Sally Jameson MP: speeches 2026

Speeches

• 15 Sept 2026 · Civil Service Pension Scheme · Hansard source

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  It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Dame Siobhain. I declare that I have a Capita Prison Service pension of six years, but I am 34 years away from my retirement age, so I do not have a current financial interest. I am also a member of the Prison Officers’ Association. I want to apologise as I was not in my seat for the start of the speeches; I will endeavour in future Westminster Hall debates to be more bullish in fighting through the crowds to make sure I am here on time. I thank my hon. Friend the Member for Liverpool West Derby (Ian Byrne) for securing this debate and actively campaigning on this issue for his constituents, as all Members present have done. I raised this issue both in Westminster Hall and the main Chamber before I became the Minister responsible for it—life comes at you fast. I am absolutely committed and determined to ensure that this issue is dealt with. I want to thank the constituents who have been affected by this issue. They are public servants who have given so much to our country and our communities. I give a special shout-out to my former colleagues in the Prison Service and at HMP Moorland, because public servants like them have dedicated their working lives to this country and deserve financial security and unwavering dignity in retirement—not corporate failure, not empty promises and not severe administrative failure. I will do my best to get through as much of my speech as I can in the time I have, but I am happy to speak to any Member after the debate to deal with individual case issues. Subject to the Speaker’s permission, I also hope to come to the House in October to give a full update. The continued poor experience delivered to the many public servants and their families by Capita, which has been the administrator of the civil service pension scheme since 1 December 2025, is totally abysmal. I have read accounts of the endless delays faced by scheme members, many of whom have written to their local MPs and Ministers, I have heard the concerns raised by hon. Members in the debate, and I have heard the concerns of my constituents in Doncaster Central. I am truly sorry to hear about the worry and distress that has been caused, particularly to those dealing with bereavement and death in service. Resolving this matter is of the utmost urgency for the Government, and we are taking direct action to intervene. I will answer some of the questions from my hon. Friend the Member for Liverpool West Derby. First, on recovery, Capita has set a commitment to achieve its full service level agreements from the end of this month. I am meeting senior Capita staff later this month to challenge them again and get their assurance on that. On the commitment to redress and compensation, we are committed to ensuring that no member is left financially worse off. All complaints will be handled in line with Pensions Ombudsman standards. There is further work to do on that, and I intend to bring my focus to it, but in the immediate future, I want to make sure that as many scheme members as possible are getting their pension and the money they are owed. Further work will then be done to ensure that people are properly compensated. I will come to insourcing later in my speech. I will explain the context of this issue and how we got here. The contract was signed in 2023 under the previous Government. On 1 December, the administration of the scheme transferred from MyCSP to Capita. While the core payroll for over 730,000 existing pensioners continued to be paid correctly and on time, following the change of administrator, the process for retiring since December has been fraught with delays, and a large number of public servants and their families have been significantly impacted. Following that, Capita defaulted on its major recovery commitments, missing its end of April target to clear payment arrears and its end of June milestone to clear the backlog of inherited cases. Following Capita’s failure at the end of June, we mandated the production of a formal contract rectification plan, which was submitted by Capita in July. A remedial adviser from Grant Thornton was appointed at Capita’s expense to test the validity of that plan. They will test whether Capita can realistically deliver what it needs to with the systems it has in place and in the timeframe it has set out. Once Capita reports next month, we will hold it to account for the quality of its planning and execution. In addition, the Government have appointed a Government internal audit agency to undertake a deep review of the effectiveness of Capita’s operational arrangements between December and July. After I get all that information back and break it down, I will then report again in October. That will allow us to understand how Capita got it so wrong, despite Ministers receiving explicit personal assurances from the chief executive officer. We will hold it accountable for the quality of its delivery. In evidence given to the Public Accounts Committee and the Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee on 8 July, Capita committed to two further operational milestones: 1 December to clear all remaining backlog and retirement arrears; and 30 September to restore normal operations and standard