Oral Answers to Questions

Jim Shannon Excerpts

Thursday 26th February 2026 Commons Chamber

[Stephanie Peacock]

The registration scheme will collect essential data to help authorities, but, as my hon. Friend knows and indeed secured a ten-minute rule Bill on the issue, the legislation does not address the issue around data sharing for the number of nights. I look forward to working with her to see whether we can rectify this issue to ensure that data is shared between platforms, and that hosts understand their responsibilities and give local authorities and Government the required data. I know from a number of meetings with her how important this issue is to her constituency, and she is a really big campaigner on it.

[Jim Shannon (Strangford) (DUP)]

I thank the Minister very much for her answer. Indeed, I am always impressed with her answers. Those that she has given us this morning are equal to what she always gives to me and others in this House.—[Hon. Members: “Ah!”]

Back home in Northern Ireland, we have the same problem with short-term lets. This is about protection both of the landlords and of those who take on the short- term let. I know the Minister is a regular traveller to Northern Ireland, which we appreciate, so can she share what is happening here with those back home to ensure that the protection for everyone is equal across this great United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?

[Stephanie Peacock]

I thank the hon. Gentleman for his incredibly kind comments. Following his question, I will set up a meeting with my counterpart to discuss this matter and he would be very welcome to join it.

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[Marsha De Cordova]

I thank my hon. Friend for his question. As I say, anecdotal evidence suggests that attendance is growing, especially in urban areas and among young people. The Church of England is producing a large number of resources for major festivals, in addition to its regular Everyday Faith app—my hon. Friend should download it if he has not already done so—and the online services it already provides. The Church is also producing a variety of resources for the Lent and Easter period, including booklets and reflection activities for individual groups. In this Lent season and leading into Christmas, I encourage all colleagues across the House to consider visiting some of their local churches—including during this festive period, if they have not done so already.

[Jim Shannon (Strangford) (DUP)]

I thank the hon. Lady for her response. Trends seem to indicate that among the young people of Generation Z, attendance at churches is growing, which is good news. We all know that the greatest story ever told is the birth of the Lord Jesus on 25 December, and the fact that he was crucified and died to forgive us our sins and get us to heaven. That is a wonderful story—the hon. Lady knows that, I know that, and indeed I think everybody in the House knows that. We should be telling many people about that. Trends seem to indicate that attendance is growing. Is that not good news for the greatest story ever told?

[Marsha De Cordova]

I could not have put it better myself. It is the best good news story which must be shared, and we will continue to lift up our voices and share that great story.

Bayeux Tapestry Exhibition

Jim Shannon Excerpts

Wednesday 25th February 2026 Commons Chamber

[Helena Dollimore (Hastings and Rye) (Lab/Co-op)]

No other work of art is as entwined with our island’s story as the Bayeux tapestry, which quite literally wove my constituency of Hastings, Rye and the villages into our national history. The tapestry’s return home after spending nearly 1,000 years across the channel is a triumph for Britain, and it is testament to this Labour Government’s success in strengthening our relations with our closest European neighbours.

This loan is a symbol of our shared history with our friends in France. I pay tribute to all those involved in arranging it, and in particular to Antoine Verney, the director of the Bayeux Tapestry Museum who sadly passed away earlier this month. I also thank everyone involved on both sides of the channel, including the British Museum and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.

William the Conqueror’s landing on our Sussex shore is a story familiar to every schoolchild in Britain. The date 1066 is etched into our national consciousness, and the battle of Hastings was a defining moment in British history that continues to shape who we are today. While historians—and, indeed, sometimes Members of the House—may disagree on exactly where the battle took place, a millennium later the clash between the Saxons and the Normans still resonates across our land. In fact, Hastings and the surrounding area—I see other hon. Members who represent it here in the Chamber—is known as “1066 country”, so inseparable is our identity from the events immortalised in the Bayeux tapestry.

Many streets in Hastings bear names referencing Saxon, Norman, William and Harold, and even our local hospital is aptly named the Conquest hospital. Yet although we have often found ourselves at the centre of historic events, we have not always felt the benefits.

Across Hastings, Rye and the villages, over 60% of young people leave school without a level 4—the equivalent of grade C—or above in English and maths GCSE. The Sutton Trust has said that we are in the bottom 10 places nationally for social mobility, and our life expectancy is below the national average. We may be a similar distance from London as Brighton, but our train takes twice as long. Our infrastructure has suffered from 14 years of neglect and our roads are riddled with potholes. All that is symbolic of how we have too often been forgotten by Westminster, Whitehall and London cultural circles.

The Bayeux tapestry exhibition at the British Museum will be the exhibition of a generation, and I want children from 1066 country to see it and feel pride in knowing that the story it tells began in the place they call home. When I go into our local schools, our young people are proud to be from Hastings. They must not be priced out of a ticket and a chance to celebrate the legacy of our town on the national stage.

I urge the British Museum to guarantee places for schoolchildren from Hastings and the surrounding area, and to support the cost of travel so that access is not determined by how well off our local schools are. My challenge to the British Museum is for it to live up to its name and to truly be the museum of Britain, ensuring that young people from Hastings and 1066 country get to visit. I, like my colleagues, have had constructive discussions with the museum and I stand ready to work with it and local schools to make that happen.

