Nicholas Dakin MP: speeches 2026

Speeches

• 24 Jun 2026 · Public Libraries: Bournemouth East · Hansard source

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  Certainly. It is always a negative thing when libraries’ time is cut, as my hon. Friend the Member for Bournemouth East demonstrated in his speech. It is important that we remember that the Public Libraries and Museums Act 1964 requires all local authorities in England to provide a “comprehensive and efficient” library service. I can confirm that that is binding on all library authorities, including Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole council. Public libraries are funded through the local government finance settlement. Each local authority is responsible for assessing the needs of its local communities and designing library services to meet those needs within its available resources. We recognise the financial pressures facing local authorities after 14 years of Conservative cuts. This Government are committed to restoring the stability of council funding, but there cannot be cuts of that scale over that period without a significant impact on services, including public library provision. The most recent local government finance settlement is our most significant step yet towards making English local government more sustainable. We are making good progress on long overdue promises to fundamentally update the way that we fund local authorities. We are delivering fair funding, targeting money where it is needed most. We are delivering the first multi-year settlement in a decade, simplifying an unprecedented 38 revenue funding streams worth almost £57 billion over three years. That should provide greater stability, certainty and flexibility for local authorities. It is important to note that the majority of funding in the local government finance settlement is not ringfenced for a reason. Local leaders are best placed to identify local priorities. It is for them to determine how funds are used to finance their activities to best meet local needs. For BCP, the settlement will make up to £499 million available in core spending power by 2028-29—an increase of 24.2% since 2024-25. The people of Charminster are clear about how they feel about their local library, and they want their council to make quicker progress to find a long-term solution to its closure. We hope the council hears that passion and the value that its residents place on the library, and weighs that in the balance as it make the necessary decisions. My hon. Friend also specifically asked about the Government’s superintendence responsibilities. It is for the local council to determine how it will meet its statutory duty to deliver a comprehensive, efficient library service. The Secretary of State for Culture Media and Sport has the statutory duty to superintend that provision in England, but we expect any council to be able to justify its decisions and to be clear about how local need has shaped the service in order to comply with the duty. Our guidance on libraries as a statutory service provides local authorities with clarity on their statutory responsibility. The Department for Culture, Media and Sport encourages local authorities that are considering making changes to their service to inform it about their proposals before public engagement or consultation. Between 1 April 2025 and 31 March 2026, DCMS directly engaged with 40 local authorities, which involved 62 conversations either in person or virtually. None of those conversations took place with Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole council. The Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport has a statutory power to intervene by way of local inquiry if she considers that a local authority is not providing a comprehensive, efficient library service. She takes that role seriously, and should a complaint be made, Ministers will challenge the local council and carefully consider evidence before deciding if a local inquiry is needed. I can certainly take my hon. Friend’s request for the Libraries Minister to meet him and a delegation of Charminster library users back to the Department. My hon. Friend is right to say that the library is a vital community hub; we have heard other Members underline that point. Many people may be aware that on 2 March, the Government announced their intention to publish a new strategy for public libraries later this year. It will aim to restore their position at the heart of communities. We want libraries to be well run, well used and well connected. More than anything, we want them to have an impact in their communities. That work is ongoing; we hope to publish the strategy shortly and we appreciate the views and feedback that we have received, which helped to shape it. This debate questions the future of public libraries in Bournemouth East in particular. My hon. Friend has spoken with passion about the value of libraries in Bournemouth East, using the voices of the people who live there and their lived experiences. I have heard how much the people of Bournemouth East value their libraries and their anxiety about the future of the much-loved Charminster library. I hope that Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole council will carefully consider the options available to it. Question put and agreed to.

• 24 Jun 2026 · Public Libraries: Bournemouth East · Hansard source

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  It is a joy to serve when you are chairing, Mr Turner. I congratulate my hon. Friend the Member for Bournemouth East (Tom Hayes) on securing this debate. He reminds us of his campaign for playgrounds, and I am sure that he will continue to be equally committed to the campaign that he is on with libraries. I am pleased to respond to the debate on behalf of the Minister responsible for libraries, my noble Friend Baroness Twycross.

