Lucy Powell MP: speeches

Speeches

• 21 Nov 2024 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  My hon. Friend is absolutely right to raise the issues facing Felixstowe in her constituency, and she is spot on when she mentions linking our ports with our rail and road infrastructure, so that we can take advantage of our unique aspects as a trading, island nation. I will make sure that the Secretary of State responds to her letter forthwith.

• 21 Nov 2024 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  I join my hon. Friend in congratulating and thanking the charity in his constituency for all the work that it does to end homelessness in Rugby. He points out the vital role that volunteers play in supporting our communities, and also the reward and recognition that their volunteering endeavours bring them. I am sure that would make a really good topic for a debate.

• 21 Nov 2024 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  First of all, I join Mr Speaker and others in marking the sad loss of John Prescott. He was a true legend, and one of the best campaigners of our movement. He put climate change and real, meaningful levelling up at the top of the political agenda long before they were fashionable. He was groundbreaking and huge fun, and he will be greatly missed. We send our condolences to Pauline and the whole family. As Mr Speaker said, there will be an opportunity for tributes next week. I am sure the whole House will also join me in marking Parliament Week, when we open our door on how we work in this place. Today is “Ask Her to Stand” day, when we encourage more women to seek elected office. Let me take this opportunity to point the House to a motion that I have tabled today, which makes some important changes to proxy votes for Members. One of my priorities as Leader of the House is to make Parliament more family friendly. We have more women than ever in this place, and more parents of small children, those with caring responsibilities and disabled Members. We need to change the way that we do things to reflect the times. I have asked the Procedure Committee to continue its wider review of the proxy vote system, and the Modernisation Committee will consider these issues in due course. However, I have heard from Members that the current system has not met some immediate needs, so I am extending the childbirth, miscarriage or baby loss proxy provisions to explicitly cover complications during pregnancy or ongoing fertility treatment. Under this scheme, reasons for proxies remain confidential and are self-certified, requiring no onerous paperwork. I am making the default for all proxies seven months, and I hope the whole House will welcome that. The right hon. Member for Hereford and South Herefordshire (Jesse Norman) raised a number of issues, but I must say I am losing track of the Opposition’s arguments. They attack our Budget measures, yet they support all the investment. They do not like our decisions, yet they took many of the same ones in government. They duck the difficult issues, yet criticise us for dealing with them. Yes, we have had to make some big choices, but we stand by them because we are on the side of ordinary people, the NHS and public services. We are operating in the interests of economic stability, unlike his party. We will see the impact of the Budget over time, but the Conservatives really must decide whether they support the investment and the extra spending on our public services, or whether they do not want any of it and are against that support. The right hon. Gentleman picks on the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, but there is not a more accomplished member of the Cabinet. He is driving forward his agenda. He is forthcoming to this House on many occasions, and every time he appears in this House, he wipes the floor with his opponent. Yet again, the Conservatives are on the wrong side of history. We have a very ambitious mission to become a clean energy superpower by 2030—one that we are driving forward. It is vital that we do that. That means taking on some of the inherent issues that they ducked: our infrastructure; the grid; our planning laws; getting the investment where it is needed, which we are announcing that all the time; unlocking new power supplies in nuclear, solar, hydrogen and elsewhere; and establishing Great British Energy, which is well under way, to ensure much needed homegrown production. Taken together, those measures will lower bills, create jobs, and give us the energy security that the right hon. Gentleman’s Government failed to give us. Is not the truth that Opposition Members are becoming political opportunists? They spent years in government ducking the difficult decisions, leaving a huge black hole and a big mess for us to clean up. Public services were on their knees, strike action was costing £15 billion in lost productivity, pay deals were on Ministers’ desks with not a penny accounted for, and not a single penny was set aside for the compensation schemes. The reserves were spent three times over, and on their watch inflation was at 11%. Living standards fell for the first time in our history under the Conservatives. Now they want to have their cake and eat it at the same time. They want all the benefits from the Budget, but not the hard calls needed to pay for them. In a few short weeks, they have gone from the party of government to the party of protest.

• 21 Nov 2024 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  The subject of dentistry is raised a lot in business questions. The right hon. Gentleman may not like to hear it, but our woeful inheritance means that the accessibility and provision of NHS dentists is poor in many communities. We are committed to creating an extra 800,000 dental appointments and we will work closely with the sector to transform NHS dental care in this country. As I have previously said, the Health Secretary will be coming to the House to explain how he will use his budget to support social care, dentists and others who have been affected by some of the changes in the Budget.