This Labour Government have rightly set the expectation that London museums must work harder to be genuinely national institutions by opening up opportunities for young people from every part of our country. What better way to do that and to celebrate the return of the Bayeux tapestry than by ensuring that the people of Hastings and 1066 country are truly part of this national moment? That is why I have asked the British Museum to reserve at least 1,066 tickets for local residents.

I thank the historian Dan Snow and David Dimbleby, who is a nearby resident, for supporting me in the campaign. They, too, know that local children being able to see the exhibition for themselves could inspire the next generation of historians. Our area helped make this piece of history; it must now fully share in its legacy.

[Jim Shannon (Strangford) (DUP)]

I congratulate the hon. Lady. The only subject that I excelled in at school was history, but I am sure that the hon. Lady exceeded me by far. She has a love of history, as do I after all these years. Does she agree that seeing the Bayeux tapestry, that incredible piece of history, will be an inspiration for children, helping them to understand the rich history of this wonderful nation of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland? Just thinking about it, I am having flashbacks to third year history. Does she further agree that we must ensure that schools from all the nations are able to bring children, and that perhaps funding pots to help schools with the costs should be considered? I congratulate the hon. Lady, who has done well.

[Helena Dollimore]

The hon. Member is right that schoolchildren must be able to access the exhibition. They should not be put off by the price of a ticket to the exhibition or a train ticket—or even a flight in his case. It is really important. I speak as someone who went to local state schools and was lucky enough to go on and study history at university. Who knows who we could inspire by allowing schoolchildren to see the exhibition?

We want schoolchildren to see the exhibition, but we also want to encourage visitors to the exhibition in north London to take a further step back in time and visit 1066 country, the place where it all happened. I am urging many of our transport providers to make sure that we can make it easier for tourists to visit 1066 country during this important moment, and that includes urging Southeastern to look at how it can make it quicker for tourists to visit our area by train. This also extends to visitors from abroad, and that is why I have been campaigning to bring back international trains to Ashford International, to encourage our European neighbours across the channel to visit us in 1066 country and in Hastings and Rye, and to make that visit easier. Hopefully, this time they will be armed with buckets and spades rather than bows and arrows, and they will certainly receive a much warmer welcome than they did in 1066.

Not only is 1066 country rich in history, but it is rich in landscape, heritage and culture. We might be tucked away on the south coast, but we punch well above our weight in our visitor and tourist experience. From Hastings museum to Hastings castle, Hastings contemporary gallery, Rye heritage centre, Camber Sands, Rye harbour nature reserve, Hastings country park and many more, we have so much to offer people wanting to visit. With next year marking the 1,000th anniversary of the birth of William the Conqueror, we will celebrate this Year of the Normans with special events across Hastings, Rye and the villages.

I would like to see one of the many replicas of the Bayeux tapestry put on display in Hastings. I cannot think of any better place to be named the UK’s town of culture, which Hastings hopes to be named next year.

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[The Minister for Creative Industries, Media and Arts (Ian Murray)]

I am pleased to respond to this debate. I congratulate my hon. Friend the Member for Hastings and Rye (Helena Dollimore) not only on securing this debate, but on her lovely speech. I noticed that she did a little bit of lobbying for Hastings to become the town of culture, and I am sure my officials noted that.

This will be the first time since the Bayeux tapestry left the UK over 900 years ago that it returns. It is a very important moment. I was reflecting that perhaps the modern battle is between the hon. Member for Bexhill and Battle (Dr Mullan) and my hon. Friend the Member for Hastings and Rye on where the battle actually took place. Perhaps there will be a tapestry made of that particular battle in the years to come. The tapestry coming to the UK is more than a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity—it is a once-in-a-millennium opportunity. We must celebrate that and get the most out of it, as hon. Members have said.

I start by paying tribute, as my hon. Friend did, to the director of the Bayeux Museum, Monsieur Antoine Verney, who sadly passed away just two weeks ago, and extend our heartfelt sympathies to his family and to his colleagues. His contribution over the years to promoting knowledge of the tapestry and sharing it widely, including with colleagues in the British Museum, is a lasting legacy that we must honour and build upon when the tapestry arrives here this year.

I extend my gratitude, on behalf of the UK Government, to our friends on the French side, who are doing so much to enable the loan, including President Macron, of course, and the Minister of Culture, Rachida Dati. Their role in supporting this loan has been crucial to making it happen.

I also pay tribute to the hard work and commitment of the UK Government’s envoy on the tapestry, Lord Ricketts, and his French counterpart, Philippe Bélaval. I thank all the people who are making this loan possible, including the French Ambassador to the UK, the President of the Normandy region, the Mayors of Bayeux, Rouen, and Caen, as well as senior figures in the regional cultural authority and, of course, colleagues at the British Museum.

The Bayeux tapestry will be on display at the British Museum from September 2026 through to July 2027. I thank the British Museum for working so hard to enable this exhibition, and for its generosity in loaning the Sutton Hoo treasures, the Lewis chess pieces and more than 220 drawings by Renaissance masters from its collection to museums in Caen and Rouen in Normandy for displays in 2027 to coincide with the celebration of the year of the Normans, marking 1,000 years since the birth of William the Conqueror. I am not sure if the hon. Member for Strangford (Jim Shannon) remembers the birth of William the Conqueror.

[Jim Shannon]

It wasn’t far away!

