Commons Chamber

Thursday 20th November 2025

(began 3 hours, 29 minutes ago)

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None Portrait Q4. What steps her Department is taking to support the reopening of railway stations in underserved communities. (906444)
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Jodie Gosling question number four, please, Mr. Speaker.
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None Portrait Q5. What steps she is taking to help improve local bus services. (906445)
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David Pinto-Duschinsky question number five, please, Mr. Speaker. Minister.
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None Portrait Q6. What steps she is taking to improve passenger rail performance. (906446)
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Tim Roca.
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None Portrait Q7. What steps she is taking to ensure that Great British Railways holds consultations with passengers. (906447)
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Seven, Mr Speaker. Minister. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Passengers will be at the heart of
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None Portrait Q9. What steps she is taking to help improve the integration of public transport in Isle of Wight East constituency. (906450)
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Joe Robertson number.
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None Portrait Q11. What steps her Department is taking to reduce the backlog in practical driving tests. (906452)
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Muhammad.
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None Portrait Q12. What steps she is taking to promote active travel. (906453)
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Gardner. Question number 12, please, Mr. Speaker. Mr.
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None Portrait Q15. What steps she is taking to improve rail connectivity. (906458)
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Lorraine Beavers.

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You're welcome. Minister. We are committed to providing a rail network that delivers reliable
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None Portrait Q19. What steps she is taking to support the aviation sector. (906462)
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Lee Pitcher. 19. Please, Minister. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The
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None Portrait Urgent question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the use of lasers by the Russian spy ship Yantar
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come to this House first. I now call James Cartlidge to ask his Urgent Question. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. To ask the Secretary of State for defence if he will make.
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Al Carns Portrait Al Carns MP, Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans) (Birmingham Selly Oak, Labour)
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Mr. speaker, I will pass the message into the broader team. I'd like to make some comments on the Russian Main Directorate of the Deep sea research programme, known as Googie. As the Secretary of State for defence described yesterday, the Russian research vessel Yantar is part of this programme and is used for gathering intelligence and mapping undersea infrastructure, not just in the United Kingdom, but across many other nations, both in Europe and indeed across the globe. The UK understands that the Yantar is but one in a fleet of Russian vessels designed to threaten our critical national underwater infrastructure and pose a threat indeed to our economics and our way of life.

Russia has been developing a military capability capability to use against critical underwater infrastructure for decades. Google is developing capabilities. It's deployed from specialist surface vessels and submarines that are intended to be used to survey underwater infrastructure during peacetime, but then damage or destroy infrastructure in deep water during a conflict. Russia seeks to conduct this type of operation covertly without being held responsible. Such capabilities can be deployed from surface vessels like the Yantar. That's why defence directed a change in the Royal Navy's posture, so that we can better track and respond to the threats from this vessel and many others.

The actor has once again been operating in and around the UK's EEZ. For the second time this year, during this time, she was continuously monitored by Royal Navy frigate HMS Somerset and the RAF's P-8s. We will ensure that the actor is not able to conduct its mission unchallenged or untracked, but this has not been without difficulties. A laser assessed to be originating from the port side of the Yantar was directed at British personnel operating one of our p-8s. This was a highly dangerous and reckless attempt to disrupt our monitoring.

The P-8 continued to monitor the Yantar activity. Personnel, when they arrived back safe in the UK were medically assessed post incident and no injuries were sustained. There was no damage was sustained to the aircraft or her equipment. Russia does not want us to know what they are doing. They want do not want us to know what the yantar is up to. It does not want the world to know what it is doing. But we will not be deterred. We will not let the Yantar go unchallenged as it attempts to survey our infrastructure, and we will work with our allies to ensure that Russia knows that any attempt to disrupt or damage underwater infrastructure will be met with the firmest of responses.

I would like to finalise by saying a great thank you to the brave men and women of our Royal Navy and RAF that

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continue to keep us safe at home and abroad. James Cartlidge.
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James Cartlidge Portrait James Cartlidge MP (South Suffolk, Conservative)
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James Cartlidge. Thank you, Mr. Speaker, for granting this urgent question. And I do echo what you said. It is unacceptable that we are getting the Minister's update on a major national security incident 24 hours after the Secretary of State gave his press conference. Have Ministers learned nothing from the total shambles of the SDR? When defence companies got a copy many hours before parliamentarians? But turning to the incident itself, this appears to represent a serious escalation by Russian forces in close proximity to our homeland.

