Commons Chamber

Tuesday 8th April 2025

(began 7 months ago)

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11:34
Rachel Reeves Portrait Rt Hon Rachel Reeves MP, The Chancellor of the Exchequer (Leeds West and Pudsey, Labour)
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Before Before we Before we come

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Before we come to Before we come to Treasury questions, I have a request from the questions, I have a request from the Chancellor to make some comments about the global financial situation, following which the shadow chancellor will be allowed to shadow chancellor will be allowed to respond. I will call on honourable respond. I will call on honourable members to ask questions on the order paper in the usual way. I will order paper in the usual way. I will take a more liberal view for supplementary questions than is supplementary questions than is usually the case.

I now call the Chancellor of the Exchequer.

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Thank you, Mr Speaker. As you say, I will make some brief remarks on the current economic situation. on the current economic situation. The US's decision to impose tariffs The US's decision to impose tariffs has had and will continue to have huge implications for the world economy. These implications have economy. These implications have been reflected in the reaction we have seen in global markets in have seen in global markets in recent days which the financial authorities have of course been monitoring closely.

This morning, I monitoring closely. This morning, I spoke to the Governor of the Bank Of England you confirmed markets are functioning effectively and the banking system is resilient. I know that this is an anxious time for families who are worried about the cost of living. We have your back. British businesses who are worried about what a changing world will mean for them, we have your backs, mean for them, we have your backs, too. This moment is clear-eyed that we must not watch and wait but act decisively and take the right decisions which are in our interest and protecting working people.

Decisions we make as a government will be underpinned by the responsibility of nonnegotiable fiscal rules. A trade war is in nobody's interest and we must remain pragmatic, cool-headed, and pursue the best deal with the US which is in our national interest. This remains a priority and was part of the conversation I had with the US Treasury Secretary last week. Nothing is off the table and we will continue to back British businesses during these uncertain times, particularly those industries most affected as we rebuild the industrial base in Britain.

We showed that backing yesterday the Prime Minister and Ireland's new measures to give British carmakers certainty, stability, to support them on the transition to electric vehicles. We will cut back the time it takes to set up trials in the UK. We are working with international allies to reduce barriers to trade across the world. Over recent days, I've had discussions with counterparts in Canada, Australia, Ireland, France, Spain, and with the European commission. We will pursue these talks in earnest.

Tomorrow I will hold talks with the Indian government as part of the economic and financial dialogue between our two nations as we look to secure a new trade deal. We must go further and faster in the mission to kickstart economic growth. I know
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Mel Stride Portrait Rt Hon Mel Stride MP (Central Devon, Conservative)
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that the challenges facing the global economy and the potential impact could be profound. As a impact could be profound. As a government, we must up to the challenge to deliver security for working people. Through our plan for working people. Through our plan for a change which is underpinned by stability, forum, investment. Prioritising the builders, not the Prioritising the builders, not the blockers. Reforming public services, not defending the status quo. Investing in long-term infrastructure, not cutting for the short term. Security for working short term.

Security for working people, renewal for Britain - that is the focus and that is what this government will deliver.

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Should I thank the right honourable lady for the advance notice of her comments. This is a notice of her comments. This is a time of great concern for millions time of great concern for millions of people up and down the country, for businesses, and as an open trading nation, for the economy at large. Free trade has been the large. Free trade has been the bedrock of prosperity for our country and many countries around country and many countries around the world for decades and has raised millions out of poverty.

Tariffs are millions out of poverty. Tariffs are the enemy of free trade and on this side of the House we will do what we can to get those tariffs down. Cease being efficient Opposition, vigourously holding them to account for the disastrous decisions they have taken already on the economy but we will be responsible with these matters, particularly with market sensitivities. Can I ask the right honourable lady the following. Firstly, can she provide further details of the US negotiations, specifically whether further
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Rachel Reeves Portrait Rt Hon Rachel Reeves MP, The Chancellor of the Exchequer (Leeds West and Pudsey, Labour)
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meetings have been raised. Secondly, meetings have been raised. Secondly, what areas beyond tariffs are being what areas beyond tariffs are being discussed. Thirdly, what measures are being considered for potential government support. And finally, government support. And finally, could she did the House on the options for protecting sectors of options for protecting sectors of the economy which might be affected by the dumping of goods as a consequence of trade version? There I would like to thank the right honourable gentleman for the response and for his offer to work constructively.

In my time as Shadow Chancellor, those moments where we can work constructively in the national interest, in response to COVID or supporting Ukraine against the aggression of Russia, this is when the House is at its best, when we work together in the national we work together in the national interest. The Shadow Chancellor asked for further details and a number of areas. Discussions are ongoing across a range of departments including the Treasury with the US and I will meet with the with the US and I will meet with the US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent Shortly.

We Are Discussing a Range of Different Areas of the Focus Is on Reducing Tariffs and non-tariffs barriers to trade with particular focus on the subject to be higher tariffs. 10% is lower than many other countries in the world and we do welcome that but the additional tariffs on cars, on steel, and potentially on life sciences will pose a real challenge to the country because those are some of our biggest export markets. It is why we made the announcements we made yesterday but in the automotive
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Rachel Reeves Portrait Rt Hon Rachel Reeves MP, The Chancellor of the Exchequer (Leeds West and Pudsey, Labour)
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Thank you, Mr Speaker. People up and down the country will be concerned about what Trump's trade war means for their living conditions and at the same time we will not take it lying down. We welcome the announcement that the government will be working with allies abroad and I would ask the Chancellor to confirm any new trade deals be brought for a vote before they are ratified. At the same time, I want to ask the Chancellor is if whether at the same time the Chancellor and the government will British' campaign to encourage

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people to buy British goods. This is a time for pragmatism,

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This is a time for pragmatism, not rushed response. My right honourable friend the Business and honourable friend the Business and Trade Secretary announced a call for evidence in terms of the response that business is looking for because that business is looking for because ratcheting barriers to trade and ratcheting up tariffs will not be in the interests of our country, the interests of our country, whether it is inflation. We have to have cool heads and think about the national interest, not knee-jerk reactions.

In terms of deals with other countries around the world, we are very much focused on that and there is the EU-UK summit and we are there is the EU-UK summit and we are hosting financial dialogue with the Minister coming to London for those conversations and those discussions are ongoing with a number of countries and we will bring forward tees for ratification for this House. In terms of buying British,
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None Portrait Q9. What steps she is taking through the National Wealth Fund to increase regional economic growth. (903664)
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We know that the Energy Secretary is against the airport expansion unless it is in Doncaster and many Labour MPs are unless it is in Pakistan. To be fair, at least the
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None Portrait Q15. What steps she is taking to ensure rural communities have access to banking hubs. (903672)
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None Portrait Urgent question: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, if he will update the House on the likely impact of EU tariffs on the US on the Northern Irish economy
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Ireland, particularly with regard to tariffs. We will continue to work with the executive there to ensure we get the best outcome for the people of Northern Ireland.
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Hilary Benn Portrait Rt Hon Hilary Benn MP, The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (Leeds South, Labour)
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That completes questions to the Chancellor of the Exchequer. We will Chancellor of the Exchequer. We will We come to We come to the We come to the urgent We come to the urgent question. We come to the urgent question. To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will update the House on the likely impact of EU tariffs on the US on the Northern

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Ireland economy? I am grateful to the honourable gentleman for his question. As the gentleman for his question. As the Prime Minister said, tariffs are not good news for anyone and no one wants a trade war. The government is wants a trade war. The government is doing everything possible to keep Britain secure during this new era of global instability and it will always act in the best interests of always act in the best interests of businesses in Northern Ireland. As part of the customs territory and Internal Market, Northern Ireland exporters are facing a general tariff and 25 percent tariff on aluminium, steel and the cars, like a cross the United Kingdom.

Northern Ireland is not uniquely disadvantaged. We are repairing for the EU's next move and any possible retaliatory tariffs they may or may not introduce. As well as considering the impact new EU tariffs would have on Northern Ireland businesses importing from the United States of America because, under the Windsor Framework, the EU tariff would apply. As honourable members will know, because of the Windsor Framework, businesses can reclaim any search tariff through the existing duty reimbursement scheme in cases where US imports into Northern Ireland do not then enter the European Union.

The customs duty waiver scheme also allows duties to be waived entirely, subject to an overall levy. These schemes work in our national interest and HMRC is continuing to talk to and support any businesses that might be
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Alex Burghart Portrait Alex Burghart MP (Brentwood and Ongar, Conservative)
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customs duty waiver schemes. The Minister for the Cabinet Office has talked about all of this with EU counterparts over recent days because the government is fully aware of how sensitive this issue is for businesses in Northern Ireland. What we need in these circumstances What we need in these circumstances is a calm and considered response. That is what the government will continue to provide.

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Thank you for granting this urgent question. It is incredibly important that this House has the important that this House has the opportunity to question the government on this issue before the Easter break and before the implementation of these tariffs. I implementation of these tariffs. I have enormous respect for my have enormous respect for my opposite numbers in the Northern Ireland Office but it is totally unacceptable that we should have got to this stage in proceedings without a Minister coming to the House to update us on the likely impact on businesses in Northern Ireland of businesses in Northern Ireland of this emerging tariff war between the Off the back of considerable damage done to the economy in Northern Ireland by the budget last year, by the increases in National Insurance contributions and by the changes to National Minimum Wage which are completely undermined business confidence and driving unemployment in the region.

I asked the right honourable gentleman to ask the following three questions, has the government by now, a week on from the United States announcement, and sometime after the EU's publication of a 99 page draft tariff responses, has the government done an impact assessment on what this means for the Northern Irish economy? For businesses in Northern Ireland? Will he publish it? He mentions the duty reimbursement scheme which would allow businesses taking goods from GB to NI to repay that tariff, that scheme will be put under enormous pressure, volume is not foreseen when it was originally put together.

Does the secretary of state have confidence it is going to be able to reimburse businesses in a timely fashion so not to disrupt trade? Because Northern Ireland remains within the EU custom code, affecting Northern Ireland -- affected Northern Ireland businesses will Pay EU tariffs, but the same competitive businesses in GB will not. What will the government do to ensure such businesses are not left at a disadvantage and we do not see serious distortions of trade? With that in mind, will the Secretary of
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Jess Phillips Portrait Jess Phillips MP, The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department (Birmingham Yardley, Labour)
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That concludes questions. We will

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That concludes questions. We will

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That concludes questions. We will

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We now come to the statement.

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We now come to the statement. Thank you. With permission, I will make a statement updating the will make a statement updating the House on the government action to tackle child sexual abuse and exploitation on the recommendations of the inquiry. Child sexual abuse and exploitation are the most horrific and disturbing crimes and an abuse of power against those who are the most vulnerable. Best estimates suggest 500,000 children are sexually abused every year and analysis by the police found there are 15,000 recorded cases in 2023 and 4228 of eight is identified by the force of 1155 were family abuses and there were more expedition kisses.

The properties themselves are under 18. The House will be aware that in the first year of operation the grooming gangs task force contributed to 550 arrests In the last months of 2024, the task force surpassed in that nine-month period what it achieved in its full first year of operation. Data for the first three months of this year is currently being collected from forces and will be available early next month but all round we are making progress at every level to increase the number of investigations, increase the number investigations, increase the number Are seeing their attackers brought to justice.

Despite the seriousness and severity of these crimes, there has been a shameful failure by institutions and those in power over many years to protect children from abuse or exploitation. We are today setting out the progress update on action the government is taking to tackle child sexual abuse and exploitation, to get support and justice for victims to ensure perpetrators are caught and put behind bars. Action on CSA since the election means we are introducing a new child sexual abuse police framework, including standards on public protection, abuse and exploitation, legislating targeting online offending including abuse and -- AI.

Restrictions preventing registered sex offenders from changing their names to hide the threat they pose, increase investment in law-enforcement capabilities through the police undercover network and the tackling The Secretary of State set out what we are doing to crackdown on grooming gangs in January and today I provide an update, Baroness Casey's three month National Audit Office child sexual exploitation and abuse is ongoing, it is building a comprehensive picture of what is known, identifying trends and assessing the quality of the data, looking at ethnicity issues, for example Pakistani heritage gangs, and developing wider understanding.

We are developing a best practice framework for Local Authorities, drawing on lessons of local independent inquiries, we will publish the details next month. We will set out the process through which Local Authorities can access the £5 million national fund to support locally led work on grooming gangs, following feedback from Local Authorities, the fund will adopt a flexible approach to support the full independent local inquiries and more bespoke work, including local victims panels or locally led audits into historic cases. The chair of the National Police Chiefs Council has urged the chief constables of all 43 forces in England and was to re-examine the investigations into group based child sexual exploitation which resulted in no further action decisions.

The child sexual abuse review panel can review cases which took place after 2013. Victims and survivors can ask the panel to independently review their case if they have not already exercised their Victim's Right to Review. We intend to expand the independent child trafficking Guardian scheme across England and Wales, providing direct support to many more child victims of sexual exploitation and grooming which today has only been available in selected areas. These measures will enable more victims and survivors to receive truth, justice, improvements and accountability they deserve and put more perpetrators behind bars.

Much of the crucial activity builds on the vital work of the independent inquiry into child sexual abuse undertaken between 2015 and 2022. Let me, and the half of the House, thanks again Professor Alexis J for sharing their seven-year national inquiry with such expertise, diligence and compassion will stop it revealed the terrible suffering of many child sexual abuse victims and the failing of organisations to put protection of children before their reputations. The inquiry drew on testimony of over 7,000 victims and survivors and considered over 2 million pages of evidence.

Finding school relating in the final report in October 2022 -- findings culminating in the final report. The publication of the report and 1/2 years ago should have been a landmark moment but instead, the victims and survivors were failed again, none of the inquiry's recommendations were implemented all properly taken forward by the previous government in the 20 months they had to do so. As part of today's progress update, the government is setting out the detailed update and timetable of the work underway on the recommendations as part of our action on child sexual abuse.

I can announce to the House that to prioritise the protection of children and improve national oversight and consistency of child protection practice, this government will establish a new child protection authority, building on the national child safeguarding review panel, the authority will address one of the central recommendations by providing national leadership and learning on child protection and safeguarding. Work to expand the role of the panel will begin immediately and we will consult on developing the new authority this year.

We have asked Ofsted, HMRC, FRS and CQC to conduct a joint thematic review of child abuse in family settings, starting this autumn. The report recommended the introduction of a new mandatory duty to report, something the Prime Minister, Home Secretary and I have supported for more than a decade. In the crime and policing bill, we will now be taking forward a new not To... And an offence of obstructing making a report under that duty. Mandatory culture will create a culture of honesty.

It will empower those to make decisive action to prevent abuse. It will demonstrate to children and young people that if they come forward, they will be heard. If anyone seeks to prevent someone fulfilling their mandatory duty to report, they will face the full force of the law. And how victims and survivors are being supported, the asking criminal justice inspectors to carry out targeted inspection on the Of sexual abuse in the justice system. The Code of Practice on retention of personal data relating to child sexual abuse, in some cases where there have been serious institutional failings which contributed to the abuse, those institutions provided financial redress schemes or compensation to victims and survivors affected.

We continue to support those schemes as recognition by those institutions that they badly failed children in their care. On the proposal for a wider national redress scheme for victims and survivors of child sexual abuse in institutional settings, the scale of the proposal demands it is considered in the context of the spending review later this year and we will make further updates at that stage. One area we want to make immediate progress is the provision of therapeutic services for victims and survivors of child sex abuse.

We will bring forward proposals in the coming weeks to improve access to those services. With further details to be set out following the up-and-coming spending review. The head of the spending review I can announce that in this financial year the Home Office will double the funding it provides for national services, supporting adult survivors of child sexual abuse, providing more help to those adults living with the trauma of horrific abuse they suffered as children. We want to speed up progress to make it easier for victims and survivors to get recompense from institutions that failed them.

We are removing the three year period on bringing claims , we are preventing victims from having to relive the trauma to get the compensation owed. Building on the measures the Home Secretary announced in January, demonstrates this government's steadfast commitment to tackling child sexual abuse. The measures will protect
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Katie Lam Portrait Katie Lam MP (Weald of Kent, Conservative)
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more children, more women will -- find more criminals. We will drive find more criminals. We will drive forward reforms to protect children from the abuse and support more adult survivors of these dramatic crimes. As we pursue the safer crimes. As we pursue the safer streets mission, we use every lever to drive these issues across government and beyond. I want to government and beyond. I want to finish with the word for the victims and survivors, no one should go through what you did and while the failings of the past cannot be undone, we can, we must and we will strain every sinew to prevent them being repeated.

I commend the

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statement to the House. I thank the Minister for advance sight of her statement. In January, sight of her statement. In January, the Home Secretary said the government would conduct five local inquiries into that rape gangs which have terrorised so many innocent have terrorised so many innocent children. Over three months since the government announced these inquiries, a barrister invited by inquiries, a barrister invited by the Home Office to help establish them knows almost nothing about their progress and neither do we.

their progress and neither do we. Why is the framework for local inquiries now being led by ministers rather than by independent voices? Why is the £5 million set aside for Why is the £5 million set aside for inquiries no longer being allocated but instead delivered on an opt in basis? What does the government intend to do about local leaders who say there is no need for an independent inquiry, like in Bradford or Wales? The gangs we are talking about are predominantly white, the man who preyed on them were predominantly Muslim, either from Pakistan or Pakistani heritage.

One victim was told by her rapist, we are here to fork all the white girls and the government. Will the Minister accept that in many cases these crimes were racially and religiously aggravated? How can we understand without a national inquiry what port these factors inquiry what port these factors played -- part? Take a case of Anna from Bradford, at 14 she made reports of rape and abuse to social workers who were supposed to be supporting her.

At 15, she married. The authorities allowed her to be fostered by her abusers parents. A welfare rights officer was employed by Oldham Council. Not one has been convicted for covering up these institutionalised rapes. Why is there not a unit in the crime agency for investigating officials accused of collusion and corruption? That of collusion and corruption? That unit must also investigate police officers. In one case, the father of an abuse victim in Rotherham was arrested by the police when he attempted to rescue his daughter from her abusers.

He was detained twice in one night while on the same evening his daughter was repeatedly assaulted and abused by a gang of men. It is clear these criminals were unafraid of law enforcement. In Kirklees, the judge said he was seen with the victim on three occasions by the police, none of that detergent and you continue to rape her. How can we know how and why these monsters enjoyed effective immunity for so long and how can we be sure it will not happen again? We have voted for a national inquiry and tabled amendments which would guarantee the publication of ethnicity data on a quarterly basis, terminate parental rights of convicted sex offenders and make membership of a grooming gang an aggravating factor in sentencing? Will the Minister commit to adopting Will the Minister commit to adopting these amendments to protect our children? I would like to read to the House one ordeal, one example of what the children suffered.

I warned that this is graphic that we must not look away or sanitise this evil. Sentencing Mohammed of Oxford to life in prison, the judge said, you prepared your victim, a 13-year-old girl for gang anal rape by using a pump to expand her anal passage. You subjected her to gang rape by five or six men. At one point she had four men inside her. The ball was placed in her mouth to keep quiet. When she was 12, after raping her, she threatened you with your knife, your reaction was to pick up a baseball bat with a metal handle, Stryker on the head with it and insert it inside her joiner.

This is not about me, the Home Secretary or
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Jess Phillips Portrait Jess Phillips MP, The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department (Birmingham Yardley, Labour)
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any others in the chamber, it is about them. Little girls up and down the country use beetle and repeated rapes were committed and hidden by those in the British state whose job those in the British state whose job it was to protect them. They deserve justice. These children and their justice. These children and their families may in five towns get partial answers. But I have mentioned five times in the last few mentioned five times in the last few minutes and there are at least 45 more.

In those cases, they get no answers. What does the Minister have answers. What does the Minister have The British people deserve to know the truth, what darker truths do the treatment of those girls regular in

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this country and why want the Government find out? Minister.

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Minister. I thank the honourable lady. I think it is a shame that she only think it is a shame that she only refer to one sort of child abuse victim when the statement is clearly victim when the statement is clearly about all child abuse victims, of which there should be no hierarchy which there should be no hierarchy of who is, we are talking your children also ripped by their fathers, ripped in other circumstances. In children's homes, institutions for many years.

And I think it is a shame that she did not speak about any of their experiences, not withstanding the very graphic and upsetting stories that she did tell, obviously, I have worked with those exact girls family years and much of what the honourable lady already knows is because of enquiries that have already citizen brethren, such as in Rochdale, such as the two-year enquiry as part of the accept panel which she did not refer to at all which clearly looked into lots of areas and was a statutory enquiry, I wonder if she may be once to readdress herself with the other two pages of that report.

I understand the sense of anger and urgency over the issue from the honourable lady. None of this is her fault. She was not there at the time, but you works with the shadow Ministers who sat in offices where our night I now sit who did not lift a single figure when it came to the enquiry or any of the recommendations. Take the shadow Home Secretary who spent almost 2 years as the Minister for policing enquiry and had 252 external meetings held during his time in that role, 352 external meetings including 23 separate meetings on the protest, not once did he hold a discussion on what the police were doing to investigate temples of not one meeting with the police or the victims or local authorities are with Alexis Jay who had some choice words to say about some of the special advisers, do not know she knows who that was, in the Department when she was trying to
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Anna Sabine Portrait Anna Sabine MP (Frome and East Somerset, Liberal Democrat)
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I thank the honourable gentleman and I have really enjoyed working with him on these issues. And I have been in Rochdale over the years and I very much hope that in a place like Rochdale where they have already had independent enquiries that they will be able to access some of the flexible fund to do follow-up work on where we are now, for example, that is victims led, and I look forward to working with him in the future and yes, I too am pleased that this will be an aggregating factor.

It was a recommendation by J even before the final accept.

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The Liberal Democrats first. Thank you. I thank the Minister for advanced foresight of the for advanced foresight of the statement in the progress of data Parliament, as promised. We welcome the progress being met by the the progress being met by the Government on this issue. Tragedy continues to blight our society. As the Minister said, children country are still victims to these horrible are still victims to these horrible crimes and survivors which for justice against the abuse and justice against the abuse and expectation.

As numbers across the House would echo the Liberal Democrat would leave no charge that ever -- believe no child should ever be subjected to this and there are be subjected to this and there are options needed to vent this run occurring. We medically other steps must be taken by all numbers of Government to protect children from sexual abuse and expectation in the future to fully deliver justice to survivors and victims. In particular we welcome the government's new protection authority extra funding for national services and support adults from sexual abuse.

The establishment was tabled as an amendment to the children well-being in schools built by my honourable friend the honourable member for Twickenham and I know she is delighted to see it moving forward. The Lib Dems are committed to working proactively and constructively and we in the whole house support and their vulnerable children from expedition and abuse and like those that are still shamefully using the victims of the scandal for a political foothold. The Liberal Democrats continue to commend the work of the independent enquiry into and we continue to column the Government to urgently implement all 20 of her recommendations which as the Minister has mentioned they have previously failed to act on when in Government.

While the Minister has
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Jess Phillips Portrait Jess Phillips MP, The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department (Birmingham Yardley, Labour)
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full rape gang enquiry across Keighley and the wider Bradford district. Yet the Minister and the Government refused to face the facts. Bradford's leadership is simply not going to act by simply not going to act by themselves. So, I ask the Minister, why is this Government letting the very councils that failed victims decide whether they want to be investigated or not? And when will investigated or not? And when will this Government step up? Use their statutory powers and give the statutory powers and give the victims and the survivors in areas like Keighley and the wider Bradford district full enquiry they have district full enquiry they have

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wanted no for almost 2 decades. First of all, I want to say to the honourable gentleman that I will give him some absolute credit for give him some absolute credit for being someone that has, for years, spoken of about this issue. I pay absolute credit to him and, actually, I am surprised we have not actually, I am surprised we have not had conversations. The first thing I would say is a very much welcome and I think it is actually being arranged, that he has said to me some time with the honourable gentleman to understanding exactly gentleman to understanding exactly what is going on in his local area and I would be more than happy to sit down so there is absolutely nothing that I am saying today that suggests Bradford would not be able to access funding from the Home Office just as Oldham has two Office just as Oldham has two undertake the work that might be needed in Bradford and I would very much welcome this.

much welcome this.
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Jess Phillips Portrait Jess Phillips MP, The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department (Birmingham Yardley, Labour)
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to welcome the statement from the Minister with an emphasis of police investigations across the country to get justice for victims and ensure those responsible are put behind bars. We have heard today that there were 597 arrests in 2024. Can save Minister give us further details on how the new measures will ensure that we can work collaboratively across government, police forces, public sector, to protect all children and make sure that as a government, we do not allow the shameful failure of institutions to protect themselves before our children.



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Working in partnership is very important at the highest level, so we have setup an interministerial we have setup an interministerial group from the Department of education to make sure that we are education to make sure that we are working together, and in the process of making the documents that we will produce today, the level of government minister and sector of state engagement has been a pleasure to do that work. But we have to make sure that is happening at a local level, and that is why the level, and that is why the children's well-being bill needs to be improved, and that will be so be improved, and that will be so vital in the reforming of social work within that bill, and finally get a grip on this.