contractual levels, excluding 600 complex cases. As stated in my ministerial statement on 9 September, Capita has reported that it has met that in five priority areas. I want to be clear that that is Capita’s reporting, not my or the Government’s reporting. I am personally testing that, based on cases that MPs have sent me that have come through my ministerial correspondence. I will be holding Capita executive to account on individual cases next week when I meet them. I am also working towards setting our own measures of Capita’s success. At the minute, it is setting its own milestones and measurements, and that is not good enough. We are in charge, so we need to tell it what our terms and measurements are, and it needs to work towards that. I am doing a separate piece of work on that. On transition and go-live, the decision obviously predated my elevation to Minister for this area, but it was based on evidence requested from Capita about capability and readiness in critical delivery areas. By November 2025, assessments indicated that Capita had made significant progress since the PAC hearing in July. It gave assurances via external audit by the National Audit Office, technical security assurance, gateway reviews in the go/no-go discussions in October and November, and weekly assessments of critical cases against specific acceptance criteria. To support and provide financial security to those impacted, the Government have approved more than £100 million to provide interest-free transitional support loans to public servants. Let me be clear: the Government should not have to financially plug any gaps due to Capita’s failure, but to date it has been necessary to supply more than 4,100 loans. I turn to Capita’s engagement with Members in this House. The volume of outstanding MPs’ correspondence has grown significantly, and peaked at 2,200 open cases. It has decreased slightly to 1,700, but it is still not good enough. In recognition of the need to do better, my predecessors set up the virtual surgeries system. To date, it has had more than 870 sessions with 260 parliamentary officers, which underlines the scale of the catastrophe we are facing. We will maintain those surgeries until the pension scheme is running smoothly. It feels like that could be a while, but we will not withdraw them. I am personally committed to continuing to work with the unions. I have already met the PCS union, which represents Capita employees and scheme members, and other unions, including the POA and the FDA. I met the Civil Service Pensioners’ Alliance this week to ensure that it is involved and that its views are heard throughout this process. I am using all commercial levers to hold Capita to account. We have held nearly £10 million in contractual payments for undelivered milestones. We will pay only for what has been successfully delivered, and nothing more. We have a Capita-funded remediation adviser, and we will be hearing from them very soon. We have also deployed auditors to Capita to get a full understanding of its failure, and we will be recovering all costs from it, including to pay for the 140 surge staff that the civil service has provided. Core operations are currently being propped up by the 140 surge staff, and we will put more in if required. The surge team will remain in full service until restoration is completed. We will not permit Capita to reduce its own headcount until performance has improved. The contract awarded by DWP followed a separate rigorous process; it was not done via the Cabinet Office. I have expressed my own views on that in this House before, so they are on the record. I think there is further work to be done to look at how we can hold Capita and similar companies to account when they fail in these areas. It has been nine months since Capita took over the new contract. The Government are very clear that members of the civil service pension scheme and their families deserve better. If any Members who have raised personal cases today have not already done so, I ask that they get in touch with me so that I can personally escalate them. I will hopefully come back to the House in October with a better update and more information. The Labour Government stood on a manifesto pledge to have the biggest wave of insourcing in a generation. I am personally committed to that. I have said in this House before that I think that is a priority for this scheme, but we can do that only if it is done in the interests of the members. There must be no disruption, so we have to do it in the smoothest and quickest way. I want Capita, not the taxpayer, to pay for its mistakes. It does not get to just walk away and do nothing about it. It needs to pay for this and get everyone their pensions, and then we will look at what needs to be done in terms of the long-term viability of the scheme. I am committed to doing that. I assure all hon. Members that this is absolutely a Government priority. It is also a personal priority for me, and I feel I have demonstrated that in recent months when I have raised it. We will not rest until it is sorted. I am conscious of time—I have about 15 seconds left. The Government will not accept further caveats or moving targets. We will not accept continued poor delivery for current and former civil servants, who deserve better in their retirement. I thank everyone for showing the strength of feeling today. More will come in October.

