Sir David Amess Summer Adjournment

Julie Minns Excerpts

Thursday 16th July 2026 Commons Chamber

[Ms Julie Minns (Carlisle) (Lab)]

One of the things that Sir David understood well is that the best causes we take up as parliamentarians begin not in Westminster but in our constituencies. Like the hon. Member for Stockton West (Matt Vickers), I have had many constituents come to me worried about the growing presence of illegal e-bikes on our streets. Older residents are anxious about their safety, local businesses raise concerns about dangerous, modified e-bikes, and Carlisle’s police officers highlight a worrying trend linking illegal e-bikes to wider criminal activity. That is why, at the beginning of the year, I introduced a ten-minute rule Bill to ban the sale of illegal e-bikes and the kits that create them.

Since then, with thanks to Maisie Stewart and Clark Becken in my team, I have had the privilege of meeting manufacturers, retailers, charities, the bicycle and motorcycle industries, and police and community groups, not just in Carlisle but well beyond. The more evidence I have gathered, the more convinced I have become that action is urgently needed to tackle what is a national problem.

Perhaps the most striking conversation I had was with local schoolchildren when I visited Newlaithes school in May. Pupils raised concerns with me about illegal e-bikes being ridden through Chances Park. They spoke eloquently and with conviction about the dangers posed to them, their friends and their families when they simply want to use their local park. There is something powerful about the fact that primary school children have recognised a problem that we as lawmakers have yet to address.

I would like to be clear: the issue is not e-bikes. It is illegal e-bikes. There is a reason why there is a tight legal definition of an e-bike: because vehicles that are capable of power and speed outside the legal parameters are simply not safe without proper checks, registration and licensing. The police understand the problem all too well. Cumbria’s police, fire and crime commissioner David Allen has been working with me and commissioners throughout the country, backing my call for a ban because, time and again, when the thread of illegal e-bikes is pulled, wider criminal networks unravel, with issues of illegal working, drug dealing and robbery exposed.

On a positive note, I have been delighted to spend time visiting and speaking with some of the amazing legitimate cycle businesses and organisations in my constituency, including Rebike Cumbria, which refurbishes bikes, helping people on low incomes to enjoy the physical and mental health benefits of cycling. The company also provides jobs, training and volunteering opportunities in my community.

Illegal e-bikes also raise fire risks. I heard earlier this week that there has been a nearly 150% increase in house fires of because of lithium ion batteries. A terrifying majority of those fires have been linked to illegal e-bikes.

Taken together, the issues demonstrate that this is not simply a transport matter. It is about public safety, crime, antisocial behaviour, consumer protection and business, and—most importantly for all of us—it is about our communities.

Next year, the Tour de France comes not just to Britain but to my constituency of Carlisle. I want to ensure that the tour is a celebration of cycling—good, legal cycling—and I want part of that celebration to be a ban on the dodgy, dangerous, illegal e-bikes that threaten our local communities.

Business of the House

Julie Minns Excerpts

Thursday 16th July 2026 Commons Chamber

[Sir Alan Campbell]

The new places of worship renewal fund is open for applications, but, as the hon. Gentleman knows, it is an England-only fund administered by Historic England. It is for the Scottish Government to consider whether to set up new arrangements in Scotland, and it is disappointing, to say the least, that they have not done so. I am going to say this again, because it might be the last time that I say it: the Scottish Government have had the biggest settlement since devolution. It is important that they get on and spend it on behalf of constituents, who the settlement was put there for.

[Ms Julie Minns (Carlisle) (Lab)]

May I invite the Leader of the House to join me in praising the Carlisle band Hardwicke Circus—the only UK band to have toured war-torn Ukraine? Despite its talent being recognised by Sir Paul McCartney, it has previously been suggested to the band that its success will be limited unless it relocates to a large city, like Manchester. Does the Leader of the House agree that success in the music industry should depend on talent, not postcode?

[Sir Alan Campbell]

I do indeed, and I join my hon. Friend in praising Hardwicke Circus on their success. I agree that the success of any artist should not be determined by postcode. That is why this week we have brought forward our plan for music, detailing our ambition to provide people in every corner of the country with the opportunity to start and build a career in music.

