Luke Evans MP: speeches 2024

134 published records · newest first.

Speeches

10 Dec 2024 · Rare Autoimmune Rheumatic Diseases · Hansard source
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No!
10 Dec 2024 · Lobular Breast Cancer · Hansard source
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It is a pleasure and an honour to serve under your stewardship, Ms Vaz, and even more of an honour to be part of this debate. I pay tribute to the hon. Member for Dulwich and West Norwood (Helen Hayes). Not only was her speech emotional, but it was powerful. Cressida, I am sure, is incredibly proud and Heather would be even more proud. That is because the hon. Lady has really done the subject justice today, not only by securing this debate but by bringing the whole room together and highlighting the most salient points. Often in these debates, there is a lot to cover, and the hon. Lady has done it with aplomb. I also thank my hon. Friend the Member for Maidstone and Malling (Helen Grant) and the hon. Member for City of Durham (Mary Kelly Foy) for speaking up about their personal experiences. That is tough to do, and it is a testament to their constituents that they have put on record, in public, the trials and tribulations they have been through. It is important that people feel they can advocate in this space and lead by example in doing so. That leads me on to the hon. Member for Bexleyheath and Crayford (Daniel Francis), who talked about his wife. He is an example of how important it is to have a powerful advocate. Partners and families do exactly that: they advocate for patients who are going through treatment. The fact that he is doing that here as well is incredibly powerful. The hon. Member for Strangford (Jim Shannon) and I are starting to have regular conversations about health in Westminster Hall debates, with an hour and a half this morning and another hour and a half this afternoon. His passion for health topics is probably only superseded by the volumes of Hansard content he accounts for. He talked about networks, and in research it is important to make sure that we are bringing together the best brains from across the field for the biggest possible research pools. That is much needed. I congratulate the hon. Member for Horsham (John Milne) on highlighting hope. The danger is that we spend too much time talking about difficulties, when over the past couple of decades, breast cancer actually provides a good story of how far advances have been made and survival rates improved. It is important that we point that out, so that not all is doom and gloom. There are fantastic survival rates for breast cancer, for example. The hon. Gentleman paid tribute to Dr Susan Michaelis, as did the hon. Member for Wokingham (Clive Jones). As MPs, we are lobbied a lot, so to have got so many MPs signed up and to have secured debates here repeatedly, month on month and year on year, is an incredible testament to the character of Dr Michaelis. The Lib Dem spokesperson, the hon. Member for North Shropshire (Helen Morgan), rightly highlighted access. When it comes to making sure we get diagnoses, access is key. The last Government rolled out community diagnostic centres—almost 170 of them. When it comes to diseases such as breast cancer, I hope that new MRI and CT scanners will become available, allowing us to have better screening pathways, because that is what often limits a screening programme. That access is now being widened so dramatically, with the Government confirming this morning that they are continuing with it, is a sign of great cross-party working, which we all know the NHS needs. Much has been said about lobular breast cancer in this debate, and for me it matters because of the way it presents. One can take the doctor out of medicine but not the medicine out of the doctor, so I will use this opportunity to ensure that people are aware that they should regularly check their breasts. They should look for lumps but also for skin changes, or what we call peau d’orange—it looks a little like orange peel—on the breast. They should also look for slight changes, a little bit of discharge or blood. Lumps, bumps and discharge do not mean an individual has cancer; it simply means they need to be assessed. One of the great things about the set-up in this country is that it is quick and accessible—a good success story—but we need to ensure that people feel comfortable and able to come forward. Cases have been highlighted where clinicians did not seem to trust women. It is important that clinicians trust women’s instincts. Women know their own breasts, and when they are aware of changes, they must be taken seriously. We have a chance through clinical pathways to do that, which is important. We heard that 22 women a day in the UK are diagnosed with lobular breast cancer. As someone who has given that diagnosis, my next piece of advice for anyone unfortunate enough to receive a diagnosis of breast cancer is to ask whether it is lobular or ductal. That is often forgotten. As a clinician, I have never been asked that question, but it would help to change the narrative of expectations about what treatments may be available, and promote understanding. If a patient speaks to someone else with breast cancer, they might wonder why their treatment is different. It is important to educate people, not in a condescending way, but to appreciate the general difference. Treatments are becoming so specialised and nuanced that all will not be the same, and that can be quite disconcerting. I pay tribute to those who are battling lobular cancer, the cancer survivors and the campaigners from Lobular Breast Cancer UK for their tireless work in raising the issue. Of course, the ultimate goal is to have a cure for lobular breast cancer. Advances in medical research and treatment options are moving us closer to that goal. In 2022, the Government invested £29 million into the Institute for Cancer Research and the Royal Marsden biomedical research centre to support research into cancer, including lobular breast cancer. That included a £1.3 million project to determine whether abbreviated forms of breast MRI can detect breast cancers missed in screening. That links to the point about having more MRI scanners, which might well enable better research to determine the way to pick these things up and improve the ability to deliver. I am pleased the previous Government supported, through the National Institute for Health and Care Research clinical research network, 10 further lobular breast cancer-related studies. I am also reassured by the Lobular Moon Shot Project, which we have heard a lot