And given the priority of protecting our service personnel. And I welcome the news about the P-8 pilots being unharmed. Can the Minister outline what mitigations are being taken against the evolving laser threat involved? But surely what this incident really underlines Mr Speaker is that Russia remains a serious threat. That being so, we couldn't help but notice that the Defence Secretary got the podium out for the media yesterday, just as the Defence Select Committee was publishing a damning report about Labour's total lack of progress on boosting our defence readiness.

The report said that when it comes to readiness, the government are moving and I quote at a glacial pace. And on the subject of pace, the SDR promised a defence readiness Bill, which would include measures to deal with the grey zone threat. Mr. Speaker, but Ministers recently told me it hasn't even been timetabled. So what year will the Defence Readiness Bill become law now? Capability questions are going to be key when it comes to undersea cables, but every one of Labour's defence policy papers has been late.

They promised to publish the Defence Investment Plan and I quote in the autumn, with a week of that season remaining. Will they keep that promise? Finally, Mr. Speaker, as the Minister himself knows better than anyone when it comes to the hybrid threat, our special forces remain more important than ever. So is he not concerned that General Sir Michael Rose, who led the relief of the Iranian embassy siege that made the SAS world famous, has condemned the government for, and I quote, hounding SAS veterans, warning this will harm recruitment and morale.

To conclude, the anti incident shows the seriousness of the threat we face. But in response, what are the government actually doing? The answer? Labour are cutting £2.6 billion from defence spending this year, surrendering sovereignty of the Chagos Islands and following their shameful vote this week, they're putting the British army back in the dock.
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Al Carns Portrait Al Carns MP, Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans) (Birmingham Selly Oak, Labour)
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It's a nonsense Minister.

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The hon. Member is correct. Russia does remain a threat with Russia does remain a threat with the conflict ongoing in Ukraine causing over 1000 casualties a day. It is the biggest threat the UK has faced in a generation. It is worth noting, though, as we progress from noting, though, as we progress from my perspective, the criticism to the government about not doing anything, you're trying to anything, you're trying to collectively, the opposite side is trying to convince us that from 24 years of service and watching the years of service and watching the degradation of defence, watching the lowest morale in armed forces, the lowest morale in armed forces, watching houses with families with leaky homes and damp, being equipped with equipment that isn't equipped with equipment that isn't fit for purpose, watching ships go alongside that haven't left docks alongside that haven't left docks in years.

Looking at a decrepit and delay and down writing of all of our defence capabilities, what we our defence capabilities, what we had to put up for. And now, in the first time in a generation, the military is looking to an increase military is looking to an increase in defence spending, is looking for a strategic defence review, integrated missile defence, NATO integrated missile defence, NATO first. By 2027, we will run out steadfast December to look at a whole of society, approach £4 whole of society, approach £4 billion into uncrewed systems, 1.5 billion into munitions.

The Defence Readiness Bill is another legislative process to push further changes through by the end of this Parliament. And then we talk about elements of the tip of our spear recruitment and retention. I can assure you today, looking into the details, there is not a recruitment retention in the tip of the spear. Indeed, the recruitment and retention issues that we inherited created the smallest army since Napoleonic times, and that was the government on the other side of this bench. So before we start lecturing us a year and a half into government on how decrepit our defences and downplaying our soldiers, Air force and those individuals in the Navy, you should take some responsibility for the mismanagement of the defence portfolio for the last 14 years.
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Hamish Falconer Portrait Mr Hamish Falconer MP, Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Lincoln, Labour)
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Russia's assault.

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Premeditated and barbaric. Attack on. A sovereign. Democratic state. For over three

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Democratic state. For over three years, Ukrainians have defended their country with courage and a fierce determination to defend the fierce determination to defend the shared values that we cherish. President Putin continues to intensify missiles and drone intensify missiles and drone attacks into Ukrainian cities, which continue to kill civilians, including children, and damage including children, and damage vital civilian infrastructure. President Putin is also taking children from their families. children from their families. Almost 20,000 Ukrainian children have been forcibly deported to Russia or Russian temporarily Russia or Russian temporarily controlled territory by Russian authorities.