• 21 Nov 2024 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  In the interest of transparency, and as we were talking about league tables earlier, I just want to put record that apart from the hon. Member for Strangford (Jim Shannon), my hon. Friend is my top attender at business questions. He is here every week, raising really important issues on behalf of his constituents. I am really appalled to hear of the treatment of the Leeds fan in his constituency. He will know that our Football Governance Bill is about putting fans back at the heart of football, and ensuring that clubs such as Leeds United make sure that disabled fans and every other kind of fans can access their games.

• 21 Nov 2024 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  This is a really big issue in city centre constituencies like mine, as well as in rural areas. We are committed, as my hon. Friend says, to introducing the registration scheme for short-term lets, and we will be removing the furnished holiday lets tax incentive that short-term let owners have had recently. Those measures will be introduced as soon as possible, and I will make sure the House is updated. We have also announced a 2% increase to the higher rates of stamp duty on those types of properties. I hope that, taken together, they will reduce the blight of short-term lets on many of our constituencies.

• 21 Nov 2024 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  What better symbol could there be of the mess we have inherited than all that mess left on the A46 in my hon. Friend’s constituency? We are committed to tackling the plague of fly-tipping and the vandals who are creating a mess in our communities, and that is one of the reasons why we are cracking down on antisocial behaviour and introducing respect orders so that those responsible can clean up their own mess.

• 21 Nov 2024 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  I remember as a young woman going on a number of Reclaim the Night marches, and it saddens me that although I am in my 50s, we still have to have such marches to highlight the issues. My hon. Friend is absolutely right. Ending violence against women and girls has been raised a number of times today. It is a massive priority for this Government and for the Prime Minister personally, and I will ensure that it is properly debated.

• 21 Nov 2024 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  I thank the hon. Lady for her kind words about John Prescott. I also thank her and her party for supporting the final stages of the rail franchising Bill. The Passenger Railway Services (Public Ownership) Bill completed all its stages in both Houses the other evening, which means that it will be one of the first Bills to become an Act under this Labour Government. As she said, we are already seeing much-needed increased reliability in our rail services as a result of the Bill coming forward. I thank her for that. The hon. Lady raises a really important point, and I thank those who support the air ambulance service in her constituency and across Essex. As she knows, the Health Secretary is looking at how the massive increase in NHS funding in the Budget can be used to support other health charities and health services, and we will update the House soon.

• 21 Nov 2024 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  I thank the hon. Gentleman for announcing those debates. It sounds like they will attract a great deal of attention, and I know that many of the new Members will be really keen to stay here right to the very end for the Adjournment debate before the Christmas recess, which we are not looking forward to at all, because we are desperate to be here as long as possible. I join the hon. Gentleman in paying tribute to the Jewish community for all that they did for this country and others during the second world war and many other conflicts since. I also pay tribute to AJEX, CST, the police and others for keeping the community safe and enabling them to continue to pay their respects.

• 21 Nov 2024 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  I thank my hon. Friend for that question. He will know that we have a debate on International Men’s Day today, I think. [Interruption.] Yes, as soon as I finish speaking. He is absolutely right that men’s mental health is a serious issue facing men and this country. I hope that the debate this afternoon will highlight some of those issues.

• 21 Nov 2024 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  My hon. Friend raises an important issue, and next week’s White Ribbon Day is an important opportunity for us to continue highlighting the issues and violence that women and girls face. She will know that this is a top priority not just for this Government but for the Prime Minister and the Home Secretary. Over 10 years, we want to halve violence against women and girls, which is a hugely ambitious mission that we are determined to meet.

• 21 Nov 2024 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  Knowsley music festival sounds like it will be a really good night out, and I am sure that my hon. Friend will have a great evening. As she knows, this Government continue to support the grassroots music fund, which helps festivals like the one that she mentions. I am glad that she shared that with the rest of us.

• 21 Nov 2024 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  My hon. Friend raises an important issue that has been raised many times, particularly in the last couple of weeks, as we have heard about possible further post office closures. The Post Office contacted me after last week’s business questions to make it clear that no decisions have been made, but my hon. Friend is absolutely right to continue raising these issues on behalf of his constituents. We need banking hubs in our communities, and the Post Office is a vital partner in delivering them.

• 21 Nov 2024 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  The right hon. Gentleman raises what sounds like a really important technology. We need to make a lot more of the circular economy. Whether it is water or other aspects, that is a real priority for the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. He will be here for questions soon, but I will certainly consider a future debate.

