Melanie Onn MP: speeches

Speeches

• 1 Jul 2025 · Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payment Bill · Hansard source

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  Just last week, the Health Secretary made an announcement about redirecting health support to the more deprived areas. Does my hon. Friend welcome that, and does she think it will help to improve the health outcomes of people in those areas?

• 6 Mar 2025 · North Sea Energy · Hansard source

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  Conservative-led North East Lincolnshire council has embraced the green industries that are helping to reshape our identity in Great Grimsby and Cleethorpes, and it is playing a critical role in decarbonising our energy estuary. Does the Minister agree that the Opposition’s new anti-renewables position undermines the ambition of young people in my constituency, who are excited by this sector? They are keen to work with these companies, which do good, pay well, provide training and benefit the community.

• 26 Feb 2025 · High Street Rental Auctions · Hansard source

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  It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Mr Vickers. I congratulate my hon. Friend the Member for Bournemouth West (Jessica Toale) on securing this important debate on high street rental auctions and everything that that means for representatives of towns in particular around this country. I was elected on a commitment to help to fix our town centres and get them back to being places where people want to spend time and enjoy spending time, bringing back a sense of community. These increased powers for local authorities are a fantastic opportunity to unlock the full potential of high streets across the nation, including the ones in my constituency of Great Grimsby and Cleethorpes. The Labour Government’s announcement on high street rental auctions is a welcome and much-needed intervention to give greater control of the state of our high streets back to local people, to empower them and their local authorities, and to give them the opportunity to play a part in revitalising our high streets. We have had levelling-up funds, towns funds, future high streets funds and many more—too many for me to remember. They were fragmented and piecemeal initiatives offered by previous Governments, generally characterised by competitive funding pots that pitted towns against one another. Ultimately, they have failed to deliver the changes that were promised, and they have left communities like ours—I am guessing from the supportive groans behind me that Members agree—frustrated at the many promises but little or delayed delivery. This proposal is a substantial change that will give power back to local areas, putting them in charge of their own destinies and how they want to meaningfully revive their high streets. As a case in point, the redevelopment of the shopping centre in Grimsby is very controversial, with £25 million spent by the local authority on purchasing Freshney Place, which has long had significant leaks in its roof. It is causing concern for local residents—is it a white elephant? That is only one of the changes that has been taken on in an attempt to repurpose Grimsby town centre for 21st-century habits, while recognising the increase in online shopping. The redevelopment has laudable aims, but seven years after signing a purported £67 million town deal and a further four years after local growth funding, the most that anybody visiting the town centre could say is that the Conservative council has managed to repave the old bus station area again. As you know, Mr Vickers, that is a source of contention locally, with some seating and landscaping, but also shingle that unfortunately spreads itself all over—that has created another mess and another problem. Even that work was over time and over budget. People look at those headline figures and wonder where on earth all the money has gone because they cannot see any evidence of it in the delivery. We can contrast that effort, which has taken a very long time, with the redevelopment of St James House, a long neglected and derelict building opposite our historic minster in the heart of the town centre. A local business support organisation called E-Factor has taken that building on and, after intense work, is due to open its doors of brand-new business suites, completely revitalising the building and turning what was a bit of a monstrosity into a place that people want to work out of. The empty building drew antisocial behaviour to it—undesirables gravitated to the old car parking spaces that were neglected and left—but now people are pleased and proud to be part of the new development. That is an indication of what can come from expanding the powers of local authorities. On Grimsby’s commercial vacancy rate at the end of 2023, I see Bournemouth’s 15% vacancy rate and raise it to Grimsby’s 27%, which is over double the national average. My hon. Friend the Member for Bournemouth West used the word “staggering”, which I echo, because it really is. Even in the attractive and bustling St Peter’s Avenue in Cleethorpes, the vacant shop fronts seem to be staying vacant for much longer. Such properties leave high streets with lengthy stretches of nothingness at risk of vandalism and, frankly, are a bit depressing to walk down when going to the shops. The fact that they are vacant for long periods does not seem to incentivise landlords in any way to reduce their rental asking prices. It seems that they would rather leave them vacant until the right client comes along, although I am not sure who those right clients are. Supporting our high streets also means championing the fantastic businesses that we already have. In north-east Lincolnshire, the dedicated 2025 Group is committed to seeing our town flourish, and I am sure it will welcome the legislation. We have brilliant independent businesses in the constituency doing their best and playing their part. They are the backbone of our local economy and they will all benefit from the new powers, as they will no longer be sandwiched between derelict or empty premises. I urge my local authority, North East Lincolnshire council, to take full advantage of the high street rental auctions when they are fully rolled out to maximise the ongoing work, complement it and aid its sustainability. They are a fantastic opportunity to tackle those empty shops and support local businesses, entrepreneurs, youth creatives and budding new organisations that have been crying out for affordable and central spaces to support their ideas and businesses, and they will help to restore pride in our community. By bringing those spaces back into use, we can create more jobs, attract more visitors and make our town centres the thriving spaces they deserve to be.