We are closely engaged with Ukraine and our international with Ukraine and our international partners to ensure Ukraine gets the support it needs to defend itself and achieve a just and lasting and achieve a just and lasting peace, president Putin has shown no readiness to engage in meaningful peace negotiations. At last week's foreign Ministers meeting, G7 partners were clear that international borders must not be changed by force. We will also continue to use the full might of continue to use the full might of our sanctions regime to bear down on the revenues that funding Putin's war and ratchet up pressure Putin's war and ratchet up pressure to force him to engage in meaningful talks.

To date, this government has sanctioned over 900 individuals and entities targeting Russia's illicit shadow fleet and its two largest oil producers. We have also announced a ban on maritime LNG, all to kerb funding of Russia's war chest. Russia's heinous policy to deport, indoctrinate and militarise Ukrainian children demonstrates the depths to which they will sink to eradicate Ukrainian identity and future. The UK has committed more than £2.8 million to support Ukrainian efforts to facilitate the return and reintegration of children deported by Russia since the beginning of September.

Ukraine's pilot tracing mechanism, which the UK is co-funding, has already identified over 100 600 additional children who were deported to the Russian Federation or relocated within the temporarily occupied territories. The Foreign Secretary discussed this issue with Ukrainian Foreign Minister during last week's inaugural inaugural meeting of the UK Ukraine Strategic Dialogue. We're working internationally in support of Ukraine and Canada, who are

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co-chairing the International Coalition for the Return of Ukrainian Children. Priti Patel and Deputy Speaker.
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Priti Patel Portrait Rt Hon Priti Patel MP (Witham, Conservative)
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Priti Patel and Deputy Speaker. This House has been resolute in its support for Ukraine and its defence of its territory, sovereignty and of its territory, sovereignty and freedom since 2022, the level of support we've given to Ukraine has been at the forefront of working with them to secure peace on their terms with US military officials in Ukraine today, we need to know what role the UK government and the coalition of the willing is playing. So can the Minister tell this House what is the government's position on the reports that the United States is brokering a deal with Russia that will involve Ukraine making territorial concessions to Russia, with Russia gaining territory or holding some of a lease arrangement where they effectively control the east of Ukraine.

Were the UK involved in drawing up these proposals? The report suggests that the Ukrainian armed forces will be reduced and limited as a result of these proposals. What is the government's view on this? Are these reports accurate, or are there proposals on the table that align more closely with our view and the Ukrainian view that Russia should leave Ukraine? Can the Minister give an update on the steps being taken to pressure Russia and its economy? We know of the sanctions measures and they're being kept under review.

But are proactive steps being taken to press countries to stop refining Russian oil. Turkiye, India and China all have refineries and are significant importers of Russian oil. When the Prime Minister was meeting the Turkish president last month, did the Prime Minister raise this issue and press them to stop? We've asked this before, but did not get a direct yes or no answer. Have British Ministers raised this issue with their Chinese counterparts when they're going to discuss with the CPP Ministers when it comes to their shuttle diplomacy in Beijing, is there an update on securing the proceeds from the sale of Chelsea to support Ukraine? And finally, Madam Deputy Speaker, today is World Children's Day and our thoughts are with the reported 20,000 Ukrainian children abducted by Putin.

We welcome the reports of the returns and the rescue of 1800 Ukrainian children. But what further steps are being taken by Britain to secure their return as soon as soon as possible? And is this a priority in the talks that are now taking place,
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Hamish Falconer Portrait Mr Hamish Falconer MP, Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Lincoln, Labour)
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Minister. Secretary for the tone of her question. This whole House is united on these questions, both in support of Ukraine and in outrage at the iniquity of what the Russians are doing in relation to Ukrainian children. We are glad of our partnership with the Ukrainian government in the new tracing mechanism. As I said in my statement, it has made some progress since September in identifying more than 600 children who should be returned to Ukraine and will use our full efforts to ensure that that is the case.

The shadow foreign secretary asks about some of the reports in recent days. She will, I'm sure, have seen the US Secretary of State's statement this morning in which he indicates that there are a range of ideas that are being discussed. But of course, the Foreign Secretary is in direct and regular discussions with the US Secretary of State and made an important statement last week at the G7 in relation to these questions. That statement reiterated that an immediate ceasefire is urgently needed.

