Peter Fortune MP: speeches

Speeches

• 28 Apr 2026 · Referral of Prime Minister to Committee of Privileges · Hansard source

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  I am genuinely listening to the hon. Member’s logical process as he ratiocinates through it. I humbly say that we could set this evidence out in the Privileges Committee. In terms of no pressure whatsoever being exerted—and he is talking about the kinds of pressure exerted that that did not include—could he give examples of the kind of pressures that were not exerted?

• 28 Apr 2026 · Referral of Prime Minister to Committee of Privileges · Hansard source

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  Referring to the whiff that the public may pick up, does the right hon. Gentleman think that the Prime Minister’s concern could be that the Privileges Committee will deliver a result that he might not like?

• 28 Apr 2026 · Referral of Prime Minister to Committee of Privileges · Hansard source

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  I just want to make sure that I can follow the hon. Gentleman’s logical structure. When he said that the Prime Minister said that there was no pressure whatever, he meant that there was no pressure whatever apart from the various types of pressure—is that right?

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

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  10. What assessment she has made of the potential impact of recent changes to business property relief on levels of investment by family-owned businesses.

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

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  I agree with the Minister, of course, that Margaret Thatcher really was the sunny uplands of this country. Small and medium-sized enterprises provide the backbone for our economy in Bromley and Biggin Hill. Many of those businesses are still family owned, suffering from the slew of taxation from this Labour Government. Family Business UK’s analysis, published just last month, said that 57% of businesses are still suffering from the business property relief that, despite the slight U-turn that the Minister alluded to, is still impacting their business. Does the Minister agree that the best way to growth is to support small businesses and not to tax them out of existence?

