Shaun Davies MP: speeches 2025

Speeches

• 10 Dec 2025 · Resident Doctors: Industrial Action · Hansard source

  More

  I thank my right hon. Friend for his leadership, and also the NHS bosses up and down this country for theirs. They often do not get the praise that they deserve in this House. This situation is bad for patients and their families and also for NHS staff, but above all it is bad for trust and confidence in our NHS. We know that there are people in this House and across the country who want to attack the very principle of the NHS. Does my right hon. Friend agree that the BMA needs to take into consideration that this is about not just the deal on the table today but the very principle our NHS?

• 10 Dec 2025 · Conduct of the Chancellor of the Exchequer · Hansard source

  More

  Will the right hon. Gentleman give way?

• 10 Dec 2025 · Conduct of the Chancellor of the Exchequer · Hansard source

  More

  There are 4,600 reasons in my constituency why this Budget is the right thing to do: 4,600 children who will be lifted out of poverty by the Budget. On the basis of the Opposition’s remarks, it is my understanding that the Conservative party would plunge those 4,600 children back into poverty as part of a £46 billion welfare cut if it were to win the next general election—as well as potentially scrapping the triple lock. Does my hon. Friend agree that that is morally bankrupt?

• 8 Dec 2025 · Child Poverty Strategy · Hansard source

  More

  I was a child who received free school meals when my both my parents were working. Free school meals gave me a helping hand, not a handout. Now 4,000 children in Telford are looking for the same, so that they can contribute proudly to this country and its future. Will my right hon. Friend tell me one reason why she believes that the Conservatives wants to plunge 4,000 Telford children back into poverty?

• 8 Dec 2025 · Restriction of Jury Trials · Hansard source

  More

  In Shropshire and wider West Mercia, victims of rape and other serious offences are being told to wait for their jury trials into 2027, 2028 and even later. Meanwhile, defendants of some other offences are opting for jury trials, the magistrates having already accepted jurisdiction. Is it not time that we back, trust and empower our magistrates and district judges up and down this country?

• 8 Dec 2025 · Motability · Hansard source

  More

  The Motability scheme stems from the vital principle that people with disabilities should be able to live a dignified and independent life. I have heard from several constituents about how accessible cars can help them into work and healthcare, which I welcome, but I have also heard from a number of others about those with questionable conditions being provided with cars that, quite simply, the average working family could not afford. In many cases the cars are not even made in Britain. Does the Minister agree that, in order to keep faith and confidence in the scheme, it is really important that the scheme addresses real need across the country and in my constituency? Will he meet me to discuss some of the extreme cases that I am hearing about in Telford?

