Michelle Welsh MP: speeches 2026

Speeches

• 15 Apr 2026 · Cost of Heating Oil · Hansard source

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  I thank the hon. Member for North Norfolk (Steff Aquarone) for securing today’s debate. Nearly 1,000 people across my constituency of Sherwood Forest rely solely on heating oil to heat their homes and provide hot water. The sharp increase in prices is having a particularly severe impact on rural communities—as we have discussed—such as Wellow in my constituency, where access to alternative forms of heating is often unavailable. I welcome the Government’s introduction of support schemes to assist the most vulnerable and the Government’s swift action on that. It is right that those most in need are supported first, but also we must recognise that many households risk slipping through the net and require more support. These people do not qualify for other financial support, such as universal credit, but are not in a financial position to absorb such a hit as this financial crisis is causing. Let us face it: heating and water are not a luxury, but a necessity. I have been contacted by constituents in Blidworth who have been forced to turn off their heating and hot water to preserve their oil stock. They have told me of their worry about the risk that that will pose to their health, especially if they are unable to secure more oil. At a time when the duration of the conflict in the middle east remains uncertain with Trump’s reckless war, many people across Sherwood Forest who rely on heating oil are understandably anxious about the future, especially as heating oil prices continue to rise rapidly and individual stock levels are shrinking. I urge my hon. Friend the Minister to extend the current support to all those who rely on heating oil, and ask the Government to do more specifically to help those in areas where they have no other source to rely on and to help the most vulnerable. In my constituency, it is mothers with babies who are really struggling at the moment.

• 13 Apr 2026 · Statutory Menstrual Leave · Hansard source

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  It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Mr Mundell. I am pleased to take part in this debate and to stand with the 149 women in Sherwood Forest and the 109,000 people in total who signed this petition. Painful periods are often dismissed as something that women should simply put up with—an inconvenience that is not that bad and happens only once a month—but for thousands of women across the UK, that could not be further from the truth. Every day, women live with chronic pain and exhaustion caused by conditions such as endometriosis. While the petition focuses on endometriosis and adenomyosis, it is important that we also include other, often overlooked conditions that cause severe menstrual symptoms, such as polycystic ovary syndrome. Around one in eight women in the UK have PCOS, and one in 10 have endometriosis. Some, like me, live with both. Introducing menstrual leave in the UK would be life-changing for so many women. It would allow them to prioritise their health without fear of losing income or facing repercussions at work. Just as importantly, it would send a clear message to employers that women’s health must be taken seriously. The reality is that women are still not equal in the workplace. They are expected to work through intense pain and fatigue, and remain just as productive, regardless of how unwell they are. Many women worry about the consequences of taking too much sick leave, including lost pay and being penalised or viewed negatively at work. By enshrining menstrual leave in law, we can ensure that employers are unable to penalise women for managing long-term health conditions. It would also create an opportunity to improve awareness and understanding of the real impact that conditions like endometriosis and PCOS have on people’s lives. While symptoms vary, and some women may experience few or none, others suffer severe, debilitating pain that affects their ability to work, study and live their daily lives. For example, PCOS can involve fatigue, pain, irregular cycles and significant mental health impacts, affecting the ability to work. That was the reality for me: passing out at sixth-form college in the toilets on a regular basis, experiencing extreme pain to the point where I could not even stand up, suffering migraines, sickness and vomiting, and doing my GCSEs when I could barely see out of my eyes. PCOS and similar conditions are chronic and multi-system, meaning that they do not affect just one part of the body or happen for a short period; they are lifelong conditions that require ongoing management and support, yet they are rarely recognised in workplace support frameworks. I am pleased that the Government have introduced the menopause action plan. I ask the Minister to go further and introduce a menstruation action plan so that workplaces can start to reflect better the lives of women and the range of conditions they face, and ensure an understanding of the effect of the pain and suffering. Portugal and Spain already have such policies; the UK should too. Another crucial part of this debate is diagnosis. Menstrual leave alone will not fully support women if it can take years for them to receive an accurate diagnosis. I had to wait over 18 years for my diagnosis, all while trying to manage the symptoms by myself. GPs told me to take paracetamol and put a hot water bottle on my stomach, when I could not even stand up. A diagnosis cannot solve everything, but it unlocks access to the right treatments, and gives women the evidence they need to request reasonable adjustments in the workplace. It gives women an opportunity to do what is right for themselves. Until women’s pain is taken seriously—medically and professionally —true equality at work will remain out of reach for so many.