 I'm sure the Minister will join me in paying tribute to specialist prosecutors who deploy their expertise to put together cases and what can be complex and distressing evidence, but when it comes to the allocation of resources, will she make sure that a fair share of those reaches those prosecutors because just as it will be expected to be detected, they expected to be

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effectively prosecuted. The gentleman makes a really good
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Tessa Munt Portrait Tessa Munt MP (Wells and Mendip Hills, Liberal Democrat)
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their arrest. That is not what a statutory enquiry does. Nobody is in prison for any other statutory enquiries that we have had, and we want to focus on criminalising that and focusing our attention on that. Without mandatory reporting, what we have seen is lots of people get away with cover-ups in the intervening years. What I hope to see isn't that I want to see loads of people who are bad locked up, but it creates a culture in child protection services that is one of openness and transparency, that that is the thing that should be celebrated, not the reputation of the organisation.



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May I say my blood is boiling listening to their stuff coming from listening to their stuff coming from the Conservative benches. If they had read the independent enquiry, had read the independent enquiry, they would recognise that there are hundreds of thousands of people alive today, people just like me, alive today, people just like me, white girls can suffer at the hands white girls can suffer at the hands of white men and they have just got clean away with it because nothing clean away with it because nothing was done for so long.

I welcome the statement that was made today. I think it is absolutely brilliant and I am very glad to hear that this is the start. I recognise the value of mandatory reporting, and I recognise the importance of looking at the individual. I wonder if we can also step down a little bit and say that these who coerce or gently discourage those from reporting
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Caroline Voaden Portrait Caroline Voaden MP (South Devon, Liberal Democrat)
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The honourable lady makes a very good point because actually from the victims I have worked with over the years it is a life sentence. It is years it is a life sentence. It is not something that goes away, which is one of the reasons I feel really strongly about trying to improve the levels of therapeutic support for both young children and adults. And why that is something that has been a real priority for me. She is absolutely right on the sentencing, the Government is undertaking a sense into the review into the broader sentence but also that is the reason that we are putting grooming as an aggregating factor into sentencing, into the law, currently, where I am meant to be in two places and I in fact that amendment, that clause is probably being discussed in committee literally right now.



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Thank you. I would like to say that I also welcome the Government that I also welcome the Government statement and the progress they are making on permitting the recommendations from the Jay Review recommendations from the Jay Review and I also am deeply disappointed that the Conservatives have chosen to respond to the statement in this way and refused to acknowledge any progress that the Government is making after years of inaction on making after years of inaction on their part. So, as the Minister knows before being elected to this House I was the Chief Executive of Terran great prices and services and Terran great prices and services and organisational support for victims of child sexual abuse.

I know how vital these support services are to
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Gareth Thomas Portrait Gareth Thomas MP, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade) (Harrow West, Labour )
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appetite and I will happily work with them as much as we possibly can. That concludes the statement now from different ventures. I will give

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Statement, Statement, Minister Statement, Minister Gareth Statement, Minister Gareth Connors. With your permission, I wish to make a statement on the post office on horizon of address and post on horizon of address and post office finances. We inherited a post office in crisis. It had a very good pass, a commercial track record, pass, a commercial track record, unstable leadership, and its record on compensation was widely perceived as legalistic, slow, and as legalistic, slow, and adversarial. Since this Government came into office, the total amount came into office, the total amount of redress paid to victims of the horizon scandal has increased more than 3 1/2 times.

Since July last year to the 31st of to 31 March this year, more than 3,300 victims have received compensation for the first time. Approximately £892 million has now been paid to over 6,200. We have two new established a new compensation scheme so that those taskmasters who finally had their convictions overturned by Parliament last year get redress. And we are working on our approach to redress the postmasters who fell victim to the floors and the capture system. Unlike the previous Government, we set out a clear forecast for compensation within the Autumn Budget, £1.8 billion from 24/25.

As the House will note, the Government previously committed to provide the majority of claimants with substantial redress by the end of March. I can confirm that as promised 76% of those who submitted claims for compensation have received substantial redress. All those who submitted before Christmas have received one, or in some cases a substantial payment instead. We will also take further steps to increase the pace at which claimants challenges can be resolved fairly. Facilitating discussions will be reintroduced to the scheme for this purpose.

Most recently, we announced that from 3 June, my department will take over responsibility and the overturning convection scheme for the post office. We also welcomed the commitment to contribute to the Government compensation for victims of this scandal. During a meeting between the Secretary of State and the Chief Executive Officer in March, an agreement was reached to begin talks ahead of the conclusion of the enquiry. The House will be aware that the Secretary of State announced the government's intention to establish an appeals mechanism for claimants who are unhappy with offers they have received under the post offices horizon shortage scheme.

We are today publishing the guidance and principles for these hitch SS appeals. And by the end of this month we will begin to accept applications from eligible postmasters currently in the post offices dispute resolution process. That document sets out the underlining rules of governing this, and also provides information to help postmasters and their legal representatives in making their claims, such as this urgent needs criteria. We have developed this in consultation with the rising consultation, writer award, claimant lawyers and representatives from Postmaster organisations.

Later this month, we will begin writing to the legal representatives of potentially eligible postmasters, currently in the post offices dispute resolution process. Inviting them to transfer their claim into the new hitch SS appeals scheme. Where postmasters do not have legal representatives, we will write to the director, and shortly after this we will open a scheme to all other eligible Ulster Masters. Like the GL or scheme, my department will enter respond within 40 working days of submission of a substantially completed appeal in at least 90% of cases.

We will encourage postmasters entering the process to engage legal advisers and we will meet their reasonable legal costs through a tariff we have agreed with claimants. Postmasters will not have to pay a penny of income tax, capital gains tax, National Insurance contributions, corporation tax, or inheritance tax on any compensation they have received through the process. As we look to the future we will also continue to address any concerns about the post offices past behaviour. I am therefore pleased to provide an update on the process, this Government funded scheme will provide redress to postmasters who lost out financially due to issues relating to post office, policies, or processes.

These issues are unrelated to horizon, but part of the company's efforts to rebuild trust with its postmasters and ensure that past failings are fully addressed. It is due to launch in the next month, the post office will write to all of those potentially affected with further details, including information on how post masters can apply. We will consider carefully the conditions and recommendations of the enquiry when it is published. Alongside tackling the legacy of the horizon scandal, this Government is determined to make the post office more sustainable in the future.

We remain committed to publishing the paper to consider the long-term future of the post office, in particular I look forward to hearing the vision and ideas of stakeholders such as key trade unions, sub-postmasters. Mr Speaker, it has been apparent, Madam, I beg your pardon, it has been apparent for some time that post office is heavily reliant on Government funding. The post office chairs transformation plan announced in November, the aim of putting the company on a path towards financial stability and delivering a new deal for postmasters.

This plan requires the company to take difficult decisions, for example if you look at the efficiencies in its headquarters and the branch network to ensure it is fit for purpose. Today, post office announced that it would be moving to a fully franchised network as part of those plans. This will realise significant savings, potentially £100 million over the duration of this Parliament. Many members wrote to me with their concerns about their local direct managed branches prior to this announcement.

We have heard from these concerns. The post office will therefore ensure that each directly managed branch will be franchised by the either on-site or in a location nearby so that service vision will remain in duties, making these changes will ensure that the company is more sustainable. To support the provision of the post office in every media across the UK the Government plans to provide up to £83 million of subsidy next year. This is up from nearly £50 million provided under the last Government that is in addition to the uplift that we provided in the last financial year.

The post office needs to transform the outdated technology it depends on. We plan to provide up to £136 million of funding to post office's new future technology in the 25/26 financial year. Over the next five years, this work will address technology needs across the business, including replacing horizon, reducing central costs, and making sure the postmasters have the tools that they need to serve their customers. Finally, to enable the post office to continue to administer redressed payments to post masters and post master horizon IT enquiry the Government provide up to £57.9 million of funding was of these funding streams are subject to the subsidy control act and referral to accommodation.

An announcement on framework four has not yet been made. However I am hopeful that there will be a positive announcement as post offices continue to provide vital services up and down the country. Together, these steps will help. The way towards a more sustainable future for the post office. Lastly, in my engagement with the national concerns have been raised that the post office may have acted improperly during the network transformation program during the 2010s. There are claims the post office and their representatives put undue pressure on postmasters that may have provided unregulated financial advice to encourage them
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Kevin Hollinrake Portrait Kevin Hollinrake MP (Thirsk and Malton, Conservative)
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to move on to contract they were ultimately not in their best interest. These allegations must be taken seriously. I am therefore commissioning an independent review commissioning an independent review into the conduct of this program to establish whether there was any proper and coercive behaviour. And I will update the House on the scope will update the House on the scope and timing of this review in due and timing of this review in due It remains our priority to speed up It remains our priority to speed up money and to strengthen the post office of the future.

There is more to do, but I commend this statement to the house.

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Thank you. Can I thank the Minister for his statement, and for advance size of it. Can I also thank advance size of it. Can I also thank the campaigners on this issue who I worked with four backbenchers over worked with four backbenchers over five years, and indeed, for their highest and redress of advisory highest and redress of advisory boards, and the noble Lord Beamish boards, and the noble Lord Beamish for his work on that.

I agree with the Minister although progress has been good, there is much more to do. It is good that money has been paid out to postmasters as it is an increase from a couple of years ago. It is clear that most of that has gone out the door because of what Parliament did last June in terms of overturning those convictions by statute and because of the introduction of awards which will introduce the ability to process things quickly.

We did all of that on a cross-party basis, and we work with the shadow Secretary of State for Business and Trade and this was supported by the Prime Minister, the member for Richmond, the business secretary, the Chancellor, and the shadow ministers. We did that on a cross-party basis. I am disappointed that he seeks to talk about what he took over in terms of the crisis. We made much progress on this matter and the remarks I made will continue to be on that basis, but all the progress he is talked about in this statement, there is not one single thing I heard on the horizon program that was not already set by the previous government in conjunction with a prime minister at the time.

We have an increase that was welcome, but he will concede that this has come from overturning the convictions, and the schemes. The redress scheme for example was something trained by the previous government with cooperation, as was the ability to capture. This was not budgeted. It is not right that if he reads the budget of last year, it simply says that it has been reallocated from departmental spending to annual expenditure, trying to apply the money was not there to pay out postmasters and work had been done cross-party.

It is wrong to give that impression to people out there who are still waiting for redress. It was something we advocated and put in place, overturning convictions and horizon schemes. We talk about unstable leadership. We change the chair and thought it was the right chair and thought it was the right thing to do because we will do a fantastic job and we support him and his transformation plan and the ability to move to move to a network which is the right thing to do.

I asked the Minister some questions, if I may. On the capture program, it is not clear what we will do with victims of the programme which have been acknowledged as the post office was at fault. Whether he is going to bring forward legislation to overturn their convictions by statute. I know the advisory Board believes that is the right way forward. In terms of compensation, it has been my position but we have advocated for this, and the Select Committee has advocated this, that they should be named individuals overseeing the compensation schemes.

One individual will put their name to that scheme and the reputation on the line for delivering compensation because although awards are working, full assessment has problems. Again, this is something that we were lacking out, a tariff-based scheme where people who suffered four difficulties could be paid out on a more rapid basis. In terms of timescales mentioned, it takes a parameter in terms of response to the new claim, but that clock is reset when the claimant says this is reset when the claimant says this is
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Gareth Thomas Portrait Gareth Thomas MP, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade) (Harrow West, Labour )
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the wrong level. What progress has the wrong level. What progress has been made? Will he be ambitious in been made? Will he be ambitious in terms of banking framework to make sure that postmasters get a good sure that postmasters get a good deal, and what progress has the chair made in his commitment to reduce the highest paid roles in the reduce the highest paid roles in the government management here to make sure that revenue which flows in

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flows out postmasters. I thank the right honourable

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I thank the right honourable gentleman for his comments, and I join him in the outset by join him in the outset by congratulating the work for those who have campaigned and continue to who have campaigned and continue to campaign for the victims of this horrendous scandal, and I pay horrendous scandal, and I pay tribute to the noble Lords and if I may pay tribute to him for his work in the past as well, I know he worked extremely hard to try to move worked extremely hard to try to move things forward to find the work that he did.

He asked a series of questions, and let me attempt to do justice to the detailed questions that he asked. He asked me about catch up. We are actively working on a redress scheme. We had a series of meetings with some of those masters who were affected by the problems in the capture software and their legal representatives. He will be aware that there are a number of cases with the commission and we believe at least some of this relates to capture.

We think it is appropriate that we are allowed to continue to that we are allowed to continue to review those cases. As I outlined, we recently met with the Chief Executive of Fujitsu locally. I have also met with the Chief Executive of Gypsy in the UK. And I made the point to the Chief Executive that an interim payment would be a significant step in the right direction. He asked about the accountants of the post office, and we have the reporting.

They are an independent body, and I'm sure he and the house will recognise that it is right that we respect the right of that independent body to do its work going forward. He said that the full assessment of claims does have problems. One of the reasons why we reference to the fact that we are facilitating discussions to the GLA scheme because whilst there are significant progress in settling two thirds of the GLA claims being put in, we think those discussions will help to make it easier for fair compensation to be allocated in a timely way to those victims of the scandal.

On interim progress, where payments are made to us, we have always encouraged our team to make those interim payments to ease financial pressures and the trauma, the victims are still experiencing. On request for further information, he will know that there have been concerns in the past about the detail in the letters requesting further information. I have seen some previous examples of those requests, and I can understand the frustration that postmasters and their lawyers had with those their lawyers had with those letters.

When we do ask for requests with further information, it is to make sure that we can offer an increased payment to sub- postmaster's going forward, but I recognise that, because of the history around the information, there will be some scepticism going forward. We will continue to do everything we can do to get as quickly as possible payments out to people, and I should say that we have made further steps to try to work with the post office to identify victims who haven't identify victims who haven't previously come forward.

6000 new previously come forward. 6000 new claimants have come forward, and we are trying to process cases as quickly as we can.
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Daisy Cooper Portrait Daisy Cooper MP (St Albans, Liberal Democrat)
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obviously waiting for the conclusions of the enquiry, and his judgement about the level of responsibility that Fujitsu must accept. As I alluded to in my answer to the gentleman who speaks for the opposition on this issue, an interim payment would be a significant step

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forward, I think. We Liberal Democrats welcomed the

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We Liberal Democrats welcomed the progress that the government has made, but the regress is still too slow. Victims coming into the slow. Victims coming into the shortfall scheme faced upfront complexity without legal advice. I complexity without legal advice. I welcome the announcement that the government will be writing to that group but could he outline a group but could he outline a timeline by which you will receive those letters? Secondly, the those letters? Secondly, the Minister said that any compensation will not be subject to a penny of capital gains tax, inheritance tax and other taxes.

Could the Minister confirm whether this would require primary legislation, and if so, whether it will be limited to the scandal or open to redress other scandals as well? I'm thinking of the cross-party campaign on Philomena's law where some victims are struggling to access Thirdly, the scandal has involved many individuals working at both the post office, Jet2, and others. The covenant has committed to bringing forward a statutory duty of candour, they said they would do so by April, the 35th disaster anniversary. Last year the business leader of the past out and said that would be met because the Government says they will take whatever time is necessary to get it right and whilst we, the Liberal Democrats, want to see the drafting done correctly, can ask the Minister if there is any update on when we can expect to see that come forward? Fourthly, the evidence of whistleblowers is crucial in exposing the lies about this.

The Liberal Democrats have repeatedly called for an office whistleblower and have amendments down to the employment bill to strengthen protections for whistleblowers and I wonder if the Government white work as on that particular issue. And,
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Gareth Thomas Portrait Gareth Thomas MP, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade) (Harrow West, Labour )
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finally, I was surprised to see today and announcement also about directly managed post offices. The directly managed post offices. The Minister will be aware that there is a cross-party universe in this House that has been infuriated by the pew medication from those of his bosses on this particular process and recognise the announcement today that they have moved to a fully franchised network but this still provides no guarantee of the range or poor quality of services that will be available, no guarantees on the definition, no guarantees that there will be a break in service and there will be a break in service and guarantee that if the franchises do work then the post office will eventually be closed as well, so could the Minister set out the next stages on this? Because they will affect my constituents and many constituents presented by members

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today here as well. I am grateful to the honourable lady. She is absolutely right to reflect a think the view of the whole house and there is still much more to do in terms of compensation. more to do in terms of compensation. We are very clear on that ourselves as Government and are working at as Government and are working at pace to try and step up even further the rate at which compensation the rate at which compensation payments are being made.

We think that in just the first nine months of this Government we have made significant progress, increasing by significant progress, increasing by 3 1/2 times the amount of compensation that has been paid out, but I completely accept that there is more to do in that regard. We do think that launch of the horizon scheme appeals process will help to address a number of cases in the scheme were some postmasters are concerned about the offers that they have had. She asked me when letters would be going out.

I set out the broad timescale and I would say to her again shortly. We want to get this up and running as quickly as we can. She asked me whether new legislation would be required on the tax that I set out, no, it will not be required. I do not have anything to add on the particular issue of the duty of candour to what my right honourable friend the Leader of the House said. Perhaps though her questions are an opportunity to underline that we expect there to be a number of significant issues that arise from the enquiry.

We as the Government and the whole house I am sure will want to reflect on the recommendations that come up with. She mentioned specifically as well the issues around the decision to franchise the remaining directly managed launches. I heard, I have heard, as I set out, in my concerns for the House particularly significant on these benches but I recognise from others on the opposite side of the House also about the impact of losing post office services in the communities where those direct managed parties are would have, that is why we made clear to customers that franchised services have two, post office services have to remain within those communities.

The starting point that we expect the post office to work to is that they will be the main franchise, so if franchised that as well as providing perhaps the more traditional post office services, such as stamps, parcels, will also provide Government services such as passports and driving licences. The equivalent of what is available at moment in those branches. I would expect in the first instance in many instances that those franchise services will continue to operate in exactly the same place before decisions are taken as to where they should be located in the slightly longer term.

The honourable lady asked me what is the guarantee and
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Gareth Thomas Portrait Gareth Thomas MP, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade) (Harrow West, Labour )
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franchise reward would cause local, economic, and social devastation. Especially if services are reduced, staff are let go, and it would also put that service in the whim of the franchise that, as we know from the recent case of WHSmith, causes great uncertainty and insecurity, so what is the Minister doing to guarantee that Salford retains all of its existing post office services and staff in this geographical location? And what alternatives has he considered or will he consider in favour of shelving franchises?

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Well, I know that my honourable friend has always been a great friend has always been a great champion for Salford. And has made champion for Salford. And has made it very clear to me, as indeed a lot of other members of the House have how significant the post office is within her community. The vast majority of post office branches that are provided across the country that are provided across the country that are provided across the country are already franchised branches and often in the context of both men's and local franchises are open longer than their directly managed branches.

She asked me what guarantees there are. I as I set out we have made it clear to the post office we want every directly managed branch to ensure that there is a mains and franchised operation in place within those communities going forward. I recognise that there will be concern while the changes taking place, but obviously members of the House have particular concerns about particular aspects of that transition, as it moves forward in constituencies, we would be very happy to deal with any other members to discuss those concerns going forward.

forward.
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Gareth Thomas Portrait Gareth Thomas MP, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade) (Harrow West, Labour )
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that has happened over the scandal. As well as the national of postmasters, can the Minister also confirmed that the key medications and workers union has also been involved in decision-making? And, as involved in decision-making? And, as the Minister knows, I have lobbied the Minister knows, I have lobbied very hard on why post office must want to and must maintain those services going forward. I think a lot of the problem stemmed from the lot of the problem stemmed from the separation of the Royal Mail and the post office and that privatisation, so I just wondered whether the so I just wondered whether the Minister would consider discussing the possibility of a joint venture

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there. Well, I know from the conversations that I have had with conversations that I have had with my honourable friend just how much she and her constituents valued the post office, as I set out our post office, as I set out our starting point is that the main franchise that continues to provide the same services as their residence currently enjoy will be provided going forward, so I hope that what going forward, so I hope that what they will not see any significant disruption going forward but we are happy to have a conversation and about that I have had many conversations since I came into this particular role with the leadership of the communications workers union and she will understand they have been very direct in their view about the directly managed branches.

In the directly managed branches. In terms of them having a view and a say about the future of the post office I have made clear that we are office I have made clear that we are determined to publish the paper which will allow all of those who are interested including to see the are interested including to see the review to give us their view and the vision of the future of the post office and various questions about the post offices future. the post offices future.
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Gareth Thomas Portrait Gareth Thomas MP, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade) (Harrow West, Labour )
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late Grasmere currently without an operating process, will he put operating process, will he put attention, give attention to do the same as well? And package to encourage people not just to remain encourage people not just to remain within the post office but also to attract new people, realising it will take more effort than normal to will take more effort than normal to attract people to the sector and in the issue of the services, in Kendal the issue of the services, in Kendal our share of the shared space with the Royal Mail and any change of site for our post office, is he aware of that and will he do aware of that and will he do something about it?

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The honourable gentleman brightly underlines the significance of the post office in particular in rural post office in particular in rural communities and the challenge on occasion of finding some postmasters occasion of finding some postmasters to run franchises post office is in those areas. I hope that the uplift those areas. I hope that the uplift in Postmaster renumeration that came just before Christmas will help to address that particular challenge. address that particular challenge. But we have made clear to the post office leadership that there needs office leadership that there needs to be a fundamental change in the culture of the post office.

Which they accept. And places have postmasters at the heart of the operation going forward, the therefore have set up with a Conservative council to ensure that postmasters have a very direct input into the future direction of the post office and I do more from a Postmaster panel to bring postmasters in to understand the different processes that they use
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Gareth Thomas Portrait Gareth Thomas MP, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade) (Harrow West, Labour )
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listening to me and giving me his time as I discuss the branch with him over the last few months. Many people signed the petition, signed the petition to keep the post office open, so it is definitely welcome that Morley will be retaining its post office with the fact that it will be a franchise and there are question marks about its qualification. I have been delighted to help the banking hub for the community, but the service is provided by a banking hub do not overlap with the services provided by the post office, so can I ask the Minister what guarantees he can give constituents that this new post office will provide all the same services that they currently enjoy Molly Molly is Molly is that Molly is that it Molly is that it will Molly is that it will in Molly is that it will in other Molly is that it will in other cases Molly is that it will in other cases it will be replaced as well as more traditional post office services.

Again, if he has particular concerns about the way the transition is happening he is very welcome to get back in contact with me. Can I thank the Minister very much for his answers and clearly for his commitment and addressing all of the issues. The Minister will be aware that the post office scheme was deeply flawed from the outset and we cannot trust them to provide evidence for postmasters or post mistresses with this based on the liability, so does the Minister agree that we have absolutely no option other than to trust the people and to do the right thing by those people who have been affected? Thank you so much.



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IPA tribute to those journalists and compel us exposed to the post and compel us exposed to the post office scandal and are continuing to campaign for those who have not yet campaign for those who have not yet received redress. I have had the privilege of meeting a number of privilege of meeting a number of postmasters who were very badly affected by the scandal and those conversations will stay with me for a long time, as I suspect for other members of the House who have had
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Gareth Thomas Portrait Gareth Thomas MP, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade) (Harrow West, Labour )
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the repeated closure of the high street and post office in my constituency has caused huge concern. First, I would like to thank the Minister for constantly meeting with me and listening to me and I would also like to thank all of my constituents who have shared and signed the petition and got in touch regarding saving our post office to show the value deserves. I am pleased to see the Government and the post office have listened to that today and today's announcement for a franchise model will allow the stoppers the opportunity to remain open.

Can I ask what will the Minister and the post office due to ensure that local voices continue to be heard in the franchising process and to continue to ensure that the post office contains all existing services that stay in the high

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street and can I ask that we will continue to move? Honourable friend X in very good

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Honourable friend X in very good point about the number of back Ranch closures under 9 1/2 hours of closures under 9 1/2 hours of branches closing under the party opposite and they get it next to nothing to ensure any sort of service that was replaced and the post office therefore provides the post office therefore provides the last opportunity to have access to last opportunity to have access to banking services or medical streams and therefore that is one of the reasons why we remain committed to the commitment and the access commitment that helps to ensure every community including people around the post office can have access to post office services going forward and I look forward to meeting with the honourable lady if

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that is what she wants. I want to thank the Minister for

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I want to thank the Minister for his really is it if engagement is I discussed with him on a number of occasions, the situation at Leighton occasions, the situation at Leighton Buzzard post office. At the Minister be able to confirm that the Leighton be able to confirm that the Leighton Buzzard post office will remain within the High Street area and what the assurances can give to residents

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who now go into that branch? My honourable friend has pushed

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My honourable friend has pushed me repeatedly on the future of the Leighton Buzzard post office. We are
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Calvin Bailey Portrait Mr Calvin Bailey MP (Leyton and Wanstead, Labour)
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we now come to the Select Committee statement on behalf of the defence committee. Mr Calvin Bailey will speak for up to 10 minutes, during speak for up to 10 minutes, during which no interventions may be taken. At the conclusion of his statement, At the conclusion of his statement, I will call members to ask questions on the subject of the statement. They should be brief questions and not for speeches. Can I emphasise not for speeches. Can I emphasise that questions should be directed to the Select Committee member and not the Select Committee member and not the relevant current minister.

