Martin Rhodes MP: speeches

Speeches

• 26 Nov 2025 · Cost of Living · Hansard source

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  What discussions has the Secretary of State had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer about the impact on Scotland of the increase to the national living wage?

• 24 Nov 2025 · Gaza: Humanitarian Obligations · Hansard source

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  I agree with my hon. Friend about the importance of UNRWA in ensuring the co-ordination and delivery of humanitarian aid. Its access must be unfettered; it must be allowed in and allowed to do the work that needs to be done on the ground. Last week, the UN reported that more than 13,000 households across Gaza were affected by heavy rain and severe flooding, with sanitation systems having collapsed as a result of intense bombardment and siege. Rainwater no longer drains properly and—now mixed with sewage—has flooded people’s tents. Save the Children staff report seeing children sleeping on the bare ground, with no shelter, in clothes sodden with sewage water. The already high risk of preventable disease is growing and health workers on the ground see sustained rates of malnutrition, diarrhoea and pneumonia. Such conditions and ailments are entirely avoidable in the modern world. Responsibility for those awful conditions lies with the restrictions and delays imposed by the Israeli authorities. Therefore, the UK must prioritise humanitarian access in all our diplomatic engagement on the future of Gaza.

• 24 Nov 2025 · Gaza: Humanitarian Obligations · Hansard source

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  It is a pleasure to serve under your chairing, Ms McVey. I thank my hon. Friend the Member for North Ayrshire and Arran (Irene Campbell) for opening the debate on behalf of the Petitions Committee. Gaza’s healthcare system has been severely depleted. Israel’s campaign has destroyed health facilities, killed health workers and restricted vital medical supplies. The UN independent international commission of inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territories reported in September that Israel’s actions, including the systematic destruction of the health system, amount to genocide against Palestinians in Gaza. Although the recent ceasefire has allowed a greater flow of aid, including vital health supplies, more must be done to ensure that the level of supply meets the scale of need. As winter approaches, the health needs of Gaza remain dire. Israeli authorities continue to impede full humanitarian access—which is a legal obligation under international law, not a concession of any ceasefire.

• 24 Nov 2025 · Gaza: Humanitarian Obligations · Hansard source

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  I agree—there is a huge priority in getting humanitarian aid in, and it is absolutely upon the international community, including ourselves, to do all that we can to ensure that flow of aid. To ensure that children and families have sustained access to aid and the services needed to recover and rebuild their lives, Gaza’s healthcare system must be restored. For that to happen, there must be a removal of all remaining restrictions and bureaucratic impediments to the entry of aid, especially food, water, fuel, medical supplies and other critical humanitarian items. I therefore hope the Minister will confirm that, as part of the UK’s involvement in the Civil-Military Co-ordination Centre tasked with co-ordinating humanitarian aid and recovery in Gaza, he has set the critical and achievable objective of ensuring that British aid charities such as Medical Aid for Palestinians and Oxfam can operate freely and without restriction in Gaza, including with unhindered entry for staff, medical teams and vital humanitarian supplies. Many questions remain regarding the scale of continued suffering in Gaza. Why did UNICEF have at least 938,000 bottles of infant formula released only recently, when they were stuck at the border since August? How can a lifesaving vaccination campaign by UNICEF succeed when 1.6 million syringes and other vital supplies have been kept outside Gaza for months, blocked from entering despite the urgent necessity? Why, according to UNICEF, have at least 58 children been killed in conflict-related incidents since 11 October? The UK must redouble efforts to pressure Israeli authorities to maintain the ceasefire and allow UN-backed professional humanitarian agencies to reach people in need at scale with meaningful assistance. Only then will Gaza be able to rebuild its homes, health and future. A viable Palestinian state is required if we are to see a two-state solution. I look forward to the Minister’s response to this debate.

• 24 Nov 2025 · Gaza: Humanitarian Obligations · Hansard source

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  I agree. I was referring to past actions, but this is not just about what has gone on in the past. People must be held to account for what is happening now. As I have said, the withholding of humanitarian aid is itself an act in breach of humanitarian and international law, and those responsible for it must be held to account.