about. I pay tribute to the former Member for Horsham, Sir Jeremy Quin, who did a lot to raise that issue. I am pleased to see the new hon. Member for Horsham standing in his shoes to raise it now. It would be useful to know if the £20 million for the five-year study is being looked at by the Government. It was raised several times with the previous Government, but an election got in the way and power changed hands. It would be interesting to see if the proposals have been reviewed and merit the Government taking them forward. A key measure that has been missed to some extent is guidelines. Lobular Breast Cancer UK is to launch a campaign calling for national breast cancer guidelines to be updated to recognise lobular breast cancer. Will the Minister commit to reviewing and updating the guidelines with the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence? We have also heard about devolved powers. Scotland, for instance, has the Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network. It would be useful to know whether the Minister will raise this issue with the devolved nations to ensure we have a joined-up approach, without any cross-boundary difficulties. I do not want to turn this into a political battle because this is not the place, but I put it gently to the Minister that we have heard about the need for support, a lot of which comes from charities. The changes in national insurance contributions for employers have hit charities, including the likes of Breast Cancer Now, Macmillan and Marie Curie. They are not shielded from the rises. I will be grateful if the Minister considers raising with Treasury what can be done to help support those crucial nurses, advice lines and workers, so as to make sure that when people are going through these difficulties—we have heard how complex the scene can be, particularly in breast cancer—advice is accessible to all. I thank all those who took part in this debate, and I remind people to regularly examine their breasts. If there is a change, seek help. If a diagnosis of cancer is given, ask if it is lobular or ductal. Finally, remember that no one is alone. As we have heard today, many people suffer from cancer and there is support out there—from the NHS, charities, family and friends—so do not be fearful. Speak out and get that support.
10 Dec 2024 · Lobular Breast Cancer · Hansard source
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I want to draw the Minister’s attention to the point about guidelines. Will she consider speaking to the devolved nations and, in England, to NICE, about guidance on lobular breast cancer?
10 Dec 2024 · Legislation on Funerals · Hansard source
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5. What assessment she has made of the adequacy of legislation on funerals.
10 Dec 2024 · Legislation on Funerals · Hansard source
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As the Minister knows, we have been in correspondence about that sector. She kindly wrote back to me to say that the Fuller inquiry’s phase 2 interim report has been released. My constituent Joseph Barsby runs G. Seller, one the biggest independent funeral directors. He is passionate about how we can bring forward a compassionate way of looking at people who have died, while ensuring that standards are kept high. Will the Minister consider meeting me and him to further discuss ways that we can bring the sector into the 21st century?
9 Dec 2024 · Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Bill · Hansard source
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I was fortunate enough to listen to the hon. Gentleman’s Westminster Hall debate on the Edinburgh fringe and its success around the world. That is a prime example of where the Bill might be helpful. Has the hon. Gentleman given any thought to how those small venues can work together? If they share best practice, that can create an environment of security. I wonder whether the fringe organisations themselves have thought about this, given that they are, by their very nature, likely to be a target. Sharing best practice may help to strengthen the entire environment when people visit it.
9 Dec 2024 · Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Bill · Hansard source
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For me, when we think about creating the regulator, it is about ensuring that it is effective. It needs to be staffed and funded appropriately, and we need to ensure that it does the job that the House expects it to do. The idea of having a system to report back is important when we make these provisions. When my hon. Friend was shadow Minister, did he give any thought to how many businesses come within scope, and whether there are resources in the regulator to even provide those assessments, so that we can make sure that it is held accountable and that this is effective legislation?
9 Dec 2024 · Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Bill · Hansard source
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I think that the volunteer side in particular is concerning a lot of people. One thing that strikes me about new clause 2 is that, given that these are often volunteer organisations, who would fund the training? Has there been thought about who would pay for it and how much it would cost? Small venues like my village halls may struggle to make a couple of hundred pounds a year, let alone be able to afford further training. I wonder if the hon. Member would enlighten me on how that may work.
9 Dec 2024 · Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Bill · Hansard source
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Without the regulations and guidelines being set out clearly, there is a risk that businesses will worry about being fined quite heavily just because they do not quite know what they should be doing. Does my hon. Friend agree that this amendment and new clause 1 will help cement that clarity in place?
9 Dec 2024 · Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Bill · Hansard source
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I too have lots of churches in my constituency, and while I fully support the legislation, I do worry about some of the rural churches. There is a risk of a fine, if they are not compliant. Does that mean that there is a risk that those venues, which are already under stress, would not be able to open? I hope that is not the case, and that the Minister can allay some of my fears, but given how the legislation is written, that could be a prospect. That would be very damaging for many of the rural churches in the hon. Gentleman’s constituency.
