Business of the House
Lindsay Hoyle Excerpts(1 week, 5 days ago)
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Sir Alan Campbell
Not only do I join my hon. Friend in congratulating Connor on completing such an extraordinary adventure; I thank him for doing so for such a good cause. Many people who will never meet Connor will benefit from what he has done, but I am sure they will be hugely impressed when they learn of his achievements. I wish him every success for the remainder of his adventure and safe travels on his journey home.
Bobby Dean (Carshalton and Wallington) (LD)
Our thoughts, too, are with the victims of the train crash in Spain and their families. I also want to add to the congratulations to Harry Kane, and say on behalf of all Tottenham Hotspur fans that he is one of our own.
It is tempting to get into yesterday’s Budget, but I have not spoken in the debate yet, and I fear that if I start now, I might run out of things to say. Of course, there were a record number of measures in that Budget, but they had the lowest cumulative value that we have seen in decades. I think that makes it the most extravagant display of looking busy for the boss in history.
Turning to other events, on Monday the AI debate was bumped off the agenda. I am afraid that that makes Parliament look slightly ridiculous. We last debated AI properly in this Chamber back in 2023; given how technology moves on, that is light years ago. Instead, we debated the performance of Royal Mail—an important issue, but one that was debated only the previous week in Westminster Hall. Critics are saying that this exposes how this House spends more time engaging with popular local issues than with some of the complex challenges our country faces. My view is that we must make time for both of those things; we need to make sure that we tackle those important local issues in our constituencies, but also rise to the challenges of our time.
There are huge questions to answer on the growth opportunities presented by AI and how we get it adopted widely across the country, but also on the safety concerns and the threat that superintelligent models pose to our society. Those are critical questions for this Parliament to engage with, so will the Leader of the House make time for a debate in Government time as urgently as possible, so that colleagues can engage with these big questions of our time?
Sir Alan Campbell
I join my hon. Friend in condemning the appalling incident in Wakefield and reaffirming that all forms of hatred and division have no place in our society. Attacks like these must never be tolerated; we need to send that message out in a united, clear and loud way from this place.
I thank my hon. Friends the Members for Leeds South West and Morley (Mark Sewards) and for Ossett and Denby Dale (Jade Botterill) for the support that they have provided for their constituents. The Government take this matter very seriously. We will certainly try to find time for a debate at some point in the future about social cohesion and what more can be done, because we are doing a lot.
Bob Blackman (Harrow East) (Con)
Mr Speaker, if the Liberal Democrat spokesman is brave, I can tell you that I have a season ticket to watch Tottenham home and away, and I watched virtually every goal that Harry Kane scored for us. I only wish that he was still scoring for Tottenham rather than Bayern Munich.
May I start on a sad note and pay tribute to the late Sir John Hannam, who was the MP for Exeter from 1970 to 1997? He was also the secretary of the 1922 committee from 1987 to 1997, and he died at the ripe old age of 97. I am sure that we will all join together in sending our condolences to his family.
Provided that the Leader of the House allocates us time, the House will not have long to wait for the debate on the emerging risks of advanced AI, which of course had to be withdrawn because of the sheer number of Members who wanted to speak in both debates on Monday. If we are given time on 19 November, we will allocate that time for that important debate and a debate on International Men’s Day, which coincides with that date.
In Westminster Hall, there will be a debate on Tuesday 3 November on the findings of the Milburn review. On 10 November, when we come back after recess, there will be a debate on antisocial behaviour; I remind the House that that debate will start at 11.30 am rather than 9.30 am. On 12 November, there will be a debate on fire and rescue services’ suicide-prevention training, followed by a debate on VAT policy for the hospitality sector. Further debates for Westminster Hall will be announced in due course.
In addition to Remembrance Sunday, which we will commemorate during the recess, that Sunday is also Diwali. I am sure that the whole House will join me in wishing all Hindus, Sikhs and Jains “Shubh Diwali” for the event, and also a happy, peaceful, prosperous and, above all else, healthy Hindu new year, which follows.
