Lucy Powell MP: speeches 2025

Speeches

• 3 Jul 2025 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  I take this opportunity to congratulate my hon. Friend on his leadership on this issue and on getting Wortley’s Wembley—what a great title—back into use. I thank Leeds United and all those in the local community who have been involved, because I know just how important this project will be for his community. What a great achievement in his first year as a new Member of Parliament to get it off the ground.

• 3 Jul 2025 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  I am sorry to hear about Katherine’s case and I shall certainly raise it with Ministers. My hon. Friend raises a broader point that needs addressing.

• 3 Jul 2025 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  I absolutely join my hon. Friend in paying tribute to all those who recognised and contributed to Armed Forces Day in his constituency. At last week’s questions we heard many such accounts from across the country, and it always warms my heart to hear about them; I thank him for bringing that to us.

• 3 Jul 2025 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  I can confirm that my hon. Friend’s constituency is indeed beautiful, having recently visited with her, as well as for a family holiday. She is absolutely right that the proliferation of holiday lets is becoming a real challenge for tourist hotspots like hers. This Government are taking steps. We have some measures in the Renters’ Rights Bill, but further conversations will be taken forward, and I am sure that we will work with her and others on that.

• 3 Jul 2025 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  I absolutely join my hon. Friend in congratulating the Bumble Bees rugby club in her constituency, and Tessa Lightowler on carrying the GB flag in the recent championships. I am sure the whole House will join in congratulating all our disabled athletes on the contribution they make, and in recognising the importance of their being able to do so.

• 3 Jul 2025 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  Maybe my hon. Friend is becoming one of Madam Deputy Speaker’s new favourites— rightly so. I congratulate Jo Doyle and all of those at Sir Frederick Gibberd college on the fantastic work they have done to turn the school around and provide such a quality education to young people in Harlow.

• 3 Jul 2025 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  As ever, the hon. Gentleman raises an incredibly serious issue. He will know that we continue to urge the Government of Pakistan to fully investigate incidents of violence, prosecute those responsible, and provide justice to victims and their families. As a Government, we are committed to defending freedom of religion and belief for all, wherever those issues exist.

• 3 Jul 2025 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  The right hon. Gentleman is absolutely right. The Government recognise that the situation in Sudan at the moment is one of the worst in the world, which is why we are providing so much aid to Sudan. We have announced lifesaving funding for over 650,000 Sudanese people and the Foreign Secretary was keen to make Sudan one of his first visits when he came into office. The right hon. Gentleman will be aware that we have updated the House a number of times through statements, but I take on board what he says and I will ensure that hon. Members are kept updated as things go forward.

• 3 Jul 2025 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  My hon. Friend is not the first Member today to raise the issue of her constituency’s post office services, which are vital. Post offices provide a huge range of services, many of which have now gone from our communities and high streets, including access to cash and banking services. I am sorry to hear of the proposed closure of the post office in her constituency. I join her in putting pressure on Post Office Ltd to look at these issues and make sure it takes on board the local MP’s concerns.

• 3 Jul 2025 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  I thank my hon. Friend for that lovely invitation. I think the Health Secretary, who is in his place, owes me a drink, so he might want to come with me to Northwich to have a little taste of a piña colada. I encourage Members from across the House to have a cocktail in Northwich very soon.

• 3 Jul 2025 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  I congratulate my hon. Friend on bringing forward her Bill, which highlights the value that sports facilities such as Concordia leisure centre bring to our communities. They should be valued and, as a Government, we do value them. We are bringing forward measures so that communities can keep them in their control.

• 3 Jul 2025 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  The nuisance caused by e-bikes, and their regulation and safety, is of concern to Members across the House. We have taken steps and are looking into these issues further, and I will ensure that my hon. Friend and the rest of the House are kept updated.

• 3 Jul 2025 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  I am really sorry to hear about the frustration that roadworks are causing in the hon. Member’s constituency. I am sure that we have all had that experience of seeing roadwork signs but no work happening, just all the disruption instead. I shall certainly raise that with Ministers for him. As he rightly says, this is a matter for Transport for London, and I am sure it has heard his question, but I will ensure he gets a response.

• 3 Jul 2025 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  I am really sorry to hear about my hon. Friend’s constituent’s experience, especially at the point in her life of leaving someone abusing her at home. I know the Safeguarding Minister is focused on these matters, and I will ensure that she updates him.

