Lucy Powell MP: speeches

Speeches

• 26 Jun 2025 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  I am!

• 26 Jun 2025 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  The right hon. Lady is right that fly-tipping and waste can blight communities and are a real problem, though I must say that incidents sky-rocketed and prosecutions fell under the previous Government. That is why we are taking steps through the Crime and Policing Bill to give police and local authorities more powers to take off-road vehicles off the streets and to take tougher action on fly-tippers.

• 26 Jun 2025 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  Absolutely. We are proud of the free breakfast clubs that we are introducing. We are also proud that we are extending free school meals to all those on universal credit, because it is critical to every child’s learning that they are not going hungry.

• 26 Jun 2025 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  We urgently need to restore public trust in the water sector; that is particularly true of Thames Water, whose performance has been extremely poor over many years. There are lots of concerns about it. As the hon. Gentleman will be aware, we brought in the Water (Special Measures) Act 2025, the first step to reforming our water system. We have commissioned a deep look at the water governance sector. Further announcements will be coming on that, hopefully before the recess.

• 26 Jun 2025 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  I thank my hon. Friend for raising this important matter during Armed Forces Week. I am really sorry to hear that there has not been a response forthcoming. She is absolutely right to raise the issue of the mental health trauma suffered by many of our veterans, and the need to do more to support them in the community. I will make sure that a response is forthcoming.

• 26 Jun 2025 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  My hon. Friend gives us a great advert for all that is going on in her constituency. These sorts of events are important for attracting visitors and tourists to her constituency, Yorkshire and beyond.

• 26 Jun 2025 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  I fully share my hon. Friend’s frustrations with our leasehold system, and the charges and difficulties that many leaseholders face. He will know that we are acting quickly to implement the provisions of the Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024, and there is more coming on that very soon, including the measures to drive up the transparency of service charges and ensure that they can be challenged more easily by leaseholders.

• 26 Jun 2025 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  I join the hon. Member in congratulating schools in his constituency on their recent Ofsted ratings. The schools in all our constituencies do an amazing job in not just educating our young people, but giving them that full life experience about how to be good citizens—and good British citizens as well. We thank them for all their work.

• 26 Jun 2025 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  I join the hon. Gentleman in thanking all those involved in citizenAID in his constituency. It sounds like a great initiative. He is absolutely right: we need more contingency provision and to train people up so they know what to do during these kinds of incidents. When they happen, we always rely on volunteers and volunteer organisations like the one he has described. This sounds like a good topic for an Adjournment debate.

• 26 Jun 2025 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  I absolutely join my hon. Friend in wishing everybody a happy Sma’ Shot Day celebration and all that involves, and I congratulate Tony Lawler on 30 fantastic years of service to that rich history and festival. She is right: as a Labour Government, we celebrate the advancement of workers’ rights and all the history involved.

• 26 Jun 2025 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  We have all been shocked by these cases; I am sorry to hear about what Liz has suffered. For so many years, those who were gay were not able to be in the armed forces. That they were treated in such appalling ways, getting criminal records and losing the jobs they adored, is truly shocking. I was really pleased that we recently had a debate on these matters on the Floor of the House, but I will absolutely ensure that she and other Members are updated on the delivery of that compensation scheme and of justice for those involved.

• 26 Jun 2025 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  My hon. Friend is right that maternal mental health is a critical issue to the development of a child. I have long been involved in the initiative on the first 1,001 days—from conception to the age of two—with former Leader of the House Andrea Leadsom, and I will be visiting such services in my constituency tomorrow; let me get that plug in. I assure my hon. Friend that these sorts of issues will be covered in the NHS 10-year plan, which will come to this House very shortly.

• 26 Jun 2025 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  I absolutely join my hon. Friend in congratulating Danielle and David on the upcoming birth of their child. It is so important, as a parent, to be able to drive around, so I am sorry to hear about the delays they are experiencing. This matter gets raised with me lots at business questions. The Government have recently taken steps to deal with the abuse of and the huge backlog in the driving test system. We are delivering around 10,000 additional driving tests, but I will ensure that the House is updated on the matter.