Business of the House

Julie Minns Excerpts

Thursday 9th July 2026 Commons Chamber

[Sir Alan Campbell]

That is simply a statement of fact, not a statement of anything else. [Laughter.]

I thank the shadow Leader of the House for his kind tribute to Sir George Howarth, who passed away recently. George was a dedicated politician who served his constituency of Knowsley for 38 years, and I am sure the House will join me in sending our condolences to his wife, Julie, and to his family and friends at this sad time. I also echo his words about the death of Lord Mackay.

I am very sad to learn today of the death of Bonnie Tyler. This matter was raised with me at business questions recently, and I thank my hon. Friend the Member for Neath and Swansea East (Carolyn Harris) for giving us the opportunity to wish her well at that point. I am sure her family and friends are devastated by her loss, and we send them our very best wishes, indeed.

This year marks 21 years since the London 7/7 bombings, which killed 52 people and injured many more. I know that the thoughts of the whole House will be with those whose lives were changed on that terrible day, and that they will recall the bravery and commitment of our emergency services, particularly the NHS, which continues to show such exemplary service.

Since our last business questions, we have celebrated the second anniversary of the election of this Labour Government. The election saw a huge intake of new and talented MPs on both sides of this House, and we thank them for the contribution they have made thus far. Since that election, we have taken action as a Government to fix the foundations of our country and deliver the long-term change that Britain needs. That means cutting waiting lists, cutting net migration and the asylum backlog, lifting half a million children out of poverty and having the fastest growing economy in the G7.

In reference to what my right hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister said yesterday, we are changing the balance of power in Britain through the Hillsborough law, ensuring that the state can never hide from the people it is supposed to serve. As he outlined yesterday, significant progress has been made, and I hope we can bring the Bill back to the House soon.

Turning to other matters, the veterinary sector has been raised with me during these sessions on a number of occasions. Pets are part of the family, but for too many households the cost of caring for them has become a real worry. Today, we are setting out the biggest reforms to the vet sector in half a century to help owners avoid unexpected bills, compare prices more easily and get the best value from pet care. I know you take a keen interest in this, Mr Speaker.

On the Wye valley, I will raise this matter with the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Ministers. However, I understand that the matter was raised at DEFRA questions earlier today, although I have not seen the response of my hon. Friend the Member for Kingston upon Hull West and Haltemprice (Emma Hardy).

The shadow Leader of the House also raised the Clacton by-election. Let me make it clear from the Dispatch Box that this by-election should not be taking place. When we stand for election to this place, which it is an honour to do, we give an undertaking that the highest standards should be kept, including of openness and transparency about political donations. That is the issue here, and that will be the issue in this unnecessary by-election. Nigel Farage has serious questions to answer, and he cannot run away from them.

[Ms Julie Minns (Carlisle) (Lab)]

I add my birthday wishes to the Leader of the House.

I recently had the absolute pleasure of attending not one but two wonderful theatre performances. The first was a dress rehearsal by StagedRight theatre group and the second was “Aladdin” by the Rocket theatre group. These wonderful theatre groups give our young people the opportunity to build skills, grow confidence and have a fantastic time. Could the Leader of the House advise how we can best celebrate the contribution that theatre groups such as these right across our country make to our communities, particularly for our young people?

[Sir Alan Campbell]

I thank my hon. Friend for bringing this issue to the House. She will know, from an earlier confession, that I am indeed a fan of musical theatre. Amateur and youth productions truly are a great vehicle to build confidence, harness creativity and build communities, so I congratulate all those involved in treading the boards this summer. This is a topic of interest across the House, so I recommend that she looks towards a Westminster Hall debate, perhaps when we return, or towards the pre-recess Adjournment debate next week.

Business of the House

Julie Minns Excerpts

Thursday 25th June 2026 Commons Chamber

[Sir Alan Campbell]

I will endeavour to find a way through this so that what the Prime Minister committed to can happen.

[Ms Julie Minns (Carlisle) (Lab)]

I am delighted that Cumberland council is to partner with Carlisle College and the Story construction group to renovate the old keeper’s lodge in Bitts Park in my constituency. The college’s construction students will gain invaluable experience of working on a live construction site, there will be no cost to the council, and a much-loved building will be brought back into public use. Does the Leader of the House agree that this partnership model could be adopted elsewhere to bring back other much-loved buildings, and will he join me in thanking council officer Stephen Dunn, whose brainchild this project was?