However, any Hindus who are in Pakistan are in serious trouble at the moment. We in the all-party parliamentary group for British Hindus received a report from Insight UK just last week on the plight of Hindus in Pakistan, which makes for horrific reading. I ask the Leader of the House to get either the Foreign Secretary or a Foreign Office Minister to come to the House and tell us what the Government are doing to safeguard minority communities, not just in this country, as is right, but in countries where they are severely oppressed.
Retirement of the Clerk of the House
Lindsay Hoyle Excerpts(2 weeks, 5 days ago)
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Mr Speaker
Before I invite the Leader of the House to move the motion of congratulations to Tom Goldsmith, I would like to record my own brief tribute.
Having joined the House in 1996, Tom has now served this place for 30 years. He has been a distinguished and authoritative presence at the Table over the past decade, including as Clerk of the House for the last three years, a role that has been the culmination of an illustrious career in the service of this House.
Members may not know this, but Tom is from a proud east end family and was the first in his family to go to university. Throughout his career, he retained his connection with those roots, welcoming children from his former state school regularly to Parliament. On his appointment, he notably became the youngest Clerk of the House since John Hatsell in the 18th century.
Tom joined the House as an assistant Clerk via the civil service fast stream. In the years that followed, he held numerous roles across Select Committees and procedural offices, supporting the work of the Chamber. Tom has also been secretary to the House of Commons Commission and was the first head of governance in the Office of Governance. Those roles no doubt gave him a valuable insight into the way in which an at times unorthodox organisation runs; thankfully, that did not put him off applying for the role of Clerk of the House in the years that followed.
In fact, Tom hit the ground running as Clerk of the House, leading the House through the 2024 general election, with the largest turnover of MPs in living memory, prioritising safety on the estate and working alongside the director general to champion the bicameral procurement function and develop a more efficient model for the management of our estate.
On a more personal note, it was immediately before Tom’s appointment as Clerk of the House when he led the Table Office that I first had the privilege of working closely alongside him. Prior to that, he had led the Committee Office and driven the setting up of the groundbreaking hybrid and virtual Committees during the covid pandemic.
Tom has the procedural expertise, political nous and authority that are essential for a successful Clerk. He combines them with an exceptionally clear style of communication, which I value greatly. I am not the only one who has benefited from that: he has put those skills to good use as co-author of the most widely used popular textbook about Parliament, “How Parliament Works”.
I will always be grateful for the clear and authoritative advice Tom has provided, even on those rare occasions when we have disagreed with one another.
Mr Speaker
Absolutely—he said he learned about that in his Foreign Affairs Committee job. [Laughter.]
It is not just parliamentary procedure that keeps Tom busy in this place. He has also generously shared his talent for playing jazz piano at many an event in Parliament over the years, including in the Speaker’s House, which I will sorely miss.
I know that the House will join me in thanking Tom for contributing 30 years of outstanding public service. I wish him well and the very best in his future endeavours, as Tom goes on to write books about jazz. He is available to play, and—who knows?—this could be his new life: Tom now sings the blues.
The Leader of the House of Commons (Sir Alan Campbell)
I beg to move,
That Mr Speaker be requested to convey to Mr Thomas Goldsmith, on his retirement from the office of Clerk of the House, this House’s gratitude for his long and distinguished service, for his wise contribution to the development of the procedure of the House, for his continuing focus on the interests of the House as a whole and of Members individually, his professionalism and courageous and inclusive leadership in the discharge of his duties as head of the House Administration, and for the courteous and helpful advice always given to individual honourable Members.
It is a pleasure to move the motion to give the House the opportunity to pay tribute to Tom Goldsmith, who leaves the House at the end of this month after, as you said, Mr Speaker, 30 years of outstanding service to this place. He has held a large variety of posts. He has been a Clerk to a number of the busiest and most high-profile Select Committees, including the Foreign Affairs Committee, the Justice Committee and the Energy and Climate Change Committee. He has also worked in a number of procedural roles including Clerk of Committees and Principal Clerk of the Table Office as well as stints in the Public Bill Office and the Table Office earlier in his career.
