Lucy Powell MP: speeches

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Speeches

17 Oct 2024 · Business of the House · Hansard source
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The issue of call lists and the desire for a more family-friendly Parliament have been raised by many hon. Members, especially those who are newly elected, and I hope that a wealth of people will input to the call for views that the Modernisation Committee opened today.
17 Oct 2024 · Business of the House · Hansard source
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The business for next week is as follows: Monday 21 October—Second Reading of the Employment Rights Bill. Tuesday 22 October—Second Reading of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association and International Committee of the Red Cross (Status) Bill [ Lords ]. Wednesday 23 October—Motion to approve the Infected Blood Compensation Scheme Regulations 2024, followed by a motion to approve the Iran (Sanctions) (Amendment) Regulations 2024, followed by a debate on a motion relating to the independent expert panel. Thursday 24 October—General debate on Black History Month. Friday 25 October—The House will not be sitting. The provisional business for the week commencing 28 October will include: Monday 28 October—General debate—subject to be announced. Tuesday 29 October—Remaining stages of the Great British Energy Bill. Wednesday 30 October—My right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer will deliver her Budget statement. Thursday 31 October—Continuation of the Budget debate. Friday 1 November—The House will not be sitting. The provisional business for the week commencing 4 November will include: Monday 4 November—Continuation of the Budget debate. Tuesday 5 November—Continuation of the Budget debate. Wednesday 6 November—Conclusion of the Budget debate. The House will rise for the November recess at the conclusion of business on Wednesday 6 November and return on Monday 11 November.
17 Oct 2024 · Business of the House · Hansard source
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The hon. Lady raises an important matter that has already been raised today. She and other colleagues are making a very good case for a debate on flood resilience and flood action. She is right to say that climate change is having a profound effect on those issues, which is why the Government are committed to becoming a clean energy superpower by 2030. I am sorry to hear about what is happening in her constituency; I have already taken note of the early calls for a debate.
17 Oct 2024 · Business of the House · Hansard source
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Last but certainly not least, my hon. Friend raises what I know is a big issue in Halesowen’s schools. The Government are committed to curriculum reform. One of the first acts of the Secretary of State for Education was to establish an independent review of curriculum and assessment, led by Professor Becky Francis CBE. I know that the Secretary of State will be regularly updating the House on that.
17 Oct 2024 · Business of the House · Hansard source
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I did not know that so many people come to Cleethorpes for Armed Forces Day—it sounds like a real occasion. I will certainly make sure that the Ministry of Defence hears my hon. Friend’s plea. Cleethorpes sounds like a very good place for National Armed Forces Day in 2026.
17 Oct 2024 · Business of the House · Hansard source
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The hon. Gentleman raises an important issue, which I know has had some attention recently. I have one of those waste facilities in my constituency, so I am well aware of the impact on and some of the challenges for the local community. I will certainly make sure that the Secretary of State has heard the hon. Gentleman’s question, but he may want to raise it in DEFRA questions on 14 November.
17 Oct 2024 · Business of the House · Hansard source
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We absolutely do support recognising Palestine as a state, which is an indelible right of the Palestinian people. It is absolutely critical that we achieve a long-term, two-state solution in the middle east that recognises both Israel’s right to exist as a safe and secure country, and the Palestinian people’s right to have a Palestinian state that is also safe, secure and free. That is what we are working towards internationally and with our allies across the world, and it is something that I know the Foreign Secretary and the Prime Minister spend a lot of their time dealing with. We have Foreign Office questions coming up next week, and I know that the Foreign Secretary is keen to come to this House as often as possible to update Members on what is happening in the middle east. I am sure these issues will be debated further.
17 Oct 2024 · Business of the House · Hansard source
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My hon. Friend is a great champion for Rossendale and Darwen, and for road safety issues in his constituency. We will soon deliver an updated strategic framework for road safety—the first in over a decade—and I will ensure that a Transport Minister comes to the House to update hon. Members.
17 Oct 2024 · Business of the House · Hansard source
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I think the hon. Gentleman said that one of the winners was What the Fork. What a forking good idea his competition was. I congratulate the winners, and all his constituents on taking part. I look forward to a bacon butty, a cup of tea, and maybe a piece of cake in Hinckley and Bosworth at some point in the future.