[Ian Murray]

It is an enormous task to deliver such a historic exhibition, but doing so in such a short timeframe is a particular challenge. Usually, exhibitions at our major museums take three to five years to plan, but the British Museum is rising to the challenge of putting this exhibition on in a little over one year, as well as developing a national programme of education and engagement to spread knowledge of the tapestry and the Norman conquest throughout the country. On the point that my hon. Friend the Member for Hastings and Rye made about deprivation and educational attainment in her constituency, I think we should use this as a platform and foundation on which to build, for children, children of the future, and the inspired historians we may be able to get as a result of this.

The tapestry is unique, and care of it is underpinned by expertise on both sides of the channel. Concern has been expressed in some quarters about whether the tapestry will be able to travel safely. I am pleased to say that the British Museum is working closely with its French counterparts, and is bringing its world-leading expertise to bear to ensure that the tapestry can travel here safely for this unprecedented loan and be seen by as many people as possible. That is key.

I understand that many areas of the country claim close links with the Norman conquest, so many Members of this House would claim a special interest in this area, including those from where the Bayeux tapestry seems likely to have been made, Canterbury. The north of England also has historic connections to the Norman conquest—they are not necessarily exactly positive—due to the harrying of the north carried out by William the Conqueror. We can all agree that the battle of Hastings, depicted on the tapestry, is of critical importance to the history of us all.

I congratulate my hon. Friend the Member for Hastings and Rye on her tenacious campaigning for her constituents, particularly in the educational field, and seeking to ensure that schoolchildren in her constituency and neighbouring constituencies are able to see the exhibition and understand the significance of the area that they live in to the history of our country. I have been assured by the British Museum that schools in her area will receive priority booking, reflecting the salience of the area to the events of 1066, and the huge local interest. I understand that she, together with the British Museum, is working with Southeastern Railway to offer at least 1,066 tickets, at heavily reduced rates, to London to schools in 1066 country.

Sherwood Forest: Tourism

Jim Shannon Excerpts

Tuesday 10th February 2026 Westminster Hall

[Jim Shannon (Strangford) (DUP)]

I am probably the oldest person in this Chamber; I can well remember seeing “The Adventures of Robin Hood” on TV in black and white—that was not yesterday. I am impressed by the hon. Lady’s discussion of her beautiful constituency; I hail from Strangford, which I think has unparalleled beauty. Does the hon. Lady agree that for tourism to take off, funding is needed for promotion? The Minister—who is a very sympathetic Minister, by the way—and the Government can and must do more to put money into getting visitors across the threshold of the United Kingdom, knowing that if they come once, they will come back again. Surely that has to be a good policy to follow.

[Michelle Welsh]

I thank the hon. Member for his contribution.

Sherwood Forest Day is an opportunity for communities across Nottinghamshire to reflect on our heritage and celebrate what brings us together. I want to give a huge thank you to the Sherwood Forest Trust and Richard Townsley, the medieval sheriff of Nottingham, for all the work they are doing for Sherwood Forest Day and for our community as a whole. At the heart of all we are doing for Sherwood Forest Day are communities such as Ollerton, Edwinstowe, Blidworth, Rainworth and Clipstone—putting them back on the map and encouraging those from all over the world to visit and marvel at what we have to offer. We cannot do it alone, however. Celebrating our culture and history should not be left to only one day of the year; they should be honoured every single day.

Gambling Harms: Children and Young People

Jim Shannon Excerpts

Thursday 15th January 2026 Westminster Hall

[Jim Shannon (Strangford) (DUP)]

It is a real pleasure, as always, to serve under your chairship, Ms Lewell. I thank the hon. Member for Sittingbourne and Sheppey (Kevin McKenna) for bringing this debate, for giving us lots of detail and information, and for giving us an opportunity to participate. I welcome the Minister and am glad to see him in his place. I look forward to his response to our questions and requests. He is always a Minister who responds and tries to give us some reassurance, which will be good to hear.

The hon. Member for Sittingbourne and Sheppey gave examples, and referred to a seven-year-old child. Probably my first understanding of what it was like to have an addiction to gambling was through a couple called Peter and Sadie Keogh from Enniskillen in Fermanagh, Northern Ireland, who lost their son Lewis to a gambling addiction. He started gambling at a very early age. Unfortunately, he lost his life to it. Ultimately, I am here to represent them and all others who have experienced a loss as well.

As we know, gambling legislation is different in Northern Ireland, yet we know the harm of gambling is still rife, similar to the situation here that Members have referred to. Greater protections must be put in place. GambleAware’s 2024 survey found that some 1.6 million children in the UK live with an adult who displays signs of a problematic gambling addiction. It is not always about the person who gambles from an early age; the problem can also be the effect of gambling on young children. The survey also discovered that children exposed to gambling are four times more likely to go on to experience gambling issues themselves. Within the past 12 months, of those who had seen family members gamble, one in 15 people, or 7%, noted that it made them feel worried, and one in 20, or 5%, reported that it made them feel sad. That illustrates clearly the issues and the impact on families, and particularly children.

Gambling among children and young people is a significant and increasing problem, as shown by the most recent Gambling Commission annual survey, which found that some three in 10—almost a third—of 11 to 17-year olds had spent their own money on any gambling activity in the past 12 months, up from 27% in 2024. The hon. Member for Sittingbourne and Sheppey gave the incredible example of a seven-year-old; I cannot begin to understand how that happened, or the impact on the seven-year-old or, indeed, on the family.