We should be clear President Zelensky is ready for an immediate ceasefire. The UK supports him in that initiative. It is President Putin who is failing to come to the table. What should be the starting point of negotiations? That was clear in the G7 statement. The current line of contact should be the starting point of negotiations, and we remain committed to the principle that international borders must not be changed by force. And I know

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that is a principle held with great force across the whole of the House. Johanna Baxter.
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Hamish Falconer Portrait Mr Hamish Falconer MP, Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Lincoln, Labour)
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Mr. I know that the whole House recognises my hon. Friends work on this issue. Ever since she's arrived in this place and before it is at the top of our minds, the atrocities that have been conducted against Ukrainian families, the removal of children must be first among them. This remains a priority for this government. I described the tracing mechanism, as did my hon. Friend. We are pleased with the results. Since the pilot began in September, I can confirm that the Foreign Secretary discussed it with Ukrainian Foreign Minister during his visit last week, and we will continue to work on these issues.

It cannot become the norm in international relations to kidnap children and relocate them. That is what we have seen from the Russians and that is what we oppose. And that is why we will continue to work in the way that we are. I've already provided some response on the questions of negotiations, but to to set out the very obvious. Madam Deputy Speaker, the Ukrainian flag flies from the building of the Foreign Office. It flies from many churches in Lincolnshire, as I does. I know it does across constituencies represented in this House this morning.

The UK is steadfast in its support for Ukraine. It will be for Ukraine to determine the negotiations into which it is prepared to enter. And that is what the Foreign Secretary was discussing with Ukrainian

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Foreign Minister, the US Secretary of State, in a range of other international partners. Last week. Liberal Democrat spokesperson Calum Miller.
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Hamish Falconer Portrait Mr Hamish Falconer MP, Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Lincoln, Labour)
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Mr. hon. Member and his constituents to support Ukrainians. I know that right across the House, both hon. Members and their constituents have been engaged in supporting Ukrainians in many different ways. I myself have met with Ukrainian community in Lincoln, and there are many people in Lincoln who have taken Ukrainians in or provided support. And I would like to assure all of those people that we will continue to stand with Ukrainians on these questions. He asks the important question about how we can continue to try and identify those children who have been seized by the Russians.

There is work ongoing using often Russian databases themselves, which are relatively freely available to children are lik have been taken in Russia. That Russian authorities think that people are not sufficiently interested to track individual children. And I can assure the House that we are, that we will, that we will continue to follow this to the end. We have identified 600 individual Ukrainian children by name alongside our Ukrainian friends. We will not forget the names of those children. We will not forget the locations of those children, Russian families who have sought to take in those children should know that such an effort is ongoing.

That is supported right across the government, right across the House and right across the country. We will continue day in

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and day out to ensure those children are returned to. Adam Jogee. Peter Kyle. Madam speaker, thank
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Alex Davies-Jones Portrait Alex Davies-Jones MP, The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Justice (Pontypridd, Labour)
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Mr. speaker. important question. Separation centres are a vital part of our strategy to manage those posing the most significant terrorist risk. Following the horrific attack at HMP Frankland in April this year, we took immediate action to ensure safety in our separation centres. Today everyone is safe and a stringent regime remains in place. Our prison officers are some of the hardest working and bravest public servants in this country. It is right that they feel safe as they work to protect the public.

That is why, following the attack at Frankland, we for the first time mandated the use of protective body armour in our highest risk units, including Rsks. The DPM has recently announced a further £15 million investment in safety equipment, including to roll out up to 10,000 pieces of body armour to up to 500 staff trained in the use of tasers. The Abu judgement is very fact specific. It does not threaten the integrity of the separation centres themselves. This government takes the judgement and others referenced very seriously.

We are clear that any decision regarding segregation must comply with prison rules and human rights obligations, including under the European Convention of Human Rights. We are working to ensure our referral process is robust and we are strengthening our ability to defend against legal challenges. Specialist staff continue to assess referrals rigorously and placements are made only with that criteria is met. Let me be clear the government will always put national security first. Separation centres remain an essential operational tool, and we will continue to use these specialist units to protect the offenders.