Frontbenchers may take part in questioning. I called Mr Calvin

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Bailey. I am very proud to be standing here today to present this the fourth report of this Parliament. Evidence of how hard the Defence Evidence of how hard the Defence Committee has been working on behalf Committee has been working on behalf of Parliament and the British people in these highly volatile and uncertain times and I would like to thank both the committee, the staff, particularly George James, and the particularly George James, and the leadership. I am pleased to share the Armed Forces Covenant report today, as the House knows the covenant is our society's commitment to the Armed Forces community to recognise their reward, their service, and to make sure they are not disadvantaged in civilian life as a result of that service.

The Government said in its manifesto it would strengthen the covenant by, in its words, putting it fully into law. Our report does two things. It looks at the covenant today to examine how well it is living up to societies commitment to the Armed Forces and it looks at how the Government should make that commitment is stronger when it brings forward legislation which we heard it plans to do so as part of the Armed Forces Bill next. We decided that the best way to understand how well the covenant is working is to ask for the people it is designed to help, and so we look out for serving personnel and veterans to share their experience with us.

We are hugely grateful to everyone who took the time to write to us, their powerful contributions that help us get to the truth of where the covenant is succeeding and where it is falling short and we are grateful to the Secretary of State for giving his permission to seven personnel to send us these stories. And, of course, to the organisations for providing evidence directly to our enquiry. This evidence painted and mixed mixture of how the covenant is working today and we had some positive stories such as the individual said that citing the covenant to their local NHS Trust had helped them get a timely mental health assessment for their child, but unfortunately these were in the minority.

Most of the stories we have received came from people that had expected the covenant to help them, but who found that it was ineffective, or worse, disregarded. One person was on a waiting for NHS treatment and was told specifically that their position on the waiting list would transfer when, as part of their service, they moved from Scotland to the south of England. But after they moved, they found themselves at the back of the queue and when they raised this with the trust they were told that the trust did not recognise and therefore follow the Armed Forces Covenant.

We heard many stories like this one and it is hardly surprising that these people viewed the covenant as being, in their words, a gimmick with no real substance. Or, as something that looks good on public bodies website, but in practice means nothing at all. The Government is right, then, to recognise that the covenant needs to improve. Its proposal is to extend the scope of the Government so that more areas of the Government are subject to it. We welcome this and we recommend that the covenant is applied to all Government departments.

This where we expect to see departments paying better attention to the needs of the community when they make the policy and we expect to see the covenant applied to areas of life which the existing duty does not cover and where the forces community experiences disadvantages, areas like employment, social care, welfare, and immigration. In particular for non-UK passholders. However, we are clear that legislating is only one part of the solution. Our evidence shows that one of the biggest issues is that the existing covenant is not consistently applied, either because people are not aware of it, because it is not well understood, or because it is not given a high enough priority.

This is why we know that the Armed Forces communities experiencing the covenant varies massively depending on where they live. If the law is not consistently applied, then amending the statute will give little difference. This is why our report recommends the Government needs proper plan for implementing this, in tandem with new legislation. This needs commitment from all Government departments and should, we should not underestimate the scale of the To conclude, the Armed Forces covenant is a noble proposition but sadly one that we do not always live up to as a society.

We want to see us get to a place where our service personnel and our veterans can be in no doubt that when they deal with the local council, their doctor or their employer, that the covenant will support them. New legislation will help, but it is not a silver will help, but it is not a silver bullet. We need to embed the covenant in our institutions across covenant in our institutions across government, and in wider society.
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Polly Billington Portrait Ms Polly Billington MP (East Thanet, Labour)
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I thank the object and for his point of order. I'm sure the record will now reflect that fact. We now come to the Ten Minute Rule Motion. Polly Illingworth.

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Thank you Madame Deputy Speaker. I beg to move that leave be given to bringing a bill to require energy bringing a bill to require energy companies to provide social tariffs for low income customers, and for connected purposes. Last week we saw people's energy bills go up by another 6%, as Ofgem raised the energy price cap Mac again. Meaning typical households and are facing typical households and are facing bills not far off £2000 each year. My argument for a social tariff is born out of a career grappling with born out of a career grappling with Britain's energy market including working with the current Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero in the old Department of Energy and climate change.

We saw through the global financial crisis the need for greater protections for consumers from volatile energy prices. Watching him trying to convince energy companies to lower their prices, as the country faced spiralling costs and economic chaos, convinced me that a social tariff was the least a Labour government could and should do to protect the most vulnerable. Much has changed since then including significant success in shifting to clean up our as a result of a political consensus hailed until recently across this House is the need to decarbonise our energy system to tackle climate change.

This Labour government mission to achieve clean power by 2030 as part of our long-term solution to bring energy bills down for good. Increasingly people have seen that there are further benefits to this shift. Greater energy security, as we generate our own energy, rather than being exposed to the whims of petro state and dodgy regimes. But also a reduction in the costs of generating that power. 96% of newly installed solar and wind capacity has a lower generation cost than natural gas.

The benefits of cheaper costs, however, not been felt by the consumer as much as they could be. Partly because our energy prices are set by global oil and gas prices. And now, as an MP, the reality of fuel poverty is rammed home by frequent concerns raised on the doorstep of the rising costs of energy. And the pressures put on household budgets. Especially those on low incomes. I would like to remind the house that East Thanet is not a leafy affluent community that many associate with the south-east.

Instead it is a Coastal Community Team with high levels of deprivation, with low paid and insecure work, elderly residents, many families with a disabled member, and many cold, old, draughty homes. In Thanet, one quarter of all working age adults are claiming Universal Credit. Over 40% of people are claiming at least one form of benefit from the Department for Work & Pensions. These are the people that suffer most from increasing energy bills. These are the people who often have to choose between heating and eating.

A social tariff that supports the most vulnerable in the energy bills and prevent people falling into fuel poverty would protect them from some of the failures of the current energy market and shield them as that market is reformed to make the most of leaving fossil fuels behind. The energy market needs to change so that the efforts the government is making to decarbonise our energy system truly delivers benefits for consumers and reform of retail prices will need to be part of that.

As a member of the Energy Security and Net Zero Select Committee, I have heard growing calls from witnesses for such change. The vast majority of homes are heated by gas or electricity is much more expensive. The cost of shifting to cleaner power have been loaded to electricity bills, creating a disincentive for many to choose to shift to electric heat. With artificially this, we artificially make electricity more expensive. It is those who can least afford to pay you a least prepared.

There is or was been upheaval and risk associated with rapid change and a social tariff working as part of the welfare state can support people who make these changes. This is not only the right thing to do from a fuel poverty perspective but from a decarbonisation one too. A modern welfare state has done this before and it can do again. The Labour Party is the party that created the welfare state, and all these benches we understand why having a strong social safety net is vital.

Energy is an area where the safety net has a gaping hole. This is why a targeted social tariff is needed so we can provide vital support for those in the greatest need. There's also an increasingly chronic problem with consumer energy debt. People owe more than £2 billion in Energy Bill debt. This has doubled in the past three years alone. Those in debt then become stuck in a cycle where they face an increase in energy bills while also trying to pay off the debts they built up.

This isn't sustainable for those consumers, or even the energy retailers, who then have to deal with the fallout from fuel poverty debt. The Warm Home Discount is the most prominent current scheme to help but it is simply not sufficient to the scale of the challenge. It is not scaled with retail prices, and as energy bills have increased by hundreds of pounds, the Warm Home Discount has only increased by £10 since its introduction. That discount is also limited to households receiving means tested benefits, winning many families living in fuel poverty miss out on this vital support.

A social tariff should build on the Warm Home Discount but not replace it. The purpose of this bill is to enshrine in law the principle that a social tariff should be provided by all energy companies to make sure there is no supplier lottery for those who need support. It should also be additional to existing and planned support. It should be targeted and sufficient enough to reduce costs to an affordable level. National Energy cap action have argued we need to aim at social tariff and people with low incomes, disabilities, or carers, and households with low energy efficiency, grid homes and households with prepayment metres.

There are far too many complaints by energy companies that they cannot identify the people who need the support. These categories tackle a problem because we already have the data. We know who is in receipt of Universal Credit, of Carer's Allowance, we know those on prepayment metres and the homes with poor energy ratings. These are people who face huge financial pressures and are at the forefront of the cost-of-living crisis. These are the people most at risk of fuel poverty, and crucially, we can find these people so those who need support get it.

The government rightly has a child poverty task force designed to tackle the scar of children growing up poor. A social tariff can be part of a wider approach to tackling this moral outrage by ensuring those families most in need have to worry less about the energy bills. Children who grow up in households that struggle to pay the energy bills are more likely to struggle at school, and more likely to end up struggling in life. Simply protecting people from a failing energy retail market is not sufficient.

We should be developing a package of measures that prioritises shifting the most vulnerable onto the cleaner cheaper and more secure energy that we are generating ourselves. There is always a risk that the case for such market interventions are made simply by talking about protecting people from the worst extremes of the market. But it is also important to say that such a measure increases economic security and is therefore good for economic growth. It puts money in people's pockets. Money they are spending on excessive energy costs is money they are not spending on other things.

With this relief they can be part of the economic revival of the places in which they live. This is not a new idea. Social tariff's are already working in many other countries. For example, Spain, as a tariff that provides a 35% discount to vulnerable customers and a 50% discount for severely vulnerable customers. I have spent a lot of my career working on how energy can be generated, supplied, and consumed in a way that does not cost a packet all the planets.

For far too long, the aim has been for consumers to engage with the energy market. This is or was been based on a failure to understand that for most people energy is a means to an end. It is not exciting, it can be stressful, especially if you are struggling. We should be the business of reducing that stress so that people can spend their time and energy doing things that are more interesting and fulfilling. The very least we can do, for those who already struggle with limited means is to do exactly that.

They should be protected from the market. That is why it social tariff should be part of our Plan for Change and our national mission to transform this country for the better.

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The question is that you're a member have leave to bring in the bill. As many are of that opinion bill. As many are of that opinion say, "Aye". And of the contrary, "No". The ayes have it. The ayes have it. Who will prepare bring the

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bill? Yuan Yang, Andrew Pakes, Pippa

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Yuan Yang, Andrew Pakes, Pippa Heylings, Luke Murphy, Vera Heylings, Luke Murphy, Vera

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Miss Miss Polly Miss Polly Billington.
15:46
None Portrait Backbench Business: General debate on potential merits of awarding a posthumous Victoria Cross to Blair Mayne
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15:46
Jim Shannon Portrait Backbench Business: General debate on potential merits of awarding a posthumous Victoria Cross to Blair Mayne Jim Shannon MP (Strangford, Democratic Unionist Party)
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Energy (Social Tariff) Bill. Second income of what they? Friday, April 25.

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Friday, April 25. Friday, April 25. We now come to

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Friday, April 25. We now come to the backbench debate on the essential merits of awarding a essential merits of awarding a posthumous Victoria Cross to Blair Mayne. Jim Shannon. Mayne. Jim Shannon.

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Mayne. Jim Shannon. I move that awarding a posthumous Victoria Cross to Blair Mayne be considered. I thank the backbench committee for the opportunity and those members who have taken the time before the recess. I thank them for the recognition of this debate. This is about honouring veterans and this is a thing of shame. I know it been so much to so many in my constituency. I am very pleased for her support, the honourable ungallant member that yes, and we thank him for coming along.

Damian Lewis has worked with Blair Mayne and allowing this boy to retell the stories we have. If you were 8-10 years old and heaving all these years old and heaving all these great stories, as I did as a young boy, and I wanted to be a marine commander, and I never achieved commander, and I never achieved that. When you listen to the stories of soldiers, I ask members to quickly talk about what happens and you are gasping for breath as your lungs taken air tinged with gunpowder, lying in a ditch, with the enemy firing, and you know that each breath could be your last.

Deep in your heart, you believe there is only one thing that can remove you from this hell. Suddenly you hear the roaring of an engine and you make out the form of a jeep cutting through the madness and mayhem and they are firing at the enemy like an avenging angel and on the way past a voice calls, or because I will pick you up on the way back." It is a promise that it is perhaps not time for you both just yet.

The enemy is forced to retreat. The enemy holds all the advantages and I the enemy retrieves the jeep turns around and this time it stops and the avenging this time it stops and the avenging angel holds out his hand and you are bundled in with your colleagues and driven to safety. You look to see what form it will take and it is a crazy Ulsterman and we are not all crazy but we are all brave. And it is Paddy Mayne and everything falls into place and this is a man known for bravery, a man who is in your eyes and in the eyes of your surviving family, will forever remain a hero of epic fame.

There are actions from one of the men who were saved by Paddy Mayne, the Colonel, and before Colonel Paddy Mayne and the tenants got had driven into the fire. -- The Lieutenant Scott had driven. He was a man for that time. And after checking to make sure the enemy was dead, he moved to the next house and took out those behind enemy fire before moving in and ensuring that none of the enemy remain. That man was Paddy Mayne who stood tall.

He inspired bravery and loyalty in his men. After ensuring the clean sweep, he turned his attention to the point men of the squadron. They knew the enemy was ensconced in the forest. He departed would seem to be a suicide mission to rescue the men. Not only did Paddy managed to rescue his colleagues but he forced a retreat from the enemy and helped the Allies advance. The Victoria Crosses only given when the chance of death is 50%. A report said that there could only be one explanation why Paddy Mayne was not killed and that was the sheer audacity and dealing he showed to move across the field of fire.

-- daring. They also said that he dominated the scene, that was the man he was. It spoke of that was the man he was. It spoke of that was the man he was. It spoke of Winning the day Winning the day for Winning the day for the Winning the day for the allies Winning the day for the allies and their advance. Undoubtedly, it was a suicidal mission to rescue his colleagues and ensure the enemy went no further. Not only did Paddy Mayne save the lives of his colleagues but he also defeated and destroyed the enemy.

That is the man, the stuff of which legends are made. Legends that which legends are made. Legends that we know to be true. Many look to be that person. It is the stuff that many of us dream to be as young boys. The actions were those of a man who put others first and they did do that and he went above and beyond the call of duty. There is no doubt his actions and that they were heroic and worthy of commendation and that is why the Brigadier recommended the highest award, the Victoria Cross.

He informed his mother accordingly that he was to receive that accolade. Whatever you do, your mum thinks it is brilliant, do, your mum thinks it is brilliant, do, your mum thinks it is brilliant, and I am the same. The BBC have success in a program about the hero of a covert squadron who single- handedly destroyed 130 enemy planes and was commended with the highest military award. Six months later, a terrible mistake happened. The Victoria Cross was bestowed upon those who display the gallantry and for a single act of valour in the presence of the enemy, Paddy Mayne more than attain that standard, but this signal, which is defined in the Oxford English dictionary as an event that provides the impulse, and Paddy Mayne qualify for the award and it remained a signal.

Very clearly putting forward this point that he provided covering fire and therefore did not act single- handedly and this meant he was ineligible for the award and it appears an alteration resulted in Mayne being stripped of your what I've seen the evidence that Blair Mayne was supposed to get the Victoria Cross and there was important evidence removed. They important evidence removed. They worked hard to source the documents. I think the Minister had them beforehand and so he has two copies of them.

I want to put on record the thanks to Damian Lewis, Patrick, and David Robertson, and many other historians invested in this issue. He submitted sane statements from three officers including two lieutenants. They discussed the significance of the actions of Blair significance of the actions of Blair Mayne. "I have studied this with the officers think it is an outstanding piece of work. The main point is his actions affected the battle." The general agreed and in his opinion the leadership of Blair Mayne were an important contributing factor to the success of the operation and in my opinion the officer was worthy of the highest award for gallantry and leadership.

This meant he was the perpetrator that we he should have been. He was portrayed as a leader of men and nobody could be in any doubt he was a man who led those soldiers and give leadership and confidence to those who were around him. The citation was also signed by the Brigadier, the Major General, the Lieutenant, and the Field Marshall Montgomery. It said, "I have clearly outlined that the VC rules were misinterpreted as it had to be a single act of valour whereas it was a single act of valour." The differences in the wording.

This is the story of how a clerical error led to this happening and it was based upon a procedural error or an error of understanding and therefore it is a wrongdoing that has to be properly redressed. It is clear that the VC was marked out because of the clerical error. Therefore, I think it is important that we ask the MoD it is important that we ask the MoD to overturn this with no reconsideration but we are simply asking for a singular error to be overturned in this case.

For instance, there was a pastor must award of the Victoria Cross. -- award of the Victoria Cross. -- Pastor -- in 1958. -- posthumous. We are not the only people who can understand why it was not awarded. King George VI asked, "How was it that the Victoria Cross eluded that the Victoria Cross eluded Winston Churchill was said to be shocked and saddened by the glaring omission. They did not have the access that we now have to the records to show the intent.

And a single act of valour was originally specified and so the clerical error is the reason and the thrust of what we are asking for. Some daring act of valour, self-sacrifice, dedication to duty in the presence of the enemy. What a man. What a hero. What the courageous person whose bravery we will never witness but I've a young boy, it was what I wish to be. -- Us a young boy. The Victoria Cross can be awarded posthumously for three reasons and there is the award for conspicuous bravery, which is never in doubt in this case.

There are no other recorded reasons as to why the recommendations to award the VC were not action. A serving officer at the time wrote a letter in which he said that Blair Mayne deserved the Victoria Cross. He earned it. And I say this respectfully, I always do, and as a consequence Blair Mayne did not receive the greatest honour the country can bestow. He was stripped of his British honour and it wanted him for the rest of his life.

The memory of Blair Mayne continues, not just in the BBC series but he would never have crossed in front of a lady and his comrades did not fear him but instead revered him. There is a statue of Blair Mayne in the town centre of his tone. They were once murals depicting paramilitary paraphernalia now the bravery and conviction of Blair Mayne are on the walls of Newtownards and the leisure centre was named after him because his sporting prowess was also protein.

A copy shop opened a couple of years ago in Newtownards named after him because we all revered him and is where I go from a coffee and fried eggs at this is because it like it is important to the people of our own. Members may be aware of the Civil Procedure Act in which errors arising from an accidental slip or omission and it explicitly allows fixing such errors and this is important and this is the first The original decision was to allow the VC to be corrected.

Let the error stand as an injustice, especially as the mistake skewed the outcome which it has. I conclude with this. I'm very clear of the time and you asked me to conform with that and I will do it. King George VI asked how he had not received the Victoria Cross. Any answered in the manner I believe which sums up this courageous and honourable man " I said to my best, my lord, my kingdom, my Queen, and no one can take that on away from me.

" Today we have the chance to restore and replace that which was his. It is time that someone who lived for his colleagues and his country was restored to his full Tory the restoration of the Victoria Cross.
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Scott Arthur Portrait Dr Scott Arthur MP (Edinburgh South West, Labour)
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The question is as on the Order Paper.

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Thank you Madame Deputy Speaker. I thank the member for both securing I thank the member for both securing this debate and for opening it in such a way. I know this is an such a way. I know this is an important subject to him. His retelling of Paddy's activities retelling of Paddy's activities during war could almost see the Commandos coming before me from my childhood. I don't intend to speak childhood. I don't intend to speak long, the member for Strangford asked me to support this debate.

I asked me to support this debate. I did not know who Paddy Mayne was, and I know that although the honourable Member is a lovely guy, his politics can be dodgy sometimes. So I decided to do some homework. You can see that the case is strong of course. I felt bad even having to research it. I spoke to my son when I got home and he pointed out to me we have watched the TV program, and he bought me a book for Christmas about Paddy Mayne which I still have not read.

The week after that I was visiting the barracks in the south- west and I met the serviceman there from Northern Ireland. I took the opportunity to ask what he thought. He was offended that I had to ask him about it because he felt the case was so strong. Whilst I don't speak for him, he was a bit upset about the way Paddy Mayne was depicted in the second of the series. He made the point about the language specifically. I have asked residents in my constituency what they thought about this debate today and what that trajectory should be.

Overwhelmingly people did get back and say the case was strong. There was a real feeling that Paddy was overlooked because he was sometimes forthright with his opinions. Sometimes challenged authority, is not always a good thing in the forces I guess. Above all because his face did not fit sometimes. One of my constituents did say to me, they said that Paddy deserves this but if he does win it it is a victory for all other people who are overlooked because they went to the wrong school or came from the wrong background.

I'm happy to give way.

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Thank you. Like him I would agree

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Thank you. Like him I would agree that needs to make sure research is that needs to make sure research is done and my main intervention is disagree that we need to be making disagree that we need to be making sure we are looking at is, you look at the current rules of recognition at the current rules of recognition for those serving in the Special Forces and make it awesome the difficulties that will arise with

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difficulties that will arise with public recognition with these brave troops are taken into account moving forward? I thank my honourable friend for his intervention. I will try and listen to that podcaster. The issue of Special Forces does come up but I have respect for engagement and also for those of war at all times. And I respect them and all our Armed Forces for the work they do. The case is strong. I want to conclude by saying I'm not here today to demand that Paddy gets a VC on behalf of himself or other people who have perhaps been overlooked, particularly in the year which is the 80th anniversary of the Second World War of course.

What we are here saying is it is time to look at this with fresh eyes. Not here in this house but people who understand this much better than us, and ensure that a fair decision is reached. I think the member for Strangford is clear about what that fair decision should be. Thank you.
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Robin Swann Portrait Robin Swann MP (South Antrim, Ulster Unionist Party)
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Thank you Madame Deputy Speaker. I rise to support the honourable member for Strangford and his call for those to be given a posthumous VC to Blair Mayne. We talk about a man whose courage and leadership helped shape one of the best fighting forces in the world. And although his name is etched in military history, not on it is the Victoria Cross, I think today's debate is an opportunity to look at those circumstances and potentially correct that.

Mayne was a soldier of a rare calibre. As one of the founding members of the SAS, led countless raids, and in North Africa and Europe. Often at great personal risk. He led from the front destroying aircraft, and infrastructure. And his character and courage are legendary. But that already has been mentioned, but has been coloured and to an extent misrepresented in the recent series due to what has been artistic licence. I want this house to consider awarding him a posthumous VC, to reflect on the citations from his DSO.

The first on Fabry 24th to 42 drinks leadership on a raid. The task sent was the most hazardous and due to the officers courage, and the success was achieved. The first DSO was ordered in 1943 to recognise his actions during an operation. The citation was due to his courage, determination, and superb leadership which provided the key to success. The second part of his DSO March 25, 1945 was for his command of the first SAS regiment to France coordinated operations after the French resistance.

The citation was entirely due to the fine leadership of Mayne, and his disregard for danger, that the unit was able to achieve such a striking success. The third bar to his DSO. Mayne was recommended, he was recommended for the Victoria Cross for his actions in Germany in April 1945. He rescued men and eliminated opposition under heavy fire. Although the recommendation resulting in the third bar of his DSO, citation said new tenants Mayne was exposed to fire from small arms, sniper fires, and he then single-handedly fired burst after burst and killing or wounding the enemy.

If that does not meet the standard for the Victoria Cross, then we need to severely ask what does. Some say it is too late that we cannot rewrite history, but this isn't about rewriting history. It's about righting a wrong. Awarding this posthumously is about honouring a man whose valour was undeniable, as actions inspired those around him and his legacy still lives on. Let us act today not for glory but for justice and for Paddy Mayne.
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Alison Hume Portrait Alison Hume MP (Scarborough and Whitby, Labour)
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of members to my membership of the writers Guild of Great Britain. I'm delighted to be called to speak in delighted to be called to speak in this debate of the potential merits of awarding a posthumous Victoria of awarding a posthumous Victoria of awarding a posthumous Victoria Cross to the Luke Paddy Mayne. I know this is something he feels passionately about has spoken about passionately about has spoken about today. And the Backbench Business Committee his applications on all kinds of topics and this one caught my particular attention.

As a television screenwriter before I was proudly elected to this place, I am a huge fan of the hit TV drama " SAS Road Heroes". Created and written by Stephen Wright. The vivid retelling of the story of formation of written special air service, who were formed by David Sterling, is the ultimate military disruptors, and you changed the nature of the Second World War against the Nazis in Africa and beyond. It is amongst the best examples of why the United Kingdom is a powerhouse of the creative industries.

The rider, cast, and crew of the program, working for Kudos Productions created a hit show which capture the irreverence, humour, and bravery of the SAS. And retold the story of the brave men for a new generation. I am sure as I Will be crawling over the fantastic script to train AI models, just like they are poured over my scripts and that of many other screenwriters. Stealing copyrighted material, hard written and hard-won by real humans. Scraping it from under our noses without permission to make money for their AI companies.

If only we had the AI equivalent of SAS Rogue Heroes but honourable members will just have to rely on something a little more tame but which still has teeth, that is good legislation. Paddy Mayne is unforgettably played in the series by Jack O'Connell, bringing the character to vivid life. The producer of the show told me that shooting in the Sahara Desert in July at 50 made O'Connell and the other actors think they were just as hardcore as the SAS.

Until they were reminded that they had an air-conditioned hotel and a cold beer to return to that night. The conditions that Paddy Mayne and his colleagues operated in were truly beyond anything that we can imagine now. The raids that Paddy led in India followed by legendary outings in Italy and Sicily before he demonstrated outstanding courage by rescuing wounded men trapped in a Nazi ambush stop clearing a machine gun position and clearing a path for the Allied advance, this is truly the stuff of legend.

