Business of the House

Debate between Gordon McKee and Lucy Powell

Thursday 4th September 2025 Commons Chamber

[Lucy Powell]

I know the new guidance from the EHRC is of great interest to many Members across this House; it is something that I get many emails and correspondence about myself. A parliamentary process will sit alongside that, but I will absolutely ensure that there is appropriate time to debate and discuss these issues, which I know are important to the House.

[Gordon McKee (Glasgow South) (Lab)]

Local community councillors in Cathcart have long campaigned for step-free access to Cathcart train station. I welcome the investment in the spending review, but I would like to see some of that money come to Cathcart station. Does the Leader of the House agree that we should have a debate on train station accessibility, and would she help facilitate a meeting with the Minister?

[Lucy Powell]

Train station accessibility is an important issue to many Members. I am sure that if he joins together with some of the Opposition Members who have raised that issue with me today, it would attract the interest of the Chair of the Backbench Business Committee, the hon. Member for Harrow East (Bob Blackman).

Business of the House

Debate between Gordon McKee and Lucy Powell

Thursday 27th March 2025 Commons Chamber

[Lucy Powell]

I thank the hon. Member for bringing Harry Brown into Parliament yesterday and for talking to him at great length about his experiences. He is absolutely right: we need a balance between ensuring that we have specialist care, which is often centred in certain places, and ensuring that there is care in the community. That is at the heart of what we are doing to make sure that there is good preventative and community NHS care for all those who need it, all the time.

[Gordon McKee (Glasgow South) (Lab)]

The football pitch at Merrylee primary school in my constituency is used by hundreds of kids every day, but it is in a terrible condition. It needs to be redone, but the local SNP-run council is refusing to provide funding, which means that local parents have to identify grant funding. Will the Leader of the House join me in praising those local parents? Will she make time for a debate on community football pitches?

[Lucy Powell]

Absolutely. I am sorry to hear that local people are having to fundraise for such an issue, but my hon. Friend is right that football pitches are at the heart of our communities. In England, we have a football Bill going through the House, which will support grassroots funding. The Scottish Government have a very good settlement with a big budget from this Government, so hopefully they can use some of it to support his community better.