Jenrick.
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Robert Jenrick Portrait Rt Hon Robert Jenrick MP (Newark, Conservative)
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Thank you Sahib Abu is a danger to this country. This is an ISIS fanatic who bought a combat vest and a sword so he could, in his own words, shoot up a crowd. Yet this week, the High Court ruled that keeping him apart from other prisoners to prevent him radicalising them was a breach of his human rights. We have reached the perverse situation where a terrorist's mental health is prioritised over national security and the protection of the very men and women in uniform who are targets for these dangerous individuals with very little to lose.

He's now in line for a payout from the taxpayer. This isn't an isolated incident. This is the latest in a line including the double murder and extremist forward Awali and Denny da Silva. Every extremist housed in a separation centre may now be able to deploy this judgement to escape being housed in these units and get a payout. Terrorists are weaponizing the and the public sector equality duty to milk the state, and the Ministry of Justice is signing the checks.

I note that the Minister did not say that she would be appealing this judgement. The Separation Centre regime was created to counter highly subversive terrorists recruiting inside jail and to ensure the protection for prison officers that is effectively collapsing. Prison governors are being paralysed just when there is a crisis of extremism and extreme violence in our prisons, necessitating more separation centres and more segregation. So I ask the Minister, will she finally publish Jonathan Hall Casey's court but which has not been published to this House or the country? Will she say that under no circumstances will any terrorist be rewarded in this manner and bring forward emergency legislation to override this judgement, prevent payout, protect national security and protect our prison officers? I've said many times it is only a matter of time before an officer gets killed by one of these monsters.

Will she bring forward this legislation? If she does, she'll have our support. If she

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doesn't, we will. Thank you, Madam Deputy Speaker. The right hon. Gentleman will very
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Alex Davies-Jones Portrait Alex Davies-Jones MP, The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Justice (Pontypridd, Labour)
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The right hon. Gentleman will very well be aware that I am unable to pre-empt the decisions that are yet to be taken by the courts. The government will always ensure that taxpayer money is used responsibly and effectively. In relation to the most recent judicial review announced just yesterday, the government is considering all of the available options, including the right to appeal, so I just want to put that on the record. But, Madam Deputy Speaker, I find it quite disingenuous that the right hon.

Gentleman, the almost Leader of the Opposition, talks about leaving the European Convention on Human Rights. But can I ask him if he feels so strongly about it, this why his government did absolutely nothing on this when in government for 14 years, where they talk about action, it is this Labour government that is acting. We have been very clear that we will not fail to act regarding reform of the. In fact, the sentencing Minister is in Strasbourg right now, having discussions with partners on a range of topics, including reform of the.

He mentions the findings of Jonathan Casey's independent review of separation centres. The government commissioned this following the attack on HMP Frankland, and Mr. Hall's report, and our response will be published in due course. But let me just say, Madam Deputy. Madam Deputy Speaker, for the avoidance of any doubt, it is the priority of this government and should be the priority of all governments to keep the public safe and to protect national security. And this government will always

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ensure that that is done. Absolutely. Chair the Justice Select Committee. Andy Slaughter.
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Alex Davies-Jones Portrait Alex Davies-Jones MP, The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Justice (Pontypridd, Labour)
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I thank the Liberal Democrat spokesperson for his questions and his constructive way in which he asks them. He is right to highlight asks them. He is right to highlight the chronic underfunding of 14 years of Tory austerity on our prison service and on our criminal justice system. It is right that if you derogate in your duty to look after our criminal justice system, this, sadly, is the result of what happens. We are slowly beginning to pick up the pieces of what was left of our criminal justice system when we came into office 18 months ago.

But this, yet again, is just another example of where the previous government have failed to keep us safe, fail to invest in our prison service, and this is the result that we realise that more needs to be done here and we are committed to doing so. As I've stated, I want to pay tribute again to the brilliant prison staff, prison officers who are working in intolerable conditions in our prisons. We are committed to investing in them, making sure that they are safe. As I've already stated that effective body armour, that better training.

