Luke Myer MP: speeches 2025

Speeches

• 19 May 2025 · Topical Questions · Hansard source

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  Yesterday, a Conservative councillor in my constituency said that the Government were “dancing to the tune of warmongers” because of their support for British defence manufacturing, despite one of those manufacturers being in his ward. Do the Government believe, as I do, that we need to do more, not less, to support British defence manufacturing?

• 19 May 2025 · Gender Self-identification · Hansard source

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  I thank my hon. Friend for setting out how we are falling behind many of our allies around the world. Does he share my concern that, for the first time, the UK is the only country in western Europe to be rated amber rather than green? It was a Labour Government who took forward LGBT rights in the past, and this Labour Government ought to do the same.

• 14 May 2025 · Rebalancing Regional Economies · Hansard source

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  Do the Government accept the subsidiarity principle wherein powers should not just sit at the mayoral level, but should be as close to the community as possible? That would empower our local authorities and communities themselves, rather than just creating structures that sit above communities and are distant from them.

• 14 May 2025 · Rebalancing Regional Economies · Hansard source

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  It is now nearly 13 years since the Institute for Public Policy Research North published its landmark report, “Northern Prosperity is National Prosperity”, which set out in black and white the evidence that investing in the regions—all regions across the UK—is one of the best ways to achieve growth nationally. Does my hon. Friend agree that it is long past time that we devolved power and funding in order to create jobs in all our communities across the UK?

• 13 May 2025 · Local Housing Need Assessment Reform · Hansard source

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  I commend the Government on their work to change the local connection rules to ensure that veterans can access social housing. In our region, the local authority has come in off the back of that and given veterans the highest priority banding for social housing. Will the Minister take a moment to commend our local council for that reform, which comes off the back of the work that the Government are doing?

• 13 May 2025 · Defence Industries: North-East · Hansard source

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  I completely agree. I have one note of caution for our region: although we have fantastic manufacturers and SMEs, it is important for our regional economy—the one my hon. Friend and I share—to have a proper skills pipeline. There is a real job for our combined authority and our mayor to step up and work with education providers to ensure that proper planning is in place. My hon. Friend has a fantastic college in his constituency—Hartlepool college, which has inspirational leadership from its principal, Darren Hankey—but such colleges need to be joined up with local manufacturers, so that there is a proper skills pipeline. All those manufacturers are vital for delivering local skills. Many of them offer advanced training and apprenticeships and ultimately provide high-quality, well-paid jobs in the areas that need them most. I recently met various manufacturers, both prime and SME, to discuss the issues that they face. They strongly welcome the Government’s decision to identify defence as one of the eight growth sectors in the industrial strategy. One manufacturer told me that it “puts defence in a different place” from where it was before. Manufacturers also welcome the decision to increase defence spending to 2.5%, the strategic defence review, the progress on trade with the US and the decision to step in to save British Steel. This Government are stepping up, not stepping back, and putting our strategic industries on a secure footing. Just four months ago, I spoke in this Chamber during a debate secured by my hon. Friend the Member for Newton Aycliffe and Spennymoor (Alan Strickland) on the challenges that SMEs face in defence procurement. I called for better access for SMEs to the pipeline. I was therefore pleased to see the Government’s recent commitment to set direct SME spending targets, and I hope that the Minister will provide further clarity on when those will be published. As it stands, SMEs in the defence sector are often contracted for one-off, short-term jobs, and that can create challenges. The unpredictable, project-based nature of the contracts makes it difficult for companies to commit to the up-front capital investment needed to grow.