• 3 Jul 2025 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  The business for the week commencing 7 July is as follows: Monday 7 July—Second Reading of the Pension Schemes Bill. Tuesday 8 July—Remaining stages of the Football Governance Bill [ Lords ]. Wednesday 9 July—Committee of the whole House and remaining stages of the Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payment Bill. Thursday 10 July—General debate on the attainment and engagement of boys in education, followed by general debate on children’s health. The subjects for these debates was determined by the Backbench Business Committee. Friday 11 July—Private Members’ Bills. The provisional business for the week commencing 14 July will include: Monday 14 July—Committee of the whole House and remaining stages of the Deprivation of Citizenship Orders (Effect during Appeal) Bill, following which the Chairman of Ways and Means is expected to name opposed private business for consideration. Tuesday 15 July—Opposition day (9th allotted day). Debate on a motion in the name of the official Opposition. Subject to be announced.

• 3 Jul 2025 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  I am really sorry to hear that fire and rehire is still happening across the country, particularly in relation to teaching assistants. That is why I am so pleased and proud that we introduced the Employment Rights Bill. It has gone through this House and is now making its way through the House of Lords. I am sure it will receive Royal Assent by the autumn, and we can end fire and rehire for good.

• 3 Jul 2025 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  As I said previously, the Bill is now considerably narrower in scope. It does protect the incomes of those who currently receive universal health support. We are absolutely committed, through the Timms review, to the principles of co-production, which is why we are now removing from the Bill all references to the personal independence payment going forward. Co-production will mean co-production, and I hope it will mean some consensus around those issues. That is why we are taking forward the Committee stage of this much narrower and shorter Bill next week before we undertake the Timms review.

• 3 Jul 2025 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  Absolutely. The anti-bullying strategy in the schools in my hon. Friend’s constituency sounds like a bit of training that many of us should go on.

• 3 Jul 2025 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  I thank the right hon. Member for raising this important issue. As he says, the situation in Gaza—the suffering, the killing, the lack of aid and support—is totally intolerable and unacceptable, and needs to be brought to an end. That is what this Government have focused on doing in all their efforts in the middle east. We once again hold some hope of that ceasefire happening. He raises an important point about children who need hospital care and treatment. I will gladly arrange for a Minister to meet him and a delegation of others to talk about how the UK Government can play our part.

• 3 Jul 2025 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  I am sorry to hear what happened to Joanne. This issue is raised with me regularly during these sessions; people’s lives are being put at risk by poor regulation and the poor training of many people in the cosmetic sector. We will soon bring forward and publish proposals in response to the consultation on the licensing of non-surgical and surgical cosmetic procedures in England.

• 3 Jul 2025 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  I am really sorry to hear of the incident in the hon. Member’s constituency, and I am sure his constituents are very grateful for the leadership he has shown in tackling the after-effects of it. He is right to raise the challenge of insurance companies. We need to make sure that there are rights of recourse for customers and consumers, and that insurance companies are offering the service we need them to offer, because it is vital that people can rely on insurance.

• 3 Jul 2025 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  My hon. Friend is always a good candidate to call early, because he asks good questions about his constituency. He is absolutely right that poorly managed roadworks are a blight on our communities; I hear about that many times in these sessions. We are giving local areas more powers in that regard and are doubling fines and applying charges of up to £10,000 a day for utility works that overrun. He can be assured that the devolution Bill will be coming before this House imminently.

• 3 Jul 2025 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  My hon. Friend will be pleased to know that I have just announced that the Second Reading of the Pension Schemes Bill will take place next week. There has been a great deal of discussion of these issues when putting together that piece of legislation, because it is vital that constituents like hers are able to get the value that they need from their pension schemes going forward.

• 3 Jul 2025 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  My hon. Friend is absolutely right: if we want to have a digital NHS and digital services that people can access, we need to make sure that we have the infrastructure, the broadband and the mobile data capability to match our ambition. There are lots of opportunities for him to raise this issue in the House, but I will ensure that a Minister takes up his cause after today.

• 3 Jul 2025 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  I am pleased to hear of the leadership that councillors in my hon. Friend’s constituency have brought to this matter. He is absolutely right: Islamophobia is a scourge across our society. We must do more to work together to stamp it out.