• 10 Sept 2026 · Topical Questions · Hansard source

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  I thank my hon. Friend for raising that appalling case. Current service levels are completely unacceptable. We continue to use the most stringent commercial levers that we have under this contract, including withholding contractual payments. We have 147 surge staff deployed in this crisis. We will not be moving any of those team members until service levels are permanently fixed. If my hon. Friend would like to write to me, I will happily make sure that any of his future cases are looked at with urgency.

• 10 Sept 2026 · Topical Questions · Hansard source

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  I hope to be able to update the House shortly after recess with further steps that the Government are taking. As I have said, we have a Capita-funded remedial adviser in place who is identifying the delivery issues, and we have also deployed auditors to Capita to get a full understanding of the exact state of the service. We will continue to look at withholding contractual payments and, as I have said, this Government are committed to the biggest wave of insourcing in a generation. While we inherited this contract from the previous Government, we will ensure that going forward looking at in-house schemes is a priority.

• 10 Sept 2026 · Topical Questions · Hansard source

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  I am sorry to hear of the experience that the right hon. Member’s constituent has had with Capita. As I have said, its performance has been abysmal, and we will hold it to account every single day until service levels are brought back to a good standard. I would be happy to meet her to discuss the case, and I will personally ensure that it is escalated.

• 10 Sept 2026 · Topical Questions · Hansard source

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  I thank the hon. Member for raising that case. As I have said, Capita’s performance is diabolical. I will not make any excuses for it from the Dispatch Box —there are no excuses for it—but we are holding Capita to account every day. As I said, we have deployed 147 surge staff to help during this crisis—they will not be removed until service levels are brought up to scratch—we are withholding contractual payments, and an independent Capita-funded remedial adviser has been appointed to identify further issues. If the hon. Lady writes to me about that case, I will ensure that it is escalated.

• 10 Sept 2026 · Topical Questions · Hansard source

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  I thank the hon. Member for bringing that idea to this House. I will be happy to put that to Capita when I next meet it, and if she wants to write to me with her case, I will happily ensure that it is escalated.

• 10 Sept 2026 · Civil Service Pension Scheme · Hansard source

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  An independent, Capita-funded remedial adviser has been appointed to identify service delivery issues and to allow us to continue to hold Capita fully accountable. Around 147 surge staff have been deployed in this crisis. The Government remain committed to maintaining resource levels. No team members will be withdrawn from that surge team until service levels are permanently fixed. As I have said in my previous answers, we are using all commercial levers at our disposal, including withholding those payments, so that Capita is held accountable. We are looking closely at options for bringing the pension scheme in-house.

• 10 Sept 2026 · Civil Service Pension Scheme · Hansard source

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  Capita’s performance has been totally abysmal, and I too have raised it a number of times in this House. I can assure my hon. Friend that we will be holding Capita to account, including withholding nearly £10 million of contractual payments, because we will not pay for services that have not been delivered. If my hon. Friend writes to me, I will ensure that his case is investigated, and I will get back to him at the earliest possible opportunity.

• 10 Sept 2026 · Civil Service Pension Scheme · Hansard source

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  Current service levels are completely unacceptable, and we are holding Capita accountable by withholding payments in the short term and assessing the long-term viability of bringing the scheme in-house. We will continue to use the most stringent commercial levers we have under this contract—which was signed by the last Government—to ensure we have full accountability.

• 10 Sept 2026 · Civil Service Pension Scheme · Hansard source

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  I thank the hon. Member for raising her constituent’s experience, which I am sorry to hear about. I have many similar examples in my constituency, as I know have Members across the House. I hope to provide a more substantive update in October. As I have said previously, Capita’s performance is totally unacceptable. I will not defend it, and I will continue to hold Capita to account every single day that I am in office, until the service levels are brought back up to an acceptable standard and all our constituents have received the pensions that they should already have had—in the hon. Member’s constituency case, 11 months ago—and I will continue to do that. We are looking at bringing the pension scheme in-house, and we are looking at the different viable options to do that. In our manifesto we committed to the biggest wave of insourcing in a generation, and we are all committed to doing that.

