Lucy Powell MP: speeches 2024

Speeches

• 12 Dec 2024 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  We can all relate to my hon. Friend’s question on the blight of dementia and the suffering of those who have it and of their families. The Government are committed to tackling those issues. The matter has been raised in business questions a number of times, so I am sure it would make a popular Backbench Business debate were he to apply for one.

• 12 Dec 2024 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  I join my hon. Friend in congratulating Bradford as the city of culture. She is absolutely right to point out how much of our British culture is rooted in our northern cities like Bradford, Manchester and others—Chorley and elsewhere, Mr Speaker. I am sure that will make a great topic for a debate.

• 12 Dec 2024 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  I thank the hon. Member for that question. Obviously, this is a growing issue, as we see the effects of climate change in many of our communities. He will know that the Government’s floods resilience taskforce is at work trying to co-ordinate many of these issues. We have been forthcoming with statements and updates to the House on our flood resilience, and I will ensure that that remains the case.

• 12 Dec 2024 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  Absolutely. I know from my constituency what a shocking scandal this is. As my hon. Friend knows, the Government are committed to full leasehold and commonhold reform; the Minister for Housing and Planning is sitting next to me nodding his head. We will consult next year on proposals to strengthen the regulation of managing agents.

• 12 Dec 2024 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  I absolutely will. My hon. Friend has been a dogged campaigner for Doncaster airport, and I am thrilled that he got to see the first flight to that airport in many years. I also congratulate Mayor Ros Jones and 2Excel on all the work that they are doing to ensure that this important airport in my hon. Friend’s constituency goes from strength to strength.

• 12 Dec 2024 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  May I join the hon. Member in congratulating and thanking Freda and John for their very generous activities and all their fundraising work? He is absolutely right that we should all come together as often as we can in this House to congratulate and celebrate our constituents for the great work that they do.

• 12 Dec 2024 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  My hon. Friend is absolutely right to raise this important matter. It is clear that foreign donations to political parties in this country are not allowed, but the Government do recognise the risk posed by malign actors who seek to interfere with and undermine our democratic processes. I am sure that the relevant Secretary of State will want to continue to update the House on this important matter.

• 12 Dec 2024 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  I thank my hon. Friend for raising this important matter. He is right to highlight the importance of grassroots sport, culture and others to our local communities and high streets. He will be aware that we have a curriculum review at the moment. We are also ensuring there is funding for grassroots sport in England, and he might want to note that the Government’s plans for devolution and supporting our high streets will be announced imminently to this House.

• 12 Dec 2024 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  I certainly join my hon. Friend in congratulating the primary school in her constituency on its Ofsted rating being turned around. She is right to highlight that we need to support schools in making sure that they support everybody, especially those with special educational needs, to get the education they deserve.

• 12 Dec 2024 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  I thank my hon. Friend for raising that important issue. As she knows, the national prescribing position in England remains that gluten-free bread and mixes are provided to everybody who requires them, but, as she says, the local integrated care boards are now responsible for arranging provision in their areas. I will ensure that the Health Secretary has heard her question and gives her a full reply.

• 12 Dec 2024 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  I do join my hon. Friend in hoping for a cruelty-free Christmas. She raises important issues on which we have a number of manifesto commitments. She will know that they are not currently in the legislative programme for this Session, but I am aware of the strength of feeling, and I am sure that things will be brought forward in the usual way.

• 12 Dec 2024 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  The hon. Gentleman is absolutely right that nuclear will play an important part in our ambition to be a clean energy superpower by 2030, a target I am sure he will join me in welcoming. I assure him that he will have the opportunity to question the Secretary of State on this matter very soon.

• 12 Dec 2024 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  I thank the hon. Lady for raising the issue of special educational needs. She is entirely right: the crisis that was left in SEND support in our schools was appalling—it was one of the terrible legacies of the Conservative Government— and demand is higher than ever. This is one of the big issues facing the education sector, which is why in the Budget, as the hon. Lady rightly pointed out, we announced an extra £1 billion for SEND, the biggest uplift that it has received for many years. Of course, that will not solve all the problems overnight; it is a down payment on the work that we will do, and are already doing, to reform SEND and get the resources in, which is vital to our education sector. The hon. Lady also raised the issue of teachers’ pay. I am proud that one of this Government’s first acts was to agree to the independent pay review body’s recommendation of the pay rise that they had long deserved, and we will continue to support our education sector in respect of all its needs.

• 12 Dec 2024 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  The situation the hon. Gentleman describes with the film set in Keighley is deeply concerning; I will ensure that he gets a full reply about it. The Crown Estates Bill will shortly be coming back to the House, so there may be an opportunity for him to raise the issue during its passage.

• 12 Dec 2024 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  I am happy to look into that issue for the right hon. Lady. As she knows, we have had a big drive to ensure that pensioners who are eligible for pension credit get it. We have also put extra resources into the household support fund budget for local authorities. She highlights an issue about Departments working together better to ensure that support gets to those who need it most, and I will take up her question.

• 12 Dec 2024 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  My hon. Friend is absolutely right. It is important that our border security force is staffed by the brightest and the best who want to work with it, and I will ensure that the Home Secretary gives my hon. Friend a full response on this case.