It was this outstanding bravery which earned him the citation for the Victoria Cross which was downgraded to a Distinguished Service Order, his fourth, and this has caused puzzlement ever since. Although he was one of that very few recipients of a rare third bar to the DSO, my honourable friend full-strength of is not alone in thinking this is not enough and that he should be posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross. As I understand it, it is a key tenet of the British honours and awards system they are not granted retrospectively, so the decision is made by peers and commandos of the time and this is respected.

How and why the citation was overturned might never now be fully understood. But I would say to the honourable member, although the pen strokes of a bureaucrat may be lost in the mists of time, the legacy of Paddy Mayne lives on in the democracy and the values that we now take for granted but were won by the sacrifices of his colleagues and the wider Armed Forces. His legacy lives on in the celebrations next month when we will mark the 80th anniversary of Victory in Europe, and then in August, VJ Day, commemorating the end of the Second World War.

If he were alive today, I'm sure Paddy Mayne would be looking to us in this place to do right by the men and women who serve and risk their lives for this country. And I'm proud to be part of a government committed to strengthening support for our veterans and Armed Forces, community, by putting the Armed Forces Covenant fully into law and ensuring that veterans have secure homes. To conclude, millions of people around the world have now learnt about Paddy Mayne's courage and leadership through the TV show.

70 years after his untimely death, Paddy Mayne has officially passed into legend and his phenomenal bravery will live on forever in the bravery will live on forever in the

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I rise to speak about a man whose
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Carla Lockhart Portrait Carla Lockhart MP (Upper Bann, Democratic Unionist Party)
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I rise to speak about a man whose name is etched into the DNA of the British special forces, a man of exceptional courage, legendary leadership, and honourable service to the country, Lieutenant Colonel Robert Blair, effectually known as Paddy Mayne. We want to take this forward and try to right the wrong. Mighty men have come from far and wide in support of Paddy Mayne. In Northern Ireland, we talk about rough diamond and Paddy Mayne was just that.

He was certainly not perfect and none of us today, none of us are perfect, but when it comes to his service, he certainly led from the front and was a mighty man. He was one of the founding pillars of the SES and helped to build it into the elite force that we now and revered today. -- SAS. His leadership during World War II changed modern warfare and he was a warrior in the truest sense - fearless and devoted to his men.

He received the distinguished service medal four times and was a man who led from the front, I who raided behind enemy lines with such ferocity and tactical genius that even his enemies respected him. He destroyed over 100 aircraft in dealing missions across North Africa and risked everything time and time again, not for medals, recognition, but because it was his duty. And yet, despite all of this and despite the eyewitness accounts of unimaginable bravery under fire, he unimaginable bravery under fire, he was denied the Victoria Cross and this wrong has never been made right.

The Victoria Cross is the highest award for gallantry in the face of the enemy and it is meant to honour the most conspicuous bravery and daring or pre-eminent act of valour or self-sacrifice. Paddy Mayne was the embodiment of those words. This is not just about righting wrongs from the past but recognising what he give up. He led from the front while others hesitated. He put his life on the line so his men could return home and his story has inspired generations of service men and women.

This is a matter of principle and it is time this country honours him, not just with words, statues, stories, what with the medal he so clearly earned. I urge the Minister to reconsider the seriousness and urgency of this matter. Paddy Mayne is a national hero who gave his all and the medal is long overdue and his country must give him the recognition he deserves, the Victoria Cross.
16:19
Lee Pitcher Portrait Lee Pitcher MP (Doncaster East and the Isle of Axholme, Labour)
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Thank you to the member from Strangford for hosting this debate today. The award of the Victoria Cross-extraordinary impact on individuals, families, communities. I would like to give an example of my own from my constituency where we were proud to produce Colonel John William Harper who served in the fourth Battalion of the north Lancashire Regiment, 1944. He led his section over open ground and led from the front, moving forward to establish the way forward before being fatally wounded in the assault.

His actions secured the success of the attack. He is remembered with a talent willing arrangement with the town in arrangement with the town in Belgium. -- town twinning. Also at the local church in St Lawrence and that the war graves and the local children still learn about Harper VC. Even in the last few years in an extension to Hatfield, it was named in his honour, showing the memory is still important to the people of the town. Why this is important and part of the debate is, as time moves on, new generations are born, the story of the Victoria Cross and of the legend who receives it means that we legend who receives it means that we never forget the gallantry, we never forget the gallantry of all those people who have served us.

This is why the Victoria Cross award can make all the difference. Recognising I feel like Blair Mayne who sacrificed so much for others and also for the pride it brings to the community. And regardless of what the Minister says today, I am so pleased for the member opposite who I called my honourable friend that he has been able to raise it today and the efforts of Blair Mayne will and the efforts of Blair Mayne will be recognised in the chamber and remembered forever.

remembered forever.
16:21
John Cooper Portrait John Cooper MP (Dumfries and Galloway, Conservative)
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I congratulate my neighbour, the honourable member for Strangford, prosecuting this -- for securing this debate. My first encounter with the SAS was when he got to the good bit of the John Wayne film on television and it was over to Kate Adie when the Iranian embassy was ready. As a journalist, I later met the man who really was the man on the balcony and not that man down the pub moaning about the colour of the boathouse at Hereford.

I also became friends with the colonel who was second in command of the regiment. Sadly, both men are no longer with us but one thing that is evident is that neither were a reckless psychopath. Hartman, yes. There is is a little business. -- They are in the little business. Controversy rages over the brilliant use of the SAS and this is nothing new. There were all sorts of claims about the book 'Bravo 20' after the first Gulf War and I was told that life in the regiment was not really about that, as you know, what they do know how to garrotte a century.

He said he would rather shoot me from my will be because there was less chance of being compromised. Uncompromising, thoughtful, cunning. As such, these men are surely inheritors of the spirit of Blair Mayne. He could be a wild man, especially in drink. As a cottage on the Isle of Arran which has bullet holes from his service revolver. David Stirling was a prisoner of war David Stirling was a prisoner of war in Italy. If Paddy Mayne was as unhinged as poetry, he would not have been able to forge a bunch of rogues into an effective fighting force.

The only disregard for safety he had was for himself, but never has men. Then there was the action from April 19, 1945, and this is not football-style VAR for gallantry medals. Are not opening cases by the dozen but justice. We never know exactly what happened but we know that Paddy Mayne was recommended for the Victoria Cross and his audacity was the only thing said to have kept him alive. We also do not know what made the authorities don't read the VC, professional jealousy? -- Downgrade.

Special forces officers who are to be general somehow do not make the cut. The hands of Paddy Mayne shaped the SAS and a US major raised the Delta Force and promised it will get you a medal or a body bag, maybe both, after time spent with the SAS. The legacy of Paddy Mayne is secure and there is no doubting his courage. We are not here to critique rogue kilos. It is fun, great soundtrack, great acting, but the accents are sketchy as the history.

We should examine the real issue and examine why the VC was approved by all who matter but rescinded in murky circumstances. I am a student of military history and I undertook an MA with the University of Birmingham. History is not fixed and it shifts and changes as details are new perspectives open. Look at the so-called chateau generals and aside from those who think Blackadder is a documentary, that show is happily being
16:26
Al Pinkerton Portrait Dr Al Pinkerton MP (Surrey Heath, Liberal Democrat)
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revisited. We look again at the main case. 80 years on, we can sense something odd about the lack of a something odd about the lack of a something odd about the lack of a VC. Signal rather than single - we VC. Signal rather than single - we have had this. We did both regulators with the rulebooks and procedures in time of peace and rat catchers in time of war. Paddy Mayne was a fine ratcatcher and regulators then and now should not stand between him and this country's most prestigious medal.



**** Possible New Speaker ****

I begin by acknowledging the honourable member for Strangford for tabling the motion and today's tabling the motion and today's important debate. We have supported important debate. We have supported so many new starters and it is good so many new starters and it is good to be supporting him and his advocacy today. As we try from members across the House, the courage and bravery of Paddy Mayne stands alongside the greatest soldiers of the past and present. We had was he demonstrated -- the heroism he demonstrated during the Second World War has been rightly demonstrated and I also want to talk about the work he did with the Falkland Islands dependencies survey.

This chapter focuses on unwavering dedication to service and duty and hold special resonance for me personally. As a recovering academic with this drug infested overseas territories of the UK and as a former Shackleton scholar, I've had the privilege of visiting the Falkland Islands numerous occasions, most recently in 2033. I have seen for myself first hand the pristine wilderness, unparalleled beauty of the wildlife and the unwavering strength of the people who called the Falklands home. In the aftermath of the Second World War, one might have expected admin, having given so much in battles and skirmishes, to have sought the comfort of home and have a well earned rest but that is not the direction he chose.

Instead of stepping away from public service, he delayed his return to civilian life and join the Falkland Islands Dependencies Survey. That survey began life as an naval operation in 1943 and it had a very important strategic purpose. The official mission had been to monitor shipping but the true goal was to counter Argentine and Chilean territorial manoeuvres by establishing bases in the region. When the war ended, the operation transitioned into the Falkland Islands Dependencies Survey and in late 1945, three former members of the SAS including Paddy Mayne the expedition.

Led by Naval Commander Bingham, Paddy Mayne was appointed second in command and this was not an easy visit to the southern hemisphere. Blair Mayne embraced the challenges of the mission and was active on board the ship, on the ground, and on the ice, participating in the expedition, leading dog teams, Serbian wildlife, and some of the most harsh and wild conditions. The journals and photographs of Paddy Mayne offer a rare glimpse into the life and work of British explorers, surveyors, scientists in the southern hemisphere during the post-war period revealing the isolation of the icy landscapes and the camaraderie he shared with his colleagues.

I recurrence of the same camaraderie that he demonstrated during his act of service in Africa. It was only a recurring back injury sustained during wartime service had forced his early return to the Falklands. Nothing could be done to ease the condition or the pain that he suffered from and from Port Stanley he was transported back to England and arrived in Northern Ireland in the spring of 1946. The interviewer cut short his service would trouble him for the rest of his life.

Off the injury. In his 30s, he settled in Northern Ireland and the former British and Irish Lion was said to have lived in such chronic pain he could not even spectate rugby matches from the For 80 years his supporters have remained acutely aware of the injustice in denying the Victoria Cross to this undisputed national hero. His legacy is not only one of valour in battle but of unparalleled leadership, courage, and sacrifice under the most severe conditions. As Colonel David Sterling, said, " He had a marvellous battle nostril.

He could sense precisely what he had to do in the situation. It wasn't sheer courage it was sheer technique. " Today's debate is not about rewriting history. It concerns the writing of a historic wrong. One that was evidenced at the time of its making in 1945 and one that has become clearer with the passage of
16:32
Lincoln Jopp Portrait Lincoln Jopp MP (Spelthorne, Conservative)
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time the application of clear eyed historical lens. On the 80th anniversary of the recommendation anniversary of the recommendation for him to receive Victoria Cross in that 70th anniversary of his that 70th anniversary of his untimely death in 1955, could be no better or more appropriate moment for the government to take up the for the government to take up the cause and finally awards Robert Blair Mayne the Victoria Cross, recommendation earned in 1945, and that is over 80 years overdue.



**** Possible New Speaker ****

Thank you Madame Deputy Speaker.

**** Possible New Speaker ****

Thank you Madame Deputy Speaker. I had not intended to speak in this debate to forgive me for not being as eloquent as other contributors. as eloquent as other contributors. It is an honour to follow the member for Surrey. He mentioned David Sterling. It would be remiss of me not to mention, particularly whilst not to mention, particularly whilst wearing this type, it was my own regiment which I spent 25 years. I would like to congratulate the member for Strangford for securing this debate and for something that this debate and for something that is 80 years too late.

He had me when he said that the king was confused and disappointed that Mayne had not been awarded the Victoria Cross. His had me when he said that Winston Churchill was equally confused and discombobulated and disappointed. It was the mention of Churchill that had me remembering a particular Churchill quote about medals. He said that medals glitter but they also cast. This has been going around my head as I listened to other members, such that I found the whole quotation.

It was from a speech given in this place, marks the 22nd 1944. " The object of presenting medals, stars, and ribbons to give pride and pleasure to those who have deserved them. At the same time, the distinction is something which is not possessed, if all habits, it is of less value. A medal glitters but it also casts shadows. " The way to get rid of shadows is to shine a light. I welcome the fact that the member for Strangford is shining a full beam of light on the case of Paddy Mayne today.

I invite the Minister to continue to shine that light with a review of this case, in the cold light of day, such that the Ministry of defence can reconsider an award of defence can reconsider an award Blair Paddy Mayne the Victoria Crosses so richly deserves.
16:34
Monica Harding Portrait Monica Harding MP (Esher and Walton, Liberal Democrat)
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The Frontbench contributions. Liberal Democrat spokesperson. I want to thank the honourable member for Strangford. Your in this debate today. On 8 May, this House together with the whole house and country was all about the 80th anniversary of Victory in Europe. This important milestone revives us with a renewed opportunity to reflect on the sacrifices and struggle of the greatest generation. Who fought to protect Britain preserve our freedom and democracy in the face of fascism and tyranny.

It is our duty, both in this house and in communities across the UK to recognise and celebrate the contributions made by our incredible service personnel to that security, defence, and prosperity of this country. That must include reflecting on the service of all those current military personnel protect us today. Those living veterans who finish their time in the Armed Forces, and those service men and women from previous generations who are no longer with us. They are, all of them, bound together by a thread of service and sacrifice to this country.

We must sacrifice to this country. We must continually renew our gratitude and remembrance for this service. That is why I welcome today's malleable debate. It shines a spotlight on the gallantry and terrorism one of the U.K.'s most decorated service men, Blair Paddy Mayne, and his proposed recognition the posthumous Victoria Cross I will be support. As the Premier operational gallantry award, it is worthwhile reminding ourselves of the requirements for it. It is awarded for the most conspicuous bravery, for some daring or pre- eminent act of valour or self- sacrifice, or extreme devotion to duty in the presence of the enemy.

It is clear that Blair Mayne personified the highest standards of bravery in the face of the enemy. And across his career in the special air, and on that basis, merits the award at the Victoria Cross. Blair Mayne was one of the first leaders of the SAS following its formation in 1941. Designed with the intention of conducting guerrilla warfare against the powers which were at that time on their march across Europe, Africa, and Asia. The role in the Second World War was unconventional but crucial, and the work of the SAS to disrupt enemy lines, through intelligence gathering and support for networks resisting groups against the fascist occupiers, this was vital in undermining the political and military strength.

As part of the event regiment, he showed extraordinary valour and heroism are carrying out dangerous and daring raids in North Africa, Italy, and France, harassing Nazi and Fascist supply lines. In November 1941, Mayne led one of the first SAS mission is considered to be a major success, an attack on a Libyan airfield which saw dozens of aircraft destroyed. In January 1943, following the capture of David Sterling, Mayne took over the command of the SAS going on to lead his men for campaigns in Sicily and Italy before the SAS took part in the D-Day landings.

These are a couple of examples on the conspicuous bravery displayed by Mayne in his leadership of the SAS. It is important to remember, for Mayne and all members of this elite regiment, apprehended by the Nazis from 1942 onwards, would likely mean their summary execution at the hands of their captors. Consistently operating under such condition requires without doubt exceptional bravery. Mayne is already one of our most decorated veterans. He was one of only eight people during the Second World War to be awarded the distinguished service award.

On four occasions at the time the second highest gallantry award behind the Victoria Cross. It serves as an important testament to the consistency of his bravery, leadership, and resolve, often in the face of the odds being stacked against them. It is only right and fair that we honour that courage today through the award of a possum of Victoria Cross. Indeed the award of a Victoria Cross would honour not just knee but also in many ways the role of our special forces writ large both historically and to this day.

For many people, their knowledge and understanding of the SAS will be informed by the BBC's dramatisation of the regiment in the TV series that honourable members have already referenced. It has had an important impact highlighting the enormous contribution of the SAS in securing the freedom we celebrate today and protecting us. It is also highlighting the important work of the BBC in bringing stories such as these to the attention of the public. Impressing on all of us the sacrifices and courage of our Armed Forces.

There are now only a few remaining living veterans of that greatest generation can recall their stories and remind us of the price which they and so many others paid to defend our way of life. Indeed just last month we said goodbye to another Abbey, group Captain John Paddy Hemingway. The last surviving pilot from the Battle of Britain. As part of the RAF, he defended our country from invasion. We have a responsibility to champion their voices and their deeds. And to continue to recognise acts of outstanding valour and heroism in our Armed Forces.

And that is why I will be support the award 's Victoria Cross to Blair Mayne. The declaration of King -- king George VI is within our gift to correct. VI is within our gift to correct.
16:40
Rebecca Smith Portrait Rebecca Smith MP (South West Devon, Conservative)
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Thank you Madame Deputy Speaker. Like everybody else in the room I would like to thank the honourable member from Strangford for bringing this debate this afternoon on the final day before Easter. We have enjoyed listening to both the stories that he has shared but also the many other stories that have been shared across the room. It is worth putting on record that although I've never wanted to be a commando, I did call many of them both constituents and friends, and know there are many members across this house are also my friends.

I would also like to put on record reference to my regiment and referred to the Commonwealth Grace commission. I thought I would start my remarks by mentioning the one Victoria Cross that I had a direct interaction with, albeit posthumously, which was another posthumous award in 2020. An Australian ordinary Seaman, the great thing about the Victoria Cross as it knows no record of rank it is open to everybody. He was awarded the VC in 2020 by the late Queen.

What was lovely was that the Navy Memorial was having the initials added, and watching the lettering being created and soldered into place was particularly moving. It gives another example of a posthumous award that has been given. What was striking about the comments particularly from the honourable for Strangford, and others was the repetition of the word leadership. Everybody in this room if you are like me will be thinking, this man was a blitz example of some of the things we need to show as politicians.

I have certainly felt inspired listening to the things that he did. As the honourable Member for Strangford said, he was leader of men, he was born for that time, he dominated the scene, none of the enemy remain. There are some great managers therefore each of us as we head into the local elections perhaps. He defeated and destroy the enemy. But we are here to talk about him. I particularly enjoyed the more modern references to screenwriting, to our journalistic colleagues, the member for Scarborough and Whitby and Dumfries and Galloway, and the link to the Falkland Islands that the member for Surrey Heath Reyes.

Big Apple to understand what Paddy Mayne did after he had left the SAS is particularly important. The reference to Corporal John Harper VC, and the reminder of Winston Churchill's words, and indeed the Kings words my colleague from Spelthorne mentioned at all. May I use this opportunity to place on record my and His Majesty's Official Opposition the unwavering support for our special forces as they exist today, they continue to play a vital role for our country. Whilst we will always respect the requirement for operational secrecy, I'm sure honourable members from both sides of this house sleeps soundly knowing that we have such highly trained and brave soldiers affecting the nation.

Representing a constituency as I do which is home not just to many veterans but also many serving personnel, some of whom I know take part in the most daring and dangerous missions. And being able to speak in this debate this afternoon is a real honour. The life story of Robert Blair Mayne is filed accounts as we have heard exciting, brave, and just a little bit controversial. Operating in some of the most unforgiving locations in the world, example North Africa, and the Normandy landings, highlights the vital work of the new elite commando forces special as service that came into being during the Second World War in which Blair Paddy Mayne was such an important member.

It is no doubt that Lieutenant Colonel Paddy Mayne so gallantly and with distinction something his military record highlight. His Distinguished Service Order and the three bars, even if one of those is this afternoon's debate, as well as receiving another award from the French and from the Belgians. But it seems as if evidence may now exist suggest that the third DSO bar should indeed have been a VC all along. I know how important securing the appropriate level of honour for Paddy Mayne and others is too many today.

Those still alive who served at that time and those who fight on their behalf. I have spent hours with one of my constituents who believes deeply that his service should be recognised with a distinct medal rather than a 90 3090 9045 staff. And he will not apply for that clasp, such is his desire to be recognised for his work. This specific case aside, our overarching position is that we continue to support the independent recognition process.

It is an independent Honours and awards committee whose job it is to decide the nature of gallantry awards, and in the case of the Victoria Cross Iraola remains in the gift of the sovereign. Equally, I remain reluctant for the process to become politicised or for there to be president. Or to overlook or second-guess history. Having worked for the Commonwealth War Graves Commission I'm particularly interested in historical fact, to ensure we follow. Having spent six years working for the war graves commission across the south-west, I want to touch on one story which I think is helpful to what we are discussing this afternoon.

Anyone familiar with iconic headstones may be aware that many have a small inscription at the bottom, always worth a look if you're ever in a cemetery. It is known as the personal inscription. I do not think personal inscription. I do not think They were instituted as a way for families to personalise headstone and it came about after debate in this place regarding the uniformity of headstones decided at the end of the second world war and the lack of choice for families about how their loved one would be commemorated.

I would recommend a deep dive into Hansard if you are interested. The work of the commission has continued and in some cases headstones have been replaced because of wear and tear. By definition, the capital they did not know the person. The commission has set in place a policy for what to do when relatives wish to add an inscription to a headstone. Essentially, they are not allowed to add one in if there was one. It was reached that there was a reason why the family at the time chose not to inscribe.

Because the commission does not have records of why it was added and did not, adding or changing it would alter the integrity of the commemoration. I'm hearing the story because I believe it has some bearing on how posthumous awards are given. Television shows like the one we have of today do so much to bring untold stories to the fore and get the country talking about issues that have previously not been discussed. While the stories can promote debate, the policy and decisions made around the issues that they raise must be evidenced- based, insistent, and not set an unhelpful precedent.

In this case, it seems like compelling new evidence is coming to light that prompts a rethink. At its core, the debate is about an individual soldier, and Northern Irish soldier from Norwich, who stepped up when his country needed him. -- Newtownards. I'm sure it will not go unnoticed at we stand here celebrating one of the spectrum, many are currently living in fear. A recent verdict has shone a spotlight on Northern Ireland veterans again and I place on record my thanks to the Ministers for Vectors for the inquest on Clonagh.

Aiko pays experience and judgement is being sought by colleagues in the Northern sought by colleagues in the Northern Ireland Office. As Already Mentioned, this debate provides the opportunity to debate the record and Veterans Affairs as a country. The previous government set a new standard for supporting veterans with the creation of the office for vectors of the Ox, a vectors minister, the introduction of ID cards, and the courage to support mental health services for veterans, many of which would have been the colleagues of Paddy Mayne if that service had existed.

It is a matter of public record and I welcome the given the party opted for the work but before I conclude I want to use this opportunity to highlight an issue which the government might like to give some attention to around these Second World War veterans. As we approach the 80th anniversary of VE Day and VJ Day, we must keep in mind the 70,000 Who have survived unlike some of the colleagues of Paddy Mayne who are still alive.

These men and women are highly likely to be fast approaching or have reached the incredible age of 100 and that brings me back to my constituent who, a few weeks ago, I visited at his care home. He has lived to the ripe old age of 99 years and it once and despite being £5000 a month to live in a local care home. I believe his case highlights the fact that we are fortunate enough to be living in the midst of men and women who lived through the war and took part in through the war and took part in active combat in the case of Ivor and contributed to society afterwards.

I gently ask the Minister what consideration has been given to how we acknowledge and show gratitude to those less than 70,000 individuals still alive as we mark the liberation that Paddy Mayne fought for. In conclusion, I'm grateful to the honourable member for Strangford for the opportunity to contribute to the debate. Given my constituency links to commando forces and my previous career with the War Graves Commission, I am a passionate advocate for veterans at the prison on to debate such an the prison on to debate such an
16:52
Al Carns Portrait Al Carns MP, Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans) (Birmingham Selly Oak, Labour)
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important topic. -- For veterans it is a privilege to debate such an important topic. We share the important topic. We share the commitment and gratitude across the South for the great men and women who have served our country in the armed forces. We must ensure armed forces. We must ensure gallantry medals and awards at all levels are presented where evidence is irrefutable to ensure the is irrefutable to ensure the intrinsic value is maintained and it seems the story of Paddy Mayne can do just that.



**** Possible New Speaker ****

do just that. Thank you very much, Madam Deputy Speaker. Thank you to the honourable member from Strangford for bringing this important debate to this place today. It's important to shine a light on this issue. I have the greatest respect for the sustained and passionate advocacy in support of a posthumous Victoria Cross for Robert Blair Mayne. I associate myself with the powerful tribute made by many in the House today. He was without doubt one of the greatest heroes of the Second World War.

His legacy lives on in the spirit of the SAS today and his accomplishments were rightly celebrated for a generation. He was also treating the recent BBC drama. Firstly, I think it is worthwhile, particularly pertinent, that Lieutenant Colonel Mayne is recognised and the is one of the rare recipients of the third bar. In recognition of his efforts, it should be remembered that it made him one of the most highly decorated officers of that time in the army.

Secondly, it is possible to give gallantry awards and it is a key tenet that they are not granted retrospectively this ensures awards are timely and clearly linked to specific actions or activities aren't awarded within the context of that time. As I mentioned many times in this debate, specifically when talking about Northern Ireland and the various inquest and inquires it is their responsibility to understand the context of Northern Ireland at the height of the Troubles and we must also understand the context in which the senior generals made decisions are run gallantry medals.