• 10 Sept 2026 · Civil Service Pension Scheme · Hansard source

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  I thank my hon. Friend for raising his constituents’ cases. I have had many similar cases in Doncaster. I assure him and his constituents that I am using all the levers at my disposal to ensure that Capita delivers a better performance at the earliest possible time. We have set out our intention to advance the biggest wave of insourcing in a generation, and we are now actively shaping a long-term strategy to look at what it would look like if we brought the pension scheme back in-house. He will be aware of our manifesto commitment to have the biggest wave of insourcing in a generation, and I am committed to fulfilling that.

• 7 Sept 2026 · Regional Devolution: Funding · Hansard source

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  Our ambition is to ensure that everywhere in England has or is in the process of establishing a strategic authority by the end of 2027, and that strategic authorities are in place everywhere by the end of 2028. It is right that we will not impose mayors on areas that do not want one, but we consider directly accountable mayors the strongest form of governance, which is why they have a different set of available powers and money. I would be happy to discuss that further with the hon. Lady. We will be setting out more information about our plans for devolution in the coming months.

• 7 Sept 2026 · Regional Devolution: Funding · Hansard source

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  Following questions, the Secretary of State will be making a statement on that very issue, setting out what we will be doing in going further with local government reform and with mayors.

• 7 Sept 2026 · Regional Devolution: Funding · Hansard source

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  We will be giving mayors greater flexibility to deploy funding within integrated settlements, and mayors will also retain a share of business rates in place of Government grants from April 2027. We will replace further grants from central Government with a share of local income tax from 2028.

• 7 Sept 2026 · Regional Devolution: Funding · Hansard source

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  I know my hon. Friend has been campaigning on this issue. She will be pleased to know that we are committed to empowering mayors, giving them further levers to invest in their communities and their areas, including through retaining a share of income tax. Further details will be set out as part of the fiscal devolution road map at the Budget. The Bakerloo extension line will be a decision for the GLA and Transport for London, and I will continue to work with them to support their work and future projects.

• 7 Sept 2026 · Regional Devolution: Funding · Hansard source

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  That is probably a question best directed to health oral questions. The Government are committed to working with all areas as part of our devolution road map to ensure that authorities and health providers can deal with the devolution we have planned. I would be happy to meet with the right hon. Gentleman to discuss that further.

• 16 Jul 2026 · Repairs and refurbishment at Doncaster Royal Infirmary · Hansard source

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  I present this petition about repairs and refurbishment at Doncaster Royal Infirmary. People in Doncaster deserve a hospital that is fit for the future and the needs of the growing population. The petitioners “therefore request that the House of Commons urges the Government to take into account the concerns of the petitioners and work with Doncaster and Bassetlaw Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust to prioritise the delivery of repairs and refurbishment at Doncaster Royal Infirmary.” Following is the full text of the petition: [The petition of residents of the constituency of Doncaster Central, Declares that Doncaster Royal Infirmary is in need of repair and refurbishment; and notes that Doncaster and Bassetlaw Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust’s bid for a new hospital under the New Hospitals Programme was unsuccessful. The petitioners therefore request that the House of Commons urges the Government to take into account the concerns of the petitioners and work with Doncaster and Bassetlaw Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust to prioritise the delivery of repairs and refurbishment at Doncaster Royal Infirmary. And the petitioners remain, etc. ] [P003228]