I have a couple of questions for the Minister on the Gordon Moody charity. Members here on the mainland will probably know that it is a specialist provider of residential treatment for gambling harms. Over the last period of time, it has accepted and treated some 40,000 people for addiction. I met people from the charity only this week, to prepare information for this debate. They had seen a threefold increase in the number of applicants aged 18 to 24 seeking treatment in recent years. They made up 7.4% of the total applicants in 2025, up from 2.6%. The charity has two treatment centres, and a women’s treatment centre as well, which deal with and try to help and support the families. Northern Ireland has no dedicated rehab centre under the Gordon Moody umbrella, but residents from Northern Ireland are entitled to, and do apply for, residential rehab for gambling, and are subsequently treated in the centres.

I have seen at first hand the results of gambling for family units at every level, and it is important that the necessary support is available to those experiencing gambling-related harms. That is why it is welcome that the statutory gambling levy will see more than £100 million of funding for research and for the prevention and treatment of gambling harms—indeed, the figure may even be more, perhaps £120 million. Whatever it is, it is a massive increase, and it should be ploughed back in directly to help those with addiction problems.

It is vital, however, that the new system does not disrupt the existing, proven service that has been treating people for gambling-related harm for many years. One of the existing organisations is the Gordon Moody charity I mentioned, which offers specialist residential treatment to users across the United Kingdom. That needs to be retained, and the charity’s services must be available, because they are vital.

The levy funding is due to kick in from April 2026, which is coming up. The Gordon Moody charity and others are facing a cliff edge, with no clarity as to whether they will be in receipt of funding after that time. As of late last year, Gordon Moody has already had to ration its service and it faces the possibility of further limiting the people it treats. It is therefore rather urgent—I ask the Minister to forgive me for throwing it on him at short notice, but we need some clarity on the matter today, if at all possible. I urge the Government to move quickly and to provide the interim funding for the next 12 months, while the long-term NHS funding frameworks are finalised.

The levy applies only to England, Scotland and Wales. From 1 April it will mean that people in need of support for gambling-related harms in Northern Ireland will be at a significant disadvantage, unless they can access a place in the centres referred to. The Northern Ireland Executive needs to commence the statutory power. The Minister is always very active, and able to put forward a case, so will he take the opportunity to speak to the relevant Minister in Northern Ireland—I think it is Gordon Lyons—to ensure that no nation is left behind in the darkness, with no access to treatment?

Gambling may be a sport for some, but for others it is a gateway to addiction, family breakdown and unemployment issues. As the hon. Member for Sittingbourne and Sheppey said, in the same way as there is support for alcohol and drug addiction, there should be help for those with a gambling addiction. They must have similar treatment and that has to be funded. Those who create the games must pay towards the damage that is done, and that needs to be UK-wide. I look forward to hearing what the Minister has to say and to the encouragement that he will, without doubt, give us all.

[Several hon. Members rose—]

Oral Answers to Questions

Jim Shannon Excerpts

Thursday 15th January 2026 Commons Chamber

[Stephanie Peacock]

I will get to the bottom of why the hon. Lady has not had a reply—I apologise for that. I would be delighted to meet her to discuss the matter further.

[Jim Shannon (Strangford) (DUP)]

It is important that we improve access to youth activities for young people, particularly because of the rise in their anxiety, depression and mental health—important issues. The rise in suicides among our young people worries me greatly, too, as I know it worries the Minister, and indeed us all. What is the Department doing in conjunction with the Department of Health to address young people’s mental health issues and get them access to support?

[Stephanie Peacock]

The hon. Gentleman makes an important point. It was a pleasure to meet him yesterday to discuss a different issue. This is exactly why we have launched our national youth strategy—supporting young people with their mental health is an absolutely key part of that. I know how important that is, both as a former teacher and from my constituency.

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[Marsha De Cordova]

My hon. Friend will not be surprised to learn that the issue of what is happening in Palestine has featured heavily during Question Time for the past year. Israel revoking the licences of dozens of aid agencies in Gaza and the west bank will only worsen the situation. As I have outlined, during his recent visit, the Archbishop of York met Christian families affected by settler violence and faced with tense stand-offs with settlers, as well as challenges around displacement and damage to their land. I am pleased to say that bishops will be making another pilgrimage to Palestine in the very near future. I urge hon. Members to keep raising this issue. The sooner we get peace, the sooner we can see that people are being taken care of across Palestine.

[Jim Shannon (Strangford) (DUP)]

It is important that worship is retained, but one of the reasons that people will stay is that they have jobs and opportunities. When I met some Church representatives last year, they said that people were leaving not just because of persecution, but because they had nothing to do work-wise. What is the Church doing to ensure that there are work opportunities so that people will stay and worship God in their church?

[Marsha De Cordova]

As the hon. Member knows, the Church is rightly playing a role in the province in Jerusalem. I would be happy to write to him to set out further actions that the Church is taking in relation to work and other projects.

UK Town of Culture

Jim Shannon Excerpts

Wednesday 7th January 2026 Westminster Hall

[Jim Shannon (Strangford) (DUP)]

Thank you for calling me so early, Ms Furniss. I was about to sit down, but I now have the unexpected pleasure of following the hon. Member for Halesowen (Alex Ballinger). It is wonderful to be here. I am sure that everyone is going to say that their constituency is the best, but mine is the best and I will try to explain why. The hon. Member has persuaded me of one thing: if I am spared, I will make it my business to visit his constituency and see if what says is true. I am sure it is—I do not doubt it for a second.