For gallantry awards as well as civilian and military honours the guidance as they will not be considered more than five years after the incident in question. It's worth recalling that all these matters take place discussed in great detail in the context of recognition at the end of the war. It is worth noting that out of all the years, it was after 1945 more Victoria Crosses were rewarded than those living. It is not than those living. It is not necessarily a fact that the bar was higher at the end of the war.

In June 1946 was recommended no further recommendations for gallantry awards should be considered after 1950. From what we know, from the people that exist about the recommendation for the Victoria Cross for Paddy Mayne commodity speculation that the appropriate process was not followed and that an administrative error to place. The evidence we have suggests the citation passed through the correct chain of command and was properly considered by a succession of senior officers, all of whom were experienced and had combat experience and leadership on the field in consideration of the recognition of gallantry awards, after many years of hard fighting during the Second World War.

I thought it might be worthwhile bringing forward some of those correspondence. Certain correspondence held by the deputy military secondary to the Canadian army reveals some doubt about discussion between members of the VC committee. It was considered not quite clearly up to be the standard and not a single act of heroism. In the letter the deputy undersecretary suggested the award of the third bar but it cannot be known for certain this was the reason it was amended. It is clear that at some point in the process it was considered more appropriate that Lieutenant Colonel Mayne was awarded the third bar to his DSO, an exceptionally high honour and that was signed off by Field Marshal Montgomery who had significant experience.

We now it was not uncommon at the time for a recommended level of the word to be changed as a citation went to the consideration process. Today that process remains relatively similar. I have sat on many of these committees in my time in the military. They will rank awards against the context from their own particular perspective. A unit may have to deal with 20, a brigade 60, and we do not necessarily the totality at the time the consideration was considered.

There may have been stiff competition across some of the military, particularly the army. I fully respect all those who disagree with the decision that was made with relation to Paddy Mayne but I believe it is credible to include that he was a war hero of the absolute highest honour and also concluding that in some cases is not appropriate for officers, officials, or ministers working some 80 years later to overrule decisions made by senior officers at the time who were steeped in wartime experience and had contemporary appreciation of the brave actions of Lieutenant Colonel Mayne and his peers.

I think some fantastic points were made today in this important debate. Winston Churchill casts a shadow over those who perhaps did not get a medal and for everyone who did, they are is probably 100 or 1000 everyone who did, they are is probably 100 or 1002 did not. Australia has been raised twice. The honourable member mentioned this but the separate honours system does not have a honours system does not have a separate number. There was a second retrospective one for Edward Shean and there are talks about this across.

It was news to me about the Falkland Islands and I'm sure Paddy Mayne enjoyed the isolation. The Bomber Command Medal shows how divisive the metals can be and I'm sure good with military service can remember multiple conversations about who got one and two did not. It is worth noting when we talk about honouring those who served in the Second World War and the circumstances we had was a lot of World War II veterans. I would also conclude that combat, as mentioned earlier, can bring the best and indeed the worst out of us.

I would also argue, and I've said several times in the House, that college is a decision and not a reaction and it was clear to me that Lieutenant Colonel Mayne made multiple decisions that were two ridges, not just reactions nor of habits. To conclude, I'm extremely grateful to the honourable member for Stratford for the opportunity he has given us all to mark the incredible bravery and leadership and spirit demonstrated by Paddy Mayne some 80 years ago. Robert Blair Mayne was simply one of the greatest, from our greatest generation.

A man of audacity, ingenuity, and fearsome covetousness. His raids behind enemy lines and coming to the aid of Conrad's under fire as his top military legend and he is a man whose spirit lives on in the motto of the SAS and the pro-history of the ACS marks him out as one of the most battle hardened organisations of their time and the very tip of the spear. Paddy Mayne and his... Was not only a kid or his regiment but a national hero and reminds me of the saying that we must protect It is recognised that clerical mistakes in judgement orders, or errors arising from any accidental slip or omission in language permits fixing such errors with no time lag.

As long as the original decision intention holes. As a member of Parliament who has a DSO, I will therefore take note of this, the new evidence has been highlighted, and the context with which it sits. And under the exceptional circumstances of this debate, and I will ask the honours and awards committee reviewed the evidence and look to find a decision. Once a decision is found by that independent body it will be finalised. I think that will provide us an answer once and for all on Paddy Mayne's service and indeed how it is recognised.

There is lots of discussions today about having a look at the evidence with fresh eyes. Let's have a look, a cold calculated review at the historical fact. I will go away, the honours and awards committee will do that and will be present that evidence in that house. I would like to thank the honourable member for the debates today. Robert Blair the debates today. Robert Blair Mayne is a man who spirit a legend will remain in the history of Parliament in perpetuity.

Parliament in perpetuity.
17:02
17:03
None Portrait Points of Order
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I thank the honourable lady for his inspiring Easter windup. The question is as on the Order Paper. As many are of that opinion say, "Aye". And of the contrary, "No". The ayes have it. The ayes have it. Point of order.

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Thank you Madame Deputy Speaker. For allowing me to make this point of order this afternoon. We are of order this afternoon. We are about to retire for the Easter recess. Indeed the adjournment debates is about to begin. I am debates is about to begin. I am rather perturbed by the fact that rather perturbed by the fact that the Order Paper now lists the Easter adjournment debate not as the Easter adjournment debate any longer but adjournment debate any longer but instead general debate, matters to be raised before the forthcoming be raised before the forthcoming adjournment.

As you know I have been a member of Parliament for 24 years. The Easter adjournment debate was always a significant occasion. Also remembering the fact that Easter is the holiest time of year for Christians in this country. Can I have an assurance that this is the Easter adjournment debate? We have not taken away the Christian character of this important occasion? And will it be reflected in future Order Paper's and indeed

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in Hansard itself? I am grateful to the Honourable member for giving notice of this member for giving notice of this point of order. The subjects for debate today including the titles of the debate were determined the the debate were determined the Backbench Business Committee. The debate titled are not a matter for debate titled are not a matter for the chair. The honourable member may the chair. The honourable member may well expect he has the opportunity to take that up with the chair of the committee who I expect might be

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the committee who I expect might be about to speak. Point of order Bob Blackman. Thank you Madame Deputy Speaker. Can I assure you and the whole House
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17:06
Bob Blackman Portrait Bob Blackman MP (Harrow East, Conservative)
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Can I thank the chair of the Backbench Business Committee for that clarification. Which now brings us to the backbench debate on matters to be raised before the forthcoming Easter adjournment. Bob Blackman to move.

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Thank you Madame Deputy Speaker. I beg to move that the house has considered matters before the Easter considered matters before the Easter recess. The first quarter of this recess. The first quarter of this year has flown by. It seems like only yesterday we were preparing for Christmas and the New Year. I'm Christmas and the New Year. I'm pleased that the weather has finally pleased that the weather has finally indicated that spring has sprung. With clocks going forward, the days are getting longer and everyone is getting a little chirpy.

I apologise getting a little chirpy. I apologise in advance because I have a bit of a cold I hope I don't develop worse in this speech. It has been a busy few months both in Parliament and across my constituency. I've been speaking in the chamber hosting resident tours, fishing schools, and preparing for local elections, piloting a presentation bill, chairing the Backbench Business Committee, as we have celebrated Lent, Ramadan, and still no trophy for Tottenham Hotspur. Maybe if we played more like a different team we would win, that is an in joke.

I say four colleagues it has been an exhausting time. Many of us may be feeling tired but I get this location. I'm delighted I am chair the Backbench Business Committee following the footsteps of the former member for Gateshead after he stood down having served nine years as chair of the committee. It is encouraging so many members are keen to get in on this debate this afternoon. Particularly I hope to hear some topical and important issues being raised.

On the issue of Backbench Business debates, if any colleague is putting an application in now, you can wait until probably the end of November or December before you are actually going to debate in this chamber because we have such a long waiting list. I would like to thank, it is an opportunity to thank all of the house for making time to meet me to discuss the committee and ensuring the Back Benchers have had a good time to discuss the matters they wish to raise.

On TfL, regular attendees of these debates were no I regularly bang the drum for lift in the tube station in my constituency. I am still banging the drum and we still don't have any left. We recently had an excellent report from the transport select committee on disabled access to public transport. In a subsequent statement in the House on the matter. It is clear from the report and expenses in the constituency that we need a tighter definition of "Debt free. " It may require a change in the law.

My cause for a lift at Stanmore station, and campaigning to make the station step three. The station is officially classified as step free but that is a very broad definition is to get from gate line to the street requires you to either go up 71 stairs or go up a ramp so steep that even an athlete could not manage it. Then you have to will yourself through a car park with no payment of nearly 400 yards. So we think we need legislative change.

And also lifts at Canons Park and Queens Bridge station. My neighbouring constituency has got East Coast station that has been allocated lifts. It has far fewer paid passengers than Stanmore so clearly TfL consider the matter of lifts at Stanmore to be inconsequential. I see no other option to make leisurely change which will deal with step free access in order to get movement from TfL. As chairman of the all-party group for Israel, we are conscious of the escalating situation in the Middle East.

There is a clear and present danger that the terrorists remain in Gaza, conflict cannot have a long-term resolution and could drag Hezbollah and extreme forces in the Middle East into a full-scale war with Israel which none of us want to see. Events which have unfolded in the Middle East since seventh of October 2023 have been unbearable to witness. Israel suffered the worst terrorist attack in its history at the hands of the Iranian-backed group Hamas. Innocent civilians were brutally murdered, hundreds were taken hostage including babies, children, and the elderly.

Hostages have been held in appalling conditions, and the accounts given by those released have been distressing and harrowing. As a direct consequence of the actions of Hamas on 7 October, and the use of civilian infrastructure to undertake terrorist actions, Palestinian civilians are facing devastating humanitarian crisis in Gaza. My thoughts are with the families of those held hostage at every innocent life which has been lost or impacted by this conflict. I firmly support Israel's right to defend itself against security threats.

And we must work and continue to press the government to work with international partners to support a ceasefire in Gaza, the releasable hostages, a provision of age, and press for a lasting and sustainable end to this conflict. The longer-term, I continue to support a credible and reversible pathway towards a two-state solution for Israel and Palestine living side-by-side in peace and security for both nations and the wider

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region. I will give way. First of all I want to thank the chair the Backbench Business chair the Backbench Business Committee for all those debates during the year, and there are more during the year, and there are more coming up. I also want to say in relation to the future of Gaza and Israel, does he share my concern that, and I support the two-state that, and I support the two-state solution, if it is going to be peace, it can only happen if Hamas peace, it can only happen if Hamas are not there? Those the people who restrict freedoms, restrict liberty, and does he believe if we want to feature everyone can have peace, they cannot be part of that?

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Can I assure him that he won't gain any favouritism in terms of gain any favouritism in terms of applications for further debates. I do say that I was saddened to hear do say that I was saddened to hear that yet again Hamas fired 10 rockets into Israel on Sunday night rockets into Israel on Sunday night in an attempt to cause further harm and destruction, despite the civilians of Gaza being in desperate civilians of Gaza being in desperate need of a ceasefire.

This does not show they are a terrorist organisation, don't what would. They are solely focused on the are solely focused on the destruction, not only of Israel but of their own people. It is an outrage. With Passover coming, I pray we can reach a true settlement and restore peace to the region ensuring that no more life is lost. Having just celebrated, the Persian year, we need a free and democratic Iran. Within Iraq people continue to be suppressed by the antidemocratic regime, silenced and imprisoned for showing any opposition to the IRGC.

The regime have become increasingly brutal at least 230 people executed in Iran during the first three months of this year. It is double the number of people executed in the same period last year. The IRGC are a threat to global prosperity and security. They continue to fund external groups. It is a particular concern that Iran, Russia, China have been engaging in talks regarding nuclear programs. I hope resident trumps firm approach to their actions will make them think twice before committing further disruption.

Once again I urge the government to turn the promise into action and Proscribed Terrorist Organisations the IRGC its entirety. As chair of the Parliamentary group, we face a rise in cost-of-living, increasing unemployment, and more recently, the council tax rises as well. Many people have been. To live in poverty, struggling to pay their rent. Rents have risen by 9% this year taking them out of reach for many and forcing many into temporary accommodation or worse. Onto the street and having to sleep rough.

In Harrow East alone, according to the recent reports by Crisis, 1.9% of housing is deemed affordable. It is unsustainable and exerts considerable pressure on local authorities. In more positive news I'm pleased that my third bill on homelessness, attacking rough sleeping past second reading unopposed recently. Homelessness Prevention Bill focuses on using prevention at the core of solving the rough sleeping problem. It is often too late and much more expensive to help people once they are ready on the streets.

The bill would increase the effectiveness of the current duty on local housing authorities in England to take reasonable steps to help an applicant who is threatened with favourable to ensure we can swiftly protect future generation from the sun. I look forward to working further on the bill, scrutinising and ensuring that appropriate amendments are adopted so we can achieve a smoke-free society in our lifetime. I would like to pay tribute to my friends at Ash who have hosted events for colleagues In the first quarter alone, I visited men's gold in my constituency with more to come.

-- constituency with more to come. -- Nine schools. I have heard ideas for improving the way the country is run. I'm constantly astounded by the high level of education and the standard provided and the thoughtful questions that were posed by students of all ages. Every visit has been notable with some of the has been notable with some of the most notable is it to Shaftesbury high. When we think of people with disabilities and special needs, it's important to focus not on what people cannot do but on what they can do and at Shaftesbury High School they have created a coffee hot where children can learn to be a barista and having tasted one of their brews I can confirm they will give Starbucks a run for their money.

I look forward to the new school to be created in Harrow. We have got the land, the opportunity, the support of teachers and now we need government support to make it happen. Another notable visit, mostly for my staff, was to school where I was covered and prouder by the students. We were celebrating spring, new life, and love. The recess is a well-deserved break for all members and staff but I will host one of my three annual work experience programs, welcoming 19 experience programs, welcoming 19 eager visitors to my constituency to teach them what it is like to be an MP and how they can get involved in politics.

I've welcomed hundreds to the program over the years with many coming to work in my office. It is a great way to engage with constituents at the younger generation, inspiring them to get involved and learn about parliamentary processes. As I come to the end of my remarks, Madam Deputy Speaker, I pray tribute to Deputy Speaker, I pray tribute to Sir David Amess, who love to participate in these debates. He remains in our thoughts. I wish everyone a happy Easter and Passover and hope everyone enjoys some rest and enjoys good food, chocolate, and

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good company. The question is as on the order paper and with the birthday contribution, Adam Strickland.
17:19
Alan Strickland Portrait Alan Strickland MP (Newton Aycliffe and Spennymoor, Labour)
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contribution, Adam Strickland. I will need to have my birthday more often. It is a pleasure to speak in this Easter adjournment debate and be paid tribute to the debate and be paid tribute to the memory of Sir David Amess, our late The amount of stuff he crammed into the speeches was the stuff of legend. I am unlikely to match that. I will talk about three organisations in my constituency. I will start with the local football club. The players, fans, and everyone involved at the club are celebrating the fantastic victory against Rochdale at the weekend.

Willing this game means they will play in the FA Trophy final at Wembley and that this incredible. I am really proud of what the club has achieved and it was brilliant to see them play in a fantastic match. Congratulations to everyone involved. I am also hugely grateful to the contribution to the community that they make. Since it was founded in 1904, the club has been at the heart of the town's life. The community meals program supports 400 residents a week and they engage 300 young people in youth engagement work and there is wide participation in the disability football scheme, so more people can take part in the sport.

I thank them for their work and congratulate them on their victory and pay particular tribute to their chairman, manager, and managing director. They are a reminder of what many football clubs used to be and all could and should be, organisations that unite communities, support local people, and invest in the next generation of players. Next I would pay tribute to everyone involved in running the local village hall and thank them for the wide range of activities that they provide.

They are village hall like no other. They are hall like no other. They are thriving community hub who run a community pantry and organise makers markets and fitness classes and support groups and many other great activities. I was pleased to be invited to their beer festival. A volunteer handmade bath which had 40 different draught ales and ciders and I feel it was my duty to sample the project and I'm pleased to report to the House from my hazy memory that it was all excellent.

Sticking to the theme of liquid refreshment, village hall also has a refreshment, village hall also has a craft group, Pimm's and Needles. And while many villages have seen a lot of shops, pubs, other facilities, the incredible team of volunteers remind as it is possible to have a thriving institution at the heart of the community. Finally, I would like to recognise the local railway for the leadership they have shown. Since 2013, volunteers have led the campaign to ensure the bicentenary of the first public passenger railway is properly marked and I'm proud that 2025 marks 200 years since locomotion was first placed on the tracks of the local station in my constituency.

That crucial moment was the birth of the passenger rail network from which all rail the world can trace its beginnings. They have championed the cause of the real B, encourage investment in local museums, establish the heritage trail, and started an international festival to mark the anniversary. I would like to thank Lee Germon for reading this incredible work. By celebrating -- thank the chairman. Marking the defining contribution of our nation to the creation of the railway is something I cope members from across the House will join us in recognising this year.

It is a particular pride that my complaint is not only the birthplace of railways but essential to the future with modern trends ruling of the production lines at the local plant and I was delighted to welcome the Transport Secretary last week. In closing, can I thank everyone involved with the football club, Luke Hall, and the Friends of the Stockton and Darlington Railway. Community organisations like these make my community and the country make my community and the country the thriving places of pride and the thriving places of pride and opportunity that they are today.
17:24
Rebecca Paul Portrait Rebecca Paul MP (Reigate, Conservative)
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And with an immediate time limit

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of five minutes, Rebecca Hall. Thank you, Madam Deputy Speaker.

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Thank you, Madam Deputy Speaker. I'm pleased to rise to speak in my first Easter Adjournment and also first Easter Adjournment and also pay tribute to Sir David Amess who I sadly never had the pleasure of meeting. I wish to speak about meeting. I wish to speak about neighbourhood policing and tackling town centre crime, which we were due to debate yesterday and so I take to debate yesterday and so I take the opportunity to raise this today. This is particularly relevant for Redhill in my constituency which has been suffering from increased levels of antisocial behaviour and crime in recent years.

Redhill is an amazing time which is the cultural epicentre of the local area and it has undergone significant transformation in the last decade with new developments such as the cinema. As a result, I am pleased to say more people from further afield are visiting and enjoying all that has to offer. It is positive for the local economy and we have seen an increase in antisocial behaviour at the same time. To address the real issues faced, the Safer Redhill initiative was introduced, a partnership between the police, the local council, and the YMCA to cut crime and foster pride in the town.

The project adopts the framework which is a three stage approach with offenders cleared from the area and partners work together to put interventions in place to keep it that way. From interventions at the train station to officers out at night looking for suspicious behaviour, huge amounts have been achieved as part of the initiative. There have been 100 the rest with a combined present time of 25 years combined present time of 25 years and 86 drug seizures.

-- 125 arrests. £89,000 worth of cash recovered and weapons taken off the streets. I want to take this opportunity to thank the local police and the commander and the recent crime Commissioner for ensuring Redhill got the additional police focus it needed. -- Police and crime Commissioner. Making Redhill safer is not just about police action by prevention and that is where the YMCA has come in. Of qualified youth workers who have been supporting local young people at risk of offending and giving them the support they need and helping them to thrive and flourish.

They had been getting out and about in Redhill to engage with young people and I thank them today for the important part they have played in making Redhill safer and ensuring a more positive future for the next Of what can be achieved with the police and charity sector working hand-in-hand, all partners bring different skills and expertise to the table with the same ultimate goal. I thank and pay tribute to everyone involved. It is wonderful to see the local community feeling safer at the town centre and businesses feeling more confident about their future.

There is still much to do and I want to speak briefly on some of the other challenges faced in Redhill city. First of all, parking, Redhill has a fantastic pedestrianised shopping centre but some people mistake it as a car park and even use it to cut through. It is disrespectful and downright dangerous. They used to be physical blocks in place to prevent access from cars which need to be fixed and would go a long way to addressing the issue but we also have a role to play.

We must ensure unnecessary and antisocial parking late in the case of the town centre is tackled and routinely enforced. This type of parking affects feel to your users, people with visual impairments, making it difficult for people to get around safely. We must tackle this. It has been raised for years. It's not an offence to park on the pavement. It ensures traffic flows on roads where it is the only option. It is an offence if the vehicle creates an additional barrier.

The problem is what constitutes an unnecessary obstruction and the ambiguity makes it agreeable difficult for police to successfully prosecute offenders. As a consequence, we see few incidents of enforcing, given the low success rate. I would therefore urge the government administrative look at how to make it clear which types of pavement parking are prohibited and which are not so effective enforcement can be deployed by police or a local authority to create the necessary deterrent effect. In terms of time, I will thank Madam Deputy Speaker.

I thank you for allowing me to talk about the wonderful town of Redhill for so long and the huge amounts of work that had been put into making it safer. I will bring my remarks to a close for that others can make their contributions.
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17:30
Dawn Butler Portrait Dawn Butler MP (Brent East, Labour)
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a moment I thought the Chair of the Backbench Business Committee was trying to cancel Easter. I want to stand to talk briefly about Gambon and the Gambon Act and how I am sick and tired of the establishments and tired of the establishments popping up in my constituency. -- Gambling. Every time a shop closes, a gambling establishment tries to put up a betting shop. The Gambling Act is not fit for the modern age because it has the in to permit where councils have to permit devices and I've had so many arguments with the council that they have now led a limiting campaign and have been joined by 40 other councils around the country, calling on the government to reform the Gambling Act to protect the high street and they have a 6-point plan.

Number one, reform the aim to permit Lucy, categorise Gambon premises, consider household debt and planning, introduce a statutory levy, ban gambling advertising, halt the liberalisation of gambling centres. The betting terminals are more addictive than heroin and for everyone addicted to gambling, at least seven others are affected. I have 81 licensed premises in rent and more Gambon establishments than supermarkets and schools. It is ridiculous. I call that when the government does the devolution white paper partnerships, that we will be able to also amend that so we can reset the relationship between central and local government and ensure that local authorities can listen to local residents, especially like mine, so that when we say we need no more gambling premises on high fees, they are not premises on high fees, they are not Cheryl McAvoy called the next beaker, I want to get everyone in commerce I will start with an commerce I will start with an immediate fall -- for minute time limit.

 Dorset is burning. Just before
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Vikki Slade Portrait Vikki Slade MP (Mid Dorset and North Poole, Liberal Democrat)
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midnight last Wednesday, the sky outside my House glowed a deep orange. A precious stretch of orange. A precious stretch of habitat was ablaze in the middle of habitat was ablaze in the middle of the area. A special site of interest was also going up in smoke for top day before that, Moors Valley country Park just outside my mid Dorset constituency also caught Dorset constituency also caught fire. These are not isolated incidents. They are frighteningly incidents. They are frighteningly normal.

Fire crews from Dorset, Hampshire and the Isle of Wight worked through the night, but still worked through the night, but still more than 70 m of ground were burned. In March part of RSPB Arbor Torch, Canford Heath went up in smoke as well, all of these in my constituency. Also wildlife trust rushed to the rescue of reptiles to assess the devastation the birds nest. And even when the nest and the eggs survive, the insect food sources gone. The nature organisations established will take these five years to recover from one incident.

Dorset is one of the few areas in the country where nature is actually making a comeback, which is partly thanks to the Dorset Heath partnership. How long can we keep winning this matter if the fires keep coming? So what is causing fires? Let me be clear, it's us. Almost every one of these fires from Upton Heath to Wareham Forest was caused by human activity, a careless cigarette, illegal campfires, and worse, liberal arson. As climate change makes our -- deliver arson for the as climate change makes it warmer, fires are more frequent and harder to contain full top my dad served with London Fire Brigade for his entire career.

And I've been a member of the Dawson Wiltshire fire authority. I've seen what they do. Here is running towards danger as we run away. But I've seen how underfunded they are. Last year, we lost by appliances with further threats to the region. The response times when family homes are a risk and when you are stuck in a flood. Dawson woke to find rescue received a real terms cut in government funding, and the Fire Brigade Union has said that fire funding is now lower than a decade ago.

A brandy House pays just £1.76 per week for their fire service in Dorset through the council tax local services have no flexibility to raise more if they want to. We need proper investment, trains for wildfire detection, equipment flood rescues and for bariatric patients. When you fire crews not just to respond but educate, prevent and prepare. Doing a great job attending schools like the middle school to share the dangers with young children but they are stretched in capacity, so I'm calling on the government to rethink via service funding so it sustainable for the future.

But let's look at the cause of semi- accidental fires. Disposable barbecues, they seem harmless but they've been the spark behind countless wildfires, over 1,000 London in just a year. Local authorities can and do impose PSP owners and Dorset is consulting on one, but of petrol stations and supermarkets keep selling them, people keep buying them. Disposable barbecues not only the fires, they get left behind on beaches, burn unsuspecting feet and create litter. It's time we consider a ban. As we head into the Easter recess, I want to encourage people to enjoy Dorset with plenty of Easter egg huts -- hunts.

