Mary Glindon MP: speeches 2025

43 published records · newest first.

Speeches

10 Dec 2025 · Draft Building Safety Regulator (Establishment of New Body and Transfer of Functions etc.) Regulations 2026 · Hansard source
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What consideration can the Minister give to the regulator’s having Crown status, rather than making it a non-Crown status body, which civil servants are concerned will mean they risk losing their entitlements and access to the civil service pension?
27 Nov 2025 · Budget Resolutions · Hansard source
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I welcome a number of the announcements in the Chancellor’s Budget addressing the issues affecting my constituents’ lives. Despite the challenging headwinds facing the Exchequer, the Chancellor decided to protect the £120 billion of additional capital investment she set out at the spending review and introduced measures to ease cost of living pressures. Balancing the books by reducing capital spending would be to dismantle growth. The north cannot afford that if the productivity of our major cities like Newcastle is to catch up with European peers. News on the cost of living is also welcome, with the average family due to save £234 next year from energy support and fuel duty measures. The decision to freeze rail fares and prescription charges will be a sigh of relief for families up and down the country, and I also support the 4.8% increase to the state pension in line with our commitment to the triple lock. On social security, I am delighted by the decision to scrap the two-child benefit cap. This progressive Labour choice builds on the work the Government are already doing on child poverty—the roll-out of universal breakfast clubs, the expansion of free school meals and now the removal of what has been a moral stain on Britain for the past eight years. The Tories reacted with anger; I welcome it wholeheartedly for the 2,940 children in my constituency who will be impacted positively by the measure. I commend the Chancellor for the steps she has taken on taxing profits made by gambling firms. Remote gambling is associated with the greatest levels of harm. For some, it is not entertainment; it is a rapid decline into addiction, mental health struggles and debt. Yesterday the Government struck the right balance. Land-based gambling is lower stakes and takes place in a more regulated and social environment. The sector is a source of investment for our high streets, which have been beleaguered for a number of years. I am also pleased that those high streets will be supported by the introduction of permanently lower business rates for eligible properties —the lowest tax rates for more than three decades. While I welcome the introduction of maintenance grants for disadvantaged students, I hope the Government will listen to the higher education sector’s concerns about the proposed international student levy. According to the Office for Students, 45% of universities are set to report a deficit this year. Diverting international tuition revenue at such a fragile moment for the sector could lead to additional course closures, staff redundancies and reductions in student support services. I urge the Government to review the levy mechanism before implementation and to publish full sensitivity analyses using realistic assumptions for international student demand. While I hope the Treasury will seek to identify alternative sources of funding for maintenance grants, I urge the Government to introduce transitional protections should the proposals be introduced in 2028. I also hope the Treasury will examine the exclusion of PhD researchers from the Government’s expanded childcare offer. Because stipends are not classed as taxable income, they are denied access to that support. Will the Treasury team work with the Department for Education to explore solutions that ensure that researchers receive the same childcare offer as other working families? On our North sea, I remain deeply concerned about our offshore energy sector. Net zero is our future—there is no denying that—but the transition must be fair, managed and prosperous. David Whitehouse, chief executive of Offshore Energies UK, has warned that waiting beyond 2026 to reform the energy profits levy would “see 1,000 jobs continue to be lost every month, more energy imports and a contagion across supply chains and our industrial heartlands.” I echo his words: “This is not over. We will keep pressing for change”. I could not make a Budget debate speech without mentioning the vaping industry. Illicit products, under-age sales and rogue retailers undermine public trust in what is the most effective form of smoking cessation. I am pleased that the Government have announced plans to give border officers and tax officials greater powers to tackle the surge of prohibited e-cigarettes on high streets across the country, with police having powers to remove illegal vapes on the spot and to fine shop owners up to £10,000. A licensing scheme would be the icing on the cake. Politics is about values, which are always tested when the going gets tough. Against a backdrop of challenges, this Government have reaffirmed their moral commitment to tackling poverty and getting our economy back on track.