• 24 Nov 2025 · Gaza: Humanitarian Obligations · Hansard source

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  I agree. We have a ceasefire—a very fragile ceasefire—but, even if it is successful, we must ensure that people are held to account for what has gone before. We should not allow progress with the ceasefire to take away from accountability for past actions.

• 24 Nov 2025 · Gaza: Humanitarian Obligations · Hansard source

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  I agree. It is vital to have proper documentation of what is happening, and the point was made earlier about the need for journalists to have access, so that they can report on what is happening and we can hold people to account.

• 18 Nov 2025 · UNESCO: 80th Anniversary · Hansard source

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  It is a pleasure to serve under your chairing, Mr Dowd, and I congratulate my hon. Friend the Member for Mid Derbyshire (Jonathan Davies) on securing this debate. In an increasingly divided world, it is essential that we use UNESCO’s 80th anniversary to promote its mission of contributing to peace and security by fostering collaboration among nations through education, science and culture. In a fractured and fracturing world, education, science and culture can be important tools for building knowledge, understanding and peace. Glasgow continues to promote UNESCO’s mission through its designation, back in 2008, as the UK’s first UNESCO city of music. Glasgow is recognised as Scotland’s music capital, with over half a million people a year enjoying gigs in world-renowned venues such as King Tut’s, the OVO Hydro, the Berkeley Suite and Sub Club. The city hosts around 130 events a week, making it Scotland’s most popular location for gigs. Outside of the Edinburgh Festival and Fringe, many of Scotland’s largest cultural festivals take place in Glasgow, such as Celtic Connections and Transmit. My constituency of Glasgow North is home to institutions that contribute to Glasgow’s city of music title, such as Scottish Opera, the Royal Scottish National Orchestra and the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. Glasgow’s UNESCO title not only recognises the musical talent of the city, but helps to support it. Research by the UK National Commission for UNESCO shows that such a designation helps to attract extra funding, tourism and partnerships, as well as generating local pride. Such a sector helps the local economy to grow, boosts employment and complements other parts of the economy, such as local businesses and Glasgow’s flourishing food and drink sector. I hope that the Scottish Government and Glasgow city council will do more to support Glasgow’s city of music status. The UK Government’s Brand Scotland initiative aims to complement such titles by promoting Scotland and its cities to the world. Glasgow’s UNESCO city of music status is certainly one such selling point for the city. More recently, in December 2024, Glasgow was awarded the title of UNESCO learning city in recognition of its outstanding achievements in lifelong learning. This is a testament to the many initiatives, organisations and educational institutions in Glasgow that work to widen access to education and to create opportunities for individuals and communities. However, titles such as city of music are not the only reason that UNESCO is important to Glasgow. On the edge of my constituency of Glasgow North, there is a UNESCO world heritage site, the Antonine wall. Although it is sometimes overshadowed by its more famous contemporary, Hadrian’s wall, the Antonine wall was one of the sites furthest from Rome on which the Roman empire ever built, and it is a testament to Scotland’s rich history. The universal value of the Antonine wall—built nearly 2,000 years ago and stretching 37 miles, with approximately 36 forts—was recognised by UNESCO because it is an impressive example of Roman military architecture and because of its symbolism as the maximum extension of the Roman empire’s power in northern Europe. The site of the Antonine wall now hosts a range of different visitor attractions to teach people about its history, as well as routes for walkers and cyclists to follow the route of the wall across the central belt of Scotland. It is a testament to UNESCO’s work in helping to preserve and promote important historical sites for future generations to enjoy. I am proud that Glasgow continues to contribute to UNESCO’s global mission 80 years after the organisation’s creation. I hope that this debate helps to highlight the importance of funding the preservation and promotion of culture, education and historic sites that generations in the present and the future can benefit from. I look forward to hearing from the Minister on how the Government can continue to develop their support for UNESCO.