17 Oct 2024 · Business of the House · Hansard source
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I am sorry to say this, but the last time I looked, Labour MPs in Scotland won many seats in the recent election, and Scottish nationalist MPs lost many. Labour Members who represent Scottish seats in this House have done a fantastic job in standing up for Scotland, resetting the relationship, and ensuring that the people of Scotland benefit from this new Labour Government.
17 Oct 2024 · Business of the House · Hansard source
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I thank the hon. Gentleman for raising the issue. As I hope he is aware, there is a long-established convention and practice that the smaller parties have representation on Committees, especially Members from the devolved nations on their relative Select Committee. That process is still ongoing. Some names are mentioned on the order paper today, but they only relate to some of the places that are to be allocated. Those conversations are continuing through the usual channels. It is my understanding that there will be places available on some of those Committees for Members of the Scottish National party and some of the other smaller parties.
17 Oct 2024 · Business of the House · Hansard source
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I look forward to meeting the hon. Gentleman next week, and to working closely with him as the Backbench Business Committee gets under way in the coming weeks. I am extremely sorry to hear about the antisemitic attacks at Hendon golf club, especially as they took place during Yom Kippur. That really is something that we need to end in this country, and we must continue to speak up about it, as the hon. Gentleman frequently does in the House. He has made a very good suggestion for a debate, and I shall certainly speak to the Chief Whip and others about it.
17 Oct 2024 · Business of the House · Hansard source
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I am sorry, but I disagree with the hon. Lady’s characterisation. This Government are unashamedly pro-house building and pro-cutting the red tape that stands in the way of business and business investment in our creative industries, our technologies and our transport, but we are absolutely on the side of local people as well, which is why our planning reforms put local voice and local plans at their centre. We have had debates on the issue, and I am sure that we will have many more in the coming weeks.
17 Oct 2024 · Business of the House · Hansard source
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I, too, was delighted that this Government took quick action to deliver their manifesto commitment to ensuring that veterans’ cards could be used as voter ID, and I am pleased to hear of my hon. Friend’s reaction to that. As he will be aware, this Government are committed to an armed forces commissioner Bill. I can tell him today that that Bill is fairly imminent, and I am sure that we can debate some of these issues as we approach Remembrance Sunday, too.
17 Oct 2024 · Business of the House · Hansard source
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I may well get off the train on my way home at some stage and visit my hon. Friend’s constituency. I know that supporting and enhancing the circular economy is a key priority for the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. Departmental questions are next month, but I will make sure my hon. Friend gets a good reply.
17 Oct 2024 · Business of the House · Hansard source
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The ongoing mishandling and mismanagement of the HS2 project has been a bit of an embarrassment for this country, I am afraid. I am sure the Secretary of State for Transport will update the House on these matters soon, and of course, the HS2 hybrid Bill is proceeding through Parliament as we speak.
17 Oct 2024 · Business of the House · Hansard source
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That sounds like a great project by schools in my hon. Friend’s constituency, and I am sure they will be pleased that she has raised it in the Commons this morning. Engaging young people in the cultural, industrial and other aspects of the history of their local area is really important. She might want to raise that at Education questions, which are coming up soon.
17 Oct 2024 · Business of the House · Hansard source
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We have seen many of those reports, and we heard from the head of the security services, in a key speech he gave last week, about some of the threats that our amazing security services thwart, which we often do not know about. Home Office questions is next week, but if the right hon. Gentleman does not get the answers he wants, I will encourage the Home Secretary to consider giving us a security update.