17 Nov 2025 · Parkinson’s Disease · Hansard source
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The hon. Gentleman has eloquently described the very real problem of what happens after diagnosis. Sitting alongside the Government’s workforce plan, a new, modern service framework for neurological conditions would set clear, evidence-based objectives and standards for care delivery.
17 Nov 2025 · Parkinson’s Disease · Hansard source
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Sorry—I do not know that I have time to give way. Too many people want to speak. A framework would drive faster diagnosis and treatment, boost access to multidisciplinary teams and improve secondary prevention. I urge the Minister to consider introducing a framework for neurology in the Government’s first wave of national service frameworks in 2026. Will the Minister ask the Secretary of State to meet Parkinson’s UK and the Neurological Alliance to discuss how the framework could help to improve patient outcomes? On financial support, Parkinson’s comes with a significant financial cost. People with Parkinson’s spend over £7,500 a year on average just to manage their condition. However, the personal independence payment system has failed the Parkinson’s community since its creation 12 years ago. Inaccurate assessments are far too common, and too often people must bear the physical and emotional strain of the appeals process. In the previous debate, the Minister offered to relay concerns about PIP to the ministerial team and the Department for Work and Pensions. Against the backdrop of the “Pathways to Work” Green Paper, and now that the Timms review has been launched, will the Minister make representations in the strongest possible terms that any reform of PIP must deliver fair and accurate awards for people with Parkinson’s?
17 Nov 2025 · Parkinson’s Disease · Hansard source
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I congratulate my hon. Friend the Member for Colne Valley (Paul Davies) on securing this debate. I have had the honour in the past of being the chair of the all-party parliamentary group on Parkinson’s, which is very forceful, and rightly so. I want to address a couple of things, starting with the workforce. It is crucial to situate the point about shortages within the context of the forthcoming refreshed workforce plan. The Government have a golden opportunity to fix problems that have blighted Parkinson’s diagnosis and care for years. As with many other conditions, people rely on Parkinson’s diagnosis to access vital support. However, recent research by Parkinson’s UK suggests that up to 21,000 people are undiagnosed. The neurology waiting list stands at more than 226,000, and only half are seen with the 18-week target. At the root of that is our lack of neurologists. However, for many patients, receiving a diagnosis is only part of the battle. Around one in five do not have access to a specialist nurse. There are also alarming shortages of occupational therapists, physiotherapists and speech and language therapists. Adequate access to specialists and multidisciplinary care is crucial for managing such a complex condition and preventing unplanned hospital visits.
29 Oct 2025 · Offshore Wind Supply Chain: Tyneside · Hansard source
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I thank Mr Speaker for granting the debate. I do not underestimate the challenges that the Minister and her colleagues face, because the transition is a monumental task. Tonight I will set out the case for further Government support being needed for the offshore wind sector in places such as Tyneside. Smulders Projects UK, which I have worked with for many years, is a critical employer in the sector and in my constituency. Smulders is not only a key global player but the UK’s leading provider of offshore wind substations and foundation structures, including monopiles, transitional pieces and jackets. Those form the essential building blocks of the critical infrastructure required for UK renewable energy security. Smulders, based in Wallsend, is one of many businesses along the Tyne that are markers of the Tyne’s proud and enduring legacy. Throughout history, the Tyne has stepped up when the country has needed it most. [ Interruption. ] Today it stands ready to aid the transition to renewables. Do excuse me, Madam Deputy Speaker; I am very proud of the Tyne.
29 Oct 2025 · Offshore Wind Supply Chain: Tyneside · Hansard source
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I certainly will.