• 18 Nov 2025 · Gaza and Sudan · Hansard source

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  I welcome the Foreign Secretary’s reference to the west bank in her statement. Others have made reference to the highest levels of attacks by settlers on Palestinians in the area. Will the Government now consider taking the step that other European countries are taking of banning all trade with illegal settlements?

• 13 Nov 2025 · Modern Day Slavery: Pakistan · Hansard source

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  Does my hon. Friend agree that one of the most effective ways the UK can combat modern slavery worldwide is by introducing due diligence legislation for imports? In that way, we can ensure that products brought in from Pakistan, China or wherever else are produced in ways that do not include slavery.

• 13 Nov 2025 · Modern Day Slavery: Pakistan · Hansard source

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  I thank the hon. Member for bringing this subject to us today. Does he agree that, despite legislation being in place in Pakistan and elsewhere in the world, we still see these problems of the undermining of human rights? Would there be, therefore, an argument for greater multilateral ways of policing these human rights violations and making sure that human rights are upheld?

• 13 Nov 2025 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  I was recently asked to visit a shop in my constituency that has suffered over 100 reported robberies since opening last November. These incidents not only involve theft, but threats and attacks on staff. This situation is unfolding against the backdrop of a significant reduction in police presence. The Glasgow division of Police Scotland has lost 218 local officers since 2017. Will the Leader of the House allocate time for a debate on the importance of policing in supporting and protecting local businesses?

• 30 Oct 2025 · Responsible Business Conduct Review · Hansard source

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  2. Whether his Department held discussions with experts from the global south as part of its review of the UK’s approach to responsible business conduct.

• 30 Oct 2025 · Responsible Business Conduct Review · Hansard source

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  I recently met a campaigner from south-east Asia who is involved in freedom of association and independent trade union repression in the garment sector. With that in mind, and given that trade and business are facilitated through relationships, from national Governments to businesses to workers and their trade union representatives, does the Secretary of State agree that it is essential to involve stakeholders at every level of the supply chain, including those representing workers and unions in the global south, when informing the review of the UK and how we promote responsible business practices?

• 23 Oct 2025 · Civil Service Jobs: Scotland · Hansard source

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  15. What progress his Department has made on the relocation of civil service jobs to Scotland.

• 23 Oct 2025 · Civil Service Jobs: Scotland · Hansard source

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  Does the Minister agree that having different roles and different levels of positions within the civil service in Glasgow and in Scotland is important so that people can progress their careers while remaining in Glasgow or in Scotland?