We are listening to them and the governors of the prisons directly as well about what they need, because they are the best people on the ground to identify those needs and that reassurance, we are working with them. And I extend that hand across the aisle to work with him and the party opposite to ensure that we everyone.
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Jesse Norman Portrait Rt Hon Jesse Norman MP (Hereford and South Herefordshire, Conservative)
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Thank you, Madam Deputy Speaker. Will the Leader of the House give us the forthcoming business. the business for the week commencing 24th of November will include Monday, the 24th of include Monday, the 24th of November, remaining stages of the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill. Day one Tuesday, the 25th of November. Remaining stages of the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill. Day two on Wednesday, the 26th of November. My right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer will deliver her budget statement and on deliver her budget statement and on Thursday, the 27th of November, a continuation of the budget statement.

Friday the 28th of statement. Friday the 28th of November, the House will not be sitting. The provisional business for the week commencing the 1st of December includes Monday, the 1st of December continuation of the budget debate, Tuesday the 2nd of budget debate, Tuesday the 2nd of December. Conclusion of the budget debate Wednesday the 3rd of debate Wednesday the 3rd of December. Remaining stages of the Pension Schemes Bill. Thursday the 4th of December debate on a motion 4th of December debate on a motion on the war in Ukraine, followed by a general debate on Saint Andrew's Day.

The subject for these debates Day. The subject for these debates were determined by the Backbench Business Committee on Friday, the 5th of December. The House will not 5th of December. The House will not be sitting. The Leader of the House. may I start by recording my thanks to the Leader of the House for agreeing to the request to have the debate on December the 4th. I think we all feel very warmly about that decision. Madam speaker, politics at the present moment may not be enormously pretty, but it has been a week of triumph in the sporting world.

We have had the joyous mayhem of Scotland reaching their first World Cup for 28 years. But let us not forget the extraordinary thumping which the England rugby team dealt out to the All Blacks at the weekend, or the perfect World Cup qualification record of our English footballers. In that spirit, I hope many, perhaps not all members of this House will join me in sending our best wishes to the England cricket team as they prepare for the opening test in Perth tomorrow.

Madam Deputy Speaker, this has been a another week in which the headlines have not been kind to the government and its allies. They have reported that the Prime Minister has spent a sixth of his time in office abroad. That is two and a half months to date outside the UK. Since the last election, half of all UK jobs lost since the government came to power are among the under 25 seconds. That's 80,000 more young people out of work since July 2020 for agency staff brought in to work during Birmingham's eight month long bin strike by members of unite have now themselves decided to go on strike.

The former deputy Prime Minister is reported to be planning a leadership bid, following last week's speculation about the health secretary and last month's unfortunate foray by the mayor of Manchester. Since Labour took office, the energy price cap has not fallen but risen by £187 to £175 Madam Deputy Speaker, I often wonder if the government has forgotten that there is a world outside London and our biggest city. So in that spirit, I hope I may raise a couple of important issues on which I'd be grateful for the leader's assistance.

The first is local. Last weekend, the village of Lewes Harold in my constituency was devastated by flooding as a result of Storm Claudia. The village was inundated after record levels of rainfall flooded the Dulas Brook, with water levels rising to the highest ever recorded by the monitoring station. The emergency services were called out to help vulnerable residents and houses, local pubs and other businesses were severely damaged. Many local people have been involved in clearing up the mess, in particular the brilliant Young Farmers Club, but it will take months for the village to get fully back on its feet.

The house you will know. Madam Deputy Speaker was given time to debate the severe flooding in nearby Monmouthshire in Wales yesterday. So may I ask the Leader of the House now if he would encourage both the Environment Agency and Defra to take the swiftest and most comprehensive action to protect US and other flood hit areas across England in order to prevent this from happening again. The second issue is a national one. The Listed Places of Worship grant scheme helps thousands of churches, synagogues, mosques and temples and other places of worship to reclaim or to get grants to cover the VAT paid on repair and maintenance work.

It's a small but very useful and cost effective institution that has quietly worked away over more than two decades to preserve the historic fabric of our nation. Unfortunately, since the last election, the size of the scheme has been cut in half and a new cap imposed on the level of individual grants. It's a feature of these repairs that if they are not made, the damage often leads to enormous further costs. Government seems determined to maintain or increase public spending in other areas.