• 24 Jun 2026 · Public Libraries: Bournemouth East · Hansard source

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  My hon. Friend is right. A local library is a very special place. It is a place of potential in every sense of the word by introducing children to the world of reading, shaping young minds through Baby Rhyme Time and giving agency and choice to young readers—no book is the wrong book—but also by helping people of all ages to develop wider skills and, in particular, digital skills, supporting people to access the huge expanse of the digital world we now live in. Libraries provide inspiration, education and entertainment for many thousands of people every week. In particular, the act of reading expands our minds, opens up our thinking and makes us more tolerant. In a diverse country like the UK, every child should be able to see themselves represented in our literature and to read and learn about other children who are not like them.

• 24 Jun 2026 · Public Libraries: Bournemouth East · Hansard source

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  I absolutely agree. The hon. Member points out and underlines the richness, to which my hon. Friend the Member for Bournemouth East drew attention, of the role that libraries play in their communities. My hon. Friend talked about libraries in his constituency, especially Charminster library. I want to take this opportunity to strongly agree with those of his constituents who have sung the praises of public libraries, the value of which he so ably demonstrated in his speech. It is rare to find someone who does not believe that libraries are important to their communities. It is more than 175 years since the first Public Libraries Act, in 1850, and it is fair to say that libraries look a bit different from those originally established, but I like to think that even where the technology and style of delivery have changed, an 1850s library user from “Back to the Future” would recognise the core of what libraries do—they would recognise the shelves full of books and the knowledgeable library staff. Public libraries open up opportunity by democratising access to information and knowledge. They level the playing field by providing spaces for study and reflection.

• 21 May 2026 · Steel Industry (Nationalisation) Bill · Hansard source

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  I would like to know more.

• 25 Mar 2026 · Public Baths and Lidos · Hansard source

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  My hon. Friend’s energy and willingness to work with Crook Community Leisure speaks for itself, but I will certainly take away that question and share it with the Under-Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, my hon. Friend the Member for Barnsley South (Stephanie Peacock). She was meant to respond to the debate, but unfortunately, due to the change in the voting pattern, she needed to get the last train to Cornwall at 7 pm, so she sends her apologies to hon. Members. She is disappointed not to be here, as she was very excited to talk about lidos. She will be keen to read the debate and follow up with hon. Members on any questions that I fail to answer appropriately. As we heard, it is an exciting time of year for the art deco Peterborough lido, which is a jewel in the crown of Peterborough. I understand that my hon. Friend the Member for Peterborough will be one of the first to make a splash in the newly reopened lido.

