Business of the House

Debate between Alan Campbell and Paulette Hamilton

Thursday 11th June 2026 Commons Chamber

[Sir Alan Campbell]

Let me join the deputy shadow Leader of the House in sending our best wishes to the man who was injured in the Belfast attack; we wish him and his family well. Let me also place on the record our thanks to and support for the brave police officers and the wider community, who have shown incredible bravery in the face of such intimidation.

I want to start by mentioning some of the anniversaries that will take place before the next scheduled business question. Next Tuesday marks 10 years since the murder of Jo Cox. Jo was a relentless campaigner for equality, human rights and social justice, and a powerful champion for the world’s most vulnerable and marginalised. Members will have the opportunity to pay tribute to Jo and her long-lasting legacy in this afternoon’s debate, and I hope they will take the opportunity to do so.

This Sunday will mark the ninth anniversary of 72 people losing their lives in the Grenfell tower fire. I know that the thoughts of the whole House remain with the families of those who died in the Grenfell tower fire, the survivors and the wider community.

Let me turn to matters that have been raised with me previously during these sessions and report back on progress that has been made. An issue that has been raised frequently is driving tests, so Members will be pleased to see this week that further changes have been made to how and where driving tests can be booked. This is a final step in a series of changes that we are taking to make it easy to get a test and to stop the exploitation of learner drivers by online bots and reselling.

Similarly, a constant theme in these sessions has been the state of our roads and the plague of potholes. This week, we have unveiled new rules to get potholes fixed. Councils will be required to reveal exactly how well they repair their roads, thereby letting the public hold them to account. Long-term preventive repairs will be prioritised over costly patch-up fixes, saving motorists hundreds of pounds a year on pothole-related repairs.

Last week, the Modernisation Committee launched a new opportunity for Members to directly shape the work of the Committee by pitching ideas for what we should do next. More information is available on ParliNet, and I strongly encourage Members to take part and share ideas.

As the House will know, the world cup kicks off today, and I am sure the whole House will join me in wishing England and Scotland the very best of luck. Members will be pleased to know that pubs across the country are set to benefit from extensions to licensing hours and special screenings. As I have said before, England has only ever won a world cup under a Labour Government; I expect that theory to be tested in not just this world cup but the next one.

Let me turn to the remarks of the deputy shadow Leader of the House. He talked about the importance of the common ridings and festivals, and he is absolutely right that events such as the Borders common ridings are a reminder and a display of local identity and community spirit that have endured for centuries. I am pleased that he is able to attend and take part in such events, and join him in wishing all those taking part an enjoyable season.

The hon. Gentleman says he will be at the Selkirk common ridings, which I believe takes place tomorrow. It commemorates the town’s last and only survivor of the battle of Flodden in 1513. I hope the weather is better tomorrow than it was on the day of the battle.

The hon. Gentleman raised two substantive points, the first of which was on standards in public life. I absolutely agree with him that it is important that the public get the answers they deserve when there are scandals like the one we have seen north of the border. I encourage people to be open about what has happened. If the authorities need to carry out further investigations, it is right that they do so.

Not surprisingly, in the context of next week’s by-election, the hon. Gentleman talked about the important question of oil and gas. Let me point out two things. First, this Government are absolutely committed to new clean energy and to energy independence, and we will bring forward measures on the latter shortly, but oil and gas will continue to flow for many years ahead as we make the transition. The international situation has again underlined the importance of that transition.

Finally, we should be concerned about what happens to jobs in the transition, but I gently point out to the hon. Gentleman that in 14 years of Conservative Government, 70,000 jobs were lost in oil and gas. I am sure that the voters of Aberdeen will want to bear that in mind.

[Paulette Hamilton (Birmingham Erdington) (Lab)]

My constituents in Gravelly Hill in Erdington continue to raise serious concerns about the impact of air pollution on health and quality of life around the A38 spaghetti junction interchange. With almost 200,000 vehicles passing through the junction each day, residents remain concerned about the cumulative impact of emissions on surrounding communities. Despite repeated requests, a ministerial visit to discuss their concerns has yet to be arranged. Will the Leader of the House make time for a debate on air quality in urban communities, and ask the relevant Minister to visit spaghetti junction to see at first hand the challenges faced by local residents?

[Sir Alan Campbell]

My hon. Friend is a doughty fighter for her community and the wider region, and she raises serious matters. There are opportunities for her to apply for a debate to hear directly from a Minister—perhaps in a Westminster Hall or Adjournment debate—but I will certainly take up her request that a Minister considers visiting to see the issue for themselves.

Business of the House

Debate between Alan Campbell and Paulette Hamilton

Thursday 4th June 2026 Commons Chamber

[Paulette Hamilton (Birmingham Erdington) (Lab)]

My constituent Ethan Lacey from Castle Vale in Birmingham is fighting for his life in hospital in Thailand following a serious incident. His family are facing unimaginable distress as they seek to support him and navigate the challenges he is facing in dealing with medical issues from thousands of miles away. Given the urgency of the case, will the Leader of the House help me to secure an urgent meeting with the relevant Foreign Office Minister to discuss immediate support for Ethan and his family?

[Sir Alan Campbell]

We send Ethan and his family our best wishes. The direct answer to my hon. Friend’s question about a meeting is yes.

Business of the House

Debate between Alan Campbell and Paulette Hamilton

Thursday 5th March 2026 Commons Chamber

[Sir Alan Campbell]

My hon. Friend raises a worrying matter, and I thank him for mentioning the important work of Collingwood Learning. Early education about alcohol is already compulsory, and the updated relationships, sex and health education guidance provides additional content on the risks associated with alcohol consumption. I encourage him to apply for an Adjournment debate on this matter, not just because it is important, but because others across the House will share his concerns.

[Paulette Hamilton (Birmingham Erdington) (Lab)]

Councillors are the bedrock of their communities, working tirelessly on behalf of residents. I know this from my own time as a local councillor. Waseem Zaffar was an outstanding and much-loved Birmingham councillor, who served his constituents with passion and distinction, and his recent passing at the age of 44 is a great loss. Given the invaluable contribution of local government representatives, may I ask the Leader of the House for a debate in Government time to recognise the vital role that local councillors play in our communities?

[Sir Alan Campbell]

I join my hon. Friend in thanking councillors across the country and in recognising their important contribution, whichever party they represent. They are an important part of our local democracy. I also join her in sending our condolences to the family and friends of her local councillor. She is right to raise this matter, and as we approach the local elections, should she seek an Adjournment debate, I am sure she could give even greater voice to the importance of councillors in our local democracy.