• 24 Mar 2026 · Sudden Unexplained Death in Childhood · Hansard source

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  It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Sir John. I thank my hon. Friend the Member for Rossendale and Darwen (Andy MacNae) for securing this important debate. There can be no greater devastation than the death of a child, but for many families the pain is made even more unbearable by one word: unexplained. When a child dies without answers, the grief does not settle. It lingers, it questions and it haunts. Parents are left asking themselves the same questions over and over: “What happened, and why don’t we know?” I have spoken to a local family living with that reality—a family who are not just grieving, but searching for answers, understanding and peace. When this happens, families encounter a system that is broken and fragmented, investigations that take too long, communication that is unclear and support that falls away when it is needed the most. We must do better. We need a national plan and improved data collection to identify patterns and risk factors. Every unexplained death in childhood must be treated with the seriousness it deserves—not just as a case to be closed but as a life that mattered, with a family who need answers. That means timely, thorough and transparent investigations; clear communication with families at every stage; ensuring that bereavement support is not an afterthought but a core part of care; and providing training for healthcare professionals, coroners and the police. This is not just about understanding why a child died; it is about helping families with such a tragic loss. We owe it to those children and families to learn everything we can, to be honest about what we find and to ensure that no parent is left alone in their search for answers. We can, and must, ensure that no family is left in the dark. When a child dies, the silence that follows should never be from a system that was meant to provide the answers.

• 23 Mar 2026 · Topical Questions · Hansard source

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  T5. What urgent steps is the Minister taking to tackle antisocial behaviour in town centres such as Hucknall’s? We have had persistent disorder there, including a recent racist attack on a shop owner. This is impacting on community safety and confidence, and residents expect a visible police presence.

• 23 Mar 2026 · Child Exploitation · Hansard source

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  In the UK, a child is reported missing every three minutes. These children are often the most vulnerable in society, as going missing can be a key warning sign of exploitation. Despite the clear connection, the term “child criminal exploitation” is not included in the Department for Education’s 2014 statutory guidance on missing children. Given the Home Office also holds responsibility for protecting missing children, does the Minister agree that Departments must work together to urgently update the guidance, so that relevant safeguarding partners can understand the risks, spot the signs and work together effectively to keep children safe?

• 23 Mar 2026 · Child Exploitation · Hansard source

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  2. What steps her Department is taking to help tackle child exploitation.

• 18 Mar 2026 · Royal Mail: Performance · Hansard source

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  As the proud daughter of a postie, I draw the House’s attention to my entry in the Register of Members’ Financial Interests. The performance of Royal Mail in parts of Sherwood Forest has been poor. Constituents in Clipstone have had no reliable postal service for over five months. At first, the Mansfield sorting office said that it was due to demand over the holiday period, but we are now in March. I have reached out nationally to Royal Mail, but had no response. As I said, this issue is deeply personal to me. My dad was a postie for over 30 years; I lost him on 6 September last year. It is clear that Royal Mail used to represent something more than it does now. It provided good, secure jobs; the jobs were tough, yes, but Royal Mail workers were respected, supported and had strong terms and conditions. Over the years, those terms and conditions have been eroded. Posties in my constituency tell me that the job has become near impossible, with chronic understaffing, ever-changing regulations, different terms and conditions for people doing the same job, and top-down ideas that simply do not work on the ground. These posties are not people who want to see Royal Mail fail; in fact, they are quite the opposite. However, in my recent meetings with the Communication Workers Union, I was told that 50% of new Royal Mail staff leave within their first year, which amounts to 27,000 workers leaving since 2022. Royal Mail is not just another company; it is a proud British institution, part of the fabric of our communities. There is something fundamentally British about the idea that, six days a week, someone in a red and blue uniform walks our streets to deliver mail. For constituents in Clipstone, for my communities across Nottinghamshire and for Royal Mail workers across the country, I urge the Minister to act, and act now.