Given that, and the very small relative sums involved. Could I ask the leader to pick this matter up with the Department of Culture, Media and Sport and see if this scheme cannot be quickly restored

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to its previous glory? Thank you, Madam Deputy Speaker,
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Alan Campbell Portrait Rt Hon Sir Alan Campbell MP, Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons (Tynemouth, Labour)
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Thank you, Madam Deputy Speaker, and can I thank the Shadow Leader for his questions? Can I first of all, through you, Madam Deputy all, through you, Madam Deputy Speaker, thank Mr. Speaker, for his timely reminder this week of our responsibilities in this House regarding national security. As the House will know, the Security Service issued an espionage alert to Parliament highlighting targeted outreach by Chinese Ministry of State Security to individuals in our community. This is a very serious matter which the government takes very seriously, and I know Mr.

Speaker does too. So I would urge all MPs to heed this advice and report any suspicious activity immediately. Next week, Madam Deputy Speaker, is Parliament Week, where we encourage young people and the public to engage with the UK's democratic system and institutions. And in that spirit, I was delighted yesterday to meet with children from East Hunsbury Primary School, winners of the Kind School award. This week, after the hon. Member for Northampton South raised the school during business questions, it was a great pleasure to meet with them.

They were a credit to their school, their parents, but most of all to themselves. And it's a reminder to us all of the importance of being kind. And you will be pleased to know, Madam Deputy Speaker, that I have been made an honorary Kindness Ambassador. Which I have to say, Madam Deputy Speaker, is an honour which I never received during my time as the Chief Whip. I was, as the hon. Gentleman has already said, pleased to announce in this week's backbench this week's business that the Backbench Business Committee has chosen Ukraine as a subject for their forthcoming debate on the 4th of December.

And I thank the shadow leader. I thank the Liberal Democrat spokesman, the Member for Carshalton and Wallington and the hon. Member for Harwich and North Essex for their representations to help secure the debate. And members will welcome Madam Deputy Speaker, the publication of the Men's Health Strategy this week, an important topic which again has been raised frequently during business questions. The strategy will address the stark inequalities in men's health to create a society where men and boys are supported, to live healthier and happier lives, and I would encourage members to engage in the debate later today on International Men's Day.

And as the hon. Gentleman has said, it's been a good week for sport and I want to congratulate Scotland for qualifying for the World Cup for the first time since 1998, and just remind the House that the only time that a home nation has actually won the World Cup was under a Labour government. Let me let me turn to the remarks of the shadow leader and address some of his list. At least he he complains about the amount of time that the Prime Minister has spent abroad.

Well, that reflects two things, I think. Above all, Madam Deputy Speaker, one is the uncertainty of the international situation. But the second is he spent a great deal of time, a great deal of time addressing the issue of trade and bringing investment into this country. And therefore, when the hon. Gentleman raises the issue of jobs, he surely got to realise that getting good trade deals, which his government was not prepared to do or able to do, will actually not only bring investment to our country, but it will actually turn into jobs, hopefully across our nation.

He quite rightly raises the issue of flooding, and I will draw to the attention of Defra and the Environment Agency the urgency of this situation in ensuring, as far as we can, that preparations are made to this happen in the future. But I would gently also encourage him to encourage some of his colleagues on his side of the House to actually start recognising the effect of climate change. Thirdly, he talks about the listed place of worship and as a constituency MP, has absolutely every right to do so.

I have to say his constituency and neighbouring constituencies have some fantastic churches and many of them are in need of repair going forward. I'm not going to comment on matters of VAT or possibly tax changes with only a few days before the budget, but I will draw his concerns not only to the attention

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of DCMS, but also to the Treasury. Thank you. Barry Gardiner Madam Deputy Speaker.
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Bobby Dean Portrait Bobby Dean MP (Carshalton and Wallington, Liberal Democrat)
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Bobby Dean. Thank you, Madam Deputy Speaker. And can I join the leader in a thanks to the speaker for the thanks to the speaker for the seriousness in which he's taking the Chinese interference in our democracy? I represent many Hong Kongers in my constituency are deeply concerned about this issue. Madam Deputy Speaker, it was a relief to hear that it's confirmed that the budget will be taking place on the floor of this House next week. I'm sure it will be a huge relief also to advisers in the Treasury who just got days away now to start leaking the 2026 budget.

One thing that people will be looking out for in the budget next week is what provisions are going to be made for children with special educational needs and disabilities. I'm fully aware that this is a crisis that was inherited by this government. But it was one that was not unforeseen. We're 18 months into this government now, and we've heard that their major reform plans have been pushed back again. So that is a disappointment to us on those benches. We're seeing councils go bankrupt over this.