29 Oct 2025 · Offshore Wind Supply Chain: Tyneside · Hansard source
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The hon. Gentleman has long been a friend of mine, and he not only speaks well of his own constituency and Northern Ireland, but is very supportive of all of us across the Irish sea. He is right in what he says, and I think we are both justly proud of what is being achieved by the universities and industries in our areas. That is why we are standing here tonight and making our plea to the Government. This week, the Government set the budget for allocation round 7 to support new offshore wind projects. RenewableUK, along with other industry voices, has expressed concern that the amount allocated is likely to procure only a quarter of the 20 GW capacity available in this year’s tender. This is a very recent announcement, so I would be grateful if the Minister could set out how the budget aligns with the Government’s plans to maximise the number of green jobs in Britain. Against the backdrop of AR7, there is real concern regarding the alarming drift towards UK offshore wind turbine foundation structures being procured from lower-cost regions such as the middle east, the Asia-Pacific region—APAC—and China. Recent examples of this include EDF’s Neart na Gaoithe offshore wind farm, Ocean Winds’ Moray West OWF and the Inch Cape OWF. For these UK projects, all the foundation structures were imported from lower-cost fabrication yards located in the middle east, Indonesia and China. I understand the approach taken by the previous Government and developers to drive down and minimise capital expenditure, but that approach adversely impacts the operations of our own UK companies, which are unable to compete on cost alone. Recent mechanisms and initiatives such as the clean industry bonus included in AR7 are of course welcome, but there is a fear that these alone will not prevent the further drift of foundation fabrication away from the UK to these lower-cost regions. With reference to the AR7 clean industry bonus allocation framework, there are two CIB criteria that developers could meet. Criterion 1 refers to “investment in shorter supply chains”, where an investment may be made in a deprived area in the UK. Given the socioeconomic challenges that Newcastle upon Tyne East and Wallsend face, option 1 is a welcome incentive, and I look forward to the outcome of the AR7 projects, when announced. Criterion 2 refers to “investment in more sustainable means of production”, where investments may be made in one or more manufacturing facilities or installation firms that have either committed to, or set their science-based targets by, the application date anywhere in the world. There is real concern that this approach opens the door to unfair competition from lower-cost regions such as China, APAC and the middle east, specifically for the supply of critical offshore wind infrastructure such as wind turbine generator foundations, jackets, transition pieces and monopiles. Therefore, outside the AR7 framework, and given the criticality of this infrastructure to our energy security, will the Minister set out what additional measures or guarantees can be put in place to ensure that a significant portion of offshore wind infrastructure is secured and fabricated by UK companies such as Smulders? It is essential that businesses in the UK continue to invest, innovate and introduce new technologies and processes to optimise efficiency as well as competitiveness, as my hon. Friend the Member for Strangford (Jim Shannon) said. However, it is becoming increasingly difficult for UK companies to compete equally with overseas yards on such an uneven playing field. On the Tyne, not only are supply chains held back by unfair competition; they are also constrained by physical barriers. The power cables over the Tyne are an obstacle to businesses securing work for large renewable energy structures, which risks possible net gross value added benefits of up to £1.2 billion. The height restriction in place is 87 metres. However, wind turbine jackets for AR7 and future rounds will be in excess of 100 to 120 metres high. It means that Smulders cannot bid for certain contracts despite having world-class facilities and the sharpest minds ready to go. It has been proposed that the removal of the cables will be completed in 2032. I have campaigned since 2017 for a solution to this issue—2032 is too late. The jobs of the future have become the jobs of today, and this is an international race. Yards in the middle east will not wait for 2032, APAC will not wait, and neither will China. In July, I welcomed the Secretary of State’s commitment to engage with me and Ofgem to try to accelerate the work. I look forward to meeting the Energy Minister next month to discuss it further. I would be grateful if the Minister reaffirmed the Department’s support for bringing forward this work and reaffirm that the Government will press the National Grid for an earlier completion date. I turn to the issue of ensuring a more consistent revenue stream for our domestic fabricators. We have seen disruption, delay and postponement in the promised pipeline of offshore wind projects because of failures during earlier leasing and allocation rounds. Projects from AR5 and AR6 are all now complete, or very near to completion. Unfortunately, however, insufficient projects were approved and insufficient contracts were awarded to the UK to ensure a continuous pipeline of work for companies such as Smulders. The result of that