long campaigned for the reopening of Eastleigh police station. Pubs—of which there are 32 in my constituency—are perhaps the greatest symbol of our high streets. They are vital social gathering hubs for people to come together and feel part of their community. According to the British Beer and Pub Association, increases in costs after last year’s Budget mean that pubs now face a 9p loss per pint unless they raise prices by 21p. If the Government continue on this path, we risk losing the very pubs that enrich our high streets.

• 4 Nov 2025 · Supporting High Streets · Hansard source

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  My hon. Friend makes an excellent point, which I will address shortly. Independent businesses face an incredibly tough environment. The reduction in retail, hospitality and leisure relief from 75% to 40% effectively leaves small businesses subsidising large chains. We are incredibly lucky to have many thriving independent businesses in Eastleigh, including AC Models, O’Briens, Artisan, the Coffee Cabin and Choices sandwiches. My constituent David, who is the owner of Steam Town Brew Co., told me that higher staffing costs are hitting his business hard. The employer national insurance contributions increase disincentivises businesses from investing in local jobs. I have also spoken with local hairdressers, including Jemma from Jemma George Hair Artistry and Jane from Elite Salon in Chandler’s Ford, about the challenges they are facing. They are worried about structural flaws in the VAT system for labour-intensive businesses, challenges to the employer model within the industry, and the lingering impact of the covid pandemic. Those small businesses enrich our high streets, but they are having to fight so hard and work incredibly long hours to make themselves viable. We should be celebrating entrepreneurship, not putting more roadblocks in their way. The previous Government left business rates unreformed, negotiated a disastrous Brexit deal, and oversaw a massive spiral in energy costs, rents and interest rates, all of which piled incredible pressure on high street businesses. So many of the challenges that those businesses are facing have been caused by policy choices made over the past decade. For all of the Reform party’s showboating, we have seen no coherent plan from it. Indeed, its Members have not even bothered to show up to this debate. The Liberal Democrats are calling for business rates to be replaced with a commercial landowner levy, so that we tax the land value, not the productive investment. That would give struggling high streets the breathing space that they desperately need. It is wrong that households and high streets are being punished while big banks, gambling companies and social media giants get away without paying their fair share. We must shift the tax burden away from small and medium-sized businesses and on to those with the broadest shoulders. Our communities deserve better than short-term stunts and uncosted Tory headlines. They deserve a long-term plan to revive our high streets, restore pride in our towns and put small businesses at the centre of Britain’s economic recovery.

• 28 Oct 2025 · Support for Disabled Veterans · Hansard source

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  I thank the hon. Member for his intervention. I understand he has raised that issue in the House before, and no doubt the Minister will address it in due course. I pay tribute to the Royal British Legion, Help for Heroes and SSAFA for their advocacy on behalf of disabled veterans. The Royal British Legion’s “credit their service” campaign has highlighted that military compensation awarded for pain and loss in service is too often treated as ordinary income when people are means-tested for benefits, including council tax support, housing benefit and disabled facilities grants.

• 28 Oct 2025 · Support for Disabled Veterans · Hansard source

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  I am grateful for the opportunity to highlight the issues faced by disabled veterans. At the last census, more than 3,000 people in Eastleigh reported that they had previously served in the armed forces; of those people, 1,045 are classified as disabled. Veterans have made huge sacrifices for our country, yet too often they find that the systems that are meant to support them are inconsistent or simply not fit for purpose. I have previously raised the case of my constituent Mark Houghton MBE in this Chamber and written to the Minister about it. Mark is a decorated Army veteran who served with distinction for over two decades in the British Army. He was deployed in Afghanistan, Estonia and Latvia. In February this year, Mark suffered catastrophic injuries in an accident while working abroad. Mark cannot walk, yet he has been denied access to the personal independent payment and employment and support allowance because he did not reside in the UK for 18 months out of the last three years.

• 28 Oct 2025 · Support for Disabled Veterans · Hansard source

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  I agree with my hon. Friend. Too often, the system fails to provide a simple, supported handover to civilian healthcare, or advice on housing, employment and benefits. Charities and veterans’ groups are calling for an independent review of the medical discharge process across all services to make it consistent, compassionate and genuinely supportive, so that no disabled veteran falls through the cracks, or is left without the best possible support.

