Business of the House

Jayne Kirkham Excerpts

Thursday 29th October 2026 Commons Chamber

[Sir Alan Campbell]

My hon. Friend is absolutely right to raise this matter, which will resonate with Members across the House. It is often raised with me at this time of year, and I commend him for the work he is doing in his local community. The Government are looking at the matter that he raises. The consultation on reforming fireworks and pyrotechnic legislation received a very high number of responses, not surprisingly. The Government are currently considering the evidence and will respond in due course. At that point, I am sure there will be ample opportunity to discuss this matter further.

[Jayne Kirkham (Truro and Falmouth) (Lab/Co-op)]

After Storm Austen last week, with its echoes of Storm Goretti, I wanted to recognise some of my Cornish parish councils for setting up emergency plans; Salt Wind Catering for working with the National Grid to provide some of the warm food that people needed; National Grid and its team—particularly Jacob Wallace—for their work; Cormac for sorting out the trees so quickly; our farmers; and Radio Cornwall. I think a lot of their actions and what we did in Goretti led to the “Be Ready” scheme that the Government rolled out last week. Could we have a debate in Government time on support for community resilience in the face of the effects of climate change and severe storms?

[Sir Alan Campbell]

My hon. Friend is right to list all the individuals and organisations who played an important part in clearing up after the storms. I pay tribute to them and, indeed, everybody across the country for everything they have done, including local radio, National Grid and farmers, who in many cases are crucial to the work that happens. The Government understand the challenges of a changing climate and the importance of resilience. We will be bringing forward in the future an opportunity to debate these matters further, but again, because this is about ensuring that organisations have the resources they need, we have three days of Budget debate left if my hon. Friend wishes to raise it.

Business of the House

Jayne Kirkham Excerpts

Thursday 22nd October 2026 Commons Chamber

[Sir Alan Campbell]

I will certainly raise the hon. Lady’s concerns with the relevant Minister and make sure that she gets an update on improving the service, which, of course, the Government are committed to doing.

[Jayne Kirkham (Truro and Falmouth) (Lab/Co-op)]

Law firms in my constituency have raised concerns about delays in the processing of complicated probate cases. Complex cases are experiencing delays of a minimum of 16 weeks, which is distressing for the families concerned and can have serious financial and emotional consequences, particularly where inheritance tax or property transactions are affected. Will the Leader of the House either secure a debate on this issue in Government time or raise it with a Justice Minister?

[Sir Alan Campbell]

My hon. Friend raises a very important matter which will echo the concerns of families in many constituencies. Delays arise in particular where applications are incomplete or require further information, but to improve waiting times His Majesty’s Courts and Tribunals Service has invested in additional staff, in system and process improvements and in an upskilling programme, but I will undertake to give the Lord Chancellor sight of my hon. Friend’s words on this issue and see what more can be done.

Business of the House

Jayne Kirkham Excerpts

Thursday 15th October 2026 Commons Chamber

[Sir Alan Campbell]

It certainly sounds as if it has taken far too long. I do not know why the council has prevaricated in that regard. My hon. Friend’s question allows me to say that the settlement for Scotland is the highest on record, and that if it has got down to a local level, then councils cannot claim that they do not have the resources to address such issues. I hope that the council has heard what my hon. Friend said, and I pay tribute to the volunteers for their successful campaign to alleviate the situation.

[Jayne Kirkham (Truro and Falmouth) (Lab/Co-op)]

Will the Leader of the House make time for a debate on the financial impact on local authorities and Government of the loophole that allows retrospective reclassification by the valuation office of second homes as holiday-let businesses? It has led to councils having to refund years of council tax—up to £10 million in somewhere like Cornwall—and central Government having to reimburse councils for future shortfalls.

[Sir Alan Campbell]

That is a concern that will be held by Members across the House, which is why we published a call for evidence, seeking views on the tax treatment of holiday lets—evidence will be published in due course. If my hon. Friend seeks a meeting with the relevant Minister to discuss the topic further, I will help her to achieve that.

Business of the House

Jayne Kirkham Excerpts

Thursday 10th September 2026 Commons Chamber

[Sir Alan Campbell]

Once a radio expert, always a radio expert. I certainly join my hon. Friend in welcoming Radio 2 in the Park to Stirling. Radio continues to be a highly valued medium across our country and contributes significant public value through its trusted news and diverse entertainment, and I thank it for that. Should my hon. Friend seek a Westminster Hall debate, I am sure that colleagues across the House will want to spend some time praising the efforts of local radio in their own areas.

