Perran Moon MP: speeches

Speeches

• 28 Apr 2026 · Business Property Relief: Family-owned Businesses · Hansard source

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  Hundreds of small family businesses across Cornwall will soon be subject to a significant increase in their property costs as a result of the Valuation Office Agency’s decision to reclassify serviced offices, business centres and co-working spaces. Will the Chancellor arrange for me to meet Treasury officials and the VOA to discuss how the impacts of that reclassification may be mitigated?

• 27 Apr 2026 · English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill · Hansard source

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  Before I start, I would like to ask for a little leeway, Madam Deputy Speaker. I will speak to two amendments, but they have a direct impact on my experience of devolution, which is in Cornwall. Therefore, I just ask for a little bit of leeway, but in relation to the amendments themselves.

• 27 Apr 2026 · English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill · Hansard source

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  Does the hon. Gentleman agree that the fact that half of Cornish MPs are present tonight, at this late stage and in a relatively sparsely populated Chamber, and that the others would be here if they were able to be, is testament to the fact that although it feels as though we are part of the way towards Cornish devolution, there is still deep concern, as this process draws towards a conclusion, that we are not considerably further forward in that process?

• 27 Apr 2026 · English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill · Hansard source

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  Thank you, Madam Deputy Speaker. I welcome amendment (a), which would include coastal communities, as the changes are very encouraging, but I would also like to speak to the Lords amendment on local authority consent. I am deeply disappointed that the Secretary of State’s right to impose on a local authority without local assent has been delayed for only two years. The reason why, and this is where I have to reference our experience in Cornwall, is that for centuries—since the Stannary Parliament ceased to meet in 1753—Cornwall has longed for greater powers to control its own affairs. The amendment was an opportunity to work with Government to provide that level of devolution. It should also be noted for constitutionalists that the Stannary Parliament was never actually revoked. The hunger for greater devolution runs deep in Cornwall, and in the 21st century it has been enhanced by the Council of Europe’s framework convention of national minority status, which recognises the Cornish as a national minority. I fear that the Government’s refusal to accept some of the amendments that were tabled, including this one, runs in contravention to article 16 of that framework convention. The national minority status process began under the previous Labour Government. I am also very grateful for the elevation of the Cornish language to the status of all other British Celtic languages. With this hunger for devolution and commitments from the party, expectations were high. However, as we approach the end of the Bill’s passage, I am disappointed by the progress made by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government. It is not as though the Ministry did not know what devolution we were looking for. I am deeply grateful to the Minister and to two Secretaries of State for so frequently meeting Cornish Members from both parties to elaborate on what constitutes a devolution deal. I am very grateful that the Treasury has delivered the Kernow industrial growth fund. The Department for Culture, Media and Sport is moving ahead with support for the language, as I mentioned, and the Department of Health and Social Care and the Department for Education are investing in Cornwall. However, it feels a bit like MHCLG is not moving at the same pace as the others. This was never more starkly exposed than on the day it was announced that Cornwall was losing its shared prosperity funding, and new shared prosperity funding was announced in northern English mayoralties. I am grateful that in November 2025 the Secretary of State was mindful to offer Cornwall single strategic authority status, as the hon. Member for St Ives (Andrew George) mentioned. Cornwall will never willingly become part of a mayoral combined authority, because to do so would compromise national minority status, as I have mentioned. However, when she gets to her feet, could the Minister please confirm when those outstanding areas, including transport, economic development, strategic place partnership for housing and British-Irish Council attendance, will be dealt with? Until then, there will remain distrust and scepticism of the Government’s intentions for devolution in Cornwall and its place within these British Isles.

• 27 Apr 2026 · English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill · Hansard source

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  I cannot let this moment pass, particularly following the intervention from my hon. Friend the Member for East Thanet (Ms Billington), without raising the son of Redruth—one Mick Fleetwood, of Fleetwood Mac. I highlight the importance of the cultural diversity in Cornwall, including my home town of Redruth. Does my hon. Friend agree that it is vital that we celebrate these great musicians?