• 8 Dec 2025 · Motability · Hansard source

  More

  4. What steps he is taking to improve the Motability scheme.

• 18 Nov 2025 · UNESCO: 80th Anniversary · Hansard source

  More

  It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Mr Dowd. I thank my hon. Friend the Member for Mid Derbyshire (Jonathan Davies) for securing this debate on such an important topic. He is an excellent chair of the APPG, to which he brings passion and knowledge, and I am a proud member of it. I also thank my hon. Friend the Member for Shrewsbury (Julia Buckley) for mentioning Ironbridge Gorge in my constituency, ensuring that that special place has a double hit in this debate. The founding of UNESCO out of the ruins of the second world war brought together the nations of the world to develop a shared understanding of our collective history and culture. Through the designation of world heritage sites, many areas of cultural and natural heritage have been conserved and protected. As the Member of Parliament for Telford, I am proud to represent one of the first six UK sites to be inscribed as a world heritage site: the Ironbridge Gorge, which is the birthplace of the industrial revolution. It is a fantastic example of the importance of world heritage site status, with hundreds of thousands of visitors every year learning about the ingenuity and hard work of ordinary men, women and, in some cases, children who went before us. Ironbridge Gorge is key to Telford’s identity and is a major contributor to the local economy. The Ironbridge Gorge Museum Trust alone attracts 400,000 visitors, employs more than 200 staff and brings in £6 million every year to our local economy. That is even before we get into the other amazing businesses throughout the Ironbridge Gorge, such as the world-famous Eley’s pork pie shop, Merrythought teddy bear shop and some very fine cafés and restaurants, not to mention a few pubs I may have frequented over the years. The local council, Telford and Wrekin council, works with a range of partners to manage the world heritage site and preserve the many monuments of the industrial revolution, including Europe’s first coke-fired blast furnace and the world’s first single-span iron bridge—part of a landscape that has inspired artists from Turner to John Nash. There is much to celebrate about UNESCO’s 80th year. Next year will be 40 years since Ironbridge Gorge’s designation—a significant birthday it shares with me. However, I also want to look to the future and at how we can make our world heritage sites more sustainable. The Ironbridge Gorge Museum Trust recently set out plans to merge with the National Trust, thanks in part to a £9 million grant from the Government. I can say with certainty that the world heritage site was incredibly valuable in securing that support from the Government. As well as the legal protections the world heritage site provides, there is the more informal protection afforded to world heritage sites by the sheer value of that status. The UNESCO world heritage site has played a big role in making the Ironbridge visitor economy sustainable for years, and it will continue to do so. However, many of the world’s natural and cultural treasures face significant challenges, and the Ironbridge Gorge is no exception. It suffers from ground instability, and more frequent and severe flooding linked to climate change. The council and the Government have made significant investments in stabilisation works over many years, and are working together against the risks of flooding. That includes a recent £700,000 grant from the Government to support the walls of the river, and a £1.2 million grant to protect individual properties. To conclude, it is ever more important, in a turbulent global environment, to ensure that these crucial sites are protected for years to come, so that those who come after us never forget the stories of the ordinary men and women who contributed to our great country. I put on record my formal thanks to the Ironbridge Gorge world heritage site steering group, chaired by Professor Ken Sloan, to Ironbridge councillor Carolyn Healy, and to both Telford and Wrekin council and the Gorge parish council for their work. Most importantly, I pay tribute to the businesses, residents and organisations who make this such a special, wonderful place to live, work, visit and enjoy.

• 13 Nov 2025 · Police Reform · Hansard source

  More

  I pay tribute to the Conservative police and crime commissioner for my area, John Campion, with whom I have worked well over the past 10 years. In fact, we are meeting the Minister next week to discuss local policing. Can she confirm that the savings that this initiative will provide will go to community policing? That will allow West Mercia police to reverse the 8 pm PCSO cap that it recently imposed; PCSOs have been barred from the streets of Telford and West Mercia after 8 pm.

• 13 Nov 2025 · Topical Questions · Hansard source

  More

  Given the Government’s focus on strengthening skills in the agritech food sector, will the Secretary of State join me in visiting Harper Adams University’s new Telford facility at the Quad to see how the industry and higher and further education facilities, including Telford College, are working together to develop and diversify the skills pipeline in the sector?

• 5 Nov 2025 · Curriculum and Assessment Review · Hansard source

  More

  It has been 10 years since the last review, and the economy, education and, frankly, the world have moved on dramatically in that time, so I welcome the review. Subjects and activities like music, drama, art, play and debating have often had little to no attention and resources. Will the Secretary of State please assure me that she will learn from the best schools in the country and local authorities like my own, which have continued to invest in the “10 by 10” initiative, so that that can be cascaded across the country?

• 4 Nov 2025 · HMRC Customer Service · Hansard source

  More

  5. What steps she is taking to improve customer service by HMRC.

• 4 Nov 2025 · HMRC Customer Service · Hansard source

  More

  I welcome the Government’s £20 million investment in relocating and upgrading Telford’s HMRC office, with 1,000 members of staff working hard to deliver the best service possible. Will the Minister meet me and Telford and Wrekin council to discuss how the new HMRC campus can be at the forefront of improving the customer experience, including by harnessing the potential of AI and tech, as well as partnering with the start-up sector?

• 23 Oct 2025 · Topical Questions · Hansard source

  More

  Transforming Britain’s public services will be a mammoth task, but while the white heat of artificial intelligence and digital technology offer a revolutionary opportunity to improve performance and value for money in healthcare, tax services and everything in between, will the Government seize this opportunity to modernise our public services, working with the brightest and best industries across Britain?

• 23 Oct 2025 · Topical Questions · Hansard source

  More

  T1. If he will make a statement on his departmental responsibilities.

• 23 Oct 2025 · Business of the House · Hansard source

  More

  Across Telford, residents and businesses tell me that they are not getting reliable 5G connections for broadband or their mobile phones, despite the fact that surrounding towns and cities do. Some tell me that getting even a 3G or 4G signal is a real challenge. Can we have a debate in Government time about the importance of digital connectivity for economic growth and access to public services, and what more can be done to connect Telford?