• 22 Oct 2025 · Devolution in Scotland · Hansard source

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  I thank the hon. Member for Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross (Jamie Stone) for securing the debate and for his thoughtful and reflective opening speech. Although the Scottish Parliament may be a place of hotly debated politics, the importance of Scottish devolution is unquestionable. It is right to refer to devolution and the Scottish Parliament as the “settled will” of the Scottish people. As predicted, it has become a cornerstone for Scottish democracy in the UK, but closing the political and social gap between the decision makers and the people those decisions impact upon cannot and should not stop at devolution from London to Edinburgh—from this place to Holyrood. In recent years we have seen the benefits of further devolving power and funding to city regions across the UK, with the ability at local level to create and tailor policies to better serve communities. In Scotland, however, devolution appears to have stalled at Holyrood. In recent years, the SNP has followed the principle of “devolution for me and not for thee”. There seems to have been little appetite from the Scottish Government to pass power and more funding to the Glasgow city region and other communities across Scotland. Devolution has effectively stalled. This is even though further devolution is the logical continuation of the principles of power sharing, representation and accountability that were pivotal in the creation of the Scottish Parliament in the first place. Such a continuation of devolution is important for the Glasgow metropolitan region—a city region with a well developed and established collaboration system. This includes the city deal—one of the largest in the UK—the UK Government’s shared prosperity fund and the city region innovation accelerator, to name just a few. These investments have already delivered jobs and major regeneration for areas across Glasgow city region. This is proof that the Glasgow region can handle more responsibility while also creating a case for more necessary accountability and governance. The Glasgow city region is now at a point where the Scottish Government and the city region need to look at a range of policy areas and levers, including powers over transport, housing, skills, economic development and public service reform, and to devolve those appropriate powers to allow the Glasgow city region to tailor its policies to the needs of our communities. For our communities, this could mean better buses that turn up on time, people no longer on housing waiting lists for years and years, and more opportunities for neglected communities. The devolution of powers and responsibilities must be based on strategic aims, providing the processes to deliver the policies to achieve those aims, and those processes must be accountable and transparent with robust governance, but all of this must be rooted in the outcomes that we want to achieve: to reduce inequality and poverty; to improve access to healthcare and improve health outcomes; and to create new jobs and opportunities. A recent report by the Centre for Cities makes this case for further devolution, too. It estimates that if Glasgow performed in line with cities of comparable size, Scotland’s economy could be 4.6% larger. When I campaigned with so many others during the referendum in 1997 for the establishment of the Scottish Parliament, it was to devolve powers from this place as appropriate to the Scottish Parliament. It was not for those powers and responsibilities then to be hoarded by Holyrood; it was part of a wider process to devolve power down through local government and to communities and citizens. During next year’s Scottish election, the Scottish people again have an opportunity to revitalise devolution. By electing a Scottish Labour Government with Anas Sarwar as First Minister, they can have a Government who are committed to the principle of devolution and who will deliver on the priorities of the Scottish people, instead of continuing with constitutional posturing. We can build on the successes of the Scottish Parliament and develop a stronger Scottish Parliament. It will be made stronger not by grasping on to powers but by devolving powers further. We can renew the commitment to devolution, renew the commitment to empower communities and renew our direction—all of that in the service of the Scottish people.

• 22 Oct 2025 · Financial Inclusion · Hansard source

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  I certainly agree. Later in my speech, I will come on to the issues of access to cash and face-to-face financial services. All the groups that I have mentioned face barriers, but an area of particular concern that I wish to focus on this morning is financial inclusion for disabled people. Much of my thinking on the issue has been informed by the hard work of the Advisory Group, or TAG, a Scottish charitable incorporated organisation run by and for people with disabilities and abilities. Glasgow TAG’s banking campaign steering committee came together in response to growing frustration among TAG members about how banking is excluding them, both in terms of access and in terms of treatment. They have highlighted to me the very real financial exclusion that they face in everyday life. A key issue that the group has raised with me is access to cash. Many members rely on cash for daily budgeting. The shift to card-only businesses and the closure of free-to-use ATMs are leaving people unable to spend their own money. Quarriers, one of Scotland’s largest social care charities, reports that 76% of people with learning disabilities rely on support with their finances, and the same proportion use bank cards to withdraw cash. In my constituency, we have seen a 22% decrease in free-to-use ATMs between 2019 and 2025. This has created cash deserts, where communities are left without access to cash machines, and those that remain often charge for withdrawals or are inside premises with closing times. I hope that the Minister will engage with the issue and acknowledge the importance of continued free access to cash for financial inclusion. The second issue that TAG has raised is discrimination in branches. TAG members have shared experiences of being ignored in favour of support workers, denied access to their own accounts or treated with suspicion. There is a strong feeling among TAG members who have spoken to me that financial institutions are not doing enough to meet their obligations under the Equality Act 2010. Will the Government consider supporting mandatory disability awareness and equality training in banking institutions, to help prevent such incidents?