failure is a very real two-year chasm in UK offshore wind manufacturing. From the start of 2026, effectively, zero UK offshore wind projects will be in fabrication. The next tranche of projects will be dependent on the successful outcome of AR7 and the clean industry bonus incentives offered to developers. The results from AR7, however, will not be known until quarter 1 in 2026, thus creating a two-year gap. This is the effective period from project approval and contract award, to finalising engineering and procuring materials before industry can start cutting steel. Optimistically, that could begin in quarter 3 or quarter 4 of 2027, with offshore infrastructure in place again two years after that in the final quarter of 2029. However, the first power generation from AR7 projects before August 2029 is a stretched target. Smulders has already invested over £100 million at its Wallsend facilities based on previous Government assurances of continued UK offshore wind fabrication projects. What level of operational or other support is the Government willing to provide to established tier-1 fabricators such as Smulders to secure the jobs of over 600 well-paid workers during this two-year gap in fabrication? I was delighted to hear the Secretary of State’s commitment during party conference to a clean energy jobs plan, which will see the sector grow from 430,000 jobs today to 830,000 by 2030. That will include tens of thousands of new roles for engineers, welders, electricians and construction workers. I support the Government’s ambition for further growth. The skills for these jobs are being developed and nurtured by companies in Tyneside, as well as by the Energy Academy in my constituency, which is set to expand following the combined authority’s commitment to invest £8.5 million in the college. Well-paid, secure jobs can be created through the awarding of contracts to existing UK tier-1 fabricators. For UK companies, the outcome and results from allocation round 7 are critical to their continued operations in this country. More crucially, the outcome of the foundation contract awards will ultimately determine the long-term success or failure of our businesses—and, I believe, the future of the UK offshore wind fabrication sector. Only foundation contracts awarded domestically can provide the necessary volume of serial, repeat fabrication needed to achieve the Government’s clean jobs target, and secure the necessary skills required for a high-paid clean energy sector. I repeat my call on the Government to take further steps to ensure that a substantial allocation of AR7 foundation fabrication is awarded here in the UK. As I said, at its peak, Smulders supports over 600 high-skilled and well-paid local jobs in Tyneside and across the region, and its primary concern is to secure those jobs in the long term. It is in the national interest for UK businesses to succeed with those projects, as they are creating highly skilled and dependable jobs that will not only strengthen the offshore wind industry but support training in skills required for associated industries such as defence, nuclear and the wider engineering sector, as well as supporting other major British infrastructure initiatives. The drifting overseas of such work threatens domestic jobs, future economic investment and the UK’s long-term security. This is a critical juncture for the UK offshore wind sector, so will the Minister meet me, representatives from Smulders and the wider Tyneside supply chain to discuss urgently the concerns that I have set out about the areas in which industry needs further support, and so that we can present our aspirations for the clean energy future? Although the transition presents challenges from all angles, it presents even more opportunities. The Tyne is open for business, and it stands ready to play a defining role.
27 Oct 2025 · North Sea Oil and Gas Industry · Hansard source
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I welcome the Government’s mention of tiebacks in a consultation earlier this year. The development of tiebacks is important because it reduces costs and extends the life of existing critical infrastructure. However, many existing hubs are reaching the end of their life and we may miss the opportunities that are in front of us. Will the Minister look at tiebacks as a pragmatic step to help aid the transition?
13 Oct 2025 · Homelessness · Hansard source
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11. What steps he is taking to reduce youth homelessness.
13 Oct 2025 · Homelessness · Hansard source
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The Minister’s announcement is welcome, but last year, in England and Wales, 18% of the people who were found to be at risk of homelessness or were experiencing homelessness were aged just 16 to 24. That number is far too high. Will the Minister agree to meet the YMCA and the Youth Homeless Chapter Collective to discuss the action needed to support young people and reduce homelessness for good?
2 Sept 2025 · Gaza: Humanitarian Aid · Hansard source
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President Trump and envoy Steve Witkoff played an important role in securing the previous ceasefire agreement. At crucial moments, Netanyahu has been receptive to Trump’s wishes; we saw that earlier this year, when Israel and Iran stepped back from the brink. As the White House has a defining role to play here, will the Foreign Secretary, with our allies, urge the US to apply its full weight to its leverage?