• 21 Oct 2025 · NHS Trusts: Performance · Hansard source

  More

  2. What steps he is taking to help improve the performance of the most underperforming NHS trusts.

• 21 Oct 2025 · NHS Trusts: Performance · Hansard source

  More

  In Telford and wider Shropshire, we know that the NHS has an absolute mountain to climb after years of underperformance. We have begun that journey with falling waiting times, increased Government investment and plans for Telford’s first ever cancer treatment unit. Will the Secretary of State ensure that trusts that show signs of improvement are backed to catch up with the rest and continue their improvements, particularly with investment in technology, research and infrastructure?

• 15 Oct 2025 · Pride in Place · Hansard source

  More

  I refer Members to my declaration in the Register of Members’ Financial Interests. I warmly welcome the £20 million investment in Telford, which has been match funded by Labour-led Telford and Wrekin council. That means that £3 million will go to Woodside, Brookside and Sutton Hill each and every year for the next decade. Will the Minister confirm when that money will come to the community frontline? Will she also challenge Government agencies and Departments right across Whitehall to get behind the ethos of this scheme, and make sure that communities are in charge, and that there is pride?

• 9 Sept 2025 · Jaguar Land Rover Cyber-attack · Hansard source

  More

  This cyber-attack is terrible news for Jaguar Land Rover and its supply chain. Many of those companies are based in and around my constituency. Pool Re is a publicly owned insurance provider that provides insurance cover for physical terrorist attacks, invests in terrorism reassurance initiatives, and has £2.3 trillion of assets on its books. Have the Government considered extending the reach of that publicly backed insurance scheme to cyber-incidents such as this one?

• 4 Sept 2025 · Business of the House · Hansard source

  More

  Over the summer, hundreds of Telford residents joined me in demanding that the Conservative police and crime commissioner scrap his 8 pm cap on police community support officers patrolling the streets of Telford. Will the Leader of the House arrange a debate on the importance of neighbourhood policing so that we can send the commissioner a clear message: “The Government are providing you with money for community policing, so you should keep police officers and PCSOs on the streets of Telford”?

• 4 Sept 2025 · House of Lords (Hereditary Peers) Bill · Hansard source

  More

  The Leader of the Opposition has a number of tough choices ahead of her, and those choices will no doubt be executed using her good political judgment. To conclude, to right hon. and hon. Members from different sides of the Chamber who say that we need more reform of Parliament, the House of Lords, the constitution and the way in which the country works, I say—as a moderniser and the MP for an area for which the current system does not work—that I could not agree more. But this modest change—this slender Bill—has taken around 10 hours in this place and 40 in the other place, with more than 180 amendments tabled, so imagine how a larger and more far-reaching Bill would be treated. As the Minister has stated, many Members from across the political spectrum in the other place have called for a cross-party approach, and that is exactly what the Government are doing through the establishment of a Select Committee. Let me close on this thought. We have heard for many decades the promise of future reforms. I support and will vote with the Government today on the basis that those future reforms will come through. I hope that the Government will be true to their word, and constituents like mine, who have seen themselves locked out of this place for far too long, will have the opportunity to serve it.

• 4 Sept 2025 · House of Lords (Hereditary Peers) Bill · Hansard source

  More

  Lords amendment 1 flies in the face of the intention of the Government and this House to immediately reform the House of Lords by removing the last 91 peers who sit in Parliament based solely on their bloodline entitlement. I start with the premise that the last 91 hereditary peers sit in the other place as a result of a compromise in 1999, when more than 660 hereditary peers were removed. I take the view that the other place, and indeed this Parliament, is no less effective as a result. The very architect of that compromise, the Marquess of Salisbury, said himself that the arrangement was supposed to last for around six months. The final 91 have had an effective notice period of 26 years already—a notice period that any worker in the real economy would no doubt welcome. It is now time to complete this reform.

• 4 Sept 2025 · House of Lords (Hereditary Peers) Bill · Hansard source

  More

  The hon. Gentleman makes an interesting point. This is about priorities and choices. The Leader of the Opposition will be able to nominate people this year and next year—and maybe the year after, if she is still in place. She can make a decision on whether to put forward a hereditary peer or someone else during that spell.

• 4 Sept 2025 · House of Lords (Hereditary Peers) Bill · Hansard source

  More

  My hon. Friend makes a valid point. A point that has been made by other Members, including from the Opposition Benches, is that there is nothing stopping the Leader of the Opposition putting forward any hereditary peers for life peerages.