• 12 Dec 2024 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  I am incredibly sorry and disappointed to hear of the harassment being perpetrated against elected officials in my hon. Friend’s constituency, and the whole House will have heard his calls. I hope the leadership of Reform and other parties that may be carrying out such harassment will hear his question and take action against those thugs, because we need to defend democracy and our elected representatives at all costs.

• 12 Dec 2024 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  I thank my hon. Friend for raising this important topic. Tackling rural crime is really important to the Government, and we are committed to safeguarding our rural communities. Were he to apply for a debate on the subject, I think it would be very popular.

• 12 Dec 2024 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  The hon. Gentleman might want to raise this matter at Northern Ireland questions when we return. In the meantime, I will ensure that Ministers have heard his question.

• 12 Dec 2024 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  The impact of LED lights in road traffic accidents is an important issue. I will indeed ensure that the hon. Gentleman gets a full response from a Minister, or that a Minister comes to the House.

• 12 Dec 2024 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  The Government continue to call on the Georgian Government to halt their move away from democratic norms and their isolation from western partners, and we continue to condemn the excessive use of force against protesters and journalists. My hon. Friend mentions the important issue of holding companies operating in that area. I think I heard the Chair of the Backbench Business Committee, the hon. Member for Harrow East (Bob Blackman), highlight a debate that might be a good opportunity for my hon. Friend to raise that matter.

• 12 Dec 2024 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  May I start by saying how appalled I am—I am sure the whole House is—about the details that have emerged on the murder of Sara Sharif? May I say, on behalf of the Government, that nothing is more important than keeping children safe? We are committed to further reform of children’s social care and much stronger safeguards for children being taken into home education. That is long overdue and further details will be announced imminently. I take this opportunity to congratulate the new Chair of the Liaison Committee, my hon. Friend the Member for Hackney South and Shoreditch (Dame Meg Hillier). I know the Prime Minister is very much looking forward to his regular appearances before it. I also congratulate my hon. Friend the Member for North Northumberland (David Smith) on his appointment as the UK special envoy for freedom of religion or belief. I am sure he is looking forward to his very frequent and very regular meetings with the hon. Member for Strangford (Jim Shannon). I also remind the House that the Modernisation Committee’s call for views ends next Monday. We have had huge interest in this agenda from Members old and new. I encourage everyone to submit their ideas. I thought we might have had a little bit more Christmas cheer from the right hon. Member for Hereford and South Herefordshire (Jesse Norman), but it was another rather strange and confused contribution. Perhaps he can work on his Christmas jokes a bit more ahead of next week’s business questions. Let me share some merry news instead, Mr Speaker. We are making the big changes that people voted for: rebuilding Britain and fixing the mess that the Conservatives left us; reshaping the state and society to put ordinary people at the front of the queue. Over half our King’s Speech programme is progressing through Parliament: the biggest change for workers in a generation, giving security and dignity at work; putting powers back in the hands of renters so that they can get the secure, quality tenancies they deserve; switching on Great British Energy for lower bills and energy security; bringing rail services back into public ownership, already delivering better reliability; taking on water bosses to clean up our waterways; and reforming our planning laws to build more affordable homes. The right hon. Gentleman does not like it, but nobody can deny that these are the big necessary changes in the service of ordinary people, rooted in our values. And yes, we have a plan for change—the right hon. Gentleman asked about it—and we are delivering it. The country voted for change: they voted to change from the Conservatives’ government and record; they voted to improve their living standards; they voted to change the NHS; and they voted because they wanted this country to be fixed. He raises defence and social care spending. Perhaps that is his best Christmas joke so far, because the Conservatives’ record on that is woeful. We will not take any lectures from them on that, I am afraid. The truth is that we are six weeks into the new Leader of the Opposition’s tenure and the Conservatives’ strategy for opposition is as clear as mud. They seem to have learnt nothing. They have no new ideas. They disown their record one day and defend it the next. Perhaps instead of the right hon. Gentleman’s ridiculous tired commentary, they could reflect and apologise for the mess they left, and ensure that the country gets the change it deserves.

• 12 Dec 2024 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  I would rather not talk about sport today, as a Manchester City fan. Anyway, I certainly join the hon. Member in congratulating McLaren. My son is a big Formula 1 fan and has all the McLaren gear, so it does not go unnoticed in my house. McLaren is a Great British icon and on behalf of the Government, I congratulate it.

• 11 Dec 2024 · Intelligence and Security Committee of Parliament · Hansard source

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  May I take this opportunity to pass on my thanks, and the thanks of the Government and the whole House, for the right hon. Gentleman’s exemplary work as Chair of the Committee over many years and in challenging times? We are incredibly grateful for his work, and I want to put that on the record. I echo the right hon. Gentleman’s remarks about the brilliant work of the director and the secretariat, and about the importance of maintaining their independence so that they are able to do that work freely. As he says, it is vital to this House and the country that the Committee is, remains and is seen to be totally independent, and that it can speak truth to power where it needs to. I commend the motion to the House. Question put and agreed to.

• 5 Dec 2024 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  Community pharmacies play a vital role in ensuring that healthcare is delivered and is based in our communities. I will ensure that the Department of Health and Social Care has heard my hon. Friend’s question today. It would make a good Backbench Business or Westminster Hall debate, as I know there is a vacancy for them.