• 25 Mar 2026 · Public Baths and Lidos · Hansard source

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  I absolutely do, and my hon. Friend moves me on to my next point. Before I come to it, though, let me emphasise that we are acting on the 10-year health plan by developing a national plan for physical activity. That plan will set out how the Government are working across sectors, from health to sport to transport, to enable everyone, and particularly the least active, to access physical activity and benefit from social connection and improved wellbeing. My hon. Friend rightly raises the importance of swimming. As a former teacher, I fully understand the importance of swimming lessons for children. My hon. Friend the Member for Stroud (Dr Opher) drew attention to that, too, as well as to his local lido. Swimming is a vital life skill, as the Opposition spokesperson, the hon. Member for Isle of Wight East (Joe Robertson), said. Swimming and water safety are compulsory elements of the physical education national curriculum at key stages 1 and 2. Pupils should be taught to swim a minimum of 25 metres, use a range of strokes and perform safe self-rescue in different water-based situations. It is clear that we are facing significant challenges, and the number of children leaving school able to swim the required 25 metres unaided is sadly falling. We need to put additional focus and effort into this area. Last year’s data shows that only 73% of year 7 pupils aged 11 to 12 can swim confidently and proficiently over distances of at least 25 metres. We must strive to get that percentage as close to 100% as possible, so that children can safely enjoy this wonderful activity. What is clear is that the inequalities between those who have access to opportunities to swim and those who do not—we have heard much about access in this debate—are widening further. Through the Government’s work to reform school sport, we are committed to protecting time for physical education in schools, including by supporting schools to provide opportunities for every pupil to learn to swim. There is evidence of a direct correlation between increased activity levels and areas of the country with the highest density of accessible facilities that are safe, inclusive and affordable. It is fantastic to see Peterborough council and the Government working together to ensure that those facilities are available for the local community in Peterborough. I am delighted to hear that the lido has reopened and is flourishing, with over 37,000 visitors last year—a record year. That should give heart to all hon. Members who are endeavouring to move forward with their local lidos in a similar way. It is positive that the Government are supporting the development of a new swimming pool and sports quarter, by providing £20 million from the growth mission fund. Sport and leisure facilities can help create a sense of pride in place and improve community cohesion, whether through team sports, gym classes or children’s swimming lessons. My hon. Friend the Minister saw this at first hand at Bletchley leisure centre in Milton Keynes and the physical activity hub in Bedworth, both of which she was fortunate enough to visit in February and March. It is clear that those facilities make a huge difference to people’s lives. She has also seen the impact of community facilities in her own constituency. Your Space Hoyland provides swimming, football, badminton, netball, basketball and a gym. The centre is not for profit and reinvests money back into its facilities. My hon. Friend the Member for Peterborough knows all this and has made a powerful and passionate case for the important role that quality, accessible community swimming facilities can play in his constituency, illustrating his commitment by securing this debate. Local government has an integral role to play. We heard from my hon. Friend the Member for Stockport (Navendu Mishra), who is working as best he can with Stockport council, and I commend his continued efforts to engage with it. I also share his best wishes for Stockport Metro in the upcoming Commonwealth games. While local authorities are responsible for decisions on sport and leisure provision in their areas, we recognise the challenges faced, especially by smaller councils. The Government are committed to supporting local government and ensuring that funding goes to the places that need it most through the local government finance settlement. The Department for Culture, Media and Sport is responsible for the overall approach to sport and leisure provision across the country. We work closely with Sport England, the Government’s arm’s length body for community sport, to invest over £250 million of national lottery and Government money annually into some of the most deprived areas of the country to help them increase physical activity levels. That includes a vital £10.6 million through Sport England for grassroots swimming, empowering more people to learn to swim, enjoy the water safely and compete. Sport England’s place-based investment approach, which now covers over 90 communities and places local voices at the heart of decision making, is a testament to our evolving strategy. However, we recognise that the journey does not end there. Certainly, if Members want the Department to look into facilitating more MP engagement with Sport England, we would be happy to do so. We have had an excellent debate, and I thank everyone for their contributions. We have shouted out very loudly for lidos this afternoon, which I think will continue with the efforts of my hon. and right hon. Friends present.

• 25 Mar 2026 · Public Baths and Lidos · Hansard source

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  Tomorrow, he will be splashing. He invited me to drop into Peterborough as I pass by on my way home to Scunthorpe, but unfortunately I am not sure that I will be able to do that. Lidos are not only a vital part of our culture; they offer a great contribution to our health and wellbeing, too. We heard about the restoration of Worthing lido to its former glory. We heard about the value of Brockwell lido, which my hon. Friend the Member for Dulwich and West Norwood (Helen Hayes) talked about at great length and with great passion—I thank her for that. We heard from my hon. Friend the Member for Derbyshire Dales (John Whitby) about Matlock Bath; the lido’s contribution towards the heritage and tourism there is a good example of the contribution of lidos across the country. Lidos are part of our deep cultural heritage, as my hon. Friend the Member for Peterborough said, and I think that has been demonstrated by the energy of the debate. Certainly, we have the beginnings of a lido network here, and I encourage hon. Members to work with their local lidos to join them up. I think that would help in working with the Department, Sport England and other bodies to ensure that the voice of the lido world has its full impact. Sport and physical activity, especially activities such as swimming, play a vital role in tackling the health challenges facing our nation by helping to treat and manage a wide variety of health conditions. My hon. Friend spoke with passion about his local lido, and I can understand the appeal of outdoor swimming. He is right that swimming and the public good go together, and lidos are an important part of that. The Under-Secretary of State experienced some of the benefits of outdoor swimming when she joined Mental Health Swims for a swim in Hampstead ponds a while ago. That reinforced for her the positive impact that swimming, and outdoor swimming in particular, can have on mental health. Last Sunday I attended the annual north Lincolnshire swimarathon at The Pods in Scunthorpe, which is organised by local rotary clubs and raises thousands of pounds for local charities. It is good for the wellbeing of both volunteers and swimmers. A golden thread that ran through everybody’s speeches was the voluntary effort that is put into running these facilities, whether by campaigners to maintain the facilities or to rejuvenate them. My hon. Friend the Member for Carlisle (Ms Minns) drew attention to Steve Yeates, the secretary of Carlisle Turkish baths. His story is an inspiration for all the other volunteers across the country. We pay tribute to him and, through him, to all those other volunteers who do so much in our world of sport and wellbeing to make the world a better place. Swim England’s “Value of Swimming” report highlighted that 1.4 million adults in Britain felt that swimming significantly reduced their anxiety or depression, and that swimming saved the NHS and social care system over £357 million annually. Physical activity interventions contribute to an immense saving to the NHS by preventing 900,000 cases of diabetes and 93,000 cases of dementia every year. As the hon. Member for Newton Abbot (Martin Wrigley) said, investing in lidos is an investment in the nation’s health. The Government are committed to pivoting our health system to focus on prevention, and sport and physical activity are central to that. The biggest health gain comes from supporting those who are inactive, or less active, to move more. We know that swimming is a fantastic activity for the more inactive.