14 Oct 2024 · Speaker’s Conference · Hansard source
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I beg to move, That— This House considers that it is essential that elections to the United Kingdom Parliament are conducted freely and fairly, without threats or violence; that candidates are able to campaign in safety, with appropriate protection and support; and that elected representatives can do their job securely, and accordingly agrees that the following Order be made: (1) There shall be a committee to be known as the Speaker’s Conference which shall consist of the Speaker, who shall be Chair, and up to 14 other Members appointed by the Speaker. (2) The Conference shall consider the factors influencing the threat levels against candidates and MPs and the effectiveness of the response to such threats, and make recommendations about the arrangements necessary to secure free and fair elections and the appropriate protection of candidates at future UK-wide parliamentary elections and of elected representatives thereafter. (3) The Speaker shall appoint one or more of the members of the Conference to act as vice-Chair in his absence. (4) Except as provided in this Order, the Conference and any sub-committee thereof that the Speaker shall appoint shall conduct its proceedings in such manner as the Speaker shall determine, notwithstanding any Standing Order or practice of this House. (5) The Conference shall have power— (a) to send for persons, papers and records, to sit notwithstanding any adjournment of the House and to adjourn from place to place; (b) to report from time to time; (c) to appoint legal advisers, and to appoint specialist advisers either to supply information which is not readily available or to elucidate matters of complexity within the committee’s order of reference. (6) The Speaker shall have power to appoint sub-committees of the Speaker’s Conference and sub-committees appointed under this order shall have power to send for persons, papers and records, to sit notwithstanding any adjournment of the House, to adjourn from place to place, to report from time to time their formal minutes, and shall have a quorum of three. (7) The quorum of the Conference shall be five. (8) This Order shall have effect until the end of the current Parliament. This week marks three years since the death of Sir David Amess, and this motion will establish a Speaker’s Conference to consider and make recommendations on the factors influencing the threat levels against candidates and MPs, and the effectiveness of the response to such threats. I reassure the House that there will be Members of Parliament on the Speaker’s Conference, and that this is a process, not an event. There will be plenty of time and opportunity for people to contribute to the Speaker’s Conference. Finally, I take this opportunity to thank Mr Speaker for all the work he does, and has done for many years, to keep Members of this House safe. This Speaker’s Conference will be a very important moment in that journey, as we all come together to think about recommendations for the future. Question put and agreed to.
10 Oct 2024 · Business of the House · Hansard source
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My hon. Friend highlights the important work that Maggie’s and others do and those affected by cancer that brings on the necessary early onset of menopause and other issues. I am sure she will continue to raise these matters in the House.
10 Oct 2024 · Business of the House · Hansard source
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I know that is a matter of concern for many people, and the Government have speedily set about having a review of the funding of BTecs. That review will be completed very quickly, as it is of great concern to further education colleges. We have education questions on 4 November and the forthcoming Technical Education Bill will soon be coming from the other House.
10 Oct 2024 · Business of the House · Hansard source
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I thank the hon. Lady for her birthday wishes and welcome her to her new role. She, too, is a member of the Modernisation Committee, and I very much enjoyed our exchanges at our first meeting in September. I look forward to working with her on the House of Commons Commission, of which I think she will now become a member. Given her background in glazing and construction, I am sure that her insights into the many repairs needed in this place, especially to some of the stained glass windows, will be particularly valuable to the House of Commons Commission. She might not quite realise the heady heights that she has now reached in the House of Commons. Pressing and important matters, such as the cost of a bacon butty in the Members’ Tea Room and the state of the toilets in Portcullis House, await her valuable contribution and insights in the House of Commons Commission. I pay tribute to her predecessor, whom I have known for many years and who always made thoughtful contributions to this session. The hon. Member for Chelmsford (Marie Goldman) raises some important matters about house building. As she will know, this Government are unashamedly pro house building, but that does not mean that there is a developer free-for-all, as she rightly says. That is why it is important that we boost planning capacity in local authorities, and we are bringing forward the infrastructure Bill to make sure that big infrastructure decisions are taken much more quickly and robustly. I hear what she says about the national planning policy deadlines, and I will make sure that she gets a good reply to that point as soon as possible.
10 Oct 2024 · Business of the House · Hansard source
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May I take this opportunity to welcome my hon. Friend back as the MP for Leigh and Atherton? [Interruption.] It is a short holiday that she should never have had from being the MP for Leigh, as it was then. I also thank her for all the work that she has done as chair of the all-party parliamentary group on ADHD. I am sure that this would be a very good topic for a Westminster Hall debate if she should apply for one.
10 Oct 2024 · Business of the House · Hansard source
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As ever, my hon. Friend makes a very important point. These important cultural, industrial and historical assets are for the community to enjoy into the future. I am sure that the topic he raises would make for a very good Adjournment debate, should he wish to apply for one.
10 Oct 2024 · Business of the House · Hansard source
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Postmasters have had a very difficult time in recent years, and there are still many questions facing the Post Office about the support, recruitment and remuneration of postmasters. I am sure that would make an extremely good topic for a debate in this House.

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