• 13 May 2025 · Defence Industries: North-East · Hansard source

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  I agree with my hon. Friend. He and I both worked in the education sector prior to coming to this place and working in policy. It is about joining up those two things, and making sure that people have access to opportunity. So many people across our region have the can-do attitude to succeed, but they are held back by lack of opportunity. Through skills and training we can make sure that they can get into industries such as this, where there are decent well-paid jobs for the future. One group of people who can bring an extraordinary skillset to our workplaces is veterans. Not only can the defence sector support our armed forces but our armed forces can support the defence sector by establishing routes to civilian employment for those who have served. In my constituency I have recently seen the strength and tenacity of our veteran community. I am grateful to my hon. and gallant Friend the Minister for Veterans and People for coming to my constituency to listen to veterans, particularly on the issue of mental health. Operation Valour, which was announced last week, will help to join up employment, health and other services for veterans across the north-east. I believe that by trusting our veterans and giving them opportunities, we can contribute to their mental health and wellbeing and offer them purpose and community after their service, as well as strengthen our businesses. This is an important time for the Government to strengthen our defence industry in the north-east. We have already seen the Government stepping up, with £20 million to save the Aycliffe semi-conductor plant, the £173 million contract for Draken at Teesside airport, the creation of steel jobs for Teesside, the £9 billion contract for Rolls-Royce to power Britain’s nuclear submarines, and the clarity brought by the strategic defence review and the industrial strategy. This Government are making significant investments in Britain’s security. By going further for British defence industries, we not only strengthen our national security, but support local jobs and regional growth. There is no better time to act than now, and there is no better place to invest than our region, where we have the track record, the potential and the drive to lead the way.

• 13 May 2025 · Defence Industries: North-East · Hansard source

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  I agree. The best way to ensure that we are building the right approach to procurement is by listening directly to the SMEs that operate on the procurement frontline. I am grateful to the Minister for visiting Teesside to meet the defence and innovation cluster, and for visiting NETPark to meet other businesses. It is clear that she is listening, and that is welcome and appreciated.

• 13 May 2025 · Defence Industries: North-East · Hansard source

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  I absolutely agree. The investment that is coming to Thales will mean thousands of advanced air defence missiles that will be supplied to Ukraine. That is a really important cause, and of course there will be a benefit to the entire supply chain across the United Kingdom as well. Strong national defence starts well before the battlefield. It is about the skilled workers in our factories—

• 13 May 2025 · Defence Industries: North-East · Hansard source

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  I beg to move, That this House has considered Government support for defence industries in the North East. It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Mrs Hobhouse. I am grateful for the opportunity to lead this important debate on how the Government can step up to support the strong defence industry in our region. I thank my hon. Friends here today and the many manufacturers, both big and small, from across the region for meeting me recently to discuss the issues that they face. This topic is of great importance to our constituents and to our nation, and I look forward to hearing colleagues’ contributions. Last week marked the 80th anniversary of VE Day. It was a moment to remember not only the courage of those who fought on the frontline, but the grit and sacrifice of the men and women who powered our industry at home. The north-east has never stood on the sidelines when it comes to national defence. Our proud industrial capabilities have always served this country well, in times of peace and conflict. Our region forged the steel that built the tanks, ships and munitions during those years. Our docks sent supplies to the front. Our communities gave sons and daughters to the war effort. That legacy is written in the fabric of the towns and villages in our region and it lives on today. In our region, there are some 2,500 jobs directly in the defence sector and many thousands more in the supply chain. There are large prime contractors—for example, BAE Systems, which has had a footprint in our region since world war one and today employs more than 400 staff in Washington, and the nearby Rolls-Royce, which runs excellent apprenticeship programmes. It was a pleasure to meet one of its apprentices, Lucy from Gateshead, in Parliament recently.

• 13 May 2025 · Defence Industries: North-East · Hansard source

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  I thank my hon. Friend for her intervention, which just goes to show there is a false dichotomy between jobs and automation. A business can be grown well by embracing the future, so I commend Cummins on the work it is doing in her constituency. The industry needs a strong skills pipeline. There is a role for Government to support these businesses by making sure our workforce has the skills to meet the demands of the coming decades. As I mentioned before, there is also a role for our regional mayors to play in making sure there is a more joined-up local skills landscape and working with education providers and manufacturers to get the best people into the best jobs.