• 27 Apr 2026 · Animal Testing · Hansard source

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  It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Mr Stuart, and a privilege to respond to this debate on behalf of His Majesty’s most loyal Opposition. This is my first time responding to a petition debate and I am happy to do so under your chairmanship, Sir. I congratulate the hon. Member for North Ayrshire and Arran (Irene Campbell) on most ably leading the debate, and I thank the more than 100,000 people who have taken the time to sign the petition. The previous Conservative Government had a strong record on improving animal welfare standards across the board with measures such as the Animal Welfare (Livestock Exports) Act 2024, which banned the export from Great Britain of live animals, including cattle, sheep and pigs, for slaughter and fattening; the Animal Welfare (Sentencing) Act 2021, which increased the maximum prison sentence for animal cruelty from six months to five years; the Animal Welfare (Sentience) Act 2022, which recognised vertebrate animals as sentient beings for the first time; the Animals (Penalty Notices) Act 2022, which created new financial penalties for those who commit offences across animal health and welfare against farm animals, zoo animals and pets; and the Glue Traps (Offences) Act 2022, which banned the use of glue traps in England in all but the most exceptional circumstances. The testing of products and medicines on animals has always been an emotive topic, and one on which many people hold extremely strong views, so it is absolutely right that animal testing is heavily regulated. It is clear that there is a national consensus that animals ought to be treated with dignity and respect, and I am pleased that the Government have continued to take the welfare of animals as seriously as the previous Government did. The use of protected animals for any experimental or other scientific procedure that causes “pain, suffering, distress or lasting harm” to the animal is regulated by the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986. Scientific procedures covered by the Act are controlled using a triple licensing system enforced by the Home Office. That requires a personal licence for the scientific investigator, a licence for the establishment where the procedure is to take place, and a project licence, which contains details of the animals to be used and the procedures to be performed. The Act requires a cost-benefit analysis to be performed, weighing the likely adverse effects on the animals against the scientific learning arising from the procedure. The UK has a policy to limit the number of animals used in science through replacement, reduction and refinement of research design—the three Rs. That requires licence applicants to demonstrate that they have considered using non-animal alternatives as far as possible. Moreover, under existing legislation, the use of animals in research is prohibited if there is a non-animal method available that could be used instead. Put simply, animals can be used in research only when no alternative methods are available. In 2024, 2.6 million scientific procedures involving living animals were carried out in Great Britain. Of the animals used in those procedures, 73% were mice. That figure seems huge, but it must be recognised that it is 37% lower than the recent peak of 4.1 million in 2015. That is a welcome development, but more work definitely needs to be done. It has been hugely valuable to hear the range of views of those who have taken part in this very constructive debate, and I thank all Members for their contributions. There were lots of passionate interventions —in particular, my hon. Friend the Member for Bromsgrove (Bradley Thomas) gave us particular food for thought on the testing of botox—but let me focus on the substantive contributions. My hon. Friend the Member for Huntingdon (Ben Obese-Jecty) did his job as a local MP and visited a lab to give us an understanding of the scenario. It is difficult for us to think about what goes on in there, and we thank him for setting that out for us. The hon. Member for Bristol East (Kerry McCarthy) talked about the pragmatic approach to testing, but also about an aggressive and urgent push to move to alternative processes as soon as possible. The hon. Member for Taunton and Wellington (Gideon Amos) stressed that, especially in an area as important as this one, ambition is not enough, and that a strategy needs to be implemented urgently. The hon. Member for City of Durham (Mary Kelly Foy) spoke about the ethics involved and showed that, while animals may not have a voice, hon. Members can provide one for them—and she did so extraordinarily well. The hon. Member for Waveney Valley (Adrian Ramsay) talked about the possibility of using AI to replace experimentation, and about not being anti-science, but using better science. The hon. Member for Doncaster East and the Isle of Axholme (Lee Pitcher) reminded us of the deep relationships that we can have with animals. I do hope that his slippers are returned very soon. The hon. Member for Didcot and Wantage (Olly Glover) developed the theme of our relationship with animals and told us of his conversations with cats. Nobody has ever won a debate with a cat, and we could use some of that feline tenacity in pushing this issue through. The hon. Member for Paisley and Renfrewshire South (Johanna Baxter) again stressed the need to move to modern alternatives, and that was also highlighted by the hon. Member for Yeovil (Adam Dance). The hon. Member for Newport West and Islwyn (Ruth Jones) raised important questions about licensing and enforcement, and the hon. Member for North East Hertfordshire (Chris Hinchliff) raised important questions about morality. The hon. Member for Dunstable and Leighton Buzzard (Alex Mayer) talked about how the mark of a civilised society is treating animals well—I concur. Let me stress that the Conservatives are keen to support any work that aims to accelerate the point at which animal research and testing is no longer necessary, having been fully replaced by effective alternatives whenever possible. I welcome that the Government have published a road map for phasing out animal testing. While we support its broad aims, there are concerns, such as that life sciences’ research and investment could move overseas to countries that test on animals to far lower standards. At this point, I echo the point made by the hon. Member for Winchester (Dr Chambers). Concern arises because regulators have set out that certain products still require animal testing. Medicines, drugs and vaccines are manufactured for sale around the world, and companies can move their operations to places where the ethical and clinical regulations around animal testing are much laxer. I ask the Minister to address that point. On the timeline for the Government’s road map, will the Minister set out how the 2030 target for a 35% reduction in the use of dogs and non-human primates is backed up by alternative methods? Is that actually achievable? How do the Government plan to report to the House on whether the milestones are being met, and what happens if alternative methods are not validated in time? The goal of seeing no animal suffer needlessly in a laboratory is one that we all share, but that vision is not enough on its own. If we move too slowly, we betray the millions of people who rightly find the continued use of animals in laboratories morally unacceptable, but moving too fast, without validated alternatives, risks both patient safety and the very sector that funds the research on which we all depend. We will continue to ask those questions of the Government and hold them accountable for their actions.

• 22 Apr 2026 · Engagements · Hansard source

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  Today, vigils are being held across Westminster for the 22 women who are diagnosed with lobular breast cancer every day, and I think we are privileged to say that some of those extraordinarily brave women are in the Gallery this afternoon. When I raised this issue with the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, she promised to take action and not just commit words, so will the Prime Minister today commit to the Lobular Moon Shot Project’s plan to fund lobular breast cancer?

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

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  One area that has been talked about is the ability of scrutiny bodies to take decisions, and the challenge in London is that there has to be a two-thirds majority to make a decision. The suggestion was made that this could be changed and be brought in line with other authorities, so that we have simple majority voting. Does the Minister agree that we have missed an opportunity to do that?

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

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  Will the Minister give way?