The debate presents a wonderful opportunity to showcase all our wonderful constituencies, and I am sure that we will all plead the case very well. However, I say proudly that my constituency of Strangford may just edge it—at least I believe that that will be the case—but we will see how the debate develops and whether others are persuaded by my words. The principle of the competition—and it is a competition—is a great idea. Of course, the heavy issues that we discuss daily are important—they are critically important to County Down—but it is also important that we celebrate our local towns and all that they do for communities across the United Kingdom.

The hon. Member for Halesowen is right that the largest town is the core of a constituency. I often talk about my constituency in the House. I always try to relate the issues we discuss to the situation back home, because those issues matter to people across the whole of the United Kingdom, although sometimes their scope is restricted by area. I am grateful that we all have the opportunity to showcase culture and I will focus on the wonderful town of Newtownards, which is the biggest town in the constituency and where my advice centre is. There are other notable towns such as Comber, Ballynahinch and Crossgar. I am not sure if hon. Members knows where those places are, but they are all in my constituency, and I make sure that Strangford is mentioned in nearly every intervention that I make and in every debate in which I participate.

Comber has a long history that dates back to the 17th century. It played an important role in the agricultural and linen industries that Northern Ireland had for many years, although unfortunately that is not the same today, giving it a unique cultural and economic heritage that is preserved in local museums and historical societies, which the hon. Member for Halesowen referred to in his contribution.

Newtownards is home to my main constituency office, where I support thousands of constituents. It is a town where history, heritage and creativity come together to form a truly unique cultural identity. Newtownards is a canvas of heritage. Anyone walking through the streets can see the historical Market House, the Scrabo tower and the old buildings that frame Conway Square. The hon. Member for Halesowen referred to cafés, but we have created a coffee culture in Conway Square, where a large number of coffee shops have opened in the last four to five years. There are family-owned shops: Wardens has been going since 1877 and Knotts is there too. The Old Cross, now the Parlour pub, was first built in 1735. That means that Wardens is almost 150 years old and the Parlour is 291 years old, so there is history and culture that goes back a long time.

I am very proud of my Orange culture, which has shaped identities for generations. I am a member of Kircubbin Volunteers LOL 1900, and I am also worshipful master of the House of Commons lodge. The lodges and parades are more than tradition; they bring communities together and invite everyone to take part in their culture, and people do. People from different religious persuasions —maybe different political persuasions—see the pageant and the celebration of the Orange parades. From local theatre groups to vibrant music ensembles, from community murals to creative festivals, the list is never-ending.

Culture should be for everyone, and I celebrate the story of that 17th-century town established in 1605: Newtownards. It was established as part of the plantation of Ulster, when English and Scottish settlers were encouraged to establish towns and farms in Ulster. I always look towards my Scottish and Gaelic brothers and sisters in this place and say to them, if we go back far enough, we might be related—we might even be cousins. Today we see that fertile land and Strangford Lough, which provided access to maritime trade, still used and loved.

To conclude, I acknowledge and love to hear others’ passion for the places that they represent. I adore my towns and, more so, I thank them for what they represent for the people who live in them and the businesses that hold them together. For the ones in my constituency, where else would you find more charm per square mile? I believe Strangford and Newtownards is that very place.

[Several hon. Members rose—]

BBC Charter Renewal

Jim Shannon Excerpts

Tuesday 6th January 2026 Westminster Hall

[Jim Shannon (Strangford) (DUP)]

It is a pleasure to serve under your chairship, Mrs Harris. I thank the right hon. Member for Maldon (Sir John Whittingdale) for setting the scene incredibly well, as well as those who have made contributions so far. I have long spoken of my frustration with the BBC and its role in the new generation of media. A Netflix bill paid some years ago was £4.99; it is now £9.99. Sky TV is no longer a one-stop shop, and for many people, the BBC certainly is not either. If someone likes sports, they pay for the sports package; if they like “The Real Housewives”, they pay for Hayu. You pay for what is important to you. The difficulty is that, for some unknown reason, that does not apply to the BBC. The everyday man who refuses to watch the BBC is tied to paying the bill, and the subscription is more expensive than most streaming prices.

It seems simple: if someone does not like something, they do not purchase it. With the BBC, there are a number of people who do not like it, do not watch it and who are vehemently opposed to its biased reporting on Northern Ireland, on Israel, on trans indoctrination, and on a host of other of moral values pushed by the BBC, but these people, including me and my constituents, have to foot the bill. In a world of subscribe or unsubscribe, too many people wish to unsubscribe from the BBC.

[Mr Gregory Campbell (East Londonderry) (DUP)]

My hon. Friend touches on Israel. Only last week, we heard that the BBC is now about to fork out £28,000 to an Israeli family whose home Jeremy Bowen went into in the aftermath of 7 October, without getting permission to do so. We are going to have to pick up the bill for that as well.

[Jim Shannon]

I read in the paper about the fine on Bowen in relation to that intervention. Going into that house without permission is completely unacceptable.

For too long the BBC has had carte blanche in terms of payouts to staff, with no accountability. The prime example would be, of course, Gary Lineker, and the antisemitic posts he supported. The amount of time it took for him to no longer be the highest-paid pundit simply would not have happened in the private sector.

The latest disgraceful example of biased reporting is posed by the internal memo report that highlighted Palestinian influence and anti-Trump bias, combined with the fact that the management who resigned urged their staff to continue to do what they had been doing. There is no restoration of the BBC to the impartial, internationally respected bastion of journalism that it once was.