• 28 Oct 2025 · Support for Disabled Veterans · Hansard source

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  I thank my hon. Friend for her intervention. I am sure that the Minister will address that. Veterans who use Government services often report having to set out their veteran status or repeat details of their time in service to multiple agencies. The Government must establish improved collection and sharing of data to help deliver tailored support. Disabled veterans frequently struggle with the PIP process, as the complex forms and assessments can be difficult to navigate, and the situation is made worse by the need to repeat traumatic information. When health and benefit systems fail, financial hardship is the result. According to the Trussell Trust, veterans are twice as likely to run out of food as people who have never served in the armed forces, and a third of veterans with a physical disability or mental condition regularly go without the essentials. I hope that the Government will tackle that in the Budget next month, and will ensure that veterans never have to struggle to cover the essentials. We know that financial insecurity and poor living conditions can make health conditions worse, so there needs to be greater urgency in ensuring that the benefit system supports the nation’s heroes with the cost of living.

• 28 Oct 2025 · Stamp Duty Land Tax · Hansard source

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  Stamp duty land tax is one of the most unfair and outdated taxes in our system. It punishes aspiration, locks people out of home ownership and blocks up the housing market. I have heard from constituents who are first-time buyers struggling to get a foothold on the housing ladder because of the amount of stamp duty they are expected to pay. Eastleigh’s Liberal Democrat-run borough council has a strong record of building homes to meet local demand, but according to the Office for National Statistics, the average price of a house in Eastleigh is still £313,000, which is unaffordable for many. It is simply wrong that the dream of home ownership has drifted so far out of reach of so many people. My constituent Tom and his wife are a young couple who have spent the past two years desperately trying to buy their first home. In the haste to get the purchase through before the end of the stamp duty holiday, they missed key checks and accepted extra costs just to complete the purchase. As someone who grew up in rented accommodation, with everything that goes with it, I find it so incredibly disappointing that, at a time when we should be doing everything possible to make home ownership accessible, the system instead creates obstacles for those simply trying to put down roots and start a family in a home of their own. As we know, there is a housing crisis. The private rental market is expensive and insecure, far too few homes are available for social rent and poor-quality housing is damaging people’s health. The Government must tackle the root causes by increasing the building of new homes to 380,000 a year, including 150,000 social homes a year, ensuring that every community has access to secure and genuinely affordable housing. The entire system of property taxation from council tax to stamp duty is wholly unfit for purpose. Reforms must be fair, comprehensive and forward looking. That means setting out a clear plan, not an uncosted headline or a short-term Treasury grab. I hope the Government will replace this outdated, unfair tax with a modern, more efficient system that supports social mobility and economic growth, and that reignites the dream of home ownership for all generations, but I am afraid I will not be supporting this ill-thought-out and uncosted motion.

• 27 Oct 2025 · Topical Questions · Hansard source

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  T8. Many young care leavers living in supported housing want to increase their hours at work but find themselves caught in the benefits trap. YMCA Eastleigh tells me that this is impacting care leavers in my constituency. What recent discussions has the Minister had with Cabinet colleagues on reforms to the tax and benefit system to make work pay for young care leavers?

• 16 Oct 2025 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  My constituent Mark Houghton MBE served his country in the British Army for more than 20 years. In February, while working abroad, he was seriously injured in an accident that has left him unable to walk. Mark is now back in the UK and receiving treatment, but he is not currently entitled to any further support because he had been working abroad for two out of the last three years. Does the Leader of the House agree that our veterans deserve to be treated with dignity and respect, and will he allow for a debate in Government time on support for disabled veterans?

• 3 Sept 2025 · Hospitality Sector · Hansard source

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  The hospitality industry in Eastleigh contributes £113 million every year, generates £56 million in economic value, employs 1,805 people and sustains 84 pubs, cafés, restaurants and hotels. My constituent Lorraine, the landlady of the Master Builder pub in West End, saw her wage bill rise by £1,500 compared with the same month last year despite having no extra staff. She now works 70 hours a week, earning the equivalent of £5 an hour, and in the past two years she has had just five days off. Jane is the manager of the Holiday Inn in Eastleigh, a popular base for those wishing to watch cricket at the Utilita Bowl and for families wanting to explore Peppa Pig World at Paultons Park nearby. She tells me that they have been unable to fill vacancies because of the increased payroll burden from national insurance hikes. David, the owner of Steam Town Brew Co, tells me that for a part-time member of staff doing just 10 hours a week, costs have risen by more than 9% year on year. For small breweries such as his, these increases make it harder to keep staff on, to recruit and to invest in local jobs. Does the Minister acknowledge that the changes to employer national insurance contributions act as a disincentive for small, labour-intensive businesses—