2 Sept 2025 · Gaza: Humanitarian Aid · Hansard source
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22. What steps he is taking to help improve the humanitarian situation in Gaza.
22 Jul 2025 · Sir David Amess Summer Adjournment · Hansard source
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Children are 20% of the population, but 100% of our future. I see that every time I visit a school in Newcastle upon Tyne East and Wallsend. We know that the first few years of a child’s life are crucial, laying the foundation for their overall development. For that reason, I am delighted that Battle Hill primary school in Wallsend is in the initial cohort to benefit from the Government’s expansion of school-based nurseries. That school is in one of the most deprived areas of the ward, and has always done a fantastic job of supporting families. It previously had a Sure Start facility, and as someone who used to be a ward councillor and a governor, I was always proud to say that it cared for children from birth to 11 years. I am excited to say that that is the aspiration once again. To remain on the topic of our young people, the north-east mayoral combined authority recently approved an £8.5 million investment for the expansion of the energy academy in my constituency. The offshore energy industries along the Tyne are a source of enormous pride. The Tyne is open for business, and the expansion of the energy academy only strengthens that case. That funding will be used to create a new energy campus, tripling the number of students who will be able to enrol each year. The offshore renewable energy sector is set to create an additional 4,500 jobs in manufacturing and engineering along the river over the next decade. It is right that a young person growing up in any of the wards in my constituency should have the opportunity to compete for new green jobs. However, if companies and local officials are moving the earth to ensure that the jobs and investment are there, we cannot allow obstacles to get in the way. When I say “obstacles”, I mean it in the literal sense; for eight years, I have led a campaign to remove the power cables over the Tyne, which are a barrier to businesses securing work for large renewable energy structures. Last year, the Institute for Public Policy Research identified Newcastle as the travel to work area with the third highest green potential in Britain. However, the current situation puts at risk possible net gross value added benefits of up to £1.2 billion. It has been proposed that the removal of the cables will be completed in 2032. That is too late—the race for green jobs is now. Over the years, few have championed Tyneside’s industrial strength as powerfully as the Shepherd family, and I take this opportunity to thank them for their tireless work. The employment they have created along the Tyne is commendable, and they have convened some of the sharpest minds in the private sector to help solve some of the biggest problems we face. I welcome Walker North’s inclusion in the list of trailblazer neighbourhoods announced at the spending review. That area will receive up to £20 million over the next decade to support its renewal, and I look forward to working with the community to ensure that that funding is used where it is needed. As chair of the responsible vaping all-party parliamentary group, I remain concerned that efforts to reduce the number of smokers continue to plateau. Action on Smoking and Health’s research that 13% of adults in Britain smoke, and that this figure has remained at the same level since 2021, is alarming. Over half of adults who smoke and who would benefit from switching completely to vaping wrongly believe that it is equally as harmful as smoking, or even more harmful. I hope that when the Tobacco and Vapes Bill returns later this year, that misperception about relative harms will not be made worse. I encourage the Government to make clear in other health-related announcements that vaping is a safer option for smokers looking to quit. I will end on a happy and congratulatory note. I recently tabled two early-day motions celebrating the hard work of individuals who have dedicated their life to public service. The first motion applauds Dame Norma Redfearn after a long and successful life in education and as the elected Mayor of North Tyneside. The long list of achievements in my EDM explains why she is widely known in the north-east just by her first name. Norma’s involvement in the creation of the Greggs Foundation breakfast clubs in 1999, after setting up her own as a headteacher, changed countless lives. The second motion concerns Gary Kent, who has worked in Parliament for 38 years and has been my researcher for 14. After two decades of Anglo-Irish peace work, he was secretary for nearly 20 years of the all-party parliamentary group on the Kurdistan region in Iraq. MPs used his experience as a cross-party and transnational activist, and the group helped build a stronger Kurdish-British relationship. Such people in public life can inspire others and advance the common good.