• 26 Jun 2025 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  I am sorry to hear of Rob Howard’s ill health. My hon. Friend raises a much broader and more important point about the Reform party in local government. Reform is committed to reducing the head- count in local government, and its councillors clearly got the memo and are acting on it; they are resigning in droves.

• 26 Jun 2025 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  As the hon. Lady is the MP for the Glastonbury festival site—or an area close to the site—may I join her in welcoming all those going to the festival this weekend, where it is likely to be very hot? She raises an important point about the Gypsy/Roma community and the need to support it where we can. This would make a really good topic for a debate.

• 26 Jun 2025 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  I am really sorry to hear about this case. My hon. Friend is right that five years is unacceptably slow. The performance of the Pensions Ombudsman has been raised with me in previous business questions, and I am happy to take this up directly for her. She is right that such delays are just not acceptable.

• 26 Jun 2025 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  I shall. The business for the week commencing 30 June includes: Monday 30 June—Second Reading of the Deprivation of Citizenship Orders (Effect during Appeal) Bill. Tuesday 1 July—Second Reading of the Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payment Bill. Wednesday 2 July—Consideration of Lords message to the Armed Forces Commissioner Bill, followed by a motion to approve the draft Armed Forces Act 2006 (Continuation) Order 2025, followed by a motion to approve a statutory instrument relating to terrorism. Thursday 3 July—Debate on a motion on financial redress for 1950s women impacted by Department for Work and Pensions maladministration of state pension age changes, followed by a general debate on mobile phone thefts. The subjects for these debates were determined by the Backbench Business Committee. Friday 4 July—Private Members’ Bills. The provisional business for the week commencing 7 July will include: 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—Business to be determined by the Backbench Business Committee. Friday 11 July—Private Members’ Bills.

• 26 Jun 2025 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  The Government recognise, and we all recognise, that access to fertility treatment is variable across the country. We are considering these issues as part of our broader plans for the NHS. I will ensure that my hon. Friend and the rest of the House are kept updated.

• 26 Jun 2025 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  Obviously, I cannot comment on specific cases, but this one sounds truly shocking. Clause 48 of the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill will give the Home Secretary powers to refuse refugee status to those convicted of any sexual offence, even when it does not result in a prison sentence of 12 months or more. We are determined to ensure that those who commit such crimes do not get the right to stay in this country.

• 26 Jun 2025 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  My hon. Friend has campaigned on these issues for a long time. We have not yet voted on, or even considered, the Bill. We will have an extensive and, I am sure, thorough parliamentary process in which to do that. I ask colleagues to think about the principles of welfare reform on Second Reading, and to then really drill down into the details of the Bill as it passes through Parliament. We have engaged with the disabled community. We will continue to engage with colleagues from across the House and with stakeholders as we consider not just this Bill but the further welfare reform that is needed, which has to be, as I say, compassionate and considered, so that we have a system that is there for the long term for those who need it most.

• 26 Jun 2025 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  Absolutely. Fly-tipping and littering are a blight on many of our communities, which is why I am proud that this Government are finally acting by giving councils and the police the powers they need to seize and crush many of these vehicles. My hon. Friend will know that I recently took part in a vehicle-crushing exercise with my local police, and I recommend it to others.

• 26 Jun 2025 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  A citizens panel in Bournemouth sounds like a fantastic initiative, bringing people together to revitalise the great town she represents.

• 26 Jun 2025 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  As someone who also represents many family businesses, I know this is an issue of concern, but we had to take difficult decisions in our Budget to ensure that we have money going into our national health service to reduce waiting lists, and into our skills sector and education, and that meant looking at those with the broadest shoulders, including inheritance tax, so that we can restore our public services to where they need to be.

• 26 Jun 2025 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  My hon. Friend sounds like a dog with a bone. This is an important issue that is raised with many of us by our constituents. I will ensure that the Minister updates him and, if necessary, the whole House.

• 26 Jun 2025 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  My hon. Friend makes a very strong case. She is absolutely right that, after decades of failure under the SNP Government, local people are crying out for change. We gave the Scottish Government the largest budget settlement in their history, and they have no excuse for not using it well.