• 17 Mar 2026 · Productivity and Economic Growth: East Midlands · Hansard source

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  It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Dr Huq. I congratulate my fellow Nottinghamshire MP, my hon. Friend the Member for Rushcliffe (James Naish), for securing the debate. My Sherwood Forest constituency is proudly rural, consisting of market towns, villages, farms, small businesses, local pubs and visitor attractions. Those communities are full of talent, ambition and hard-working people, but for far too long they have been neglected. Fourteen years of Conservative Governments did little to support the productivity and economic growth of rural communities like mine. Nowhere is the neglect clearer than in public transport. For many rural villages bus services are inconsistent at best, with some having just a single bus to serve their community. Others require residents to take multiple buses to simply travel across the constituency. In many other areas, it is a bus desert. At a coffee morning I held in Farnsfield at the weekend, I met Oliver Asher, a young man in my constituency who has mapped the bus provision in Nottinghamshire. There is a stark difference between 2014 and now. There is no clearer evidence of the under-investment in and neglect of such areas of the east midlands. Public transport is not a luxury in rural communities, but a lifeline. A young person who cannot reliably reach a college place, an apprenticeship or a first job risks being lost. Weak connections limit the ambitions of our young people and the productivity of our communities, but when people can travel easily, affordably and reliably, we unlock opportunity. Currently, there are more than 4,000 children living in poverty in Sherwood Forest. Parts of the constituency, a former coalfield community, are some of the most deprived areas of the country. Those people have never recovered from the decimation of their livelihoods, and that loss of potential continues a cycle of poverty and deprivation. It is vital that we connect rural communities to towns and cities such as Mansfield, Newark and Nottingham city, where many educational institutions and employment opportunities are based. As Oliver, the young person from Farnsfield, told me, people in our villages need bus routes that actually work for them. If we are serious about removing barriers to opportunity and unlocking the potential of the east midlands, we must invest in reliable public transport. Of course, that must go hand in hand with protecting our green belt and embracing our future in a way that respects biodiversity and ensures that every one of my constituents can access the outdoors and the natural spaces that define our communities. Where a person grows up should not determine how far they can go. We have a duty to build connections that make that real. No young person’s future and wellbeing should be limited by a failing transport network.

• 16 Mar 2026 · GP Contract · Hansard source

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  I recently met people from Byron Primary Care Network, who were clear about the pressures facing primary care. How will reforming GP contracts ensure that communities in my constituency with a growing population can better access GP services? We have been waiting over 14 years for a GP practice in Hucknall.

• 4 Mar 2026 · Ministry of Defence · Hansard source

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  In my constituency, defence investment has supported high-skilled jobs since before the first ever vertical flight took off there, and today firms such as ITP Aero in Hucknall continue that proud tradition. Does my hon. Friend agree that increasing defence spending is not only vital for our security but an investment in our economy, and that when contracts are awarded UK defence contracts should support UK jobs, strengthening British industries and communities such as mine?