15 Jul 2025 · Green Industries: Supply Chain Jobs · Hansard source
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2. What steps he has taken with Cabinet colleagues to help increase the number of jobs in supply chains in green industries.
15 Jul 2025 · Green Industries: Supply Chain Jobs · Hansard source
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The power cables over the Tyne are a barrier to businesses securing work for large renewable energy structures, risking possible net GVA benefits of up to £1.2 billion. It has been proposed that the removal of the cables will be completed in 2032. Will the Secretary of State help me push for it to be brought forward so that Tyneside is not held back in the global race for green jobs?
15 Jul 2025 · Afghanistan · Hansard source
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My constituent has an active application to bring members of his family, who are currently in a third country, to safety in the UK. The MOD has advised him to assume that their data has been compromised, which is deeply concerning given the nature of the work he used to undertake. He has been told that this third country cannot be supported, even though his family might not be safe in Afghanistan. Will the Secretary of State help to ensure that his case is accelerated, given the further danger that the data leak may have put his family in?
10 Jul 2025 · Business of the House · Hansard source
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Following yesterday’s “Act Now, Change Forever” mass lobby of Parliament, organised by the Climate Coalition, will the Leader of the House make time to debate the serious nature of developing countries’ debt, which prevents those nations from adequately spending to mitigate a climate crisis they have done the least to cause, and the unique position our Government are in to legislate and bring private creditors to the negotiating table?
3 Jul 2025 · Phone Theft · Hansard source
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Further to the intervention from the hon. Member for Strangford (Jim Shannon), does my hon. Friend agree that public awareness is not where it should be? It worries me to see people with their phones sticking out of their back pockets or people standing and taking photographs around Westminster, knowing how high the incidence of theft is. Somehow the public need to be more aware and more careful with these precious things that hold so much of their lives on them.
3 Jul 2025 · Women’s State Pension Age: Financial Redress · Hansard source
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I thank my hon. Friend the Member for Salford (Rebecca Long Bailey) for securing this debate from the Backbench Business Committee, of which I am a member, and for her eloquent and informative speech. Financial security is something we endeavour to secure for our families and for ourselves. Many 1950s-born women worked their whole lives with the goal of financial security in their mind’s eye, only for it to be affected through no fault of their own. I will not rehearse the ombudsman’s judgment, which stands as clear as day. We have heard those words time and again specifically because this has not been appropriately remedied. What never fails to shock are the lived experiences. The testimonies of 1950s-born women are so important because the impact of their stories never diminishes. This is about real women. My constituent, Ann, is just one of the many 1950s-born women who will not accept that finding a remedy to the DWP’s maladministration is “neither fair nor feasible and would not represent good value for taxpayers.” When Ann was 57, she applied for a pension forecast. Upon receiving it, Ann discovered that her retirement age was 66, rather than 60. Not long before that shocking news, she went from working five days a week to three. How was she to know that she had to work and plan for retirement over a further six years? She was never informed. Because she was now working part time, it was not possible for her to substantially increase her pension contributions. In 2020, at the age of 63, Ann was made redundant. She had to make her small redundancy payment last her until she retired three years later. Life has been tough for these women. Events like the pandemic, when Ann lost her job, shook us all, but events where the state has made people’s lives more difficult just because of the day they were born, have a particular degree of unfairness to them. Given the ombudsman’s significant concerns that the DWP would fail to remedy the injustice, it deliberately laid its report before Parliament. When the Government announced their position in relation to the findings—incredibly, without recourse to Parliament—this reaffirmed the ombudsman’s concerns, and sets a worrying precedent for the future. We have high hopes for our Pensions Minister; his past life, dedicated to improving living standards, makes him well suited to the role he now holds. I truly hope that he will re-examine the Government’s position on an issue that is so important to so many women who continue to fight for justice.
