Business of the House

Judith Cummins Excerpts

Thursday 27th March 2025 Commons Chamber

[Madam Deputy Speaker (Judith Cummins)]

I call the Liberal Democrat spokesperson.

[Marie Goldman (Chelmsford) (LD)]

The Government’s welfare changes, announced in yesterday’s spring statement, will see 150,000 carers losing half a billion pounds of support by 2030. Carers receive precious little support already, so removing what little they get will do nothing to help people into work. Instead, it will just put more pressure on already overstretched carers, social care and, as we all know, the NHS. These changes come when the NHS is in a state of flux and uncertainty. Integrated care boards who run local health services have been told to make eye-watering cuts of 50% to their running costs, but the Government have not published an impact assessment on these ICB cuts or set out what the effect will be on patients.

Are we to assume that the Government are doing this in the dark? Should we assume, perhaps, that they are closing their eyes and hoping for the best, while in reality not having a clue what it will mean for patients, carers or people in their time of need? Surely if they had properly assessed their proposals, and it was all going to be fine, they would waste no time in telling us.

The alternative, of course, is that the Government know exactly how bad these cuts will be and what they will mean for our struggling health and care services. Either way, it is right that this House and the public should know what the Government know about the impact of their plans. Will the Leader of the House therefore grant Government time to discuss the impact on our NHS of cutting carer support and of their rushed cuts to integrated care boards?

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[Lucy Powell]

May I commend my hon. Friend for his campaigning on this issue, which I know he has raised in other ways, and also commend the Dad Shift for its campaigning? Police officers work tirelessly for all of us to keep our streets safe on behalf of the whole country, and they should be entitled to proper paternity leave. He is right to say that we have a review under way. The Employment Rights Bill is passing through Parliament at the moment, and I will ensure that these issues are considered as part of that review.

[Madam Deputy Speaker (Judith Cummins)]

I call the Chair of the Backbench Business Committee.

[Bob Blackman (Harrow East) (Con)]

In addition to the business that the Leader of the House has announced, it would be very helpful if we were told whether we will get Thursday 24 April in the Chamber, because we have debates requested. Equally, she has announced that there will be general debates on Monday 7 April, but we now have a queue of 37 debates waiting to be heard in the Chamber. By my calculations, that will take us up to the November recess, even if there are no further applications. It would be very helpful if we could get some of those debates allocated.

The business in Westminster Hall next week will include a debate on eating disorder awareness on Tuesday 1 April. On Thursday, there will be a debate on waste incinerators, followed by a debate on Government support for Thames Water. On Tuesday 8 April, there will be a debate on the persecution of Christians. I will follow up with the debates after the Easter recess next week.

On 13 April 1919, families gathered peacefully in the Jallianwala Bagh to enjoy the sun and a day out. On behalf of the British Army, General Dyer marched his troops in and ordered them to fire on innocent people until they ran out of ammunition. At the end of the massacre, 1,500 people were dead and 1,200 injured. Eventually, General Dyer was disgraced for that stain on the British empire. In 2019, the then Prime Minister, Theresa May, recognised that this event was a stain on British colonial rule in India. The anniversary of the massacre will be on 13 April, when we are in recess. Could we have a Government statement admitting to what went wrong and formally giving an apology to the people of India?

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[Several hon. Members rose—]

[Madam Deputy Speaker (Judith Cummins)]

Order. There are over 20 Members on their feet, and we have around 20 minutes left, so please keep questions and answers short.

[Siân Berry (Brighton Pavilion) (Green)]

Yesterday, the Office for Students levied a wholly disproportionate fine on the University of Sussex after what looks like a flawed and wasteful investigation at a time when the higher education sector is in financial crisis. Could the Leader of the House ask the Education Secretary whether she will respond to concerns about why the OfS took so long to conduct its investigation, its behaviour, the costs it incurred and the ramifications of this very serious judgment?

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[Lucy Powell]

I thank the hon. and learned Member for his question. As he will be aware, we are committed to the Windsor framework and to working through the types of issue that he raises. Those conversations are ongoing, and I will ensure that he is updated on where they are up to before 1 May.

[Madam Deputy Speaker (Judith Cummins)]

I want to get all Members in if I possibly can, so please be kind to one another. Otherwise, some people will not get in.

[Josh Dean (Hertford and Stortford) (Lab)]

This Saturday, my constituent David Kiddie will be starting his 300 km walk for two-year-old Lily. In late 2024, Lily was diagnosed with metachromatic leukodystrophy, a rare progressive degenerative disease that will sadly, in her family’s words, slowly take her away. David is raising money to support Lily and her family on this difficult journey and raise awareness of MLD. Will the Leader of the House join me in wishing David well as he prepares to begin his walk this weekend?

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[Lucy Powell]

I am really sorry to hear about what happened to Darren’s father Les. The waiting time that they endured is frankly unacceptable. The ambulance and emergency care wait times that my hon. Friend described are a symptom of the chronic state of our national health service, which we and the country inherited. We are determined to turn that around. As she rightly said, unfortunately, emergency care is facing a great number of challenges. I will ensure that the Minister has heard her question.

[Madam Deputy Speaker (Judith Cummins)]

I thank everyone for keeping their questions short. I am sure that we will get everybody in.

[John Slinger (Rugby) (Lab)]

I will be quick, Madam Deputy Speaker. One of my constituents in Brownsover has been flooded several times over the past 10 years from leaks in Severn Trent pipes. The company makes good the damage, but does the Leader of the House agree that that is the bare minimum? The company should compensate for emotional harm—which I saw for myself on Saturday—and also consider buying homes at market rate when people cannot sell, and divert more resources away from shareholder dividends and towards fixing the infrastructure for the long term, so that my constituents feel the benefit of first-world amenities such as proper water infrastructure. Will she consider time for a debate on this?