• 21 Nov 2024 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  The business for the week commencing 25 November will include: Monday 25 November—Second Reading of the Non-Domestic Rating (Multipliers and Private Schools) Bill. Tuesday 26 November—Second Reading of the Tobacco and Vapes Bill. Wednesday 27 November—Second Reading of the Finance Bill. Thursday 28 November—Debate on a motion on the international status of Taiwan, followed by a debate on a motion on freedom of religion in Pakistan. The subjects for these debates were determined by the Backbench Business Committee. Friday 29 November—Private Members’ Bills. The provisional business for the week commencing 2 December includes: Monday 2 December—General debate on the Grenfell Tower inquiry phase 2 report. Tuesday 3 December—Second Reading of the National Insurance Contributions (Secondary Class 1 Contributions) Bill. Wednesday 4 December—Opposition day (4th allotted day). Debate on a motion in the name of the official Opposition. Subject to be announced. Thursday 5 December—Business to be determined by the Backbench Business Committee. Friday 6 December—Private Members’ Bills.

• 21 Nov 2024 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  We are absolutely clear and the figures are absolutely clear, because they are based on actual claims for agricultural property relief that have been made in recent years. Those figures show that around three quarters of claims would be unaffected by the changes we have made. Does the Conservative party accept the principle that 40% of the total value of agricultural property relief comes from ownership of the top 7% of claims by land value? Do Conservative Members think that is a fair system? Is that fair to young farmers trying to get into the industry? Do they support the additional £6 billion we have put into farming as a result of the Budget? They cannot support the funding going in if they do not support the measures needed to raise that investment in the first place. [ Official Report , 4 December 2024; Vol. 758, 4WC.] Correction

• 21 Nov 2024 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  One of the great joys of my job is that I get to hear about all the great catering outlets in colleagues’ constituencies. I wish I could visit them all. The pie company that my hon. Friend describes sounds like a particularly good one, and I join her in congratulating it. This Government continue to support businesses such as those in her constituency and all those involved in the ROCCO awards.

• 21 Nov 2024 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  I thank the right hon. Gentleman for that question. The offences he talks about were actually introduced a couple of years ago under the previous Government—not by the current Government—by the right hon. Member for Croydon South (Chris Philp) who is now the shadow Home Secretary. The right hon. Member for South Holland and The Deepings (Sir John Hayes) is absolutely right that we have to consider the balance between free speech alongside protecting people who suffer from the wrong end of abuse and misinformation and disinformation online which, as we saw over the summer, can cause real damage in our communities if left unchecked. That balance is one I am sure the police and others are grappling with on a daily basis.

• 21 Nov 2024 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  My hon. Friend is another very good attender at business questions, always raising issues facing Rochdale. I am of course pleased to join him in congratulating all the nominees for diversity awards this year. He has put that on record, and I am sure that everyone will appreciate it.

• 21 Nov 2024 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  Further to the reply I gave a few moments ago, the hon. Lady will know that our tax regime for charities is the most generous anywhere in the world and was worth just over £6 billion in the last year. We hear what she and others are saying, and we will continue to support charities. There will be Treasury questions in early December, and she might want to raise the issue with the Chancellor then.

• 21 Nov 2024 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  I know that the right hon. Gentleman has campaigned on these issues for a long time, and he is right to raise them. I am sitting next to another campaigner on medicinal cannabis use, my hon. Friend the Member for Manchester Withington (Jeff Smith). We know that this is a good treatment; I shall certainly make sure that the relevant Minister gives the right hon. Gentleman a full response on progress in making sure that it is available to children and those who desperately need it.

• 21 Nov 2024 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  I join my hon. Friend in paying tribute to our road haulage community. In recent times, we have really understood the value of their contribution to keeping our country and our economy going. She is absolutely right to highlight the haulage crime raised with her by the Road Haulage Association. Home Office questions are next week, and she might want to raise these important matters then.

• 21 Nov 2024 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  I thank the hon. Gentleman for raising the issues facing Queen’s Hospital in his constituency, particularly the A&E department. My husband is an A&E consultant, so I hear most evenings about the crisis facing our accident and emergency departments. That crisis has increased exponentially over the past 14 years, I am sorry to say, and he and other doctors working on the frontline would contrast that starkly with the situation under the last Labour Government, which provided support to accident and emergency. I am sure the Health Secretary would be delighted to debate those issues with the hon. Gentleman and the Opposition, because A&E needs some serious investment, which is what this Government are all about.

• 21 Nov 2024 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  I thank the right hon. Gentleman for raising that point ahead of Small Business Saturday. I gently say to him, as he was a Minister in the previous Government, that the previous Government increased national insurance contributions not just on businesses but on workers as well. They did so at a time when inflation was at an almost record high of 9%. It is funny that they did not seem to worry about that at the time. They also—I supported them in doing so—increased the minimum wage on many occasions in their time in office. I am proud that this Government are giving a pay rise to some of the lowest paid in our society and economy. We are bringing in changes to business rate reform, which will support many of our small businesses on the high street. Treasury questions are coming up, where I am sure he will want to raise business tax relief reform with Treasury Ministers.