• 7 Jul 2026 · Future of British Horseracing · Hansard source

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  I thank my hon. Friend for his important contribution on an issue that I know is really salient in his constituency. I also want to raise a growing concern about the black market and the unintended consequences that regulation can create. There is clear evidence that illegal betting activity has increased significantly in recent years. The shift away from regulated markets risks worse outcomes for horseracing fans and for the Exchequer, due to lost tax revenue. Most importantly, it deprives the horseracing industry of vital levy income. It also creates serious integrity risks, as bets placed through illegal operators are far more difficult to monitor and investigate, which makes it harder to protect the sport from corruption. I therefore welcome the Government’s recognition of the challenge, which includes investment to tackle illegal gambling and the creation of a dedicated taskforce. That action is essential to ensure that customers remain in the legal betting market. I hope the Government will do more work in that area in the future. For constituencies such as mine, this debate is not simply about sport; it is about protecting jobs, supporting local businesses and our city centre, and preserving an important part of our national heritage, ensuring that racecourses such as Doncaster can continue to thrive for generations to come. I look forward to hearing the Minister’s response, and I hope she will provide reassurance that the Government are committed to working in partnership with the industry to secure a sustainable and prosperous future for British horseracing on the 250th anniversary of its most iconic race.

• 7 Jul 2026 · Future of British Horseracing · Hansard source

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  It is a pleasure to serve under your chairship, Mrs Harris. I declare that I am also a member of the APPG on racing and bloodstock. I am grateful for the opportunity to contribute to this important debate on the future of horseracing. Few places understand the cultural and economic impact of that industry better than Doncaster. Horseracing has been part of my constituency’s story for more than four centuries, and Doncaster racecourse is one of the oldest in the country. It has been home to the St Leger since 1776, and this September marks the St Leger’s 250th anniversary. It is an event that honours centuries of sporting heritage and continues to captivate racing fans from across the world. I am sorry to disappoint hon. Members in the Chamber, but it is the St Leger that is the most iconic racing event in this country. I hope everyone, including the Minister, will be able to join us this September. Local success reflects the importance of the industry nationally. Horseracing contributes more than £4.1 billion to the UK economy, supports 85,000 jobs and remains the country’s second largest spectator sport. It is a major employer in my constituency and across Doncaster, an important part of both rural and urban economies, and defines Britain’s sporting heritage. If we want a successful future for horseracing, the industry must have the confidence to invest. That means providing greater certainty over its long-term funding and ensuring that Government policy reflects the unique contribution that racing makes to our economy and our communities.

• 7 Jul 2026 · Future of British Horseracing · Hansard source

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  I agree with my hon. Friend, and I want to highlight the unique relationship between horseracing and betting. Key income streams, including the horserace betting levy, media rights and sponsorship contribute around £350 million a year to racing. It is therefore vital that any changes to regulation recognise the potential impact on the industry and ensure that the economic and community value it brings is not diminished.

• 25 Jun 2026 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  Doncaster Rovers are a league one football club, but the Club Doncaster Foundation is truly premier league in its outreach work. Last year, it delivered nearly £23 million of social value in Doncaster, and for every £1 invested, there was an £11.50 return through education and community impact. Does the Leader of the House agree that football clubs and their charity foundations should be celebrated for their work, and that other clubs should look to Doncaster Rovers and the Club Doncaster Foundation for best practice, on and off the pitch?

• 18 May 2026 · Audiology Services: Doncaster · Hansard source

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  My hon. Friend is completely right. In a world in which we focus a lot on how we can treat and slow the progress of dementia and Alzheimer’s, this is something we really need to look at. That is key, and it is worrying and disappointing to us all that our constituents will be more susceptible to this issue because they do not have the service that might be available in other areas.

• 18 May 2026 · Audiology Services: Doncaster · Hansard source

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  I completely agree with my hon. Friend. As he knows, some appointments were outsourced during this period, but if we are honest, it was not enough. The waiting list is still far too long, and too many people have been waiting four or five years, so part of our collective ask as MPs for these areas is that the Minister continues to press the ICB to look at what resource is available for outsourcing more to the high street—at least in the short term—so that we can clear the backlog and get the waiting list back under control in a more effective way. Without proper audiology care, lives can be fundamentally changed. People become isolated from their families, their communities, and society as a whole. I have had people get in touch with me who have stopped going to family events because they cannot hear the conversation properly—they end up sitting in a room, not enjoying themselves and unable to participate in conversations. That is incredibly isolating, and in a world where we talk a lot more about loneliness, particularly following the covid pandemic, that needs extra scrutiny. Just by clearing the waiting list and getting people appointments, we can really change lives. Hearing loss also affects confidence and wellbeing. I have heard from constituents who have been worried about keeping their job because they cannot hear properly on the telephone. This impacts all age groups, and those at all stages of life. This experience has shown me personally just how important audiology is.