• 13 May 2025 · Defence Industries: North-East · Hansard source

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  Absolutely. One of those innovative projects in my hon. Friend’s constituency is a semiconductor plant, which the Government stepped up to save with £20 million of investment. That is exactly the kind of active Government and leadership that we need. The previous Government set up procurement processes with a singular focus, which was awarding contracts to the lowest bidder. That may seem sensible on the surface, but in fact, it has stifled British growth and ultimately cost the taxpayer more. To give an example from Middlesbrough, a local company was forced to step in and finish works that were initially being done by a contractor in south-east Asia, which had been chosen purely because it was the cheapest at the time. Time and time again, we have seen Conservative Governments make decisions on industrial policy that erode our manufacturing base, see jobs disappear overseas and weaken British industry. That Middlesbrough business was there to pick up the pieces and finish the job, but the delay was wholly unnecessary. It ended up costing the British taxpayer more than if we had simply built in Britain from the start. We need an approach that prioritises British values over mere price. This is about not just securing the cheapest deal but ensuring that every pound we spend strengthens our national security. We must grow our sovereign capacity and put British business first, and support our local economies in the process. It is also time that we took a more intelligent and long-term approach to defence procurement—one that does not cost us more and builds the kind of capacity that we need here at home, especially in the current global climate. For industries to invest and grow, and train apprentices and support communities, we need to move away from short-term projects and annualised budgets. Businesses need long-term clarity. That will give them stability to plan for the future with confidence. One SME I spoke to feels that the industrial strategy will help with that, but we can do more to give further confidence to the supply chain, especially through rapid and clear decisions on projects and support for the up-front capital investments that they need to make. This is about investment not only in specialised equipment, but in people. In our region, the jobs in this industry are high-skilled, well-paid and secure, and many of the manufacturers invest strongly in skills and apprentices.

• 13 May 2025 · Defence Industries: North-East · Hansard source

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  I agree. The increase in defence spending an opportunity to uplift regional economies and tackle regional inequality. However, I do not want to talk down our region because we do have firms, large and small, that are contributing to our national security and industrial resilience, including Babcock in Newcastle, Nifco in Stockton, Merlin Flex in Hartlepool, Draken at Teesside airport, Tees Components in my constituency, and many others. I am proud to champion Tees Components, a family-run business based in the small village of North Skelton. It delivers world-leading precision engineering for projects including our Astute-class submarines. That is our region in action.

• 13 May 2025 · Defence Industries: North-East · Hansard source

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  I thank my hon. Friend for that intervention. By boosting SMEs we boost not only the defence industry, but other sectors, because many of these SMEs are working on dual-use technology, which has a strong crossover with other areas. Ultimately, growing our sovereign capacity by building more in Britain is a smart and strategic move that will pay off in the long run, both for our national security and our economic growth.

• 12 May 2025 · Topical Questions · Hansard source

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  The Middlesbrough Disabled Supporters Association does vital work to support disabled Boro fans, but it is currently being hammered by increased bank charges. Will the Minister for Disability work across Government to help take these banks to task so that non-profit disability groups such as the MDSA can continue their important work?

• 6 May 2025 · Victory in Europe and Victory over Japan: 80th Anniversary · Hansard source

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  Today we remember the extraordinary courage, sacrifice and service that brought about victory in Europe 80 years ago, and it has been a privilege to join VE Day commemorations right across my constituency this week. I am proud of our community for organising so many events to honour that brave generation. In our towns and villages, we remember all those who answered that call of service, many of whom would never return. We think of servicemen including Stan Hollis, a local lad from Middlesbrough who earned the only Victoria Cross awarded on D-Day for his sheer bravery in Normandy. We remember servicemen such as Harry Tout, a future mayor of Guisborough, who fought in north Africa and up the spine of Italy. And we remember the airmen, the mariners, the Green Howards and all the others who laid down their lives for freedom. We also pay tribute to those who played their part on the home front, from the land girls in our North Yorkshire countryside to the women and men of steel, the shipbuilders and steelworkers who kept the country afloat. This made Teesside a target and it was one of the first places in Britain to suffer casualties in the blitz, but the industrial haze also clouded enemy targeting, with the smog protecting the Smoggies. That generation’s courage made peace possible. Their service shaped the world we inherited and their patriotism was unwavering. We honour them today not only in words but in the way that, as a society, we stand together for each other and stand up to fear and hatred wherever it rears its head. As we remember them, we rededicate ourselves to the values they fought for: democracy, peace and fairness.