[Jayne Kirkham (Truro and Falmouth) (Lab/Co-op)]

The Home Office’s revocation of health and social care visas linked to single employers has disproportionately increased recently. That is concerning, because it leaves 40,000 social care workers displaced, and only a small number are getting alternative employment. I am worried that people are slipping into the grey market. Can the Leader of the House ascertain with Home Office colleagues what steps the Home Office takes to track outcomes for those workers?

[Sir Alan Campbell]

This is an important matter. We want to give people who come here in good faith every opportunity to contribute to our country. The Home Office has therefore paused routine visa cancellations for care workers where sponsor revocation is the sole ground for cancellation, so as to give displaced care workers longer to find alternative employment. I understand my hon. Friend’s concerns, and I will make sure that she gets an update from the relevant Minister on where we are.

Business of the House

Jayne Kirkham Excerpts

Thursday 3rd September 2026 Commons Chamber

[Sir Alan Campbell]

My hon. Friend is right to raise this important matter, and I know that it will resonate across the House. We recognise that some parents’ experience of the Child Maintenance Service does not meet the standards that they and we expect, which is why we are committed to reforming the system. As she said, legislation will be brought forward when parliamentary time allows. In the meantime, we continue to take forward work on wider reform and improving outcomes for separated families.

[Jayne Kirkham (Truro and Falmouth) (Lab/Co-op)]

Over the recess, two serious incidents happened in Truro in my constituency—one led to a death, and one involved a very large knife. Neighbourhood policing in my constituency has been decimated, more recently due to sickness and officers being continually seconded to other duties. Will the Leader of the House take my concerns to colleagues in the Home Office about the allocation of neighbourhood policing in Truro and Falmouth and the regulations on the size of knives in food establishments?

[Sir Alan Campbell]

We are committed to delivering 13,000 additional neighbourhood policing personnel by the end of the Parliament, with more than 3,000 neighbourhood police officers now in frontline positions. Devon and Cornwall police have been allocated over £8 million for 2026-27, but I recognise my hon. Friend’s concerns and the fact that many forces still face very challenging conditions. I am happy to take forward what she said about funding powers and also knives, but should she wish to have a meeting with the Minister for Policing and Crime to make that point herself, I will help her to arrange one.

Business of the House

Jayne Kirkham Excerpts

Thursday 25th June 2026 Commons Chamber

[Sir Alan Campbell]

My hon. Friend is right to raise this matter during Armed Forces Week. Reservists are an integral part of the effectiveness of our armed forces. They bring experience from defence, strengthen resilience and provide specialist skills that cannot be generated or sustained in regular forces alone. I encourage him to seek a Westminster Hall or Adjournment debate, so that he can make his strong case in greater detail.

[Jayne Kirkham (Truro and Falmouth) (Lab/Co-op)]

The UK Parliament’s school outreach worker for the south-west saw 20,000 children and 780 adult learners last year. In rural and coastal areas, that provision is absolutely vital. Some schools in my constituency cannot get to Parliament, and the ones that can are struggling to get places. Students from King Charles primary school have been in London since yesterday, but they could not come to Parliament because there was no space. I would be grateful if the Leader of the House found Government time for a debate on the impact that getting rid of the parliamentary school outreach team will have on rural and coastal areas, people with special education needs, minorities and people with disabilities.

[Sir Alan Campbell]

I understand my hon. Friend’s concerns. I acknowledge the important work of outreach in educating the public about what Parliament does and why it matters. This is, of course, a matter for the House. I know that some Members have raised it directly with the House authorities via oral and written questions, and I am sure that the House authorities have heard her concerns as they weigh up this matter.

Business of the House

Jayne Kirkham Excerpts

Thursday 18th June 2026 Commons Chamber

[Sir Alan Campbell]

The right hon. Gentleman will know that the decision to move to a new model was the result of a Court of Appeal judgment that found that the current arrangements could not legally continue. That should not suggest any disrespect for the coastguard service, which is instrumental in keeping people safe around our communities. I represent a coastal community, as he knows, and I am acutely aware of the importance of the coastguard service and of the need to get this right. The matter was raised at Transport questions by a number of colleagues, and the Transport Minister at that point agreed to meet colleagues. If the right hon. Gentleman is suggesting that such a meeting would help him to make his case—and it is a strong case—then I will help to arrange it.