Tom has been committed to making the House and the services that support all of us work. That has been a common focus of his roles, including as Clerk of the Administration Committee, heading up what was then the Office of the Chief Executive, as Secretary to the House of Commons Commission and Head of the Governance Office, and, over the last few years, as Clerk of the House. I have seen some of his work at first hand as Chair of the Modernisation Committee; Tom has demonstrated a great commitment to improving the accessibility of this place for all its Members, staff and visitors.
As you said, Mr Speaker, Tom was head of the Committee Office during the pandemic and led the successful work to quickly set up hybrid and virtual Committees, enabling Select Committees to continue performing their critical roles on behalf of this House. We remember those days as very difficult, but looking back I think that that is an understatement. Having people like Tom in charge of making the necessary changes meant that this place could continue to function.
Tom was appointed the 52nd Clerk of the House of Commons in March 2023, taking over the role in October from Sir John Benger. In his three years as Clerk of the House, he has been a public servant of the highest calibre. Whether for Members in government or opposition, on the Front Benches or the Back Benches, he is a source of wisdom and invaluable assistance and has always, always put the interests of this House first—even, as you said, Mr Speaker, at the expense of not always agreeing with those who proposed a different view.
Tom has seen an extraordinary amount of change during his tenure. Following the 2024 general election, we sit in a Chamber where over half of all MPs have less than five years of parliamentary experience. That required Tom to lead the House service through its largest induction programme for new Members. For so many newer Members, and, indeed, for those of us who have been here a little longer, Tom’s calm and courteous approach has been deeply reassuring. I know that Members right across the House will have greatly valued his guidance when navigating the complexities of our procedures and traditions. On a personal level, I have very much valued his advice and guidance, whether in opposition or since getting into government.
The grandeur of the role has not changed Tom. As you said, Mr Speaker, as a young man he grew up in the east end and was the first in his family to go to university. He has opened up opportunities and access to this place. He introduced a system of direct recruitment for Clerks, which ensured that they are a more diverse and representative group. He regularly welcomes schoolchildren to Parliament, including from his secondary school Ilford County high school.
Beyond his work in the Chamber, Tom is widely respected as the co-author of the eighth and ninth editions of “How Parliament Works”, which has done so much to demystify this House and help make it a more accessible place to the wider world. Outside Parliament, he is an accomplished jazz pianist. In my exchanges at business questions I have been forced to admit my enjoyment of musical theatre and country and western. I have to admit, however, that my music taste does not quite stretch to jazz. Nevertheless, he is an accomplished jazz pianist. As the shadow Leader of the House said earlier, it is fitting that he is so well practised at improvisation; it has meant that he has been so successful in keeping the business of this House running smoothly.
From November, Tom will take up an appointment as a commissioner as part of the Civil Service Commission. He will undoubtedly bring a huge amount of skill and expertise to helping to maintain a civil service appointed on merit with the skills that it needs to deliver public services across our country. On behalf of the Government, I wish Tom all the very best for the next chapter in his life, and I wish his successor Eve Samson well as she takes up her role as Clerk of the House next month. I commend this motion to the House.
Nick Smith (Blaenau Gwent and Rhymney) (Lab)
Mr Speaker, I would like to add some words of thanks to the retiring Clerk of the House. I find Thomas Goldsmith to be a very sage official sitting at the heart of our organisation. It is my privilege to be a House of Commons Commissioner and Chair of the Administration Committee. I have seen Tom show good judgment, provide wise words, land on the nub of a problem and always suggest a constructive way forward, and he does all of that with good grace.