• 21 Apr 2026 · Gibraltar: UK-EU Treaty · Hansard source

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  I ask the House to note my relatively recent visit to Gibraltar, which is declared in the Register of Members’ Financial Interests. The naval base in Gibraltar is of high strategic importance and the decision to allow the Spanish authorities to monitor equipment going to the British military is highly concerning. Will the Minister guarantee that the treaty will neither directly nor indirectly in any way limit the operations, access or security of the UK naval base?

• 21 Apr 2026 · Gibraltar: UK-EU Treaty · Hansard source

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  10. If she will publish a timetable for the implementation of the UK-EU treaty in respect of Gibraltar.

• 21 Apr 2026 · Peter Mandelson: Government Appointment · Hansard source

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  This is probably a useful speech to intervene on, due to my striking resemblance to Tom Cruise. [ Laughter. ] The key point in that scenario was about responsibility. Labour Members are probably lucky that Sadiq Khan has cancelled all the tubes today, otherwise they might be under another transport mechanism. Does this not show more widely that the Prime Minister is failing in his key role, which is to take responsibility for the decisions he is charged to take?

• 21 Apr 2026 · Hammersmith Bridge · Hansard source

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  On that point, how does the hon. Lady feel about the funding that TfL offered for the reopening of the bridge? To my mind, as a former member of the London Assembly, it has not been sufficient over the last 10 years.

• 14 Apr 2026 · Draft Aviation Safety (Amendment) Regulations 2026 · Hansard source

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  I welcome the fact that the regulations allow for innovation, and especially things such as vertical take-off and unmanned flights. However, given that Biggin Hill airport is in my constituency, can the Minister say what provisions there are to ensure that local communities in smaller aerodrome areas are communicated with?

• 14 Apr 2026 · Ground-mounted Solar Panels: Alternatives · Hansard source

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  My hon. Friend is making a characteristically brilliant speech—the jokes get better each time we hear them. Does he agree that there are other types of provision? My area of interest is space-based solar power provision, which could provide the same sorts of solutions without taking up precious agricultural land.

• 13 Apr 2026 · Topical Questions · Hansard source

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  T5. The Government’s connectivity tool classifies land proposed for development at Biggin Hill and Hayes Farm as equally well connected as the Greenwich peninsula. This is utterly nonsensical. Does the Minister recognise that the Government’s housing targets for the London borough of Bromley are both unfair and unachievable?

• 25 Mar 2026 · Engagements · Hansard source

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  Q15. As we move towards the Easter recess, I am sure the Prime Minister’s thoughts are turning to the miracle of resurrection. My constituents have asked me to resurrect something: cash in shops. One in seven shops in the past year has moved to being cashless. That risks leaving behind those on low income or the elderly. Indeed, we heard today about the risk posed to our economic liberty by the move to digital devices, as mobile phones can be lost, stolen or other. What is the Prime Minister doing to ensure that nobody is left behind in a cashless society?

• 25 Mar 2026 · Proposed Visitor Levy · Hansard source

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  As ever, my right hon. Friend is making an excellent speech. One of the concerns that businesses have is that this policy was not in the Government’s manifesto, so they are now trying to prepare for something that has come as a surprise. There has been no consultation on this levy, so by introducing it now the Government are making a very difficult situation even worse. Does my right hon. Friend agree that this is not the best way to help businesses thrive?

• 24 Mar 2026 · Household Energy Bills · Hansard source

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  24. What steps his Department is taking to help reduce household energy bills.

• 24 Mar 2026 · Household Energy Bills · Hansard source

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  The Secretary of State promised that Great British Energy would lead to a “mind-blowing” reduction in bills. Can he confirm how much the average family has saved as a result specifically of Great British Energy?