[Sir Alan Campbell]

My hon. Friend is right to champion the scheme that she refers to, which sounds like an excellent partnership that benefits all sides. I join her in congratulating Stephen Dunn on instigating this project, as well as the many other council officers across our country who do a fantastic job. I will ensure that the Secretary of State hears about it, because it sounds like an arrangement that has a lot of potential going forward.

Business of the House

Julie Minns Excerpts

Thursday 23rd April 2026 Commons Chamber

[Sir Alan Campbell]

My hon. Friend is right to raise veterans’ issues and I thank her for doing so. As she knows, Op Valour is our UK-wide veterans’ support system, providing £50 million in funding to better connect charities and local and national services. I will ensure that she gets a response from the Minister for Veterans and People and the update on the issues that she seeks.

[Ms Julie Minns (Carlisle) (Lab)]

For over two years, residents on the edge of Carlisle, in Rockcliffe, Harker and Cargo, have been waging an excellent campaign against the building of a gasification plant—a campaign for which they have my full support. Cumberland council rightly refused the application, but the applicant, who has much deeper pockets than local residents, is taking the issue to appeal. My community is not the only one fighting incinerator plans, so will the Leader of the House arrange for a ministerial statement on the Government’s current position on the building of new incinerators?

[Sir Alan Campbell]

I thank my hon. Friend for bringing this matter to the House. The Government have set up new rules so that waste incinerators will receive planning approval only if they meet strict new local environmental conditions. I know that this is a matter of concern not only to my hon. Friend’s constituents but to others, and I will draw it to the attention of Ministers.

Business of the House

Julie Minns Excerpts

Thursday 26th March 2026 Commons Chamber

[Sir Alan Campbell]

I am shocked by the suggestion that anyone should lie to Members of Parliament—that is entirely unacceptable. The right hon. Gentleman has put on record his concern about that, and I have no doubt that he delivered his concerns in a robust manner. He tried his very best to give as much detail as he could in the limited time we have this morning; I suggest that either he seeks an Adjournment debate on this matter to give further voice to his concerns, or if he wants a meeting with Health Ministers to make his case, I will arrange one for him.

[Ms Julie Minns (Carlisle) (Lab)]

As the current Youth Parliament draws to the end of its term, can I put on record my thanks to you, Mr Speaker, for your continued support of our Youth Parliament? Earlier this week, I met Bobby Forbes, who is Cumbria’s Member of Youth Parliament. Yesterday, the Select Committee that he chairs published a report on reform of personal, social, health and economic education. As this Government are rightly extending the vote to 16 and 17-year-olds, could the Leader of the House please explain to us as Members of this Parliament how we could discuss the recommendations of the Youth Select Committee’s report?

[Sir Alan Campbell]

I thank my hon. Friend for bringing this important matter to the House. The Youth Select Committee is an excellent initiative, and this Government continue to take steps to ensure that young people’s voices can be heard in our democracy, not least in the dependence we placed on the voices of young people when we drew together our national youth strategy. If I may, I will share my hon. Friend’s question with the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, which works very closely with the Committee. I also recommend that she applies for a Westminster Hall debate, so that all MPs have the opportunity to discuss the report’s recommendations and the good work that I hope is being done in their constituencies to promote the voices of young people.

Business of the House

Julie Minns Excerpts

Thursday 19th March 2026 Commons Chamber

[Sir Alan Campbell]

I will do so, not least because, as the hon. Lady points out, wherever such developments are happening across the country, people are able to benefit from them. I know that my constituents were able to benefit from such a project, so I will seek to do as she asks.

[Ms Julie Minns (Carlisle) (Lab)]

Citadel Homes has issued demands for rent increases of over £200 a month, in tandem with no-fault eviction notices, to tenants in the Denton Holme area of my Carlisle constituency. Those affected have done nothing wrong. Will the Leader of the House ensure that in the final weeks before the abolition of no-fault evictions, Ministers do all that they can to ensure that landlords like Citadel Homes are held to account?