Tom Goldsmith is a polymath. Like others, I have heard his excellent piano playing. I know that he enjoys books, and we have often talked about our latest good reads. In a sometimes rarefied atmosphere, he is also a modest man from an ordinary background. It has been a pleasure working with him. Good wishes for the future, Tom.
Jim Shannon (Strangford) (DUP)
I rise to pay a heartfelt and honest tribute to our outgoing Clerk, Tom Goldsmith, as he prepares to leave this House at the end of the month. On behalf of myself, the Democratic Unionist party and the wonderful people of Strangford, I express our deepest gratitude for his 30 years of impeccable, dedicated service to this Parliament.
Tom has been a steadfast pillar of wisdom, guiding the Chamber with unmatched procedural expertise, absolute integrity and, perhaps most importantly for those of us who test the boundaries of time, the blessing of profound patience and kindness. His piano expertise is to be applauded, whereas my apex in that regard is “Chopsticks”, which falls far short of Tom’s talent.
Whenever a Back Bencher has needed guidance on a complex amendment or advice on a point of order, Tom has always been there with a steady hand and an open door. His presence at the Table will be deeply missed, and we wish him nothing but the very best, good health and happiness in his well-deserved retirement. May God’s blessing be upon him and his family in the days that lie ahead.
At the same time, it is a tremendous pleasure to welcome Eve Samson as our next Clerk of the House. Making history as the first woman to hold that prestigious office is a magnificent milestone. Having known Eve through her exceptional work over many years, not least her invaluable guidance on various Select Committees, I know that she brings a wealth of experience, sharp intellect and a deep respect for the traditions of this House, which we all respect. She has a big pair of shoes to fill, but I have absolutely no doubt that she will serve this Parliament with the highest distinction. She will always have the full support and prayers of those on the DUP Bench as she takes up her historic duties.
Mr Speaker
I thank all Members for their contributions about Tom. Some wonderful words have been said about him. As the Leader of the House mentioned, Eve Samson will take over as the next Clerk, and he is quite right that she is the first woman Clerk I have been able to appoint. The role goes back to 1363, so it is quite an amazing feat and we must not forget that. We wish Tom well. And I think Eve is learning to play the piano, in case we need another jazz pianist.
Business of the House
Lindsay Hoyle Excerpts(2 weeks, 5 days ago)
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Jesse Norman
I thank the Leader of the House very much for that business. As the Prime Minister, the Leader of the Opposition and others said yesterday, in this week of the 60th anniversary of the Aberfan disaster, let us never forget its victims, including 116 children, and its terrible cost to their families and their community.
On a far happier note, the House will shortly come together in celebration of the Clerk on his retirement, but let me pay a personal tribute to Tom now for his unfailing genius, sense of service and courtesy to the House, and the assistance he has given us all as Members over 30 years. As a jobbing trumpeter, coming very much from the opposite end of the quality spectrum, I can testify that Tom is a superb jazz pianist. Like any great jazzer, he has a remarkable ability to improvise under pressure while never losing sight of the underlying material—as in the gig, so at the Table. That is no small achievement with 650 would-be Miles Davises all playing in different keys.
Jesse Norman
Some are more in tune than others, Mr Speaker. Among Tom’s heroes is Art Tatum, who was famous for taking a familiar tune and turning it into something almost unrecognisable. Tom has often performed the reverse feat with Members’ legislative amendments: taking something almost unrecognisable and turning it into something more familiar.
Mr Speaker, I hope that you and the Leader of the House will forgive another toot from me on my constituency trumpet. This week has seen the publication of a brilliantly positive new report by Policy Exchange on our new engineering university in Hereford, NMITE—the New Model Institute for Technology and Engineering. Among other things, the report highlights that, thanks to the university’s accelerated degrees, it offers at least 20% better value for money for students than elsewhere. For local students, it is almost half the cost of an equivalent chartered engineering degree anywhere else.