• 22 Oct 2025 · Financial Inclusion · Hansard source

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  I agree. Financial exclusion has a cumulative effect: if someone is excluded from one financial service because they do not have access to a bank account, they may well find themselves excluded from others. As my hon. Friend says, they may be unable to pay for utilities or other services by direct debit, which would allow them to get the best deals. That cumulative impact is a very big issue. The last issue that has been raised with me by TAG members is digital exclusion and branch closures. The transition to online banking is simply not accessible for many TAG members, and the closure of local branches has made it harder to get support in person. With the closure of high street banking, we are seeing the loss of the important face-to-face contact that can support people with learning disabilities with access to financial activities. I support the Government’s work with industry to roll out at least 350 banking hubs that will provide communities with critical cash and banking services. I would welcome any reflections from the Minister on what the Government are doing to ensure that digitalisation does not leave people behind and to support the role of banking hubs. I acknowledge that for many people digital access increases the ability to get services, but for others it does not. That shows the need for a range of ways to access financial services, so everybody can access them.

• 22 Oct 2025 · Financial Inclusion · Hansard source

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  I agree that we need to do more to encourage savings, but we also need to encourage the incomes that are required for people to make those savings. The driving reason for this level of financial exclusion has been attributed to an increase in low or unstable incomes, lack of savings and life events such as loss of work or bereavement.

• 22 Oct 2025 · Financial Inclusion · Hansard source

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  I agree that the financial inclusion strategy is a very welcome step in developing, co-ordinating and implementing interventions to support financial inclusion in the UK. Subsequent policy decisions stemming from the strategy will have to work for a broad range of groups in society. Many face financial exclusion for different reasons, including older people, disabled people and young people.

• 22 Oct 2025 · Financial Inclusion · Hansard source

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  I agree that there is a need for face-to-face services. Many people rely on that face-to-face support, so access to banking services through banking hubs is important. I welcome the Government’s roll-out of the hubs, and I look forward to what the Minister has to say about how the scheme will be developed. Beyond the issues that TAG raised with me, there are many other disabled groups with particular needs, such as blind and partially sighted people. The Royal National Institute of Blind People has reported that only two in five blind and partially sighted people manage their finances independently, and over half of those who do not do so say that it is because of their sight loss. The common reasons that they cite are a lack of confidence and facilities no longer being available. Other experiences of financial exclusion that they report include information not being in an accessible format, a lack of trained bank branch staff and a lack of digital literacy for the transition to digital banking. That is just one example that shows how a truly inclusive financial system will have to be tailored and adaptable to the needs of a diverse range of people. These are reasons why the financial inclusion strategy must be informed and shaped by the experience of people with disabilities and abilities. The Government must facilitate a proper dialogue between banks and disability groups. Disability-sensitive staff training is needed. Access to cash needs to be protected, including with more free ATMs and inclusive banking hubs. More broadly, the Government must tackle barriers to individuals’ and households’ ability to access affordable and appropriate financial products and services.

• 22 Oct 2025 · Financial Inclusion · Hansard source

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  I agree that we need to look right across the board at the different ways in which people are excluded from financial services, including people living in smaller villages and towns. I also agree about the importance of credit unions to financial inclusion. It has been reported that 41,500 people in Glasgow North are in financially vulnerable circumstances. That is 44% of the adult population, which is far higher than the national average of 38%. With financial exclusion increasing, the Government must take steps to mainstream inclusive policies and practices in our financial system, which is why I support the Government’s appointment of the Financial Inclusion Committee and the soon-to-be-published financial inclusion strategy.

• 22 Oct 2025 · Financial Inclusion · Hansard source

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  Yes, I agree that we need to look right across the whole range of financial services, including insurance, as well as those that we have touched on. Exclusion from one service can often lead to exclusion from another and then another. Failing to get access to one service means that people are less likely to get access to another, and the problem becomes greater.

• 22 Oct 2025 · Financial Inclusion · Hansard source

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  I beg to move, That this House has considered financial inclusion. It is a pleasure to serve under your chairship, Dr Huq. We need a financial system that removes barriers to accessing affordable financial products and services. Those on lower incomes, older people, those with health issues and people with disabilities all have unique needs that an inclusive financial system should be engineered to support. The Building Societies Association reports that 14 million people have less than £100 in savings. According to Fair4All Finance, there are certainly more than 20 million people in financially vulnerable circumstances in the UK.