• 6 Feb 2025 · Rail Services: Open Access Operators · Hansard source

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  The hon. Gentleman is being very generous with his time, and I am pleased that he has mentioned the Italian rail system. Obviously, Italy is very similar to Grimsby, and we would certainly benefit from the kind of rail system that operates in Italy, which is very smooth and good value for customers. Italy has good stock as well. If we are to achieve a direct rail service from Cleethorpes to King’s Cross, for which the hon. Gentleman has campaigned for many years, open access operators need quick decision making in order to be able to place their stock orders with manufacturers to make sure that they can get services up and running for passengers quickly. Does he agree that the Minister should look very closely at these things and make decisions as quickly as he can?

• 15 Jan 2025 · Women’s Changed State Pension Age: Compensation · Hansard source

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  Exactly what is the Conservative policy on WASPI women? I have been a long-standing campaigner for WASPI women, voting for the SNP motion in 2016, which the right hon. Member for South Holland and The Deepings (Sir John Hayes) failed to attend. It is unclear exactly what the shadow Minister is suggesting. Is he suggesting that there is no plan from the Conservatives for what they would do?

• 15 Jan 2025 · Women’s Changed State Pension Age: Compensation · Hansard source

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  I note the right hon. Gentleman’s righteous indignation, but I question where it was in 2016, when the SNP tabled a motion in support of the WASPI women and he voted against it. Is he not really just a Johnny-come-lately, despite what he said earlier in his speech?

• 7 Jan 2025 · Crown Estate Bill [Lords] · Hansard source

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  Is the hon. Member aware of the example of Ørsted, which has just given £1 million to the Horizon Youth Zone to support all young people across the Great Grimsby and Cleethorpes constituency and further afield with new activities and free mentoring and support outside school hours? Not only that; it sponsors local fun runs. RWE, another company operating in my constituency, is supporting education activities. Both those companies are not only employing masses of people but engaging with schools to support young people to have the skills and talents to come and work for them. That is the reality of community benefit.

• 17 Dec 2024 · New Energy Infrastructure: Community Benefit Scheme · Hansard source

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  Community benefits come in many different forms—in my constituency, Ørsted has contributed £1 million towards Horizon Youth Zone, and RWE is supporting Projekt Renewable, which is a box park learning zone—but the most wide-reaching benefit is to people’s pockets. Schemes such as the Octopus fan club bring down people’s bills when the use of renewables is at its highest. How can other energy retailers deliver similar savings for consumers?

• 17 Dec 2024 · Women’s State Pension Age Communication: PHSO Report · Hansard source

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  The Secretary of State says the report is about the way this was communicated to those 1950s-born women and that earlier letters would not have made a difference, but they would have made a difference to individuals’ financial planning, their retirement dates, the notice they gave to their jobs, and the wider family arrangements and commitments they had made. There have undoubtedly been losses for those 1950s-born women. My hon. Friend the Member for Stoke-on-Trent Central (Gareth Snell) just gave the Government an opportunity to reconsider that at some point in the future. Is she sure that she will not take that offer?

• 21 Nov 2024 · G20 and COP29 Summits · Hansard source

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  In the Prime Minister’s statement, he refers to the £1 billion investment for wind turbines in Hull. How does he envision that will benefit and improve lives and opportunities for my constituents in Great Grimsby and Cleethorpes?

• 10 Sept 2024 · Winter Fuel Payment · Hansard source

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  I thank my hon. Friend for giving way and for securing this important and timely debate—this is an issue of concern across all our constituencies. On the economics, is she aware of the savings credit available to over-75s who are not in receipt of pension credit but who do have a small amount of savings? This is a Government payment and gives people access to other benefits as well, operating as a gateway in the same way as pension credit. Does my hon. Friend think the Government should do more to publicise that payment?

• 18 Jul 2024 · Clean Energy Superpower Mission · Hansard source

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  I welcome the Secretary of State and his team to their place. He will know that my constituency has benefited hugely from offshore wind, particularly in operations and maintenance, but the critical part of the supply chain has failed to be produced. What does he suggest that Members across the House can do to ensure we get the supply chain right so that my constituents can benefit from that investment?