26 Jun 2025 · IVF Egg Donation: Young Women · Hansard source
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It is an honour to serve under your chairmanship, Mr Efford. I congratulate the hon. Member for Strangford (Jim Shannon) on securing this important debate at short notice from the Backbench Business Committee. I am a member of that Committee but did not take part in the decision on this debate. As ever, the hon. Member has spoken about his concerns with eloquence and passion, statistics and attention to detail. I think we may all have found some of the things that have been said shocking and harrowing. It is important that parliamentarians air these issues, because over recent years, although steps have certainly been taken in the right direction and some of the shame around talking about fertility and reproductive health has lessened, there are undoubtedly still barriers for many women. Our Parliament sets an important example. If collectively as a society we are unable to speak about these issues, that is an obstacle to achieving better health outcomes. That must be our unifying purpose: no matter what our stance on the broader philosophical question of IVF, health outcomes should always be in our mind. I do not oppose egg donation or IVF. Friends of mine have had very happy outcomes after having treatment, and problems before that for many years. I want to focus on women’s health and to ask the Minister about the broader view the Department holds on donors. Any woman who decides to donate her eggs should, as a minimum, know all the risks associated with the procedure. Some of the things the hon. Member outlined shows why that is so important. Our understanding of the long-term effects of fertility drugs is totally insufficient and although there are no recent studies that draw a causal link between egg donation and cancer risk, several experts have argued that a longitudinal assessment of donor health outcomes is under-explored. No known long-term issues is totally different from there being no long-term adverse impacts. Doctors from Cromwell hospital in the UK and doctors in the United States are just some of the medical professionals who have raised concerns over the years about anecdotal cancer cases and how little we know about cancer’s relationship with ovarian stimulations. Will the Minister note what discussions she has had with the HFEA on these issues? Will the Government commit to conducting systematic research on the medical and psychological health of donors over time? That must be tracked over a long period. I urge the Government to ramp up our understanding without further delay. Secondly, I want to speak about last year’s decision to increase the compensation for egg donation and the impact that could have on the donor demographic. That is worth tracking, especially in the light of some of the figures that the hon. Member highlighted from across our nations. It was the first uplift since 2011, from £750 to £986, which reflected the impact of price rises. As we all know, the cost of living over recent years has soared, placing immense pressure on so many people of all ages. My fear is that young women see this invasive procedure and the pain and discomfort it can generate as a way to help them make ends meet. We want to have confidence that people are donating because they want to, not because they have no other option or have seen adverts that do not give them enough information about what looks like easy money. How little do they know? What information does the Department hold on the demographic of egg donors, and what impact has the rising compensation figure had on donation behaviour? I hope the House can agree that more must be done to ensure that those who wish to donate have to give full, informed consent and nothing less, and that those who make the decision to do so are not pushed into it for any reason, especially financial hardship.
25 Jun 2025 · Armed Forces Recruitment: North-east England · Hansard source
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My hon. Friend is giving a marvellous speech. On that subject, will he commend all the veterans’ charities that work across our region and the support provided by volunteers, particularly with mental health and finding homes—all the social issues that affect people who come out of the service back into civvy street? They work tirelessly, and our well-deserving veterans would have many more problems if those charities were not in our communities.
25 Jun 2025 · Armed Forces Recruitment: North-east England · Hansard source
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I congratulate my hon. Friend on securing this debate and on his fantastic speech. To take a slightly different angle, does he agree that our many cadet units across the region, which are often based in very deprived areas, provide wonderful opportunities for young people to gain many life skills and get high-skilled qualifications, leading to good jobs, and that they promote opportunities for young people to consider a career in the forces? Does he look forward to hearing about the Government’s plans to boost cadet forces by 30% over the next five years?
22 May 2025 · Occupied Palestinian Territories: Christians · Hansard source
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Thousands of Palestinians, including children, are detained by the Israeli military. Reports of mistreatment and torture date back to UNICEF’s 2013 report on children in Israeli military detention. Last year, the UN special rapporteurs highlighted the escalating use of torture against Palestinian detainees with people raped, electrocuted, waterboarded, suspended from ceilings, tied to beds, blindfolded and made to wear nappies. What can the Church do to help end this appalling cruelty?
22 May 2025 · Occupied Palestinian Territories: Christians · Hansard source
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2. What support the Church of England is providing to Christians in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.

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