In terms of Northern Ireland, from the refusal to train staff to refer to Northern Ireland, or the association of the flag of the Republic of Ireland, as has become the norm, to the outright republican leniency delivered by programming, there is no salvation in the coverage of today’s politics and of legacy issues.

The BBC was once upheld as a gold standard. Now, it cannot even refer properly to Her Royal Highness Catherine, Princess of Wales, when reporting on the Remembrance Day services. It repeatedly referred to her by her maiden name and a forename that she no longer uses. It underlines the disregard not simply for our monarchy but for the principle of trusting the BBC to carry out good reporting, which, quite clearly and evidentially, it does not.

The charter renewal is a multifaceted decision, and it will take a lot of persuasion for me, and more importantly, for my constituents, to believe that the BBC can once again be a trustworthy, impartial service. That view is replicated in constituencies across the United Kingdom. It is time for an “unsubscribe” from the BBC.

While I may be tempted to continue to subscribe to watch “Strictly Come Dancing”, which I love, or “Call the Midwife”, which I also like, I also believe in the principle of getting what you pay for. I simply do not want to pay for what we are currently getting.

[Ms Polly Billington (East Thanet) (Lab)]

Does the hon. Member agree with the principle that just because he does not like something, that does not mean it should not be produced? There is a wide variety of BBC productions that we may not watch, but that does not mean that we do not think they should exist.

[Jim Shannon]

If the hon. Lady had been following the thrust in my speech, I gave a number of examples of where BBC reporting has fallen down drastically, including in relation to Northern Ireland and to the monarchy. There are programmes and drama programmes that I like—I gave two examples—but the point that I am making is that when it comes to impartial reporting and journalism, the BBC falls down badly. For that reason, I believe that the contribution put forward by the right hon. Member for Maldon and others is one that I agree with.

--- Later in debate ---

[Mr Gregory Campbell (East Londonderry) (DUP)]

I congratulate the right hon. Member for Maldon (Sir John Whittingdale) on securing the debate.

Fairness and impartiality should be the hallmarks of the BBC, and many years ago they were, but unfortunately that has not been the case in recent years. The BBC understands, as I am sure others do, that the anniversaries of historic incidents from our troubled past in Northern Ireland are very important. If they are done well, people recognise them, acknowledge them and pay tribute to them; if they are done badly, people complain about them.

I will use two topical examples to try to show the need, under the charter renewal, for the BBC itself to be renewed. It needs to be seen to be impartially reporting events, whether in the middle east, Ukraine or Northern Ireland.

[Jim Shannon]

Many of my constituents want to unsubscribe from the BBC. Is it the same in my hon. Friend’s constituency?

[Mr Campbell]

Yes, I can report that it is. People have told me that they no longer purchase a licence because they do not watch live TV, and that shows a lack of confidence in the BBC’s ability to report accurately.

I return to the two topical examples, which demonstrate, unfortunately, what the BBC has turned into in recent days. Just yesterday, it was the 50th anniversary of the Kingsmill massacre in County Armagh, where the IRA murdered 10 innocent Protestants. BBC Radio Ulster had a programme to acknowledge that, and it was good, right and proper that it should do so. In subsequent hourly radio news bulletins and on that programme, the BBC also told us that loyalist paramilitaries had murdered Catholics in the days immediately preceding that massacre. It seemed to many that that was an attempt to explain why the IRA took the step that it did in shooting innocent workmen. What was absent from those bulletins, as was pointed out by Kenny Donaldson, from the South East Fermanagh Foundation victims group, was that the Kingsmill massacre was meticulously planned by the IRA months previously. But the BBC did not report that.

In contrast, in the same month—January each year—the BBC has long-standing coverage of the Bloody Sunday event, which was close to my constituency, in Londonderry. The audience is never reminded that, immediately preceding the Bloody Sunday incident, two policemen were murdered. There is never any context given about that. On the very day of Bloody Sunday, Major Robin Nigel Alers-Hankey, the first British Army officer killed during the troubles, died from his injuries. The BBC never mentioned that context, but yesterday it did mention the context in relation to what may be regarded and described as the other side of the political equation.

I raise those two topical instances to show that the BBC needs to take more care. It needs to be meticulous in trying to be seen to be fair and balanced in reporting incidents that are still raw, even though they may have happened many, many years ago.

Cyber Security and Resilience (Network and Information Systems) Bill

Jim Shannon Excerpts

2nd reading
Tuesday 6th January 2026 Commons Chamber

[Ian Murray]

The Bill builds on the 2018 regulations, which were a hangover from the EU when we adopted them in this country. The Bill expands on those. As my hon. Friend the Member for Harlow (Chris Vince) just suggested, this is about economic growth as well as protecting our systems, so we have to find a balance between ensuring that our regulators have the powers and tools to regulate properly and giving businesses and our public services the confidence to use digital technology knowing that we have the most secure cyber-security in Europe, if not the world. We are very good at this stuff, and that is the balance to be sought. This Bill is about economic growth rather than about the over-regulation of businesses. I do not say this flippantly, but cyber-security is one of those areas where if everything is working, nobody notices, but when it is not working, suddenly everyone notices and it is everyone’s problem. That is why we are bringing the Bill forward and extending the scope of the powers.