• 25 Mar 2026 · Public Baths and Lidos · Hansard source

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  It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Mr Efford. I am pleased to respond to this lively and informative debate, and I congratulate my hon. Friend the Member for Peterborough (Andrew Pakes) on securing it and such good attendance, too. I thank all hon. Members for their contributions; I think I have collected invitations to Peterborough, Carlisle, Worthing, Stockport, Matlock and the as-yet-to-be-built sea pool on the Isle of Wight.

• 20 Jan 2026 · County Durham: Cultural Opportunities · Hansard source

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  It is a pleasure to serve under your chairing, Ms Vaz. I am pleased to respond to this debate, and congratulate my hon. Friend the Member for City of Durham (Mary Kelly Foy) on securing it. My hon. Friend has spoken with great passion, conviction and authority about the flourishing of the arts and the challenge to the arts in her constituency. She is right that culture should never be just the preserve of people with the deepest pockets; it is in the veins of all of us. She is also right to identify investing in the future with young people and what happens in schools and activities around them, and in the community, to build the culture of the future. She is right to invite the Minister, my hon. Friend the Member for Barnsley South (Stephanie Peacock) —she was with us for most of the debate, but unfortunately had to leave us—to visit the city of Durham. I am sure that the Minister will put that in her diary as soon as she is back. We have heard with great passion about the deep-rooted cultural identity of County Durham—a place where the miners historically did not just extract wealth from the ground, but invested it back into the minds of the community through libraries, schools, halls and community events. Many of those survive today and have been alluded to by my hon. Friend the Member for City of Durham in her speech. The Government are backing the vision for investment in grassroots arts with more than just warm words. Last year, we announced the £270 million Arts Everywhere fund to support our venues, museums and libraries. In 2024-25, we provided over £500 million in grant-in-aid to Arts Council England. I am pleased to confirm we have increased ACE’s core budget for 2025-26 by over £7.6 million. In County Durham, ACE has invested almost £2.5 million since 2023. That is a massive vote of confidence in local creativity and includes over £2 million of annual funding through ACE’s national portfolio programme, which supports eight organisations in the county—including TIN Arts, which my hon. Friend alluded to in her speech. That organisation is doing vital work in inclusive dance for those with learning disabilities. Beamish Museum, a recent winner of the Art Fund museum of the year, is also a joyous and immersive site shaped by the very community stories my hon. Friend the Member for City of Durham highlighted. The support for the national story is mirrored in our investment in the physical health of the county, with £2.79 million provided by Sport England in 2024-25. That has funded everything from a leisure centre in Bishop Auckland to walking football initiatives, ensuring that culture and sport remain visible and valued parts of everyday life. My hon. Friend raised concerns about the closure of community spaces and the future of local celebrations, and she was right to do so. We recognise that local government is the backbone of culture. Durham county council receives more than £500,000 annually from ACE as a national portfolio organisation. That supports the Durham book festival—vital as 2026 is the National Year of Reading—and the Durham brass festival, in its 20th year. Although I understand that last year was Lumiere’s final edition in that format, the council is seeking a “fresh approach”. I wish it luck in building on the legacy of 1.3 million visitors. I commend to it my hon. Friend’s comments in this debate as a purpose and reason for taking things further and ensuring that that legacy is a true one. The Pride in Place programme is targeting up to £20 million each for neighbourhoods like Spennymoor, Peterlee East, Stanley South and Crook North and Tow Law. Crucially, we are also investing in the next generation. We have invested almost £1 million for better youth spaces in Durham, £900,000 for a Young Futures hub and Local Youth Transformation, and more than £500,000 for five Durham-based charities since 2024 from the enrichment partnerships pilot. I heard the