• 24 Apr 2025 · Public Service Reform · Hansard source

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  13. What steps he is taking with Cabinet colleagues to reform public services.

• 24 Apr 2025 · Public Service Reform · Hansard source

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  The Government’s laudable mission-led approach has seen NHS waiting lists fall for five months in a row. Like many public services, our NHS has been plagued by over-specified guidance and unnecessary targets for many years, so will the Minister assure the House that the mission-led approach will mean a focus on core non-negotiables to deliver for the British people?

• 24 Apr 2025 · Topical Questions · Hansard source

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  T3. Teesside has enormous potential for AI investment. What progress are the Government making on AI growth zones, AI adoption and investment for Teesside?

• 23 Apr 2025 · Pension Funds · Hansard source

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  My constituents Phil and Ann have contacted me about the so-called clawback policy, which would see them lose about £2,000 a year from their pensions when they reach state pension age. They, like many former employees, believe that this is an unfair and morally questionable approach. Does the hon. Lady agree that that cannot be the right approach and that it must be reconsidered?

• 22 Apr 2025 · Residential Estate Management Companies · Hansard source

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  It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship none the less, Mr Stuart, and I congratulate the hon. Member for South Devon (Caroline Voaden) on securing this debate. We are at the foothills of a historic era for housebuilding, but the question is: what happens after we build those houses? Residents across my constituency are being hit by the fleecehold stealth tax. They pay for services twice: once in council tax and again in estate charges. I recently heard from residents of the Ladgate Woods development, who were contacted by their property management company with an unexpected bill to cover their neighbours’ unpaid bills, despite already having paid their share in full. It cannot be right for responsible residents to be punished for doing the right thing. Management firms are often faceless companies based miles away—or even abroad, as we have heard today—and they are completely unaccountable. Residents are left powerless, with no control, choice or clarity. There needs to be a clear pathway to the adoption of new developments by local councils, with a timeline for residents. To that end, I support the private Member’s Bill of my hon. Friend the Member for Hitchin (Alistair Strathern); I also take this opportunity to congratulate him on his recent engagement. It is time that we ended the postcode lottery in which some homes are served by local councils, and others by firms that one would struggle to get on the phone. It is time we strengthened consumer protections for ordinary working families and put power back where it belongs: in the hands of residents.

• 22 Apr 2025 · Residential Estate Management Companies · Hansard source

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  Thank you, Mr Stuart, but I believe you have mistaken me for another ginger—there are a few of us in this Parliament.

• 2 Apr 2025 · Defence Expenditure: Supply Chain · Hansard source

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  2. What discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Defence on the potential impact of defence expenditure in Northern Ireland on defence supply chain companies in the rest of the UK.

• 2 Apr 2025 · Defence Expenditure: Supply Chain · Hansard source

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  Teesside has strong and enduring ties with Northern Ireland: we remember the contribution of the late Mo Mowlam and her legacy, as well as the economic ties. Does my right hon. Friend agree that the Government’s historic uplift in defence spending can deepen those ties and ensure jobs and growth across the UK?

• 1 Apr 2025 · Topical Questions · Hansard source

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  T7. What discussions are taking place with China about Jingye, the Chinese owner of British Steel, which last week rejected a generous offer from the Government to put the industry on a stable footing? Does the Foreign Secretary agree that, given the importance of this strategic industry, Jingye should return to the table and agree a deal, and that if it will not do so, we ought to step in to ensure that British steel is made in Britain?