• 3 Mar 2026 · Environmental Protection and Biodiversity · Hansard source

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  Protecting our natural environment and biodiversity is essential for our fight against climate change and our drive towards sustainability, and for future generations to enjoy the spaces so dear to people. I often hear from constituents about their concerns regarding the protection of species and habitats, sewage dumping and the threats of global warming, deforestation, droughts and flooding. I know from representing such communities that there are often competing demands when it comes to our green spaces, especially as, across the country, there is a need for stronger local infrastructure and affordable housing; but that should never be to the detriment of our environment and biodiversity. Whyburn Farm and Misk Hills in my constituency is an unfortunate example of this. Located in Hucknell, this is a green space treasured by the community and a vital space for nature, health, wellbeing and local history. Many of my constituents regularly use this space to exercise and enjoy activities. Ashes have been scattered there; there have been first dates, first steps and memories of sledging. Its beautiful views even inspired Lord Byron’s work. Ashfield district council has put in a local plan that will use greenfield sites, when brownfield and greyfield sites were available. That will cause damage to our local environment. The Planning Inspectorate rightly rejected this plan, but it has left the area of Whyburn Farm and Misk Hills vulnerable, which is why we have a speculative planning application. The developers have shown an utter disregard for the community, refusing to meet with them and ignoring local knowledge. Recognising Whyburn Farm and Misk Hills as a country park would transform the community in Hucknell by ensuring that there is green space for absolutely everyone. In my constituency of Sherwood Forest, more than 4,000 children live in poverty. I ask the Minister to meet with me to discuss how a solution can be found before we lose this space altogether, and I urge the Government to consider introducing new ways for communities to have a voice in the protection of their environment.

• 10 Feb 2026 · Sherwood Forest: Tourism · Hansard source

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  I welcome my hon. Friend’s contribution. I know he will be involved in Sherwood Forest Day on 20 February, which, actually, is on that day exactly because of that. Without showing my age too much, I remember a time when we could climb on the Major Oak—now you cannot get within 20 feet of it. The magic of Sherwood Forest is not lost on Hollywood. From Disney to Kevin Costner, many blockbuster films have been made about the legendary figure of Robin Hood and the historic forest he lives in. Yet this magic has been lost somehow in Nottinghamshire, or at least partly forgotten. Children growing up in Nottinghamshire are surrounded by the magic, the tales and the powerful stories of courage, fairness and community that have been growing there for centuries. I remember distinctively going as a family, on school trips and with youth clubs to areas across Nottinghamshire, including Sherwood Forest. From Robin Hood to today’s volunteers, Sherwood Forest has always stood up for what is right, yet I fear we are beginning to lose exactly what it is we stand for. Over the last 14 years, communities in Sherwood Forest have been left behind. Communities that once served their country and contributed to the industrial strength of the UK have been left with deteriorating health and economic outcomes. It is time to say: no more. In just over a week’s time, on 20 February, we will celebrate the second truly special Sherwood Forest Day. This is a day to honour our world-famous historic forest, its ancient oaks and the legacy of courage, fairness and community. Across Nottinghamshire, a number of events will take place to celebrate the day, including a business breakfast in the heart of Sherwood Forest to bring together the fantastic businesses across Sherwood Forest, numerous plaque unveilings to mark key areas, and tree planting to continue the legacy of the ancient forest. This is an opportunity to celebrate our great history and local culture. It is about taking pride in our communities and working together to build a better future. I have heard that some of the trees being planted are even descended from ancient oaks themselves.

• 10 Feb 2026 · Sherwood Forest: Tourism · Hansard source

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  My hon. Friend is right: the Mayor of the East Midlands, Claire Ward, is forever supportive of our tourism. Like us, she knows that there is still a lot more work to be done. Many factors contribute to supporting a thriving tourism economy. Most notable for rural areas such as Sherwood Forest are adequate transport, support for business and community investment. Transport in rural areas such as parts of Sherwood Forest, including the more historic parts, is inadequate. Often, public transport is inconsistent: buses do not run in the evening or sometimes not at all. There is even a railway line named after Robin Hood that does not serve the majority of historic Sherwood Forest. How can we expect people to visit that historic land if they cannot access it—not only people coming from far and wide, but those who have it on their doorstep?

• 10 Feb 2026 · Sherwood Forest: Tourism · Hansard source

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  I beg to move, That this House has considered tourism in Sherwood Forest. It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Dr Murrison. It is an absolute honour to represent the constituency of Sherwood Forest, the home of beautiful countryside, communities, villages, towns and farms. No matter where in the world we go, people know about the wonder of Sherwood Forest. It is one of the most recognisable places in the world. Sherwood Forest has often been associated with Robin Hood, a legendary heroic outlaw known for his highly skilled archery.