concerns about local bands lacking rehearsal space. That is a very real issue—not just in my hon. Friend’s constituency but around the country, but she puts her finger on something that needs attention and addressing. Our new industrial strategy includes a music growth package of up to £30 million to support the grassroots sector. We know that a sustainable music scene is the bedrock of the entire industry. Furthermore, through the creative places growth fund, we have provided £25 million to the North East combined authority. That empowers the fantastic local mayor, Kim McGuinness, to turbocharge the creative sector right across the region, including the communities struggling outside the UNESCO site. Looking to the future and towns and cities of culture, County Durham’s 2025 city of culture bid was a remarkable achievement and we gave it, as a runner-up, £125,000 to sustain that momentum. However, we also want our towns to take centre stage. As my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport has said: “There is so much for us to be proud of in the towns we’re from—from the rich, local history to unique festivals and celebrations. They have shaped our national story for decades. Now it’s time they take centre stage and showcase the unique stories they have to tell.” Our new competition for the town of culture is designed for places exactly like Bishop Auckland. My hon. Friend the Member for Bishop Auckland (Sam Rushworth) knows well his area’s cultural might—from the Faith Museum to the world’s greatest collection of 17th-century Spanish art outside Spain. The other Minister need not go to Spain—she could simply go to Bishop Auckland. We welcome bids from all towns in the country and County Durham in particular. Expressions of interest are due by 31 March 2026. My hon. Friend the Member for City of Durham pointed to the fact that culture is sometimes seen through a lens of division. It is to her great credit that she has not done that today. Indeed, she has reminded us of the glue that culture is within our communities. We heard contributions from my hon. Friends the Members for Newton Aycliffe and Spennymoor (Alan Strickland) and for Bishop Auckland—and, of course, from the hon. Member for Strangford (Jim Shannon), who finds joy in the whole country. I am sure there is something that he particularly enjoys in County Durham. Areas selected through the Pride in Place programme will receive dedicated support from the communities delivery unit. With the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, the CDU will work in partnership with neighbourhood boards and local authorities to provide access to place-specific data guidance and capability support tailored to local needs. My hon. Friend the Member for Newton Aycliffe and Spennymoor drew attention to the heritage railway route, the Stockton and Darlington railway, and I understand that he met my colleague Baroness Twycross, the Minister for Museums, Heritage and Gambling, in December to discuss its potential world heritage status. I welcome his advocacy and support for an important component of local heritage, but I must reiterate Baroness Twycross’s explanation that we are not considering adding new sites to our existing tentative list—our pipeline of potential world heritage nominations—outside of the UK’s formal review process. The next review is expected in 2033, and I hope that he will be here to see it. To conclude, from the £400,000 for emergency repairs at Ushaw to the £2.79 million from Sport England for local leisure, we are investing in this part of the country at every level. The culture of County Durham, with its brass bands, mining banners, railways and art—of course, I loved the mention of its steel heritage as well; I would, wouldn’t I?—has remained the golden thread binding its communities together. The miners of Durham built for the future. Today this Government are doing the same, ensuring that whether we are in the shadow of Durham cathedral or at the heart of a former coalfield, we have access to a rich, vibrant and inclusive cultural life. In this debate, we have heard many examples of the vibrancy of that culture in 2026. The opportunities to be seized by the cultural and creative industries across the north-east are vast. County Durham, as my hon. Friend the Member for City of Durham reminded us and as was reinforced by colleagues’ contributions, is a cultural powerhouse that is open for business. We stand ready to work with local leaders and communities to ensure that everyone has the opportunity to experience and participate in arts and culture across County Durham.