[Jim Shannon (Strangford) (DUP)]

I thank the Minister very much for what he is saying and bringing forward. There is much in the Bill that we should encourage. I know that he is a regular visitor to Northern Ireland, and Northern Ireland is home to 130 cyber-security companies with some 2,750 employees. It is therefore essential that this legislation protects those jobs and enhances the capacity for more. Does he believe that the Bill both protects us and provides the opportunity for growth in Northern Ireland and, indeed, across the whole of the United Kingdom?

[Ian Murray]

Indeed it does. It is one of a number of provisions that the Government are bringing forward to create growth across the country, not just in Northern Ireland. The Secretary of State’s passion is to make sure that those jobs are everywhere, right across the United Kingdom, including in Northern Ireland. The Under-Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, my hon. Friend the Member for Vale of Glamorgan (Kanishka Narayan), has been in Belfast recently discussing this legislation and wider cyber-security issues with the industry in Northern Ireland, so I can assure the hon. Member for Strangford (Jim Shannon) that that is indeed the case.

Membership-based Charity Organisations

Jim Shannon Excerpts

Wednesday 17th December 2025 Westminster Hall

[Jim Shannon (Strangford) (DUP)]

It is a pleasure to serve under your chairship, Mr Twigg, for the third time this afternoon—I enjoy your company so much. You are kind and patient as a Chair—thank you very much.

I congratulate the hon. Member for Gosport (Dame Caroline Dinenage) on securing us the opportunity to sow into this debate. She made an excellent speech and presentation. I learnt something from her—I always do, of course—and I have a better idea of her ask of the Minister. It is also a pleasure to see the Minister in her place. I thank her for all her hard work and all the answers she has given us over the past year in her role.

When we bear in mind that some of the UK’s most well-known charities are member-based charitable organisations, it is clear why we must ask, and ensure that, the Government work alongside such organisations that offer so much to our communities. The hon. Member for Gosport clearly outlined the issue. I am a member of the National Trust and the British Legion, and a past member of the Scouts—those are the three I would be aware of. The point I am making is that those are partnerships that I believe the Government can work better with, although I think the Minister recognises the good work that the organisations do. The hon. Lady for Gosport referred to English Heritage, and its work on houses, land, and preserving our history and our culture. All those things are incredibly important. All such British institutions operate from a charitable position, to effect change in individual and community lives.

I am going to give a wee bit of information about the National Trust in Northern Ireland and what it does, just as an example. Such organisations do not simply stand in shopping centres shaking a tin at passers-by; they are more than that. They are intricately involved in the lives of constituents, their aim to enhance those lives effectively throughout the Province and the United Kingdom as a whole. The National Trust, for example, provides employment for some 500 people across Northern Ireland in all the estates, lands and places that it looks after.

I think right away of the incomparable Mount Stewart in Strangford. It is definitely—not just because it is in my constituency—the jewel in the crown of the National Trust. It is the gateway to the Ards peninsula, where the National Trust has other places such as Kearney in Portaferry and Saintfield, where the headquarters are. It also has places further down, across Northern Ireland, and right over as far as Enniskillen in the west of the Province.

Mount Stewart has one of UNESCO’s top 10 gardens in the world. That does not happen just by clicking fingers and seeing how it grows; it happens because the volunteers—the workers—work hard in the gardens. That is why Mount Stewart is so well renowned: the hard work that individuals put in to plant the trees and preserve the gardens. The volunteers have also undertaken projects such as rewetting peatlands and planting native trees to help absorb carbon emissions, build climate resilience and protect the surrounding landscape from flooding. Those are all things that have been done by the National Trust, by volunteers and by contributions from individuals.

The trust has planted hundreds of thousands of trees in Northern Ireland, with a goal of establishing half a million trees by 2030. That is not that far away. That goal will help this great nation of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland to be good stewards of our planet and our environment. The trust works towards our environmental goals, which must be welcomed. Those are all things that the Government and the Minister want to see achieved as well. We should work together to make them happen.

The trust seeks to educate, to inform and to involve all who come. It is about not simply preserving the past, although that is incredibly important, but protecting the future. I always think that what we have today is in trust for those who come after. What the National Trust and others do is important because of that. All within the charitable confines help the Government to achieve their aims without the need for Government control or Government responsibility. It is one of those win-wins for the Minister and for Government.

Clearly, organisations such as the National Trust and the British Legion—just two—are foundational ones in the United Kingdom. Their relationship with Government is a two-way street, one that works well when both work well together.

[Mr Angus MacDonald (Inverness, Skye and West Ross-shire) (LD)]

I thank the hon. Member for allowing me to intervene. I wonder if the Minister would consider the following. I was the vice-president of the National Trust for Scotland for the majority of 10 years and I know the senior management there very well. They have been extremely hurt by the national insurance increase, particularly on people who do part—

[Mr MacDonald]

Yes—sorry. Does the hon. Member agree that when the Government introduce legislation on, for example, national insurance and people doing part-time work, and now this gift aid issue, they should consider charities as separate organisations?

[Jim Shannon]

I thank the hon. Member for his intervention. The knowledge that he has developed over the years is an important addition to this debate. I know that the Minister is listening when we make our asks, as the hon. Member for Gosport has done and as I will do now.

The service that these organisations provide needs the support that the Government can give, from charitable taxation to gift aid facility. However, there now seems to be a question mark over how gift aid will work. I seek clarification about how the Government can ensure that it continues in some way, so that charities can enjoy the advantages it brings. I did not know the figures involved, which the hon. Member for Gosport referred to. The gift aid facility gives massive help to charities, but I never knew that the amount raised was anywhere near the amount that she mentioned in relation to charitable taxation.

