Louise Sandher-Jones MP: speeches

Speeches

• 19 Mar 2025 · Winter Fuel Payment · Hansard source

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  I very much thank the hon. Lady for those comments. I know she vociferously criticised pay rises for public sector workers in her speech, so I am glad to have clarified that. The winter fuel payment was a policy that the Labour Government introduced in 1997, and it stands as one of the great achievements of that Labour Administration. When it was brought in, pensioner poverty was significantly higher than what we face today, and it made a real difference to many pensioners who were struggling with heating, eating, and many other living costs. Along with many things that that Government achieved, we had the shortest NHS waiting times in history, we brought crime down, and we created Sure Start, which made a difference to many young people’s lives. We had record results in schools, we introduced the Disability Discrimination Act 2005, and we brought in the first ever Climate Change Act in 2008. All those things made a huge difference to the lives of people in this country, in particular pensioners.

• 19 Mar 2025 · Winter Fuel Payment · Hansard source

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  I will keep going, because I have been speaking for a long time and I know that lots of Members want to get in. I am terribly sorry. To cut to the chase, the Government are determined to fix the foundations of this country, sort out the systemic issues that we face, tackle the cost of living and deliver an NHS fit for everybody in this country.

• 19 Mar 2025 · Winter Fuel Payment · Hansard source

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  I am fully committed to bringing forward all our manifesto commitments, including the triple lock for pensioners, fixing the systemic issues facing the country and tackling the backlog in the NHS. Our record is something to be proud of so far.

• 13 Mar 2025 · NHS England Update · Hansard source

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  I thank the Secretary of State for the boldness of his statement. It will take courage to bring about the change that my constituents desperately want, and it is great that Labour is showing that courage. My constituents, particularly those in Killamarsh, really struggle with access to GPs. Could the Secretary of State assure me that this will redirect vital resources from bureaucracy to serving those in need on the frontline?

• 26 Feb 2025 · British Indian Ocean Territory · Hansard source

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  The fact that the Opposition have picked this topic again is very symbolic to me. They have decided that their outright rejection by the electorate last year is based not on the fact that they had not done a good job of delivering improvements to what my constituents care about, but on their making the mistake of getting the vibes wrong. So they spend their time putting out little pictures online, vowing to defend western civilisation, informing us that they are Conservative realists and again debating the Chagos islands. We could have chosen to discuss health and the NHS. My constituents in Killamarsh frequently have issues accessing GP appointments, because we simply do not have enough GPs. NHS dentist appointments for adults are almost non-existent, so I welcome the recent announcement of several thousand extra appointments in Derbyshire. Perhaps we could have heard what the Conservatives’ solution to those issues would be—

• 4 Dec 2024 · Employer National Insurance Contributions · Hansard source

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  A former Conservative leader once had the famous phrase, “There is no magic money tree.” Sadly, that is a lesson that Opposition Members have yet to learn. Let us be clear about the economic situation that we are facing. In July, when the Conservatives left office, the tax burden was at a 70-year high, and they left us with a £22 billion black hole in our public finances. This is their legacy and they must live with it: confidence in public services is at an all-time low, and the tax burden at an all-time high. They could not even deliver on their promises in my constituency. If they had chosen to invest the money needed into our NHS, they would have seen the benefits. If they had invested the money in our schools, they would have seen the benefits. If they had funded our armed services to take on the challenges of tomorrow, we would all see the benefits. Instead, when I look at the primary care centre in Clay Cross, I see hard-working health staff let down by the former Government. When I look at Killamarsh junior school, again, I see hard-working staff and young children let down by this former Government. As I speak to my former Army colleagues, I see no improvement in the situation there either, thanks to the former Government. We must take action. It is our duty as a Government to take the hard choices necessary. I believe that in the long run, this is a positive and necessary step for our UK economy, public services and workforce. National insurance contributions are the backbone of funding for our essential services such as healthcare and pensions, and my voters chose that.

• 11 Nov 2024 · Rural Affairs · Hansard source

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  The shadow Secretary of State says that she opposes the changes. Will she commit to reversing them, and which public services would she cut—for example, which NHS services?

• 17 Oct 2024 · Multi-sport Grassroots Facilities · Hansard source

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  Access to those facilities is vital for mental health and community cohesion, no more so than in the small towns and villages that make up my constituency. Does the Minister agree that even in places like that we must have equal access to such facilities?