The report goes further—I think this is a matter of general interest to the House—by identifying 57 suitable towns and cities across the UK, including Hartlepool, Grimsby, Barnsley, Burnley and Scunthorpe in the north alone, in which the model could be rolled out across the country. I would be delighted to discuss with colleagues how we could do so with any areas and constituencies that may be interested.
I end, if I may, on a more serious note. In May 2024, Lord Walney’s report, “Protecting our Democracy from Coercion”, made more than 40 recommendations to tackle political intimidation and disruptive extremism. More than two years into their term of office, this Government have yet to respond fully; indeed, Ministers abolished Lord Walney’s position last year. When they did so, they promised that his report would continue to shape the Government’s approach to political violence, yet they rejected key recommendations in passing the Crime and Policing Act 2026, including stronger powers to prevent particularly harmful marches. They did that despite very strong appeals from Jewish community groups facing the present rising tide of antisemitism—groups that are still more concerned, be it said, after the Green party’s appalling resolution that Zionism is racism.
The threat is clear, and I know that this is an issue of particular concern to you, Mr Speaker, on behalf of all of us. Ninety-six per cent of Members of Parliament responding to the Speaker’s Conference in 2025 reported harassment, intimidation or abuse. It is a matter of public record that, last September, arson destroyed the constituency office of one of our colleagues, and that another and their son received death threats. Peaceful protest is fundamental to democracy, of course, but so is the right of every person to live free from intimidation, and the right of every elected representative and their staff to be able to serve without intimidation, abuse or coercion.
Will the Leader of the House ask the Home Secretary to publish a full, recommendation-by-recommendation, response to Lord Walney’s report, and will he arrange a debate in Government time on that response so that the House can collectively scrutinise what the Government are doing and propose to do to meet these dreadful threats?
Sir Alan Campbell
As I said, the issue of parking has been raised with me many times in these sessions. NHS trusts are responsible for car parking charges and are expected to follow the NHS car parking guidance. As my hon. Friend rightly identifies, some hospitals do use private companies, and there is a new code of practice. I hope that her trust has heard her concerns today and that other trusts will look at this, to ensure that as the new code of practice comes in, they are fulfilling their obligations.
Bobby Dean (Carshalton and Wallington) (LD)
I join the Leader of the House in his reflection on the Aberfan disaster. Our thoughts are with all those affected and, indeed, the whole community.
It was deeply concerning to hear a US envoy last night describe Vladimir Putin as a “humanitarian”, as Russia continued to bomb Ukraine. I sincerely hope that the Government will move quickly to condemn those comments and will make time to progress the Russian Frozen Assets (Seizure and Aid to Ukraine) Bill, brought forward by my hon. Friend the Member for Bicester and Woodstock (Calum Miller).
Closer to home, the NHS Alliance sparked a row among health professionals this week when it said that up to 20 maternity units may have to close in England. The alliance made the case that the shortage of doctors and the increase in C-sections means that consolidation will be necessary to keep mothers and babies safe, but obstetricians and midwives are saying that having maternity services close to home is critical and that workforce issues must be addressed in a different way.
In my constituency of Carshalton and Wallington, the women’s health unit, including the maternity unit, is facing closure not due to clinical reasons but because of ageing pipework and issues with the water quality. That is particularly stinging for our local community because we have known about issues with the building for years, and the promise of a new building keeps being delayed. Can the Leader of the House organise for a debate on the future of maternity services in this country? I am aware that there is an Adjournment debate on this issue today, but that does not give MPs across the House an opportunity to explore this issue in full, so I hope he will make Government time to have this debate in full.
Sir Alan Campbell
This is an issue that a number of Members have raised from time to time, and I understand their concern and the concern of constituents where buildings blight local communities. That is why, in some areas, we are making sure that communities not only have the resources but are able to make decisions themselves about what to do with such buildings. I hope the owner of the building has heard what my hon. Friend has said today and gets on and does something about it. If my hon. Friend wishes to expand on the points that he wishes to raise, a Westminster Hall or Adjournment debate would give him ample opportunity.