• 10 Feb 2026 · Sherwood Forest: Tourism · Hansard source

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  Yes, exactly. I thank my hon. Friend for her contribution. That is, of course, very important, and it is important that as MPs across the east midlands, we continue to work together on that. I am interested in hearing from the Minister what work has been done in partnership with the Department for Transport and the East Midlands combined authority to ensure that places of heritage and importance are connected and accessible. When talking about the community of Sherwood Forest, it is important to mention the bond of coalmining that for so long was the lifeblood of our economy. From Hucknall colliery in the south to Ollerton colliery in the north, the roots of mining are deep in Sherwood Forest. That is why I am so proud that this Government stuck to their promise to release funds from the mineworkers’ pension scheme to its members, and that they went further and did the same for the British Coal staff superannuation scheme. That rightful release of funds means a combined additional £11 million a year that is being spent in our towns and villages, in our local shops and pubs. The current magic of Sherwood Forest is being wielded by local businesses such as Robin’s Den in Edwinstowe, which fight day in, day out to keep the stories alive while facing the challenges of being a small business. I believe that if we can shine a light on the history of Sherwood Forest and encourage more young people to learn about the stories, they will be inspired to add their own twists. If we invest in our local businesses for tourism, young people across Sherwood Forest will benefit by believing in the magic and having access to more work opportunities in their own communities. Finally, with regard to community investment, I am proud that the Government are investing in communities that were neglected by the previous Conservative Government. We are making real changes to people’s lives by funding more breakfast clubs and new schools, and expanding healthcare into communities. The Government, in partnership with the Labour mayor, Claire Ward, have provided more than £31 million to fund the A614 improvements project, to create a corridor of hope where our past meets our future. That is as well as £30 million for the regeneration of Ollerton town centre, which has been achieved through working with Labour councillors and the Labour-run Newark and Sherwood district council. Pride in where people live is not always guaranteed; it comes when everyone is investing their time and money into improving their community. I hope that what we do on Sherwood Forest Day will be an opportunity for people in Nottinghamshire to be really proud. I would also like to see more investment into the parts of communities that are often seen as a nice to have, and not as key infrastructure or central to people living happy lives. Sherwood Forest would not be what it is today if it were not for our local small businesses—the village pubs and farms that are a key part of our rural economy, providing opportunities and enjoyment to our people. Sherwood Forest is the home not only of Robin Hood but of numerous historic sites such as Whyburn farm, which once inspired Lord Byron’s work; Thoresby park, a beautiful country estate; and Rufford abbey country park, which recently reopened following a conservation project. I was honoured to visit the site on Saturday and learn more about the work to preserve that park, which was so important to me growing up in Nottinghamshire. Investment into landmarks such as those is an investment into the whole community, as it creates more job opportunities, supports local shops and restaurants, and helps us to conserve our heritage assets. With cultural heritage sites such as Newstead abbey and Clumber park, and modern attractions such as Center Parcs, Sherwood Pines and—who could forget my son’s favourite place to go—Wheelgate and White Post farm, Sherwood Forest really is the place to visit. I know that I do not have to tell the Minister about the importance of culture and heritage to communities, but could she expand on what the Government are doing to protect and invest in our cultural assets, particularly in Sherwood Forest? As we approach Sherwood Forest Day, I would like to take this opportunity to urge everyone, whether they live locally or are visiting for the first time, to join us in Nottinghamshire—a jewel in our nation’s crown—to celebrate our history, help us to protect our future and be part of Sherwood Forest Day or every day after. The people of Sherwood Forest have a proud history of standing up for what is right and for each other. Despite the attempts of some to divide us, it is truer now than it has ever been: we have more in common than what divides us.

• 10 Feb 2026 · Sherwood Forest: Tourism · Hansard source

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  I thank the hon. Member for his contribution. Sherwood Forest Day is an opportunity for communities across Nottinghamshire to reflect on our heritage and celebrate what brings us together. I want to give a huge thank you to the Sherwood Forest Trust and Richard Townsley, the medieval sheriff of Nottingham, for all the work they are doing for Sherwood Forest Day and for our community as a whole. At the heart of all we are doing for Sherwood Forest Day are communities such as Ollerton, Edwinstowe, Blidworth, Rainworth and Clipstone—putting them back on the map and encouraging those from all over the world to visit and marvel at what we have to offer. We cannot do it alone, however. Celebrating our culture and history should not be left to only one day of the year; they should be honoured every single day.