• 18 May 2026 · Audiology Services: Doncaster · Hansard source

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  I completely agree with my hon. Friend. I reassure him that I will not attend the Alzheimer’s Society’s “singing for the brain” event in Cantley, as that would be devastating for everyone who had to hear it. It is important that we start to raise awareness of the knock-on effects that poor audiology services can have on wider society, and on people’s health generally. I ask the Minister to consider the following important points. First, will she ensure that the NHS 10-year plan includes greater investment in training audiologists across the country, so that areas like Doncaster never again face such severe staff shortages? But this is not just about investment; it is also about raising awareness. Many young people would not even consider audiology as a career, and would not even be aware that it exists. Part of this is making sure that the workforce plan reaches out to young people, and informs them about the different jobs available in the NHS, as opposed to just the traditional ones that everyone thinks about. We need to do more of that locally, and I know my hon. Friends here will that that point into schools and colleges. We have a new university technical college, specialising in medical science, opening in Doncaster in the not-too-distant future. I will definitely be banging the drum on this, along with my hon. Friends, to make sure that audiology is included, so that people understand from an early age that it is a good career, available to them. Secondly, will the Minister carefully consider the recommendations of the Kingdon review, including the recommendation on the introduction of a single professional register for audiologists, improved governance for audiology services and reform of how children’s audiology services are delivered? It is so important that we get audiology right at the earliest possible stage, because when these problems are missed, it can be truly damaging later in life. It is so important that we capture young people who require support, and also that lessons are learned from audiology failures, so that we do not find this happening again. Whether in Doncaster or in other parts of the country, it is important to look at that. Potentially under-resourced or at-risk NHS diagnostic and children’s services should also be highlighted, so that immediate action is taken to make sure that services do not fall below standard. If the situation in Doncaster and Bassetlaw shows us anything, it is that audiology can no longer be treated as a Cinderella service in our NHS. If we are really going to move to prevention as opposed to cure, it is really important that this becomes a recognised priority, so that deaf and hard-of-hearing people receive not only the support they need, but the quality of life that they deserve. I hope that this debate is just the start of an important conversation that needs to take place here in Westminster and across the country.

• 18 May 2026 · Audiology Services: Doncaster · Hansard source

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  That goes to show that this is a widespread issue. This is happening not just in Doncaster, but further afield, and thousands upon thousands of people have been impacted. At one stage, the audiology service at Doncaster royal infirmary temporarily shut down. While some of the emergency cases and children’s cases were reallocated to neighbouring services, a lot of people were left with pretty much nothing. They were totally uncertain about when, or even if, they would receive an appointment. The impact on the hard-of-hearing community in my area has been truly devastating. Waiting lists have grown well into the thousands, and many people have felt isolated and forgotten. During this difficult period, the integrated care board and the Doncaster and Bassetlaw hospital trust have worked to improve the service, but as my hon. Friend the Member for Bassetlaw (Jo White) has pointed out, that took a lot of time. Alongside campaigners Maggie and Paul, who formed the Doncaster Audiology Action Group, and my hon. Friend the Member for Doncaster East and the Isle of Axholme (Lee Pitcher), we held regular meetings with the NHS to press for action. With the support of the fantastic Healthwatch team, an audiology action event was held last month, giving residents the opportunity to access information about the service and receive basic hearing aid repairs, as well as to speak directly to stakeholders and support services. There is still a long way to go; the waiting list is still too long. Constituents contact me, and there are times when I can contact the hospital and we manage to speed up treatment, but not in all cases. Eighteen months on, improvements are beginning to show. I take this opportunity to pay tribute to the dedicated audiology team at Doncaster royal infirmary, who have worked tirelessly to try to turn the service around. However, this experience has shown me just how important audiology services are, yet how often they are overlooked.