• 27 Apr 2026 · Lord Mandelson Humble Address: Government Response Update · Hansard source

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  The worst outcome from this process is that a police investigation is compromised by materials making their way into the public domain before time. While Opposition MPs seek to rush this process through, can the Chief Secretary confirm that no documents of interest will be put in the public domain until they have been cleared by the Met police? [ Interruption. ] If Opposition Members want to know how Labour voters are going to vote tomorrow, they just need to join the Labour party.

• 21 Apr 2026 · Middle East: Economic Update · Hansard source

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  The Chancellor will know that AutoTrader announced last week that, for the first time, the average cost of a new electric vehicle has fallen below the average cost of a new petrol vehicle. There has never been a better time to switch to EVs. Can the Chancellor elaborate on how these targeted announcements, and some of the changes she is making today, will support the switch to electric vehicles?

• 21 Apr 2026 · English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill · Hansard source

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  Will the Minister give way?

• 20 Apr 2026 · Security Vetting · Hansard source

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  I welcome the Prime Minister’s statement. I have sat here and listened today to one Conservative Member after another preaching at us about standards of honesty and integrity. Will the Prime Minister remind us whether these are the same Conservatives who voted to change the rules on standards investigations in November 2021 just to get their colleague Owen Paterson off the hook? Will he also remind us whether the Leader of the Opposition chose to abstain in that debate?

• 20 Apr 2026 · Best Start Family Hubs · Hansard source

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  2. What steps she is taking to roll out Best Start family hubs.

• 20 Apr 2026 · Best Start Family Hubs · Hansard source

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  Cornwall has a strong network of family hubs, including in Pool and Hayle in my constituency. Although I am sure that the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats would love for us to forget, it should never be forgotten that the failed austerity adopted by their coalition Government hollowed out such services. Will the Minister confirm that, as part of the Best Start in Life initiative, areas with the highest level of social deprivation will be prioritised for funding?

• 24 Mar 2026 · Middle East Conflict: Energy Security · Hansard source

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  I do not think I have ever been called an extreme left winger, but there is always a first time. In rural and coastal Britain there is deep worry among families about the effect of the conflict in the middle east on oil prices. We welcome the £53 million that has been announced to support them, but does the Secretary of State agree that those calling for an expansion of our reliance on oil and gas wholesale prices offer absolutely no long-term solution to energy security?

• 19 Mar 2026 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  Residents in my Camborne, Redruth and Hayle constituency rely on the postal service to stay connected with loved ones, especially given the paucity of digital connectivity across Cornwall. However, residents have been complaining to me that they have not received post for over a month, only to receive a backlog of post containing mail relating to medical appointments and financial information. Will the Leader of the House help me to secure a meeting with the relevant Minister, so that we can better deliver outcomes for my constituents beyond the stock Royal Mail template responses?

• 16 Mar 2026 · Heating Oil Support · Hansard source

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  Although I warmly welcome this support for the poorest rural homes, hydrotreated vegetable oil prices have remained relatively stable throughout the fortnight, so as well as securing ample production of HVO through sustainable aviation fuel refining, can I once again urge the Minister to ensure that the barriers and disincentives that prevent tens of thousands of rural residents from switching from kerosene to HVO are cleared as a matter of urgency?

• 16 Mar 2026 · Strait of Hormuz · Hansard source

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  Rather than adopting the Conservatives’ hokey-cokey, in-out policy on this conflict, does the Minister agree that any commitments to UK military support in the strait of Hormuz must be subject to time-bound operational objectives? Can he confirm that the clarification of such time-bound operational objectives for this conflict is being pursued with the US Department of War?

• 16 Mar 2026 · GP Contract · Hansard source

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  My father was a family doctor in my Camborne, Redruth and Hayle constituency for more than 40 years; now that he is in his 91st year, I am thankful he is no longer practising. I have the highest number of deep-end group GP practices in my constituency, including the one where my father practised. While I welcome the consideration for deprived areas, will the Minister elaborate on what targeted funding there will be for areas with the highest levels of deprivation?