9 Dec 2024 · Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Bill · Hansard source
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Will the hon. Member give way?
3 Dec 2024 · National Insurance Contributions (Secondary Class 1 Contributions) Bill · Hansard source
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Is the hon. Member aware that the Royal College of General Practitioners said that it will cost 2.2 million appointments just to service the NIC payments that must be made? How does that resolve our service provision in primary care?
3 Dec 2024 · National Insurance Contributions (Secondary Class 1 Contributions) Bill · Hansard source
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Absolutely. Does the hon. Member realise that we had to deal with that because the amount that we had to borrow in 2010 was £158 billion? For the pandemic, it was £400 billion. That is the kind of thing that the Conservatives have had to deal with that led to the difficult decisions. We were on track to have the fastest growing economy, which has now been trashed by decisions taken by Labour.
3 Dec 2024 · National Insurance Contributions (Secondary Class 1 Contributions) Bill · Hansard source
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We have heard a number of times from the Prime Minister and the Chancellor, and even from the Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury today, that allocations will be made in the usual way, but we are six weeks on from the Budget and health services are trying to decide what to do now. They cannot wait.
3 Dec 2024 · National Insurance Contributions (Secondary Class 1 Contributions) Bill · Hansard source
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Part of the biggest problem that I have with the way this is being done, looking at the NHS as a whole, is that while at the front door of primary care the raising of national insurance contributions means that GPs do not want to recruit, at the back door social care is also being hit by the increase. It is all very well protecting the centre—the hospitals—but the biggest problem is system-wide, in that both the back door and the front door are jammed shut. How will the Bill resolve that? This is the practicality that the Labour party must explain to the health services, because they are asking the same question and it is going unanswered.
3 Dec 2024 · National Insurance Contributions (Secondary Class 1 Contributions) Bill · Hansard source
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The Minister talks about protecting businesses or charities, but hospices, for example, employ many more than four people. I cannot think of one hospice that does not employ more than four people. How will they be protected?
3 Dec 2024 · National Insurance Contributions (Secondary Class 1 Contributions) Bill · Hansard source
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Is it not the biggest slap in the face for people listening to this that when Labour uses “working people”, it cannot define that term? Pub landlords and people working in charities are by definition working people—they are of working age and earn a living—and they will now be hit by this tax, which will have such a detrimental impact on their livelihoods. Is that not a disgrace?
3 Dec 2024 · National Insurance Contributions (Secondary Class 1 Contributions) Bill · Hansard source
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The shadow Minister is an astute man, and he has picked up on some of the indices of concern. One of those is the economic confidence index, which in October was -52. In November, it was -65. That is the second lowest figure on record since the pandemic in 2020. If we had an eminent economist running the Treasury, they would be able to see that this is a bad idea for businesses and the country.
3 Dec 2024 · National Insurance Contributions (Secondary Class 1 Contributions) Bill · Hansard source
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Will the hon. Member give way on that point?
3 Dec 2024 · Support for Pensioners · Hansard source
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7. What fiscal steps she is taking to support pensioners.
3 Dec 2024 · Support for Pensioners · Hansard source
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In September the Government released statistics showing that one in five pension credit claims were not being processed within 50 days, and I raised that in a written parliamentary question, No. 5385. Part of the answer stated: “The department has secured funding for additional staffing to improve processing times.” Two months later, data has been released showing that the processing of one in four pension credit claims is now taking longer than 50 days. How much funding was given, will more be provided to try to move this forward, and what conversations is the Minister having with the Department for Work and Pensions to ensure that the funding is spent properly, given that it is taxpayers’ money?
2 Dec 2024 · Migration and Border Security · Hansard source
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Give way.
2 Dec 2024 · Point of Order · Hansard source
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On a point of order, Madam Deputy Speaker. I seek the assistance of the Speaker’s Office. On Friday 29 November, I received an email from the parliamentary and diplomatic protection command regarding the honeytrap situation that hit Westminster. Unfortunately, in that email several other victims were named. It was then leaked to journalists and released from that point onwards. I have received a phone call and an email from the Met to apologise, but I would be grateful if Mr Speaker raised this significant issue with the Met to ensure that lessons are learned and that it does not happen again.
2 Dec 2024 · Planning Reform · Hansard source
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Under the housing targets, Hinckley and Bosworth will see a 59% increase in housing. North West Leicestershire will see it go up by 74%, but Leicester city, where there is brownfield and infrastructure, will see it fall by 31%. That is compounded by the fact that the Liberal Democrat-run borough council in Hinckley and Bosworth does not have an up-to-date local plan. Given that there is speculative development in Hinckley and Bosworth, will the Minister consider strengthening neighbourhood plans? We know that they deliver more housing, provide protections for people locally and have buy-in from communities, yet the council suffers without an up-to-date one.
2 Dec 2024 · Planning Reform · Hansard source
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9. What changes her Department is making to the national planning policy framework.

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