But please leave your barbecue home. I want to end by putting on record my thanks to all members of the emergency services, including volunteers working alongside them, including the RNLI, Dorset community first responders volunteers.
17:36
Navendu Mishra Portrait Navendu Mishra MP (Stockport, Labour)
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Can join other members in the chamber in paying tribute to Sir David Amess it was a moment to figure in British politics and internationally? Banks continue to do well despite the challenges ordinary households faithful without some disappointing constituency Mike does what and use my constituency that NatWest have closed nine branches this year for top many in Manchester and one in my constituency first of these branch closes will undoubtedly cause uncertainty for staff and they will also have an adverse and disproportionate impact on people with low incomes, older people, disabled people and people with lower level of literacy who rely on these bank branches.

After NatWest group was rescued in 2008 x 40 £5 billion government bailout, I believe that NatWest group has a duty of care to the British taxpayers and should continue to provide vital community services. I also want to mention in the limited time that we have, I visited some several excellent secondary schools in my constituency. Recently including Redditch well high school, and Redditch Hall school. It was great to see staff, students, teachers so ambitious about the future, but what I did want to highlight was that the funding received from the local authority could go further.

We in Stockport have one of the lowest funded school systems in England and Stockport has a high proportion of EHCPs than the national average. And my local authority as part of the f40 group, which is a group of local authorities, some of which are lowest funded. On average the lowest funded authority for SEND receives approximately £150 per pupil with the highest funded receiving £3250 per pupil in Stockport. -- In Stockport the figure is approximately £1100 per pupil, so I want to see every allocation of funding.

All. Obviously I want to see more funding allocated to children in Stockport. I also want to mention about sky, a major announcement a few days ago, been doing some work with my colleagues in Sheffield Central constituency and Leeds Central constituency. Sky announced the 2,000 jobs were risk and they were planning to close three contact centres in Sheffield, Leeds and Stockport. That's 2,000 jobs, 545 jobs in Stockport. I've been contacted by a large number of sky employees who are quite distressed by this news first we have members of family worried about the future.

And several have told me that before they found out from their employer that this plan was in place, several media outlets, including Sky News ran the story, and it simply isn't acceptable. I've had a meeting with my colleagues from Sheffield and Leeds with sky. We are looking forward to engaging with the staff members but also Sky and its hammer blow, the loss of these jobs in Leeds and Sheffield in Stockport as a hammer blow to our town. I will finish on the point about flooding.

Recently sadly on New Year's Day we had some flooding in the constituency. And meadow milk was impacted in my constituency. And I have had a very productive meeting with the environment agency recently. Can I pay tribute to the emergency service workers and council staff helped residents on the day of the flooding? But I want to see the government invest more in flood defences, particularly in my constituency when it comes to supporting residents and businesses. I've had a number of residents contact me about the flooding, and it has had quite a negative impact on quite a new development to be fair.

I will just finish on the point, I want to wish you a happy Easter. I also want to take this opportunity to wish the cleaners, the clean offices in the Parliamentary estate, our police officers, catering staff and everyone who works here and also of course our own staff when it comes to members. Very happy Easter.
17:40
Richard Foord Portrait Richard Foord MP (Honiton and Sidmouth, Liberal Democrat)
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I rise today to talk about Southwest water and pennon group. I speak to Dave anyone in Devon and Cornwall who has ever had to walk past a polluted stream, stay out of the sea when visiting a beach or stare at a water bill and wonder how to BMW? South-west water and its parent company has become a byword in the south-west for failure, for aloofness, even arrogance in 2024, the company dumped sewage into our rivers and seas for over 5,000 sewage into our rivers and seas for over 5042 hours, and these spills are supposed to happen only in exceptional circumstances.

In reality this is been regarded as a licence to pollute. If that were not enough, south-west water is now trying to flesh out -- flush out of our Constituents wallets to with bill rises of over 50% in some cases. I should say the OfWAT ruled last December that bills can rise by 36% on average over five years. Before inflation. But that 36% rise is an average bills that has been permitted, and many bills for residents in Devon have risen by much more.

Stuart Thompson who lives near Elsmere has found that even though he is not connected to south-west water sewage system, his annual bill is now £761 when last year it was just £486. A jump of over 56%. Stuart is also a cancer patient and his immune system is weakened from treatment. And so to protect himself, he boils his water before drinking it because he's conscious that south-west water had a parasite, an outbreak last year, and you can understand his caution, given his weakened immunity.

When Stuart tried to ring south-west water, he found himself 178th in the queue. This is not a one-off. Graham long lives in the hills near Ollerton, he also tried ringing south-west water and like Stuart, Graham found on the first occasion he was the 106 in the queue, then 94th on another occasion. He tried again at a quieter time, 87th in the queue, and then on perhaps a different day, quite still, 74th in the queue. This is absolutely crazy from a water company that is hiking people's bills in some instances by 56%.

Louise Thompson from Sidmouth contacted me in disbelief about her instalments. She did get through to south-west water, and when she raised her concern about her raised bill, she was offered a reduction to £49 a month rather than the prior £70 to £49 a month rather than the prior £70.32 that she had been billed before. But when she worked out why this was, it was because the instalments would be spread over 12 months rather than 10. So a cloak for actually know Bill reduction whatsoever.

And yet this is a company that since privatisation has paid out more than £4.5 billion in shareholder dividends. South-west water is now proposing to spend 3.2 billion on infrastructure improvements, but the crying shame is that it has failed to invest in the infrastructure in the years gone by. And this week we've learned that by. And this week we've learned that the PR company or rather the PR side of the business is going to be joined by no other than the former MP for Exmouth, Simon Jupp it was MP for Exmouth, Simon Jupp it was going to speak the south-west water, having attacked them while Member of Parliament.
17:44
Julie Minns Portrait Ms Julie Minns MP (Carlisle, Labour)
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It is a pleasure to speak in this Easter recess debate to pay tribute to Sir David and to bring to the attention of the House a movement that has been spreading across cities and communities all over the world. I speak of course of yarn bombing. Yarn bombing is an urban art form that involves decorating objects in public places with knitted or crocheted yarn. The vandalism. It is a way of transforming everyday places into something colourful, creative and alive, and it's taken my constituency of Kala by storm in the last 18 months.

The term bombing comes from traditional graffiti culture where street artists would leave their mark in public places, however unlike spray paint, yarn bombing is softer. It's about creating a sense of warmth and whimsy in an often difficult and challenging world. And in a time where we are all too often disconnected from one another by screens and technology, yarn bombing brings a sense of connection. It's an invitation to stop, to notice, to engage. And it can be playful, like our -- light-hearted and fun.

In Carlisle, that light-hearted fun started with three ladies who began meeting in the local community centre. The following weeks and months saw the group grow in numbers and their first project in May last year was the yarn bombing of Mayers Drive in the centre of Kala. It was an attraction for Kala show and tell, attended by over 4.5 thousand Then the lame shopping centre asked yarn bombers if they would crochet a large-scale poppy display to celebrate Remembrance Sunday.

The resulting publicity including that generated by our brilliant community radio station CR FM prompted an outpouring of support leaving Carlisle matters with far more poppies in the shopping centre could possibly display. And so it was that the steps of the old town Hall and the ancient market Cross came to beyond bond. -- Yarn bombed. Currently they are working with the fingers to the bone to create Yarn bunting and flowers that will decorate the pedestrianised area of our city centre when it reopens after a multi-million pound after a multi-million pound Bombing is about more than beautiful crochet creations, it's a genuinely inclusive community activity.

One elderly lady told Carlisle matters her husband had recently passed away. But that yarn bombing had given her purpose again. Even I, who cannot successfully sew on a button have dabbled, and may I say successfully produced a pom-pom. So next time you pass a tree wrapped in bright coloured yarn or a lamppost draped in knitted flowers take a moment to appreciate the creativity, the effort and the message behind it. Finally on the subject of meaning and message may take a moment to celebrate and thank our church leaders during this busy period of Lent and as they approach the celebration and hope of Easter.

I should like to give special thanks to the Bishop of Penrith who for over 18 months now has also been at thing Bishop of the diocese of Carlisle and for whom Easter will therefore be doubly busy. I conclude by conveying my good wishes to you the Speaker, Deputy Speakers and all parliamentary staff for a joyful Easter. Easter. I would like to focus my remarks on this government approach towards
17:48
Llinos Medi Portrait Llinos Medi MP (Ynys Môn, Plaid Cymru)
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nuclear and. In a small has a long history associated with clean history associated with clean nuclear power. It was in the 1960s that two Knox reactors were constructed and came online in 1971. constructed and came online in 1971. -- Mike Knox reactors by 19 -- they reach the end of the operating life reach the end of the operating life and was shut down communities on Ennis more have been left waiting Ennis more have been left waiting and waiting.

One company pulled out of telling a new project in 2012 followed by Hitachi in 2018 the Prime Minister has recently raised, said that the world has changed and that it's not the job of government to sit back and hope for the best. Or simply manage the moment. In the spirit I asked the government to look seriously at developing the site. This would provide the reliable clean source of power that could last for up to 80 years, strengthening our energy security at a time when the world is becoming more uncertain.

It is estimated that a large reactor could -- project could create 10,000 jobs during construction and North Wales and 900 long-term jobs during operation. This is an area of Wales with some of the lowest wages. If the government is serious about generating growth then it must surely see that developing the site at Wilbur is a no-brainer. Now the government has changes approach to the planning system for nuclear projects, recognised the governance aim of changing planning system to make it easier for more sites to host nuclear power, this should not come at the expense of progressing with development at Wilbur.

The removal of the preferred sites pleading Wilbur in the government clear planning policy will likely lead to confusion for developers as to where they should prioritise their investments. I urge the government to reinstate Wilbur as a preferred site in the National policy statement the nuclear generation. We also have little clarity from the government as the role of Great British Energy in supporting nuclear and. -- Energy. I had to table an amendment to make sure that nuclear development would be at the heart of GBE, but this was rejected by the government.

As the chief of Rolls-Royce said, the UK government runs the risk that critical supply chains which supports the development of small nuclear reactors will be built elsewhere if it fails to select the companies who to build the by the end of June. The government says it will announce plans soon, but when exactly will this be? The people of Ennis Maughan have had their futures put on hold for too long by successive Westminster governments. This government needs to make a decision on Wilbur and do it quickly.

quickly.
17:51
Josh Newbury Portrait Josh Newbury MP (Cannock Chase, Labour)
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It's a pleasure to speak in this Easter Adjournment Debate and I wish everyone a happy Easter and a everyone a happy Easter and a restful break. I rise to speak on the British coal staff superannuation scheme and the need for the scheme's investment reserve to be returned to its investors as soon as possible. I Cannock Chase we soon as possible. I Cannock Chase we are rightly proud of our rich mining have heritage, that shaped our community for generations of hard- working men and women who dedicated their lives to the industry that defined our area for seven centuries will stop privatisations many British Coal employees were part of either the Mineworkers' Pension Scheme or the British Coal staff superannuation scheme which I will refer to as the MPS and BCG plus.

I want to commend the government for living long overdue justice for MBS members in the first budget for 15 years transferring £1.5 billion investment reserve. I've spoken to some of the 1,400 MBS members of my community since the government kept its manifesto promise and they are very grateful for the 32% boost to their pension. However this has also led to members of the similar BCS SS asking for similar action on their pension scheme. There are 530 members and dependents who like their counterparts don't receive substantial pensions.

Also like the MPS the BCS SS has returned billions to the Treasury more than enough to guarantee the scheme for its life. Separate sharing was ended after an agreement between the trustees and the government of the day and since then all surpluses due to go to the Treasury fundamentals at the same which could boost members pensions and dependents incomes. Very sadly this is not an urgent matter. Last year more than 2,400 members of the BCS SS passed away so it's not hard to see why Sony members fear they won't be up to see this money in their lifetime.

These pensioners dedicated their working lives to powering our country under Spital they received the thanks that such a demanding and important role requires. This is a particular passion for those of us representing coalfield constituencies where the majority of the 45,000 BCS SS members live. I like to pay tribute to many members for their steadfast complaining on this matter. We know that justice has on the MPS a return of the BCS SS investment reserve provides a welcome boost for businesses in our communities that have been hammered more than most in recent years will stop I hope in the near future we can confirm an agreement with the trustees who also deserve credit for the work on this and fostering a transparent and positive relationship with members that they serve.

Transferring the final £2.3 billion payment from the reserve will ensure fairer pensions for everyone who contributed to the coal industry, whether that be underground, in the offices or in the canteens. It's worth flagging the gender equality angle to this because unlike the MPS, a large proportion of BCS SS members are women because it was the default Pension Scheme for clerical and catering staff who don't all get the recognition they deserve the huge contributions they made to such a critical industry reflecting the shameful reality faced by women for decades, many were paid significantly less than their male counterparts and now they are campaigning hard for some restitution for that historic injustice the return of the scheme's investment reserve.

I understand it's not as simple as duplicating what has been done to the MPS given the schemes were set up differently and I pay tribute to the work of the Minister for industry who has confirmed BCS SS proposals will be considered. I have been raising this today an agreement can be reached in a timely manner losing an average of six BCS SS members every day, the six BCS SS members every day, the sooner we can get this done the more members of our community can see unpeeled justice.

Thank you. unpeeled justice. Thank you.
17:55
Caroline Voaden Portrait Caroline Voaden MP (South Devon, Liberal Democrat)
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It's a pleasure to speak in this Easter Adjournment Debate and I would like to highlight an issue which continues to fill my inbox and I'm sure the inboxes of all colleagues across the House. Dentistry. I'm hearing from residents on an almost daily basis now about the challenges they face , , stories , stories about , stories about people , stories about people who , stories about people who have , stories about people who have been on the waiting list for years but still haven't seen NHS dentistry people in pain but unable to access treatment, pensioners being quoted thousands of pounds for a few killings, pensioners questioning why NHS dental treatment is not available to them despite paying national insurance contributions most of their lives.

Children who need braces their parents can't afford, children with special educational who need support for oral hygiene. Unfortunately there is very little reassurance I can give them nine months after the general action we are still waiting for meaningful progress to be made on this issue despite a Labour manifesto promise to tackle the immediate crisis. Statistics from last month showed that 98.6% of people in the south-west who try to make an NHS dental appointment of the last 28 days were unsuccessful. In Devon there are simply not enough NHS dentists.

No practices in my constituency are taking on new NHS patients. One was taken over by new owner last June and only has one dentist despite inheriting a patient list of three. The government promised to roll out 700,000 extra urgent dental appointments is welcome but it's not a simple solution. NHS definite of being asked to provide 25,000 more urgent appointments last year we are very much needed it will be a huge challenge for the ICB to deliver. NHS Devon has orally increased the minimum unit unit of dental activity rates beyond the nationally mandated update figure.

And invested £276,000 into the scheme to attract dentists to the area. How they tell me that there are feedback from providers show the current renumeration is not sufficient to maintain baseline activity let alone incentivise more activity. There are concerns over activity. There are concerns over the route impact of preventative care from the concentration being given to a higher rate being paid for urgent care appointments. One local dentist told me that the lack of NHS workers is not just out -- down to money but also the environment they work in.

Private dentists can give more dedicated attention to patient and deal with a better worklife balance will stop the vast majority of NHS dentistry are self-employed so even those carrying out NHS work are at risk of carrying out NHS work are at risk of litigation. If the risks are the same but the rewards are less why would they choose to carry out NHS work rather than private? We need to look how we can change the system to make NHS work more attractive.

I list written to the Minister for Care asking what consideration has been given to allowing ICBs to use discretion when providing funding for projects which fall outside of contractual Richard regulations but I'm yet to receive responsible stop I've also asked what plans are in place to allow ICBs to modify underperforming contracts as I understand the current system doesn't allow them to make changes with an underspend of around £12 million in Devon flexibility to change contracts is key. Again I am yet to receive a response.

Private dental care is out of the... Unaffordable for many people. The cost of living crisis coupled with recent welfare cuts under this government is only worsening outcomes. If we don't act now the situation will continue to worsen situation will continue to worsen and applications will be even more widespread oral health is crucially important, oral health the children important, oral health the children even more important and we can't wait any longer for the situation to be resolved.
17:59
Lee Pitcher Portrait Lee Pitcher MP (Doncaster East and the Isle of Axholme, Labour)
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I hope in the future when it gets to Easter recess you will be able to fly away with me to Doncaster Sheffield Airport. For now let me shine a light on some amazing work in my community. I will start with sports. I'm really lucky to have some amazing football clubs that inspire young children in our local area. We got Rossington football club, and a number of other football clubs. They provide opportunities for children to develop their skills and build lifelong friendships.

It's not just football, inform we have Rugby Union FC who have long been a pillar for the local sporting community, founded in 1939 the club in place first game until 1945 due to the war. Reg Clayton it's founding member was there for that very first match. Now at 100 years very first match. Now at 100 years old he is still supported today, and it's a club built in heritage and heart and every Sunday apparently hosts over 100 boys and girls playing rugby, nurturing the next generation and keeping the community spirit alive.

I'm sure Reg is very proud. On actin we are home to a critic Defra cricket league. That heritage still lives on in the clubs that take but today, take to the field every summer we can we count supported by volunteers who would like to pay homage to today. Across like to pay homage to today. Across our communities we are fortunate to have remarkable individuals organisations working tirelessly to support those in need, local hero Vera Lynn was also a midwife I have to say to my children is one of them.

We can recount she collect surplus food for the supermarkets for the food bank. These fundraising efforts or without recognition, today we are doing that. Knowing Macmillan at Doncaster food bank runs a campaign to provide basic facilities such as showers, affordable laundry, and cooking are manatees not just to those facing homelessness which is really important to me like amenities, as you are aware I was homeless for a period as a child, but families in temporary commendation and for the wider vulnerable community.

I would like to take a moment to also recognise the work of our local councillors. Michael Brooks and others have deliver results for community. They fought to keep the station open after the pandemic, they offered lots of local services for residents which includes some work they been doing on the local Rachel Blake have shown what committed community focus sensation looks like. Over the last four years have secured. Over the last 4 Years Have Secured Vital Rd safety measures, including a zebra crossing and pelican crossing at Rossington and make sure that it's affordable to swim for everybody with a pound swim scheme.

And finally at how field -- Hatfield councillors, worked with real determination to strengthen community life. They've backed a range of grassroots initiatives and making a real difference, that includes support for the Hatfield library run by brilliant volunteers for over a decade where children's events are held every school holiday free of charge. They've got together a youth club giving young people safe and well being, a good place to be. And the community centre's 50th anniversary were a lot goes on like the tae kwon do school.

Overall I want to thank those incredible community champions for everything they do day in, day out. Their dedication, compassion, tireless efforts remind us just how special our and my constituency is and how strong we are when we come together to support one another. Have a very happy Easter.
18:03
Gideon Amos Portrait Gideon Amos MP (Taunton and Wellington, Liberal Democrat)
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I rise to speak in this debate, a pleasure to do so in a debate which pays tribute to the memory of Sir David Amess. I want to raise an issue which, like my honourable friend member of the South Devon, is absolutely filling my post box, which is and my email inbox even, and that's the collapse of NHS dentistry in Taunton and Wellington across Somerset and indeed across the country as a whole. When I first did a survey on access to NHS dentists, in 2022, over half reported they are unable to access an NHS dentist, and since then, things have just got worse and worse.

In the months since the general election last year, I've received hundreds of emails about this issue. And feels like a tidal wave of distress. People struggling with pain, facing unaffordable bills for private treatment or simply giving up on dental care altogether. The government's announcement of 700,000 extra dental appointments is of course welcome but as the British dental Association pointed out, that amounts to no more than about two extra appointments per NHS dentist per month, and that's only when there is NHS dentist commanded dental deserts like Somerset and my constituency there are barely any NHS dentists, so it's not going to have the effect we would all like to have.

Particularly because the government's figures are real underestimates of the position in Taunton and Wellington. The government said in February that one in four people have been unable to see an NHS dentist, but the survey carried out in 2022 showed just over one in two in my constituency can access an NHS dentist, and I'm sure that's an increase. So today I've launched a new survey following up on the one I did three years ago of constituents, schools and local dental practices to expose the real cost that people are paying out for what should be free treatment, given the collapse in dental services, which should of course be free to children and eligible adults.

Now that was launched about 2 o'clock this afternoon. And I'm grateful that we are allowed to have mobiles in the chamber because I've just been told that at the beginning of the debate there were 50 responses to the survey and during the debate there have been another 16 responses, so it's clearly hit a nerve, and it really affects people in my constituency. One constituent told me how he had to spend over £1000 to treat his child's dental needs. All children should be free of course on the NHS but they are not getting that free treatment, and the facts are that that entitlement means nothing if there is an NHS dentist to go to.

So too many in our area are facing the choice of pay up or live in pain. Bills often running out hundreds of pounds and bills which people can ill afford, given the cost of living effects of recent months. It's not just about teeth really is it? It's people's dignity as well, it's their health, where -- how they feel about their lives in themselves, so do urge the government to not underestimate the scale of this problem, particular in areas like Somerset. We need urgent reform and action, the broken dental contract really needs to be renegotiated, and we need to see a proper incentive to bring dentists back into the NHS.

So I hope the government will look closely at the evidence my constituents are sending me and sending in, and will work with me and with others of course to make the situation better. And with that, I'd like to as we look forward to using -- eating lots of chocolate and being in need of a great many dental appointments, I'd like to wish all my colleagues across the House and across the staff and security and police officers who security and police officers who look after us so very well happy Easter.

Easter.
18:07
Alex Mayer Portrait Alex Mayer MP (Dunstable and Leighton Buzzard, Labour)
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With Easter approaching, I think that thoughts often turn to X. My eggs. My favourite are Smarties or cream eggs, but I want to talk about chicken eggs. So what the majority of whole eggs sold in UK supermarkets are now from cage free environments, shockingly one in five environments, shockingly one in five hedges still -- hens spends their life in a cage. Enriched environments where brought in to replace them, but I have to say the word enriched as a bit of a misnomer.

They are slightly better than your traditional battery cage. They have to for example have a perch, but I think enriched metres sounds a bit like they are on yacht or a retreat or something. I think the marketing you are absolutely and their wages that day. In reality is absolutely nothing of the sort. I think confinement cages must be a better description. They are a size less than a piece of A4 paper. Minimal room, for birds to spread their wings. They restrict natural behaviour, hence can't properly bathe or forage.

All of them subject to frustration and distress. Now I welcome the £22 million DEFRA fund to transition to higher welfare standards for hens, but I also worry about low welfare imports that undercut our UK farmers. Especially in powder and liquid eggs that are found in other products like a quiche or hog response at this time of year. And they often come from countries with lower animal welfare standards. But back to shell eggs again, if you are buying a dozen eggs and planning to tuck into may be a soft boiled eggs this Easter, do check where the eggs come from.

There she all have a code printed on the shell, and the first character on that tells you, and if it's a three, it means that the bird was caged. So anyone can choose to vote with their feet and support our hen heroes and make an extraordinary difference. Sticking briefly with the Easter theme, as the Easter getaway approaches, I wanted to give a shout out to the UK Coach sector, often the unsung hero of holiday travel. Every year, 23 million people travel by coach to visit attractions, attend events and explore our regions, and coach passengers spend £8.3 billion annually in local economies, supporting hotels, restaurants, tourism attractions.

And given the climate emergency that we live in, I think it's also important to note that one single coach can remove up to 50 cars on the road, cutting congestion and cutting emissions. So hope the ministers and the Department of Transport will consider some of the things that the coach industry are asking for, for example being able to use bus lanes by default. Encouraging local transport authorities to collect more robust data on the coach sector, encouraging more drop-off than pickup and parking facilities.

And also allowing them to participate in what we had for the past sector, zebra style funding but also for the coach sector. After all I think a cracking industry. I would also say in my remaining 30 seconds, I think this is going to be a particular good Easter because the clocks avoid changed, so we've got plenty of daylight to celebrate at plenty of daylight to celebrate at all. So I'd like to end by wishing you and all honourable members a very happy Easter.
18:10
Robbie Moore Portrait Robbie Moore MP (Keighley and Ilkley, Conservative)
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Thank you. And it's great to be speaking in this Easter debate. And I would like to use this opportunity to thank a handful of organisations, fantastic organisations from across the constituency, and it's really difficult to pick out a few. Across an area which I'm incredibly proud to represent. Across Keighley, Oakley, Selsdon and the weather Valley. And I want to start with chosen school of dance who I was lucky enough to go and watch just last weekend. They are a fantastic dance organisation based in Ilkley, delivering performing arts, training to young people and they have been going for 20 years now.

And I was lucky enough to go and watch their 20th anniversary performance. I would say huge thank you to Joe, who has dedicated 20 years of her life to providing a great deal of confidence to our young people from not only Oakley but the white area, whether it is in dance, singing, choreographing, becoming much better at dancing, but there are two individuals I want to give a big shout out to. Maisie's one who was recognised as being a star performer and also Clydesdale, who was awarded the heart of Joe's School of dance just last weekend.

And moving onto sports, I want to be huge congratulations to Selsdon FC who were this month crowned champions of the Northern counties East Premier league. After beating Pickering town 21. This is an incredible achievement in what is hundred and 20th anniversary year, and means for the first time, a local club from our part of West Yorkshire will be playing just three divisions below football league. A remarkable feat, and as a person from Selsdon, I mate the whole town is incredibly proud and I do wish to put on record my great deal of thanks to the amount of effort that they are putting not only in raising the profile of Selsdon but indeed supporting the many young people across Selsdon.