• 12 Mar 2026 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  Joff Machell, from a constituency neighbouring mine, was diagnosed with motor neurone disease last October. Since then he has raised over £50,000 for MND research through activities including plunging into frozen Austrian lakes and warm Sri Lankan seas. I should declare an interest: Joff is my oldest and dearest friend. Given the importance of both sustaining research funding into MND and addressing significant patient delays in accessing genetic testing, could the Leader of the House assist me in getting a meeting with the relevant Ministers?

• 12 Mar 2026 · Topical Questions · Hansard source

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  The UK economy needs more and more critical minerals, and in Cornwall we have loads of them. Private capital has flown into the duchy on the back of the Labour Government’s investments of about £100 million through the national wealth fund and the Kernow industrial growth fund, but will the Minister update the House on Government plans to unlock more private investment in our critical minerals sector to unleash the Cornish Celtic tiger?

• 12 Mar 2026 · Marriage Regulations · Hansard source

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  It is a pleasure to serve under your chairship, Sir Christopher. I want to make a very small point. I am very grateful to the right hon. Member for Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale and Tweeddale (David Mundell) for the points he has raised, to which I would like to add. Following the Council of Europe recognising the Cornish language with part III minority language status, giving it the same status as all other Celtic languages, I am hopeful that the Minister will agree with me that regulations now need to be updated and the Cornish language marriage regulations brought in line with the practices in Wales, for example, so that the entire service can be conducted in the Cornish language, which is not the case at the moment.

• 11 Mar 2026 · Lord Mandelson: Response to Humble Address Motion · Hansard source

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  Epstein was a truly despicable criminal and Mandelson’s lying and actions with Epstein shamed the nation, but does the Chief Secretary agree that what we must not do right now is to compromise the criminal investigations that the Met is currently undertaking? To do so would be to fail the victims of Epstein and their families. Can the Chief Secretary also reassure the House that, as and when documents become available, they will be published in a timely manner?

• 10 Mar 2026 · Topical Questions · Hansard source

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  The Government’s new industrial strategy has signposted a path to further economic growth and prosperity. There are certain regions of the UK that can play a significant role in this growth, so would Treasury Ministers consider working with the Department for Business and Trade to make Cornwall an industrial strategy zone?

• 10 Mar 2026 · English Rugby · Hansard source

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  The hon. Gentleman is making an important speech about the input that Government can have and the Prem, but the role that the RFU has in the future of rugby has only been mentioned a couple of times. We hear so much from the RFU about shaping support for the community game, but it was the RFU that savagely cut regional development officers and club relationships managers in 2020. Does the hon. Gentleman agree that the RFU should be putting funding back to support the grassroots game?

• 10 Mar 2026 · Extreme Climate and Weather Events: National Resilience · Hansard source

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  My hon. Friend talks about this affecting anywhere in the UK. Does she agree that it is simply unacceptable that all six Cornish constituencies appear at the bottom of the rankings in terms of mobile connectivity, and that any plan to improve our resilience has to include a focus on telecommunications and our ability to get messages into our villages, some of which were completely cut off not just physically but in terms of communication as a result of Storm Goretti?

• 9 Mar 2026 · Middle East: Economic Update · Hansard source

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  Tens of thousands of homes across Cornwall are still totally reliant on heating oil, so I am delighted that the Chancellor has confirmed that the Financial Secretary to the Treasury will be meeting rural MPs, whose constituents are disproportionately affected by the crisis. Does she agree that in order to accelerate away from a fossil fuel-led economy, the British Business Bank, National Wealth Fund, and Great British Energy need to take a more dynamic attitude to risk when supporting renewable energy projects?

• 9 Mar 2026 · Funeral Directors: Regulation · Hansard source

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  This is a really important debate. While regulation of the funeral sector is fundamental, does the hon. Member agree that it must be proportionate? A small, independent home carer for 20 or 30 people a year cannot be expected to have to mirror the administrative burdens placed on a large, multi-site corporate provider. Does she agree that core standards must be universal, but related to the structure and scale of a business?