[Jayne Kirkham (Truro and Falmouth) (Lab/Co-op)]

Cornwall has organisations like Young People Cornwall that deliver vital services in, frankly, substandard premises, and they are doing brilliant work with limited resources, but they need investment in buildings to expand their impact. I would be grateful if the Leader of the House could ask the relevant Minister to outline the timeline for the next phase of the better youth spaces fund and how the criteria will be changed so that it also benefits rural and coastal areas. At the moment, the criteria are similar to the Pride in Place criteria, which excludes some of those areas.

[Sir Alan Campbell]

My hon. Friend is right to raise the importance of youth services. Our vision is to establish a much more straightforward funding system, to provide young people with opportunities where and when they need them most. We will be providing further details regarding eligibility criteria later this year, but I will ensure that the Secretary of State hears my hon. Friend’s concerns and gives her an update.

Business of the House

Jayne Kirkham Excerpts

Thursday 26th February 2026 Commons Chamber

[Sir Alan Campbell]

The hon. Gentleman rightly raises a concerning matter, and if he lets me have further details, I will do everything I can to get him the meeting he seeks.

[Jayne Kirkham (Truro and Falmouth) (Lab/Co-op)]

A number of my constituents have been struggling with the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency, including several type 1 diabetic HGV drivers who have to renew their class 1 licences on a yearly basis. Every year the DVLA takes three to four months to process those applications. Licences expire, and they are relying on section 88 of the Road Traffic Act 1988 to continue driving, but many employers will not take drivers on section 88, so they are losing income. The DVLA needs to look at either removing the requirement for annual renewal or speeding up that process, maybe by getting reports from GPs rather than private consultants. Will the Leader of the House facilitate a meeting between me and the relevant Transport Minister, so that we can discuss this further?

[Sir Alan Campbell]

My hon. Friend raises an important matter. The DVLA is delivering improvements for customers with medical conditions, including diabetes, but there is still a great deal to be done. Such delays can affect the lives of constituents—not just their ability to drive but their livelihoods—so I will ensure that she gets a meeting with the Minister, to outline her concerns.

Business of the House

Jayne Kirkham Excerpts

Thursday 12th February 2026 Commons Chamber

[Sir Alan Campbell]

My hon. Friend raises an important matter. I understand the frustration in his voice, not least because he has raised relevant cases in this area before, as have other Members. The Government recognise the profound financial and psychological impact of SLAPPs on individuals and we are considering all options for reform to ensure that all types of SLAPPs are addressed comprehensively. I will ensure that my hon. Friend gets a response from the Secretary of State for Justice.

[Jayne Kirkham (Truro and Falmouth) (Lab/Co-op)]

I have several constituents, including victims of violence against women and girls, who have been waiting a year or more for Devon and Cornwall police to respond to their complaints. Will the Leader of the House facilitate a meeting for me and the Policing Minister to discuss the capacity of Devon and Cornwall police to respond to complaints, and will he allow a debate in Government time on the handling of police complaints?

[Sir Alan Campbell]

I thank my hon. Friend for her question. Delays in responding to complaints are frustrating for the public and for MPs, who want to be able to help their constituents. As we set out in our police reform White Paper, we will work with the Independent Office for Police Conduct to improve the police complaints and misconduct system. I will facilitate a meeting with the Policing Minister, as my hon. Friend requests.

Business of the House

Jayne Kirkham Excerpts

Thursday 27th November 2025 Commons Chamber

[Sir Alan Campbell]

I certainly join my hon. Friend in congratulating the Natalie Couper Dance Academy on its growth and thanking it for everything it does. I am frankly not surprised that he has been recognised as a man of the left, because he has been proclaiming it for such a long time. Local businesses like dance academies can add so much to a local community, and I am pleased to hear that it is expanding its business again.

[Jayne Kirkham (Truro and Falmouth) (Lab/Co-op)]

I recently presented a petition to restore Falmouth’s pool, which we lost three years ago. It got 5,754 wet signatures—over a quarter of the population of the town. We have a very active community interest company and private business support, and the mayor has just swum the length of the channel—in a different pool a 40-minute drive away—to raise money. Will the Leader of the House ask the relevant Minister to meet the mayor and me as part of the response to our petition and grant Government time for a debate on Government support for pools?

[Sir Alan Campbell]

My hon. Friend is a fierce campaigner for her constituency, and I commend her for that. I understand that she has raised this issue with the Department before. We are committed to ensuring that communities can benefit from high-quality sports facilities, and we are investing £400 million in new and upgraded grassroots sports facilities, including swimming pools, across the UK. I will ensure that she gets the meeting she requests from the Minister.