Teachers are in despair. Families are being held in legal limbo. And ultimately we're failing children at the end of all this. And I do appreciate that there are some really tricky issues to resolve. We need to balance the the legal entitlements on paper with the quality provision in reality. And we do need to adjust to this world where there are greater diagnosis rates than there were before. But I think there are some actions that the government could take right away, in particular in relation to Madam Deputy Speaker, the private placements that are ongoing.

These have trebled in the last decade. They cost more than double the cost of a state placement around about £60,000. And what we do know is that private equity have been really aggressive in this space, taking on institutions, eating up market share and are reportedly making profit margins around about 20% now in the Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill, the government did introduce the idea of profit caps on those that are being exploitative in the children's social care sector, so I wonder if the leader can ask the relevant Minister if this could be extended to the Sen schools as well?
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Bob Blackman Portrait Bob Blackman MP (Harrow East, Conservative)
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Chair of the Backbench Business Committee, Bob Blackman. I thank the leader for announcing the business for the 4th of December in the chamber. I understand that there is a potential that the House may suspend for a period of time or because of a state visit. So I would ask, could he give consideration for protected time, because these are two very heavily subscribed debates. Also, if you can give us an indication as to whether we'll get the 11th of December in the chamber, because we're now in the position whereby with our backlog of debates, if we have every Thursday between now and the Easter recess, we can fill every single debate.

I note that the House rose very early yesterday, and if the government is is having a problem with business, we can always put on debates to allow colleagues from the backbenches to debate what they wish to debate in government time. If we're given Thursday, the 18th of December, it will be the traditional pre recess adjournment debate for Christmas. The business in Westminster Hall next week, on Tuesday the 25th, will be a debate on potential impact of immigration reforms on humanitarian visa routes.

And on Thursday the 27th, there'll be a because of the budget debate in the chamber, there will be a select committee statement from the Business and Trade Committee, followed by debates on the impact of extended producer responsibility for packaging, followed by a debate on protecting children from domestic abuse. On the 2nd of December, there will be a debate on the adequacy of funding to support homeless people, and on the 4th of December, a debate on comprehensive Acquired Brain Injury Action Plan, followed by a debate on seafarers welfare.

Now, Madam Deputy Speaker, today is the 80th anniversary of the start of the Nuremberg trials, and earlier this week we had a very good briefing at the All-Party parliamentary Group for the Holocaust Memorial and Education Centre from Adam Wagner. He's a renowned human rights lawyer. 24 Nazis were put on trial and the trial lasted for 11 months. At the end of that, 22 of them were sentenced to either very long term prison sentences or death. Two, amazingly enough, were acquitted. So it would be, I think, very helpful if we could have a statement from the Education Secretary on incorporating the business of the Nuremberg trials into the national curriculum, because this was the first time when human rights law started to come to the fore, particularly on war crimes and crimes against humanity.

So I would ask the leader,

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could he arrange for that to happen? Thank you, Madam Deputy Speaker. I certainly welcome the hon.
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Alan Campbell Portrait Rt Hon Sir Alan Campbell MP, Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons (Tynemouth, Labour)
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I certainly welcome the hon. Gentleman back to his place and thank him for raising these important matters on the later matters that he raises. The Nuremberg trials do mark a reassertion of justice, human rights and accountability. And the 80th anniversary is a stark reminder of the need to commit to international criminal justice. And it is one of the government's top priorities in supporting the international legal order, while give consideration to what he says about a statement. But also make sure that the Secretary of State for education is aware of the hon.

Gentleman's comments on the question of protected time. I would certainly give consideration to that. He knows that I'm sympathetic to that. I don't think it's appropriate in every occasion, but I do think it's sympathetic. Should the House be adjourned for any suspended for any particular reason? And I'll let him know about the 11th of December at the earliest opportunity. But just let me gently say to him, yes, of course, this week has been a little bit up and down in terms of the the hours and the debates and the statements that we had.

It's a it's it's always a slight difficulty in getting balance into that. But it's not a problem for the government and its business. It's a problem for the opposition. If they can't be, it can't turn up in numbers to hold the government to account. What are they doing?
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