Such support by Government is essential to allow these charities to operate and to make a difference, so it must be enhanced. I understand the need for transparency and openness, and I agree with Government scrutiny when that is necessary. Such scrutiny must continue. However, we must always be aware that for every penny lost in tax, so much more is gained in local economies making an investment, which is a worthwhile investment.

As the reach of these organisations extends so far, it is wonderful for us to work in a mutually beneficial partnership. I ask the Minister for assurances that the work carried out in the charitable and voluntary sector will be fostered, supported and encouraged by Government. If that happens, the concerns of the hon. Member for Gosport, of the hon. Member for Inverness, Skye and West Ross-shire (Mr MacDonald), and indeed of all of us who are here today can be alleviated in some way. We look forward to hearing the Minister’s response to the debate.

[Derek Twigg (in the Chair)]

I call the Lib Dem spokesman.

Grassroots Cricket Clubs

Jim Shannon Excerpts

Tuesday 16th December 2025 Westminster Hall

[Jim Shannon (Strangford) (DUP)]

It is always a real pleasure to serve under your chairship, Mr Turner. I thank the hon. Member for Welwyn Hatfield (Andrew Lewin) for setting the scene so well.

I have to say, I was never much good at cricket, to be truthful, but I loved it. I was one of those guys who went to the crease and would bat about three or four balls. Usually, my idea was just to hit the ball as hard as I could, and if I missed it, the wicket was away. My prowess at the cricket crease never lasted more than about four balls. But I never got a duck; I always got at least a four, a two and maybe a one, but that was as far as it went. However, cricket is one of the many sports that I enjoy watching. I still follow the Leicestershire cricket team; I do that because I followed the Leicester football team back in 1969, when I was at boarding school at Coleraine Inst.

When the Ashes come, everyone’s national pride rises. As my old mother always taught me, I always support the home nations, so I root alongside most of the hon. Members in this Chamber, whether it be for England, Scotland, Wales or indeed us back home. However, the benefit of cricket is not simply giving the Aussies what for once in a while—and I have to say, it is once in a while these days. The benefits are felt in communities throughout the United Kingdom.

I want to talk about those grassroots, as that is in the title of the debate. The benefits are felt everywhere. Grassroots cricket in Northern Ireland thrives through clubs under the Northern Cricket Union, offering youth and adult programmes across Northern Ireland. I am very proud to say that a number of the popular clubs lie within my constituency. There is absolutely no doubt that everybody else here is going to talk about their cricket clubs as well—and why shouldn’t they? We want to promote them. We have Ards cricket club, Bangor cricket club and North Down cricket club, which is in Comber and is probably one of the better ones out of the three. These cricket teams provide coaching, matches and community for all ages and genders, as seen with the initiatives from Cricket Ireland. I read a synopsis on cricket, which sums up the benefits to the local community as follows:

“Grassroots cricket clubs in Northern Ireland are vital community assets, fostering social cohesion, physical health, and personal development by providing inclusive, accessible sporting opportunities for all ages and abilities, building local pride, offering guidance, and creating spaces that bridge divides, supported by funding from Sport NI and local councils to improve facilities and coaching.”

All of those things are admirable.

[Baggy Shanker (Derby South) (Lab/Co-op)]

Does the hon. Member agree that the work of fantastic charities such as Derbyshire Cricket Foundation is essential to nurturing the game from the ground up and ensuring that people from all walks of life can enjoy it?

[Jim Shannon]

I certainly do. The hon. Gentleman is certainly right to highlight the issue of Derbyshire, as I and the hon. Member for Leicester South (Shockat Adam) will do shortly; we will also highlight the attributes and the plusses of Leicestershire cricket team as well.

I love the fact that sport draws people together, as the hon. Member for Derby South (Baggy Shanker) referred to in his intervention. With the increase in adverse mental health in Northern Ireland, particularly in young men, we must promote and support these clubs, now more than ever, to help them get people involved and part of something worthwhile—something positive for them, that they can grasp and be part of—and hopefully take away the concerns, anxiety and even depression, sometimes, that they may have.

Only last month, the Communities Minister in Northern Ireland was at Lisburn cricket club to announce that its application has been approved for the next stage in the Olympic Legacy Fund. That fund is designed to build on those breathtaking Northern Ireland Olympic successes —and boy have we had a brave few in the last few years —and ensure a lasting legacy for local sport. It just so happens that the Communities Minister is one of my colleagues in Northern Ireland; I understand the good work that he does.

That funding will help sports clubs grow stronger, enable facilities to be modernised, and help communities come together through sport. I believe that it will secure many benefits for the local community. Indeed, part of that funding awarded by the Minister for Communities is reliant on the club also crowdfunding a contribution towards the total investment, so the money comes, but the club has to match it. That will mean community fundraising events, which will inevitably draw more people into involvement in the club.

It is clear that we must invest in the grassroots clubs that deliver so much in return. I look to the Minister—where it is within her remit—to ensure that clubs throughout the United Kingdom have access to funding to create fit-for-purpose clubs and facilities. This is not just simply about funding, but about an investment in health and mental wellbeing, and in communities. I look forward to hearing the Minister’s response on what can be done to help those volunteer clubs that really are a lifeline in so many rural communities.