And I would also like to put on record a huge thank you to Keighley Albion, who has also made waves this year, reaching the National conference league after a much longed absence of over 20 years. And this is one of our famous Rugby League teams, and I know how much of a fan you are with Rugby League, so I hope that you will join me in wishing Keighley Albion all the best in the months ahead. And I also look forward to the forthcoming months working with them to secure better support, sports facilities for them because they have grown so much in supporting 450 children from across Keighley and the white area, and I want to work with them as strong as I can in making sure that we get a better sports facility for them and all of the young people that they

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He's giving a very passionate speech about his constituency, demonstrating yet again why he is such a powerful champion for Keighley and Ilkley, but does he Keighley and Ilkley, but does he agree with me that the volunteers who run these groups are an important part of our community but also the skills they teach young people are skills that stay with

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people are skills that stay with them for the rest of their lives? Absolutely, which is why it's so important that all of us, and indeed am sure all members across the House am sure all members across the House support those very supporting support those very supporting organisations where the grassroots sporting facilities at the heart because that's what drives confidence no young people, whatever sport it may be. And I also want to sport it may be. And I also want to put on record my thanks to the Oakley business wards committee, who every year without doubt put on an excellent business awards in Ilkley, recognising all of those businesses across the LS 29 postcode who go above and beyond, and it's events like the business awards that showcase the very brilliant independent businesses that we have across our area.

And I want to particularly thank Julia Forrester, who leads the Oakley business awards committee for the continued work that she does with her committee members inputting Oakley on the map, and I have to say to the House, that Ilkley, having been rated the best place to live in the United Kingdom back in 2022 is still the best place to live, officially rated by the Sunday Times in the whole of the North of England, and it's a very proud place that I'm lucky enough to represent.

And finally, with your permission, I would like to give a huge shout out in the remaining 30 seconds I have two my incredibly brave younger sister, Becky who today after 18 month battle with breast cancer has today had her last chemotherapy treatment and prospects chemotherapy treatment and prospects Can I wish all members across the House the very happy Easter and thank all of the staff in this House do a great deal to look after us all and I wish them a happy Easter as well.
18:16
Jon Pearce Portrait Jon Pearce MP (High Peak, Labour)
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It's a pleasure to speak in the East Adjournment Debate and the matter I would like to raise before we adjourn is the importance of devolution and local government reform that is being spearheaded by this government. Labour's plan to simplify structures, cut duplication, reduce waste and slash costs, whilst at the same time giving local leaders the tools they need to deliver growth for their areas, raising living standards in every part of the country in a way that is directly accountable to residents is welcome and long overdue.

To understand why devolution and reorganisation is desperately needed you can look no further than Derbyshire County. Conservative led Derbyshire County Council has failed in almost every step of the way in delivering for my residents and High Peak. Derbyshire Conservatives have all but taken the council to bankruptcy under the watch of the Conservatives in Derbyshire we have the ignominy of being dubbed the pothole capital of the UK by the RAC. Children with SEND and their families been shamefully let down, the Derbyshire County Council have received a damning Ofsted report which found wide bread and systemic failings of older people in our communities have been left distraught with plans to close care homes and daycare centres.

Indeed Queens Court and daycare centres. Indeed Queens Ct, Day Centre in Buxton was close last week with no notice. With a record like this is no wonder that in the immediate aftermath of the government announcement for local government reform that the Derbyshire Conservatives put in a proposal to counsel the local elections might cancel, and convening 800,000 whole of Derbyshire Council. I'm glad this proposal was rejected by the government and their plans for cancelling the local elections in May were refused.

Derbyshire Conservatives can run from the voters but they cannot hide. I say High Peak is unique because it sits in the middle of where three regions with huge economic potential set. Instead of this being an asset to our area in reality it has meant all too often we have been overlooked. The call from the government to reorganise should have been met with creative thinking through the lens of what is best for our area. After listening to students and their families in blossom who go to college in Greater Manchester, the communities in Newmilns who want to better transport links, the older people in Buxton his Derbyshire identity is what matters most to them, and the people in Hope Valley who look to Sheffield for things like jobs and healthcare.

I am backing Labour lead Bor Council plan for a North council unitary and East Midlands mayors Claire Ward's plan for a repeat partnership bringing together the combined authority of Greater Manchester, South Yorkshire and East Midlands in the interests of High Peak. I am hopeful, as both of these proposals are developed over the coming months, it will help us to address the unique, varied and economic public service needs of all of our communities, including the home value line, snake pass, extension of the B network and better their access to Greater Manchester and South Yorkshire hospitals and further education.

Through the proposals for a North Derbyshire unitary and the peak partnership of the three Labour mayors we have the building blocks to make life better for the residents of High Peak with more integrated transport, jobs and investment and improved access to healthcare and education. At the crux of this reorganisation speaks to the heart of government mission to drive economic growth and deliver opportunities. Thank you.
18:20
Martin Vickers Portrait Martin Vickers MP (Brigg and Immingham, Conservative)
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Is a regular party -- participant in these end of term debates I arrange three or four different subjects, on this occasion I want to return to the issue I have raised a number of occasions in the House over the last few weeks, that is the future of steelwork at Scunthorpe. The Scunthorpe site members should note is the equivalent of 1133 Wembley football pitches. It extends well beyond the bounds of Scunthorpe well into my constituency and employs hundreds of my constituents and many more beyond.

I spent all my life living in the Grimsby Cleethorpes area, sadly Cleethorpes is no longer part of my constituency but I have gained award in Grimsby as a result of last year's reorganisation. I'm old enough to have witnessed the decline of Grimsby following the loss of its core industry, the deep sea fishing. Members across the House will have a similar experiences with towns that lose their core industry, be it shipbuilding, mining or whatever. It is a massive change, it affects the heritage, the culture, and the health of the local community.

Increased burden of chronic illnesses like lower life expectancy, reduced productivity, increased healthcare costs, lower community cohesion, these are some of the issues that arise when a town loses its core industry. I'm appealing on this occasion yet again to the government to show a sense of urgency, there is a strong likelihood that the furnaces will shut down in a few weeks time because the owners have cancelled the order for raw materials. If that happens and the furnaces go cold, just reinstating those furnaces costs £250 million.

We don't want to get into that situation, I know the government don't want Scunthorpe to lose the steelworks on their watch, it's vital for the nation security apart from anything else. Unless action is taken in the very near future I'm afraid 2,700 direct job losses could occur and as I mentioned, thousands more in the

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supply chain. Is demonstrating what a powerful

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Is demonstrating what a powerful champion he is for his constituency. Does he share my concern that it's more than just the jobs is also a more than just the jobs is also a national concern that if we look this the -- loses the ability to produce around steel there are produce around steel there are

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national security concerns as well. Absolutely, I've spoken with a number of people involved in the military and I know they are very concerned about the future. Do we concerned about the future. Do we want still a significant manufacturing nation to actually lose the capacity to produce our own steel and become the only G-7 country to be in that position? North Lincolnshire Council ably led by councillor Rob Waltham who himself has been in China to meet the current owners have put together some contingency plans including the creation of an AI growth zone and green growth zone.

These projects if allowed to continue could result in 10,000 new construction jobs, 1,200 on-site and 4,000 in the supply chain, moreover if the AI growth zone could lead to £15 billion in private business investment. These are all vital to Northern Lincolnshire irrespective of what may happen to the future of the steelworks. The Humber region more widely is very significant for a whole host of energy projects involving hydrogen, sustainable involving hydrogen, sustainable aviation fuel, carbon The like.

Matt Carbon -- carbon. The government must give support to these new projects irrespective of whether there are job losses in this steel sector. I close my urging the government to show real sense of urgency on this. My own preferences urgency on this. My own preferences I mentioned in yesterday is that the government has to nationalise the industry to give it a breathing space to attract new private sector investment and keep those jobs of those thousands of people.

Happy Easter to you Madam Deputy Speaker and all the staff and members. and all the staff and members.

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A few weeks ago my barber sent me a DM, it was a video from three lads in Ilkeston in my constituency and in Ilkeston in my constituency and it was going viral. These boys Owen Harrison and Roy were talking about how life was for them as teenage how life was for them as teenage boys in 2025. They talked about not having anything to do, the youth clubs having shut down, getting in trouble with the police because they didn't have anything to do.

They didn't have anything to do. They talked about troubles at home, they lost a mum, they talked about tough childhoods and how they support each childhoods and how they support each other through their lives. They talked about how they just wanted to see each other succeed. The last line of the video from one of them was these will be my boys forever. These boys Owen Harrison and Roy reminded me of my own time growing up and my own boys -- boys. Through my time in school and into my midtwenties I took no interest in politics because I felt it wasn't something that I had a stake in.

What I did care about was the group of friends I drop with. I first properly met my boys at a party when I was 16 at Joe's house in North Cardiff, sat awkwardly in a corner, too uncool to talk to anyone beyond the one or two people came along with. Generally afraid of the significant more socially adept groups of teenagers around me. As I got to know them though as I became one of them I felt I finally found the tribe. Young men with shared interests in heavy music, inscape three and in making fun of each other as often as undisputedly as possible.

As we grew we did all things young men do, we went up to each other, we drank, we argued, we were immortal. Then one day everything changed. On Wednesday, 10 October On Wednesday, 10 October, 2018 Andrew sent a message to our Boys, I think it's time you should know. Tom was involved in a very bad accident at work yesterday he got trapped under a campervan, is not doing so well. He is in intensive care currently after having had surgery last night will stop Tom, Thomas Shackleton worked with this dad in their autobody business and he had a terrible accident indeed will stop later that week Tom died of his injuries.

In many ways Tom's death caused us all to reassess everything. We found ourselves facing our own mortality and the unexpected irreplaceable loss of
18:28
Adam Thompson Portrait Adam Thompson MP (Erewash, Labour)
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someone recalled a brother for most of our lives up until that point. The way we interact we each other changed, our relationship deepened and we suddenly had to be there for each other in ways we hadn't even considered before. We started talking about our own happiness and talking about our own happiness and I felt that we collectively opened up about our own struggles, things up about our own struggles, things that our prior match oh bravado would have stopped us from sharing would have stopped us from sharing previously.

To this day I have a note pinned to my kitchen wall from note pinned to my kitchen wall from Dan he sent in the post after Tom's accident which says here if you need anything brother. None of the boys had ever sent me any post before but every time I see it it reminds me that Dan and all my boys are indeed here for me any time I need them. In the years since Tom's death our once bravado fuelled group has evolved. We like to talk about our issues, share and develop a new masculinity based on mutual support and love for each other.

I tell my friends I love them every time I see them, and we have got to become well rounded adults with partners, wives, children and families we know Tom would be very proud of. A special shout out to Joe today whose past weekend after 15 years of graft became a consultant hand surgeon, we are incredibly proud of him. All of this is why think it's important for those of us who have been on a journey like this, to share our stories with boys like Owen and Harrison and Roy were growing up today, the rise of increasingly toxic online culture and so much social media encouraging boys to take increasingly hateful stances, spreading vile misogyny and the lie that women and girls are somehow beneath them.

It's incumbent on all of us to share the positives that
18:29
Graeme Downie Portrait Graeme Downie MP (Dunfermline and Dollar, Labour)
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can be gained by opening up by being there for each other as boys, as there for each other as boys, as men, let each other know that we're here for one another whenever we There There are There are three There are three things There are three things I There are three things I want There are three things I want to briefly cover in this debate this afternoon. First the world as we know it has changed drastically in the nine months since the general election sometimes to our constituents these threats can feel abstract and distant we know it's our constituents will feel the pain in their pockets probably those that have the least and will be rocked most by the disruption and chaos we see all around us.

Some of those threats of medical decisions about be taken including the reduction in overseas aid in order to fund necessary increase in defence spending and I remain one of the ones the opinion that even those increases might not be enough to counter the new security threats that we face. If this period is to be remembered by history as one of instability and global shifts then let it also be remembered as a time where we endeavoured to build a new foundation for the future, one that helped future generation succeed and build a better world.

I respond to this threat must be to invest in young people and their aspirations opportunities and skills. But only will necessary increases in defence spending support thousands of jobs but as necessity is the mother of invention is you conditions create an unmissable opportunity for investment in innovative engineering and how take skills that can be applied in other sectors. My constituencies these options is a widespread whether that's important increasingly a hub for renewables or the hope for redevelopment of a generating station. It is considering that future my second point follows that is the imperative to invest in skills.

That means investing in skills for the long- term working better with further education establishments such as Fife College in my constituency and building better links with businesses sadly Scotland Act link with businesses is lacking and we've seen stored skills agenda failing Businesses of all sizes have told me they are considering using city and Guilds are similar training modules in England are not going to have discussions with Scottish qualifications authority such as the long laborious and bureaucratic process. The abject failure of the S&P on skills will have long-term implications for young people across the country.

If we are to make the future truly one for the next generation, we must support them to build that future. That firstly means stopping demonising young people who struggled with more once-in-a-lifetime crises by this stage of their lives than any other generation. From credit crunches to pandemics to political instability and uncertainty, at home and around the world. They've seen services and support for them are eradicated, chances to get on the housing ladder vanish, secure long-term employment a pipedream and all while wealth sits with generations of their parents and grandparents.

This Parliament must not continue the trend of giving only to older generations without energising younger people as well. The fact the matters there will be no money left by the time people my age are hoping to retire and this we do so. Young people are not asking for mango sorbet and Malbec but they are asking for respect and understanding, and that's what we should give them. Antisocial behaviour is not the preserve of the young. Crime is not the preserve of the young. Alcohol and drug misuse is rising in people of all generations, not amongst younger people, and tolerance of others is much higher amongst younger people than amongst people my age and older as I think everyone in this House will attest, having encountered social media and dealing with some constituents.

As we enter this recess we should remember we are still very much in early stages of this Parliament, and yet we've already seen unprecedented turmoil and change that is shaping our future. One much of that might be outside control of the government commits fight our responses to enshrine in place right foundations built with confidence and commitment to the future of young people and our country because those two are indivisible, and if we do not leave this place in a better condition for this place in a better condition for those who follow us, then after what we strive for? we strive for?
18:33
Amanda Martin Portrait Amanda Martin MP (Portsmouth North, Labour)
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I want to associate myself with the warm words of Sir David Amess. It's a privilege to speak in my first Easter recess debate, although my first time in this place. In fact my first time in this place. In fact my 101st. As I rise I want to say a huge thank you to the warm and welcome reception I received across my constituency. Visibility as an MP of Parliament is vital if we are to truly reps and the people who put us here, alongside those that did not.

Because as MPs we need to understand the issues they face and challenges they need help with, and we can only do that when we are present. I welcome the challenging and interaction in my surgeries, coffee mornings and pie with your MPs, and since July, my team and I have helped over 2,000 people in Portsmouth. One pressing issue as we approach Easter for my constituents in Portsmouth are about to be set the crunch on the household budget. A huge rise in Southern water bills projected to rise around £94 on average by 2030.

And nearly 50% increase. As a huge hike that will hit all, but will hit the low income households the hardest, and many distressed constituents have contacted me. Southern water do offer social tariff, the essentials terrace which gives eligible customers 45% reduction. Bills are to rise by 50%, that is effectively wiped out. Clean safe what is not a luxury, yet southern are asking people to pay more for they have lesson service and reliability. But this does not just affect households but businesses too, for example the wake part, a great local business has lost 88 consecutive trading days through poor quality of water.

In addition to the continued pumping of sewage and dumping into overseas and repeated flooding is affecting our businesses. We can accept a system where customers are footing the bill for decades of underinvestment while water companies executive pocket millions in bonuses, and I called for an urgent expansion and deepening of social tariffs, clear and proactive hope for those -- help for those struggling to pay, easy conversation schemes for businesses and for transparency on how these bills increases are being spent. A concrete plan to cycle to sewage dumping, fix leaking infrastructure and reverse years of environmental neglect.

Southern water has one of the worst records of pollution in this country. My constituents are rightly asking why should we pay for more when we are getting so much less? The people of Portsmouth deserve so much more. As I've said, every day I get to meet and see about the amazing people charities, businesses and individuals across my city, to get to bring their stories, concerns, challenges and celebrations here help find solutions and to improve our city. It remains extremely humbling and a huge privilege.

And as one of their final speakers of today, I want to wish all in this House and across my constituency of Portsmouth North a very happy Easter. I look forward to seeing many of you and my family during the next few weeks. I would like to take this opportunity to wish Archie Whitfield running to every single Premier league ground and then doing the London Marathon the next day in memory of his dad Dave Winfield and to raise money for the brain charity the very best of luck, and finally I would like to say a huge thank you to all the wonderful churches and the two cathedrals in my city who will continue to serve our community during this Easter period.

during this Easter period.
18:37
Zöe Franklin Portrait Zöe Franklin MP (Guildford, Liberal Democrat)
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Liberal Democrat spokesperson.

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Thank you, a pleasure to take part in this Easter adjournment debates. I always find these end of debates. I always find these end of term debates really enlightening about fellow members of the House, their constituencies and the issues that are important to their constituents. I do like to take this moment to talk about something close moment to talk about something close to my own constituency and heart, to associate myself with the contribution from the honourable member of the Reigate and her thanks member of the Reigate and her thanks that she gave to the Surrey police.

My own Boro team in Guildford have My own Boro team in Guildford have been fantastic just like hers and supporting our town centre with antisocial behaviour. And I feel like I must just note the honourable members the Carlisle absolutely cracking contribution and excellent Easter ponds. There on the Easter ponds and move on to things of my constituency. And I want to use my time now to highlight an issue in my own constituency of Guildford that has both a national and local significance, and one that I hope action on one not just resolve the issue in Guildford but also help to drive long-term change in the way that we support charities and businesses during multi-year infrastructure projects.

Many members will be aware of the extensive redevelopment works taking place at Junction 10 of the M25 near RHS Wisley. These redevelop and work started in November 2022 and were due to finish in the summer of 2025, but sadly it's been now confirmed this will not be the case and they will finish approximately spring 26. That's four years of disruption for local residents and businesses. Ultimately the project should improve the junction, but, and it's a very big but, there have been serious consequences for RHS Wisley and our much loved local cafe, along with frustration and disruption for local residents in villages around the junction and everyone who has had to travel through the junction of the M25.

While very different in scale, both have had a significant loss. The cafe is currently losing £600 a day and RHS Wisley predict by the end of the project they will have lost 11 million. These financial losses were highlighted in the early days of the project but were dismissed on the basis the current legislation only compensates on the value of property, does not compensate for loss of business. So RHS Wisley, the losses had far- reaching consequences. Plans for new Arboretum's have been delayed, scientific research reduced.

The impact has gone beyond my constituency of Guildford and the garden itself through to the communities around Guildford and other RHS sites across the country. They also being forced to consider cuts to training opportunities in a projected 10% reduction of work - based student horticulturalist positions. All things I'm sure mothers of this House will be very sad to hear of RHS Wisley. And neither residents in my own constituency and actually people across the country feel very strongly about this issue, and there's a petition currently live that has 92,000 signatures and the number keeps increasing.

And want to pause to thank my colleague Baroness Benjamin who has been highlighting this issue in the other place for the answers she gained from members of the House of Lords on the issues surrounding this problem with RHS Wisley. And I want to ask the honourable member for Wellington, Wellingborough and Rushden if you could encourage the transport minister to respond to my request to meet me and RHS Wisley. Back to the cafe and their fantastic cakes and tea, but actually they have suffered a big financial loss for a small business.

There's also been problems around what issues and all of these things combined have left the owner forced to make serious personal and professional adjustments, including relocating their home and dealing with heightened stress levels. These two business stories, they are very very different scales, but they highlight a serious flaw in current legislation. We shouldn't be leaving small businesses, charities and other organisations struggling financially and potentially failing due to multi-year infrastructure projects. These organisations are not only the lifeblood of our communities, they are fundamental to our economic success.

I hope the government will agree to meet with me, work to find a way to support these businesses and commit to reviewing the legislation to ensure their stories repeated in the future multi-year in the structure projects delivered without losing key parts of our local economy and community behind. To close, I just really want to have a positive moment in the fantastic debate this afternoon, and I want to encourage everyone in the chamber with a cheeky little encouragement. If you haven't yet experience RHS Wisley or your local RHS, please do go and enjoy them during the Easter recess.

And in fact I just want to echo the comments from my honourable friends on the benches behind me around her comments about when we and members of the public are encouraging, enjoying the great outdoors to be fire safe, and finally to all members of this House, or the staff, security, and police, I hope you security, and police, I hope you have a restorative Easter and I think the honourable member Harrow East for leading this debate. Thank you. you.
18:42
Mike Wood Portrait Mike Wood MP (Kingswinford and South Staffordshire, Conservative)
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It's an honour to be able to respond to this debate on behalf of His Majesty is official opposition. And having spent just over a year and 1/2 in the government whips office before the election, during which time of course the longest beach I was able to make in this chamber was probably to make the House to now adjourn, it's a chance to catch up on some lost time. Several members have paid kind tributes to our late and much missed former colleague Sir David Amess, who of course always lit up these occasions with his wit, charm and good humour.

And as I say, he is hugely missed and our thoughts continue to be with his family. But in his absence, my honourable friend the chairman of the backbench business committee did a good job in opening the debate and running through a number of the issues dear to his constituents, particularly continuing his furthering his reputation as a champion of, doughty champion of course if I don't at the doughty it won't make the Google search. The doughty champion for local transport connections and step three access -- step free access at stations and of course you can always be relied on to give us a lift.

He mentioned his experience at the Glebe School where he was covered in powder and having caught a little bit of the highlights from the new series of celebrity Big Brother, I don't know whether they are currently making the services available to our former colleague from Lichfield. He also of course alluded to his love of Tottenham Hotspur football club, although it wasn't clear whether this was declaration of an interest, a confession or a plea in mitigation. But in any event, what were the chances of him being followed immediately by honourable gentlemen third Newton Aycliffe and Spennymoor whose local team has utterly won silverware, not just this century but this season, and his speech about the value of grassroots sports clubs to their communities, I think is shared around the chamber.

He also spoke about his dedication to public duty, sampling local beer and having been on the Armed Forces pulmonary scheme with a man visiting a number of military bases. I know the public duty that he takes most seriously, not just when in his own constituency. My honourable friend from Reigate, spoke about the wonderful safer Redhill initiative which is a fantastic initiative from an excellent Police and Crime Commissioner working together with the local charity sector and local organisations. And the honourable lady folk Brent East spoke about the impact of gambling establishment, the negative impact they can have on towns centres, which I think a number of members on both sides of the House will be able to identify.

The honourable lady for North Dorset The honourable lady for North Dorset and mid pool told us that Dorset was burning in particular with relation to Upson Heath, whether through carelessness or through arson. These fires cause enormous damage as well as the impact on public services, I'm a little more wary than the honourable lady about being quick to reach for a ban, but clearly people need to be accountable for their actions. The honourable gentleman for Stockport spoke about bank for Stockport spoke about bank branch closures and fair funding for schools is a newly Staffordshire Member of Parliament since the boundary changes course that's an issue on which I know a lot of my schools in South Staffordshire will be there very sympathetic with.

The honourable lady for Carlisle and yarn bombing, a fantastic phenomenon in receipt of so many of our villages and not quite in my constituency but I thought there was a knitted postbox topper George the station Justifies their junction station as I was coming through the weekend. The honourable lady for MS mourn continuing the excellent work mourn continuing the excellent work done by her predecessor to fight for nuclear power station, as she said it ought to be a no-brainer and it has to be a core part of a clean energy mix going forward.

The honourable gentleman the Cannock Chase on Mineworkers' Pension Scheme it's obviously an issue of concern for many the traditional mining areas like Staffordshire. One that probably is even more widely across the country of course is the issue the honourable members for South Devon and Taunton and Wellington spoke of on NHS dental treatment. With Easter coming up as they have said I think this may be getting slightly worse but both routine and urgent dental care can be too hard to access in many parts of the country full stop the previous government this time last year had announced a plan to try to do something about this with £200 million of funding for 2.5 million more NHS dentistry appointments, new patient payments and one-off payment to tackle dental blackspots, we need the government to continue that work and to make sure that all of our constituents receive the care they need.

The honourable member for Doncaster and the Isle of Axum again spoke of community sports clubs but also the local heroes that I know all of us so proud of in our own constituencies, what's the best part of being a member of Parliament? I think it's the chance to meet some of these people who do work often goes unacknowledged and perhaps to make sure that they get if not the recognition they deserve, at least an element of recognition. The Member for Keighley and Ilkley made a fantastic contribution about the work done by local dance schools and I think this is an important for a lot of young people growing up the access to dance schools is not just for people joining Royal Ballet, for boys and girls in every constituency it helps with physical development as well as obviously developing their social skills and of course he spoke of his own sports clubs, the spoke of his own sports clubs, the rugby club.

