Peter Prinsley MP: speeches

Speeches

• 29 Jun 2026 · Asylum Accommodation · Hansard source

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  I thank my hon. Friend the Member for South West Norfolk (Terry Jermy) for mentioning RAF Barnham, which is in my constituency—it is adjacent to the border of Thetford, and within easy walking distance of it. It was formerly a base that housed mustard gas during the first world war, and in the cold war it was the home of the RAF’s strategic nuclear weapons, so it has an interesting history. The people of Suffolk are a kind and compassionate people, and they understand the need to house those who are fleeing war and persecution. However, I saw a protest at RAF Barnham this weekend, so how will the views of local people be taken into account, and what exactly is the role of the local planning authority?

• 29 Apr 2026 · Agriculture: Government Support · Hansard source

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  I am grateful to the hon. Member for securing this debate. I am concerned about the mental health of farmers. There is about one suicide a week among UK farmers. Does he agree that we must do everything we can to support the mental health of our farmers?

• 15 Apr 2026 · Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill · Hansard source

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  I agree that we must hold the tech companies to account; they are the ones in control of the situation. The amendment proposes a higher standard—not simply “reasonable steps”, but highly effective age assurance, and that is meaningfully different. We have heard about movement internationally. France and Spain are taking similar steps, and others are following. We ought to be part of the broader shift in how Governments are approaching online safety for children. Also, this cannot just be about restrictions; of course, there is a role for education. Children need to understand the online environment that they are engaging with, particularly when it comes to the algorithms, data and content driven by artificial intelligence. We have heard about the consultation, and I support it in principle, but the scale of the issue is already well evidenced. There is a question about what additional insights small trials would realistically add, given the body of research that already exists.

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

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  Has the Leader of the House had the opportunity to see the shocking Channel 4 programme “Dirty Business”? It brought to my mind Mr Binks of Stowmarket, who showed me a collection of photographs of the River Gipping over 50 years. They showed a once navigable river, full of fish and clear water, which is now blocked with fallen trees, brown water and neglected banks, causing repeated flooding. Does the Leader of the House agree with me that that is a consequence of the previous Conservative Governments’ disastrous deregulation of the water industry, which has ruined our rivers?

• 10 Feb 2026 · Topical Questions · Hansard source

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  The 2025 EU-UK summit set ambitions for the UK to join the single electricity market. Does the Minister agree that close and easier energy interconnection between the EU and the UK constitutes a key strategic component of our continent’s energy security, and reduces costs for UK businesses and customers?

• 21 Jul 2025 · Independent Water Commission · Hansard source

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  What a pleasure it was to welcome the Secretary of State to the water meadows in Bury St Edmunds. The Lark and the Linnet in Bury St Edmunds and the Gipping in Stowmarket are disgracefully neglected, and my own laboratory tests reveal dangerously high ammonia levels, for I too have become a citizen scientist. I welcome the decision to scrap Ofwat, but does the Secretary of State agree that our precious Suffolk chalk streams must be protected?