• 24 Mar 2026 · Defence · Hansard source

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  I will not repeat the excellent points that have been made by hon. and right hon. Members, but I will focus on one specific point: the country’s technological capacity, which is being delayed because of the delay to the defence investment plan. Some 8% of UK GDP—£454 billion—is reliant on satellite services, and the importance of space to our defence, intelligence and security is ever increasing. The previous Government understood that, and set out a clear strategy to make the UK a meaningful actor in space when we published the defence space strategy in 2022. However, the situation has now changed, and this Government are completely failing to grasp the urgency of leveraging our existing commercial capability so that we can operationalise the space domain at pace. Earlier this month, I attended Space-Comm with the shadow Science Secretary, my hon. Friend the Member for Hornchurch and Upminster (Julia Lopez), and it could not be clearer from the conversations I had that Britain is at serious risk of lagging behind our neighbours when it comes to the new space race. Countries such as Germany have recognised the opportunities, with a commitment to invest €35 billion. We must match that ambition. Another point that came up time and again was that the missing defence investment plan impacts on our ability to encourage new people into the sector. The Government promised that it would be published in the autumn of last year, yet we are still waiting. However, given that their strategic defence review was late and kicked big procurement decisions down the road, it is no real surprise that the DIP is late too. The Government simply have no evidenced plan to hit 3% of GDP on defence, and this is leaving our domestic defence and space industry in the lurch. Many companies tell me that they have plans that are ready to go, but they cannot action them without the publication of the defence investment plan. This kind of paralysis will only serve to see us fall even further behind our neighbours. I know that the Minister for the Armed Forces, who is currently not in his place, cares about the investment in our armed services and takes it deeply personally—as does the Minister for Veterans and People—and I put on the record my personal respect for him. I would hope that he would agree with the Conservatives on the urgency with which we need to raise defence spending to 3% of GDP by the end of this Parliament. I hope that the Government will make the same commitment; otherwise, we will lose the opportunity to lead and develop the technologies that will take us to the new scientific and defence frontier.

• 23 Mar 2026 · Topical Questions · Hansard source

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  T3. During the recent London elections, Sadiq Khan made a manifesto pledge not to close Bromley’s 24-hour police counter, so Bromley’s 24-hour police counter is obviously now closed. Does the Minister think that the closure of this vital service is good for my constituents or the safety of the community?

• 23 Mar 2026 · Financial Assistance to Industry · Hansard source

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  Given that the individual grants can exceed £30 million and are monitored for only 10 years, if a company, say, relocates to another country or fails to deliver over that period, is there any mechanism for the Government to claw back some of that money?

• 23 Mar 2026 · Rail Connections to London: Rural Towns · Hansard source

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  The hon. Member is making an excellent speech, and I empathise with her, because communities in Biggin Hill in my constituency are also completely without a railway station. Although the distance to Biggin Hill is 12 miles as the crow flies, it takes an absolute age to get there. Does she agree that such communities need to be served by efficient bus services, which are just as important?

• 18 Mar 2026 · Student Loans · Hansard source

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  A particularly pressing issue of concern is youth unemployment, which has skyrocketed to record levels on Labour’s watch, with the unemployment rate for 16 to 24-year-olds at nearly 16%. Failing the youth of this country is tantamount to abandoning our future. It is because of the political choices made by this Government that young people are struggling to secure employment. We have the lowest graduate recruitment levels on record and 700,000 graduates on benefits. To make matters worse, far too many of those who can find employment are then stuck in an endless cycle of student debt, while taxpayers have to pick up the tab for those who will never be able to fully repay the balance and write off their loans. I have been contacted by many graduates in Bromley and Biggin Hill who are deeply concerned about the freeze on student loan repayment thresholds. They see it as an unfair decision that heaps additional financial pressure on graduates, who are already struggling with the rising cost of living. In a sense, it changes the rules for graduates after the fact. For many, what was meant to be an investment in education and the future workforce now creates a sense of permanent debt, rather than a manageable contribution based on the ability to pay. This cannot go on, or we will risk undermining trust in the student finance system altogether. The Conservatives have a plan: a clear new deal for young people—a step-by-step plan to fix what the Government are making worse. It is a plan that I fully support and that would be of huge benefit to young people in Bromley and Biggin Hill. Under our plan to abolish real interest rates on plan 2 student loans, we will ensure that student loan balances never rise faster than RPI inflation. For example, a doctor at Princess Royal university hospital in Bromley in 2029 with £80,000 of student debt would save £58,000 in lifetime repayments and clear their loan sooner. A graduate in Bromley with £40,000 of student debt and on a salary of £50,000 would save £26,000 in lifetime repayments and would clear their loan five years faster than under the current system. It is only the Conservatives who will end the unfair interest rises, fund 100,000 more apprenticeships and encourage young people into work with a £5,000 first job bonus. We have a plan to restore aspiration for young people; the Government are failing them.