The Member for High Peak spoke passionately about the advantages of smaller, more localised unitary authorities over countywide super councils, hope the government does show the fax ability to move below that 500,000 threshold where appropriate. I honourable friend spoke about the social as well as economic impact of an area losing its core industry and we hope that the government will show the fax ability on net zero to support the workers of Scunthorpe. I would like to refer to every speech sadly I don't have time, but I would like to finish just by wishing you, all to finish just by wishing you, all members of the House and the House staff are very blessed, happy and peaceful Easter recess.
18:50
Gen Kitchen Portrait Gen Kitchen MP (Wellingborough and Rushden, Labour)
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It's a pleasure to close this debate and a very happy Easter to you and all those listening. I will try and do it very swiftly. Let me begin by paying tribute to the honourable member for Harrow East, thanking him and all the members of the Backbench Business Committee for the work they do bringing so many important issues to the notice of this House I would also like to take the time to pay tribute to the late Sir David Amess his plaque and the will behind me now is a reminder of his years of service to his Southend constituency this House and the traditions of this debate.

My time in the chamber did not coincide with his my esteemed colleagues often share stories of his campaigns and I have great admiration for the work you did on animal welfare. Thank you to all members who contributed this afternoon, we've heard from 20 members today on a range of subjects close to their heart and I will do my best to not only butcher the constituency names but summarise their arguments. Firstly thank you to the Member for his good-natured Easter puns, his busy Parliamentary constituency work, this campaign for step access to his station and ceasefire on a two state solution unable wishing personally for Passover.

My the Member for Spennymoor happy birthday, thank you so much for sharing all of your local football club, thank congratulations on your win and their top team of the committee work will stop your commuter village hall is something we shall aspire to thank you very much to the front of Stockton and Darlington Railway for their bicentennial anniversary. The honourable lady from Reigate, Warren sorry to hear of the Redhill, it sounds like she Surrey police force are doing a cracking job in not only cracking down on ASB, also due to champion of making Redhill safer and the partnership work she highlighted.

My honourable friend for Brent East highlighted gambling and the effects on families and gambling with lives came to see me in my to raise the suicide of a constituent. I know how hard families and constituents can take it. The Member for Mid Dorset and North Poole pay tribute to the fire crews who have worked tirelessly to tackle the blazes. I'm heartened to hear of wildlife recovering in her constituency and I'm glad to say that the fire service is moving and I'm sure she will be doing a lot more to question them on that.

The Member for Stockport while I'm sad to hear access to cash will be denied due to the NatWest closure I know he is a local champion and will be advocate the campaigning for it. But I'm delighted here about the schools he visited. To the Member for Huntington and Sidmouth I'm sure he is delighted as I am to hear about the special measures bill has now received Royal Assent. As bills go up Labour have legislated to ring fence investment in infrastructure and where money is not spent we will force companies to give money to customers was to the MemberHub Carlisle yarn bombing is not some thing I had thought I was here in station -- member today, constituency has some of the best scenes and little models, she is welcome to come and visit any time so we can compare but I sadly cannot crochet myself.

The honourable lady fitness born is -- Ennis born is right to champion clean power, the national instructor projects coming under the infrastructure bill which I hope she takes. The Member for Cannock Chase, I also welcome the 1.5 billion and 32% increase for the Mineworkers' Pension Scheme and I also pay tribute to those who have passed away on the BCS SS. To the Member for South Devon and the Member for Taunton Wellington who is Member for Taunton Wellington who is my brother's MP, I also am in a dental desert and I understand how rural communities are at a particular disadvantage.

I will chase the Minister for a response for you. To the Member for Doncaster I hope I said that correctly, he spoke so fast I wasn't able to name all of the clubs but congratulations to the 100-year-old rugby club and to Vera Owen he was definitely a community champion I'm sure his support will also help alleviate those housing prices will stop I promise I will now speed up. To the Member for Dunston Leighton buzzards I was shocked to hear one in five homes still in cages but I welcome the commitment to the £20 million DEFRA fund for higher welfare for hands.

To the right honourable member for Keighley and Oakley congratulations to the school for 20 year anniversary and to the others. The business awards you spoke of like my own the NBN do wonders for independent businesses and small businesses and I hope your sister Becky has a bright future and a safe recovery. To my right honourable friends, my honourable friend for high I agree wholeheartedly with his impassioned speech about local government and share many of the ways he described under local Tory unitary authority.

The honourable member we agree that steel is critical to secure the economy and to a secure economy. We have committed 2.5 billion to steal and we have a plan to steal the Minister was at the despatch box yesterday to my honourable friend for our wash Owen Roy and Harrison and male friendships in their recent viral sensation I do pay tribute to. I also pay tribute to his friend Thomas Rapson but with friends like Dan and Joe they are role models for young men everywhere and congratulations to Joe on his achievement of becoming a consultant hand surgeon.

The honourable friend for done thermal I agree with him with growing skills agenda particularly for Fife College and the S&P subject failure on this. To my honourable friend for Portsmouth North who represents the city that I was born in no less, it is impressive to hear how you've helped over 2,000 people in Portsmouth. I have touched on water previously but I'm sure she welcomes the Water (Special Measures) Bill and special mention for to Archie for funding. Then to the honourable member for Guildford I will definitely chase the Secretary of State.

As the honourable member for Kings when and South Staffordshire knows being a fellow wet this is the first time I've spoken in the chamber since last May which was when I asked the right honourable member for Richmond and Northallerton about dentistry, an issue consistently raised and I had only been elected three months had only been elected three months prior. Then I was, found myself doorknocking again. A lot has changed since then the side of the chamber being one of them, also country has changed in the nine months that Labour has been in power.

Due to brevity I will skip a lot of mentions but I will try and get one or two more in there. A great Labour leader said there is nothing in life which is inevitable about what you choose, last year the country chose to reject the narrative of inevitable decline and shows in labour. There is still much more to be done but we are delivering that change. In closing I would like to express gratitude to house staff including the doorkeeper's, cleaners, clerks, catering, security, police, broadcasting, Hansard, those with visiting experience as well as other staff and constituency teams in the civil servants will come together to make this place function.

And of course my thanks goes to you Madam course my thanks goes to you Madam Deputy Speaker and to Mr Speaker and the other Deputy Speakers. As we rise for Easter recess I offer my rise for Easter recess I offer my best wishes to all here today and those listening at home. Have an enjoyable bank holiday weekend and enjoyable bank holiday weekend and one pun, and excellent Easter to those who celebrate. And lots of chocolate for everyone else. Thank you very much.
18:59
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19:00
Joy Morrissey Portrait Adjournment: Hospice funding Joy Morrissey MP (Beaconsfield, Conservative)
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May start by wishing you a very happy Easter, and thinking the clerks, the doorkeeper's and the House staff who have won the short end of the straw by still having to be here at the end for the adjournment debates. And I'm pleased to have secured this adjournment debates on hospice funding. A topic which I know draws concern from across this House. Even on the last day of term, it still gives pause to so many, and hospice provides a beacon of hope for so many people in their darkest times.

It provides that comfort, that knowledge, the way that you can walk through a very difficult time without hospice support, many would be lost. And that is why you see across the country volunteers giving up their time, their finances to support local hospices because primarily they are a charity. And although they receive some funding from the NHS, many charities, many of these hospices are actually charities. And I think across this House from every party, we believe that hospice and hospices matter.



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Can I commend the honourable lady for bringing this forward? She's absolutely right to highlight the work of hospices, but also for the hospice, or those groups who make the money to get the hospice they do the money to get the hospice they do the work. And I mentioned the church who do a cancer group dinner, who do a cancer group dinner, breakfast every month. They just recently got £5000 from a coffee morning and their monthly offer. Again we see a charitable organisation supported by churches in particular want to mention make in particular want to mention make the difference in this nation.

Does she not agree that whilst admirable, we can't expect coffee mornings and fun runs to do the governments work? The government will seek to see they are dignified. And this comes with end-of-life palliative care.

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Thank you. I would like to pay tribute to all the volunteers who organised the fun runs, to organised the fun runs, to volunteers in my constituency like Sharon Williams, who does the Thames Sharon Williams, who does the Thames hospice walk in denim in denim village every year, and those are the people that help support our the people that help support our local hospices, and it is a point that we should all pay tribute to. And hospices matter. Because each And hospices matter.

Because each year they support 310,000 people, and 92,000 family members. Hospices matter because they are vital, holistic care services for people and their loved ones at the end of their life. Hospices matter because they provide crucial end-of-life and overall healthcare provision, relieving the pressure on the NHS. Both community specialist and acute care. But I suspect that the Minister and the government already know this. And I'm sure that they agree that hospices matter. So let me now turn to why this debate matters.

The hospice sector is under enormous pressure. It faces an unprecedented challenge. The sector is caught in the triple squeeze of increased demand, increased cost and uncertain funding. Only the government has the power to change that squeeze. Only the government can eliminate those increased costs or create more certain funding. In or create more certain funding. In this House, we've seen a debate and months consumed in recent months by a debate about assisted dying. Whilst the real scandal of our lack of support for end-of-life care through hospices goes below the radar.

It is estimated the demand for palliative care in the UK were increased by 25% in the next 25 years. But as hospices face this increased demand, the government have decided to saddle them with increased cost, and failed to provide a long-term settlement. Let me speak now about the excellent Thames hospice that supports many families in my constituency's and those of my neighbours. And I would not be here today if it wasn't for the other place, Baroness May of Maidenhead who came to me because she was a long-time champion of Thames hospice and asked me to have a word with them because they were so concerned about their funding, which I did, which led to this debate today.

So again, it is Members of Parliament from both houses that continue to champion this important cause. And I met recently with Doctor Rachel Decaux, the CEO of Thames hospice, and like many other hospices, Thames hospice represents the very best of our communities. People who believe in providing equality of life to the end-of-life everyone, passionate people who care, like the Thames hospice denim support group and volunteers who make those donations and support those who enter into Thames hospice.

Through their excellent work, they enable 80% of people they support it received dignified end-of-life care in the home, and the rest in their specialised inpatient service. And I recently visited the service and was so moved by the call centre where I saw volunteers and staff working around the clock to help those who had just received a terminal diagnosis or families that couldn't cope. And they were working, they were going to their homes, they were working all hours of the day and night to make sure the people had the support they needed and people have the pain support and palliative care they needed in home or in the centre.

But Thames hospice like many hospices faces a critical moment. Less than one third of their income comes from the NHS. Like many hospices, they raise the rest through their charity shops, fundraising efforts and generosity of private donors. The Chancellor's budget was like a hammer blow to their finances. They are facing up to a £1 million deficit, largely through choices imposed by this government. The national insurance tax rate, from which this government recently voted against, the opportunity to spare hospices will add £300,000 to their cost.

For the next financial year. The National Minimum Wage, another £200,000, both through the direct impact and the need to maintain pay differentials. Meeting the NHS pay settlement, which they need to do to keep clinical staff but again, to do without government support and it adds another further £100,000. Finally, their suppliers facing the same cost pressures are passing those onto Thames hospice at higher prices. Knowing that the Minister will talk about the settlement of £1 million additional funding to the hospices announced in December, but that set out the detail about the money.

It was for capital expenditure, welcome I'm sure by hospices but not to support operational cost pressures. It was also split across 170 hospices, meaning it became a drop in the

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ocean in their individual needs. I thank her for giving way. Will

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I thank her for giving way. Will she please join me in commending Compton care hospice in my constituency of Wolverhampton West, constituency of Wolverhampton West, whom I visited recently. They do great work themselves in raising funds, and they really welcomed the funds, and they really welcomed the £100 million support that this £100 million support that this government has provided, but it was also emphasised that if they weren't there to provide the social care, therapy, respite care for patients and their families, the NHS would need to have an extra hundred beds available, so they provide invaluable services to the community, and it makes it so much more important for us to continue

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hospices as much as we possibly can. Might friend makes an excellent point about the pressure that point about the pressure that hospices take off the NHS, and the wonderful work of my friends hospice wonderful work of my friends hospice is the reason why the NHS can function in the way that it does. function in the way that it does. And I think that point of the cost And I think that point of the cost savings involved in palliative care, both in a hospital setting and out- of-hospital care provision setting of-hospital care provision setting is invaluable.

And to use an existing model like a hospice in the constituency of myself or of any of the members opposite, it is a model that already works, that is trusted by the community, and I think we should be funding that model, not allowing them to die on the vine

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because of the lack of funding and the changing to the funding model. So thank you for that. I congratulate her on getting

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I congratulate her on getting this debate, but not just to complain about this terrible new tax that is being applied to hospices, but to point out to the Minister, but to point out to the Minister, and I hope the Minister will respond to this point when he winds up the debate, that the return on investment for the taxpayer from investment for the taxpayer from what hospices spent on the dying is very great indeed. If a little bit of money was transferred from the health service money to the hospices, it would pay great dividends to the health service because it would save much more costly care in the hospitals stop is a 300% return according to the Saint Helena hospice just outside my constituency.

On whose behalf I'm speaking this evening.

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My Lords makes an excellent point that the cost benefit, the 300% cost that the cost benefit, the 300% cost benefit in the case mentioned would be replicated across the country in every hospice setting. The small every hospice setting. The small amount of money that could be given through the NHS funding model to through the NHS funding model to hospices be invaluable. And we talk of palliative care, we talk about of palliative care, we talk about assisted dying, but why are we having a debate about increasing hospice funding and making it part hospice funding and making it part of the NHS? If these hospice settings were part of the NHS, they would be exempt from the NIC increase, but right now the NIC increase is devastating to hospices because many of them are funded through volunteers or low-paid workers in charity shops and they are taking that money to pay for their hospice setting.

Now that is a wonderful model, but they are not exempt from the NIC increase like other NHS bodies are. Even changing their status to make them part of the NHS would go up very very long way in making their financial model

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viable. Really grateful to the honourable

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Really grateful to the honourable member he's making an incredibly powerful speech. I've been steering to the palliative care commission for the last six months. And one thing that has become crystallised in all of our minds is the fundamental funding model is fundamental funding model is completely broken, and not fit for purpose. But also the system needs to be far more integrated because to be far more integrated because the reality is that a hospice involving part of someone's care, involving part of someone's care, not the entirety of a care, so does

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she believe the finding of the commission does need to steer the future funding of the hospice sector? Thank you, and making that point is an excellent one because we should be led by the evidence, and what the commission finds. And I'd what the commission finds. And I'd like to point out the long-term work that my honourable friend opposite has done in championing out-of- has done in championing out-of- hospital care provision, not just the palliative care of all adult the palliative care of all adult social.

I recall many a debate where there was one or two of us in the chamber and the member opposite has chamber and the member opposite has always been one of them, a long-time champion of the vulnerable, of palliative care and of those the display need better services. May I thank my honourable friend opposite? And it isn't often that you will see me reach across the House, but credit where credit is due, there are members from this House, from any side of the House that has championed these courses over and over again and it would only be right and fair that I recognise them right and fair that I recognise them today.

And we face the real prospect of collapse of the hospice sector with these changes, and that would be unimaginable. These are institutions that are trusted in our communities, that we need to protect, that need additional funding from the NHS. And the government must act, and I urge them to please reconsider national insurance changes. Exempting them from the increase or providing funding support to their operating costs would make a material difference to their ability to survive. Our hospices matter, and I hope the Minister will hear that message loud and clear and show the government understands how vital they are.

Thank you.

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I'd really like to thank the honourable member for securing this honourable member for securing this very important debate. I'd like to take this opportunity to also thank take this opportunity to also thank all those who work or volunteer in the hospice and palliative care sector for the care and support that sector for the care and support that they provide to patients, families and loved ones when they need it most. This government wants a society where every person receives society where every person receives high quality, compassionate care from diagnosis through to the end- of-life.

We are determined to shift of-life. We are determined to shift more care out-of-hospital is and into the community to ensure patients and their families receive
19:15
Stephen Kinnock Portrait Stephen Kinnock MP, Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care) (Aberafan Maesteg, Labour)
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personalised care in the most appropriate setting. And palliative and end-of-life care services and end-of-life care services including hospices will have a vital role to play in that shift. In England, integrated care boards are responsible for the commissioning of palliative and end-of-life care services to meet the needs of their local populations. To support ICBs local populations. To support ICBs in this duty, NHS England has published statutory guidance and published statutory guidance and service specifications. Whilst the majority of palliative and end-of- life care is provided by NHS staff and services, we recognise the vital part the voluntary sector organisations, including hospices also play in providing support to people at end-of-life as well as to Most hospices are charitable independent organisations which receive some statutory funding for providing NHS services.

The amount of funding each charitable hospice receives various both within and between ICB areas. This variation is dependent on demand in that area and also on the totality and type of palliative and end-of-life care provision from both NHS and non-NHS services, including charitable hospices within each ICB footprint. We understand the financial pressures hospices have been facing a which is why this government announced the biggest investment into hospices in England in a generation. During the hospices in England can continue to deliver the highest quality end-of-life care possible for their patients, families and loved ones.

We are supporting the hospice sector with £100 million capital funding boost for adult and children's hospices to ensure that they have the best possible physical environment for the care that they give. We are pleased to confirm that the government has released the first £25 million tranche of the £100 million capital funding with Hospice UK kindly allocating and distributing the money to hospices throughout England. An additional £75 million will be allocated in the coming weeks for use in the 25/26 financial year.

The £100 million capital funding will help hospices to provide the best end-of-life care to patients and their families in a supportive and dignified physical environment. Funding will help support hospices to, and deliver much-needed funding for improvements including refurbishments, overhauling IT systems and improving facilities from patients and visitors. We are also providing £26 million in revenue funding to support children and young people's hospices. This is a continuation of funding which until recently was known as the children and young people's hospice grant.

ICBs will once again administer the funding to the respective children and young people hospices on behalf of NHS England. This is in line with the NHS devolution policies and it promotes a consistent national approach and supporting commissioners in prioritising the palliative and end-of-life care needs of the local population. I am pleased to confirm that NHS England has now communicated the details of the 25/26 funding allocation and dissemination to individual hospices. I do accept that there is unwarranted variation and inequality in access to and quality of palliative and end-of-life care in England.

But we are working to reduce these variations. NHS England has published statutory guidance and service specifications to support commissioners in prioritising palliative and end-of-life care. It has also developed palliative and end-of-life care dashboard which brings together all relevant local data in one place. The dashboard helps commissioners to understand the palliative and end-of-life care needs of their local population, enabling ICBs to put plans in place to address and track the improvement of health inequalities. And to ensure that funding is distributed fairly and based on prevalence.

NHS England has also published the ambitions framework which sets out our vision to improve end-of-life care through partnership and collaborative action between organisations at local level throughout England. Additionally NHS England has developed an assurance system with specific steps and deadlines to ensure timely dissemination of the £26 million revenue funding to children's and young people's hospices as we know that there were some quite significant problems in terms of the transmission from NHS England through the ICBs to the hospices last year.

The steps include regular oversight sessions with ICBs, regions and hospices giving ICBs a hard deadline within quarter one of the financial year by when they are expected to disseminate the funding to hospices including escalating to NHS England if any ICB is unable to meet the deadline. If the deadline is missed, NHS England has put steps in place to ensure all hospices receive the funding within the timescales outlined. We alongside key partners in NHS England will continue to proactively engage with our stakeholders, including the voluntary sector and independent hospices on an ongoing basis in order to understand the issues they face.

In fact I recently visited Catherine House hospice in Stafford and heard from staff how important our record investment has been to them. More widely in February I met key palliative and end-of-life care and hospice stakeholders in a roundtable format to discuss long- term sector sustainability within the context of our 10 year health plan. With regard to the issues that honourable members have raised around funding and the employers national insurance contribution I do absolutely recognise the concerns that they have raised, we inherited public finances in their worst state since the Second World War in July of last year and we have taken necessary decisions to fix the foundations in the public finances at the Autumn Budget.

Enabling the spending review settlement of £22.6 billion increase or uplift in resource spending for the Department of Health and Social Care from 2023 to 2025/26. I would gently point out to the party opposite that they I believe have welcomed that unprecedented settlement, but to my knowledge have been silent on their preferred means of generating that revenue, I would gently say to members opposite you can't have it both ways. You can't welcome the £22.6 billion on the one hand but then condemn on the other hand the way in which that money was raised without coming up with your own plan and your own proposals for how you and your own proposals for how you Grateful to the honourable member the hospice sector is in quite a difficult place at the moment, we've got to recognise that financially, however if there is good advance care planning it means that money that is spent in secondary care currently could be reinvested into the hospice sector and into more community provision.

Surely that must be a first step in order to get not only better clinical outcomes but also it being better for the

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whole of palliative care pathway. I Thankur for that intervention she speaks with tremendous and deep she speaks with tremendous and deep knowledge of the sector and I also knowledge of the sector and I also welcome the work she is doing on the taskforces on palliative and end- of-life care and very much look forward to seeing the outcomes and forward to seeing the outcomes and results of that task force. She is results of that task force. She is right that if we are going to make right that if we are going to make these three bring -- big shifts at the heart of our 10 year plan, shift from hospital to community, from sickness to prevention from analogue to digital that will require a left shift in terms of both funding and reform so that we can deliver the 10 year plan.

It is absolutely right that we take very hardheaded look at funding across our NHS and ensure that that funding is going to wear it needed. She will know that funding in terms of the funding sure the hospitals get has gone up dramatically since the early 2,000 to the detriment of primary care, community care, palliative care, all of the things that happen outside hospital. That is something we must address and we must shift upstream because we will never solve considerable challenges that our NHS is facing into we make that left shift.

I would also note in terms of the funding announcement it was warmly welcomed by the sector for example Toby Porter CEO of Hospice UK said that today's announcement will be hugely welcomed back when it was announced, by hospices and those who rely on their services for the hospices not only provide vital care for patients and families but also relieve pressure on the NHS. This funding will allow hospices to continue to reach hundreds of thousands of people every year with high quality compassionate care.

We look forward to working with the government to make sure everybody approaching the end-of-life debts the care and support they need when and where they need it. I hope the measures I have outlined in my response to the honourable lady will go some way to reassuring all rumours -- members of this government unwavering commitment to the sustainability of the hospice and palliative end-of-life care

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sector. I thank the Minister for outlining what the government is doing, with the Minister consider looking at the exemption for the national insurance increase for workers and also allocating more funding directly taskforces so that funding directly taskforces so that they can -- to hospices so they can directly access the palliative care they need in the provision because they need in the provision because although the government may want to give it to palliative care there is give it to palliative care there is no directive it is doing so at this time.

Aside from capital expenditure for operational costs could there be

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more money allocated to hospices? I Thankur for the intervention on

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I Thankur for the intervention on the definition of where employers national insurance will be levied, national insurance will be levied, that definition is based on the that definition is based on the Office for National Statistics definition of where it should be, the same definition used by previous governments so I don't think that point is up for debate.

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point is up for debate. Just to clarify, the NHS and those staff within the NHS are exempt from the changes so how is that part of the national statistical average when actually everyone in healthcare he was part of the NHS umbrella is exempt from these changes, all I am asking for is for hospice which is out of hospital care provision which technically falls within adult social, couldn't that be incorporated in the exemptions already given to the NHS?

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Exemption was given to 100%

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Exemption was given to 100% full-time workers within the NHS, so in essence hospitals. GPs, dentists, in essence hospitals. GPs, dentists, care providers are all, the UNIX is being levied on those other parts of the care, health and care sector. In the care, health and care sector. In essence across my portfolio every aspect of my portfolio is seeing the next being levied.

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Just a suggestion to the Minister, is integrating the staff working in hospices onto the NHS payroll, it would be that simple to exempt them from the national insurance increases.

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In essence the decisions on where they are being levied to have been they are being levied to have been made, I think it was made very clear that the line was drawn where it was drawn so any attempt to try to revert, reverse engineer where that revert, reverse engineer where that line should be drawn would not really be aligned with the policy decisions made around the budget.

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Regarding her point on... Was it actually the government's intention to tax, to put an additional tax on hospices? Is that what the government intended to do or is this an unforeseen consequence?

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I would not dare to speak from this Dispatch Box on the behalf of this Dispatch Box on the behalf of the Chancellor but I am absolutely clear that when the Chancellor did clear that when the Chancellor did the Autumn Budget she knew that she had to dig us out of a very deep hole indeed and that required hole indeed and that required levying taxes that she had to levy on the line had to be drawn on the line had to be drawn somewhere.

That is where the line was drawn. In terms of the questions I think the funding has gone through Hospice UK so it's not direct funding in that sense but Hospice UK very kindly have coordinated the process because they are extremely well informed about which hospices across the country have got opportunities to upgrade their infrastructure, IT infrastructure, refurbishment whatever it might be, they reviewed those proposals work that tremendous pace and as a result they've managed to deliver the entire £25 million of the first tranche and we are now working closely with Hospice UK on the 75 million and I'm confident that money will be out of the door and into hospices in very quick time this year based on the outstanding performance on the first £25 million tranche I hope she will be reassured on that point.

In closing I do hope we have got at least consensus around the vital importance of hospices, the government is absolutely committed to working at pace to ensure that we secure sustainability and solidity for the sector going forward, I would like to thank the member once again for securing this important debate and also I'd like to thank and wish everybody in this chamber all the

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very best for recess and look forward to seeing you all on the other side. The question is that this House do now adjourn for As many are of do now adjourn for As many are of that opinion say, "Aye", and of the contrary, "No". The "Ayes" have it.
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