• 3 Feb 2026 · Town and City Centre Safety · Hansard source

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  It is an honour to serve under your chairmanship, Mr Dowd. I thank my hon. Friend the Member for Derby South (Baggy Shanker) for securing this debate. Town and city centres are the beating hearts of our communities. They are places where people come together to meet friends and family, and to complete daily tasks such as nipping to the Post Office or getting their weekly shop. They are places that help to combat loneliness and, at a time when society can feel so divided, they show that we have lots in common with each other. Places such as Dayus gift shop, Spelt & Rye and Cassidy’s are local businesses that represent the best of our towns, and places such as Hucknall and Ollerton represent the very finest of Nottinghamshire. In my constituency, local businesses care about their community, but there is a dark side to our town centres that makes them feel unsafe to those for whom they are also a lifeline. Shoplifting has sadly become rampant in parts of my constituency such as Hucknall, where many local businesses have faced violent attacks from offenders who are often known to them and have targeted the same stores over and over again. What links much of this criminal activity is addiction, whether that is to alcohol or drugs—or perhaps even both. Ashfield police do an incredible job and are highly efficient, but sadly the criminals go back to those businesses again and again once they are released. Without intervention from across Government Departments, the system will continue to allow offenders to repeat these attacks, all while harming businesses on high streets and making residents feel unsafe. Health has an important role to play. Years of local support services were absolutely decimated by the previous Government, which has left a gap in our communities and affected local businesses. Pride goes two ways, and for too long the previous Conservative Government let Sherwood Forest down. Enough is enough. I am proud that this Government are investing in communities long neglected by the Tories. By tackling shoplifting and antisocial behaviour through early intervention, tackling root causes and improving infrastructure to suit the needs of communities, we can make town centres safer.

• 27 Jan 2026 · Digital Exploitation of Women and Girls · Hansard source

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  It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Ms Jardine. I thank my hon. Friend the Member for Preston (Sir Mark Hendrick) for securing this important debate. With increased access to the internet, the exploitation of vulnerable children, predominantly young girls, has become easier for predators. Over the past few years, we have seen the rise of deepfakes on social media: the National Police Chiefs’ Council estimates that they have increased in prevalence by 1,780% between 2019 and 2024. Let me be clear: the toxic culture of misogynistic behaviour online is not banter. It is not free speech. It is abuse. We know that the victims of online misogyny, abuse and exploitation are predominantly women and girls, so I welcome the Government’s bold action in making it a criminal offence to create or request the creation of non-consensual intimate images. How we respond to online abuse defines what kind of society we are and what kind of society we are prepared to be. We should be a society that stands up for dignity and equality for all women and girls. The speed at which these images can be produced and shared is truly alarming. I worry that without social media platforms taking more responsibility to remove this content from their sites, we will never truly be rid of it. There needs to be more emphasis on stopping the predators who create the images and on ensuring that such images can be removed swiftly from sites to protect women and girls. That needs to be backed by legislation. The answer should never be for girls and women to log off or stay quiet. Exploitation of women and girls online is not inevitable; it is a failure of choice and a failure of systems. If we have the power to design these systems, we have the responsibility to make them safe.

• 8 Jan 2026 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  Happy new year, Madam Deputy Speaker. The Lowdham Flood Action Group, led by the formidable Peter Cross, and groups in other villages in my constituency, including Epperstone, are working hard to protect their community from flooding. At a meeting with Ministers in Lowdham, we heard concerns about liability when it comes to local flood groups taking action to protect homes. Reform-led Nottinghamshire county council is currently standing in the way of essential flood prevention in Lowdham due to perceived potential litigation. May we have a debate on what support the Government can give to such local flood groups, so that people can protect their local communities? It seems utterly ridiculous that local government red tape is allowed to put homes at risk.