[Sir Alan Campbell]

I thank my hon. Friend for raising this important matter. We are committed to improving the system for 11 million private renters. I am pleased that we are abolishing section 21 no-fault evictions, but as other hon. Members have said previously, there are concerns about what less scrupulous landlords may do in that period. I will raise the matter with the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, because I know that he is very much aware of MPs’ concerns.

Business of the House

Julie Minns Excerpts

Thursday 26th February 2026 Commons Chamber

[Sir Alan Campbell]

The Government are committing resources to the alleviation of and protection from flooding, but it is important that we learn from local examples. I happen to think that the Environment Agency has been working full out in many areas over what has been a very wet winter, as I said before, but that does not mean it has got absolutely everything right. If the hon. Gentleman is seeking a meeting with the floods Minister to outline his local concerns and inform that debate, I will arrange that.

[Ms Julie Minns (Carlisle) (Lab)]

The Leader of the House knows how proud I am to represent England’s most northerly city. It is a city that had not one, but two Roman forts. It has a wonderful Norman castle and a 900-year-old cathedral with the nation’s favourite stained glass window and retains its city walls and citadels. Nationalised beer was served there for over 50 years. It is the city that gave birth to the railway ticket and where the world’s oldest biscuit factory keeps our country fed on custard creams. Does the Leader of the House therefore agree that there could be no finer place than Carlisle to be the UK’s city of culture 2029?

[Sir Alan Campbell]

As ever, my hon. Friend is a strong advocate for her city of Carlisle. She paints a very attractive, and realistic, picture of a fantastic place. She referred to the 50 years of nationalised beer. It is fair to point out that it was a Conservative Government who nationalised the breweries in Carlisle, which I think is interesting—obviously not that interesting. The city of culture competition is a brilliant opportunity for our constituents to show their pride in their cities, as my hon. Friend pointed out. I wish all the applicants good luck, wherever they are, including Carlisle, because it is a fantastic city for all the reasons my hon. Friend listed and more.

Business of the House

Julie Minns Excerpts

Thursday 12th February 2026 Commons Chamber

[Sir Alan Campbell]

I thank the hon. Gentleman for raising this important matter. I have described him before as an assiduous campaigner for his constituency— I hope that my describing him in that way does not do him too much damage. I understand that he has written to the Health Secretary about this, and I will make sure that he gets an urgent response.

[Ms Julie Minns (Carlisle) (Lab)]

Last week, the east window of Carlisle cathedral was voted the nation’s favourite stained glass window. May I invite the Leader of the House to join me in congratulating John de Salkeld, who in 1359 donated 40 shillings

“to make a window anew in the chancel”

of Carlisle cathedral; Ivo de Raughton, whose work this funded; and Hardman & Co. of Birmingham, which was commissioned in the 18th century to refill the lower panes to create the window we see today? Will the Leader of the House also join me in thanking the Association of English Cathedrals for organising this wonderful competition?

[Sir Alan Campbell]

I absolutely join my hon. Friend in congratulating all those who worked to create the east window of Carlisle cathedral, which I understand is not just one of the earliest stained glass windows, but one of the few surviving from that period. Their contribution genuinely made history, and it is important that we remember them. I also join her in thanking the Association of English Cathedrals for its vital work. As she rightly points out, places of worship provide vital services to our local communities.

Business of the House

Julie Minns Excerpts

Thursday 5th February 2026 Commons Chamber

[Sir Alan Campbell]

My hon. Friend raises an important matter, and I understand that it must be deeply frustrating for the workers affected. I will ensure that the relevant Minister meets her to discuss this case.

[Ms Julie Minns (Carlisle) (Lab)]

The last Labour Government lifted 600,000 children out of poverty and helped break down barriers to opportunity by introducing child trust funds, giving every single 18 year old savings regardless of their background. However, on turning 18, a disabled person will find that if they have a care package, their child trust fund will be counted in the financial assessment. Can the Leader of the House please make time for a debate on how we can ensure that the child trust funds benefit every single young person regardless of whether they are disabled?

[Sir Alan Campbell]

Child trust funds have helped parents and carers invest in their children’s futures, and we are committed to ensuring that every disabled person has access to the care they need. I will arrange a meeting for my hon. Friend with the relevant Minister so they can hear her concerns at first hand.