• 7 Jan 2026 · Rural Communities · Hansard source

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  I thank my hon. Friend for his comments. Certainly in my constituency, rural transport, including bus services, is not how it should be. I know that Claire Ward is having a conversation about that across the east midlands with regard to improving it. If we are truly committed to supporting our local farms, we must ensure that jobs are available and morale is high enough so that people want to have them. Let me mention the current uncertainty about Government schemes, particularly the lack of clarity on the sustainable farming incentive scheme, payment certainty and capital grant availability. Perhaps the Minister can offer some insight on further long-term plans or announcements on support schemes for farms. We often say that small family farms are the backbone of rural communities—and they definitely are—but we need targeted support to ensure that they remain viable and that we do not lose them. Another issue raised with me by farmers is the serious concern about disease entering the UK. Can the Minister reassure me and local farmers that she is working to ensure that there are effective controls on imported meat and that UK production and food standards are not undermined by imported goods that do not meet the same standards? Rural communities are not a museum piece, and farming is not a hobby; it is the backbone of our country. If we fail our farmers, we cut off villages from transport, jobs and services. We do not just damage the countryside; we weaken Britain itself. Supporting rural communities is not charity, but a duty, and it is a duty that this country must finally honour. Behind every field is a family, and behind every farm is—

• 7 Jan 2026 · Rural Communities · Hansard source

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  I am incredibly proud of the agriculture element of our rural communities. In Sherwood Forest, we have lots of local farms that are part of our community and at the heart of rural life. It is vital that we hear their concerns and ensure that these local British businesses can prosper and thrive. From Oliver Collingham and Richard Baugh to Michael Prendergast and Colin Bower, the constituency of Sherwood Forest has farmers, along with their families, who are dedicated, hard-working and decent people trying to make a living managing our countryside. They have had to battle for 12 months on inheritance tax, and I am incredibly pleased that the Government have listened. But we must continue to listen. Farming is under pressure. Some of the main challenges raised with me by local farmers include persistent rural crime, limited policing capacity, low farm profitability, low morale, workforce insecurity, biosecurity risk linked to imports, and uncertainty around farm schemes and long-term policy stability. On rural crime, farmers tell me that they are reporting persistent and escalating crime, including organised poaching gangs on quad bikes who at night are damaging livestock and fencing and intimidating farmers and gamekeepers. That is understandably causing significant risk to safety and animal welfare, as well as costing farmers for product, land, equipment and property. It is unsustainable for many farms for this issue to continue without prevention. The police are already overstretched, and without support from Government with frontline enforcement and prevention, the situation will only get worse. Let me emphasise the need for every police force adequately to record rural crime and treat it seriously; the livelihood and safety of local farmers and communities deserve nothing less. I ask the Government to issue a mandate to all police forces—including Nottinghamshire police, which is not currently doing this—to record rural crime and provide regular reports that would guide resources to where they need to be. Will the Minister speak to her Home Office colleagues about a clear mandate on the reporting of rural crime, on the current support for Nottinghamshire police and on directing additional resources specifically for rural policing and crime? The increase in rural crime is compounded by existing concerns about farm viability, low returns and workforce pressures affecting business confidence and employment stability. Very low commodity prices are squeezing margins, and many are worried about maintaining sustainable wages for staff.

• 5 Jan 2026 · Topical Questions · Hansard source

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  T6. Happy new year, Mr Speaker. Many fantastic businesses in my constituency are facing daily struggles with crime. Many shop workers and police have to face issues with aggressive behaviour and shoplifting. Many of the people doing it are repeat offenders who have already been arrested and released for similar crimes. The police are doing all they can, but the system is allowing offenders to return to exactly the same place, ensuring that the cycle of violence and harassment can continue. When the system is flawed, the community is let down and the police are already overstretched, does the Minister agree that offenders should not be allowed to return to the area and the businesses in which they have committed their offences? Will she meet me, local businesses, local shop workers and local police to find a solution?