Bob Blackman (Harrow East) (Con)
I thank the Leader of the House for announcing the business. Clearly, apart from Monday, Backbench business will be coming up in the Chamber only after we come back from the recess. If we are granted time on Thursday 12 November, we will have Select Committee statements from the Health and Social Care Committee and the Defence Committee, followed by a debate on the 110th anniversary of the battle of the Somme, followed by a debate on the Nolan principles, which many people have asked for.
In Westminster Hall on Tuesday 27 October, there will be a debate on recognising the production and serving of cask ale as intangible cultural heritage. On Thursday 29 October, there will be a debate on mandatory safeguarded 24/7 helipads at major trauma centres, followed by a debate on the role and effectiveness of Ofcom. On Tuesday 3 November, there will be a debate on the findings of the Milburn review. When we come back after the recess, on Tuesday 10 November, there will be a debate on antisocial behaviour. I remind Members that because the House will be sitting Monday hours on that day, that debate will start at 11.30 am and not 9.30 am as usual.
May I gently nudge the Leader of the House? We are still awaiting the extra Labour member of the Backbench Business Committee. One of the Government members is on long-term deployment in our forces, and another colleague had a terrible accident and therefore is on crutches and finds it difficult to get the meetings, so we have challenges making sure we are quorate to consider the business.
The situation in Nepal continues to be catastrophic. Often, when there is a disaster such as flooding, everyone says, “We must do something,” and then nothing else happens. I pay tribute to Benji and Nic Gould, two boys aged 11 and nine, who at the HarroWall climbing centre climbed the equivalent of going to Everest base camp and raised £3,500 for charity. I think we should congratulate them—I am sure the Leader of the House will join me in doing so—and also say that we need to continue to our work to assist the great people of Nepal.
Sir Alan Campbell
The work of Select Committees is extremely important, as I have said on many occasions, and the scrutiny of Ministers is an essential part of that process. The right hon. Lady is an experienced Chair and represents her Committee extraordinarily well, but I know that the Home Secretary also takes her accountability to Parliament seriously. I am aware that she has appeared before the Home Affairs Committee before—the last date might have been on 15 September—but I have no doubt that she, her office and her diary secretary will want to look at a further date with the Committee in the not-too-distant-future.
Mr Speaker
As I have been slightly drawn into this, may I back up the Home Affairs Committee Chair’s comments to the Leader of the House? I think there must be a problem with the diary secretary because I cannot get a meeting either—I have requested one because I have responsibility for Members’ security—so I understand that frustration. I am sure that the message will have gone back to the Department, and I hope that we can find some dates that will accommodate the Chair of the Committee and hopefully the Speaker as well.
Samantha Niblett (South Derbyshire) (Lab)
At just 19 years old, Hannah in my constituency was diagnosed with a brain tumour and given 14 months to live, but she is now 23 and defying all the odds. She won the east midlands round of the Pride of Britain awards, which took place this week and airs on ITV1 and ITVX this evening. She has turned the most incredible adversity into positive action for other people by creating Hannah’s Hope, which is a sanctuary and a place for families going through similar struggles to have a bit of respite. Will the Leader of the House join me in celebrating Hannah and her incredible mum, Gail, in her new venture? H for Hope is about creating a community for teenagers going through similar experiences of cancer to come together.
Sir Alan Campbell
I have said before that sports clubs, local communities and volunteering are the heartbeat of our local communities. At the risk of offending supporters of the other team, I wish Bridlington Town the very best in the first round of the FA trophy. You never know, Mr Speaker: this may be one of those magical years when a non-league team manages to get to the FA cup final, which I will go to with the hon. Gentleman to watch Bridlington play against Sunderland.
Gordon McKee (Glasgow South) (Lab)
Last Sunday, hundreds of people came together in Queen’s park in my constituency for Moira’s Run, which is run every year to mark the tragic murder of Moira Jones in the park in 2008. The event raised thousands of pounds for the victims of crime. Will the Leader of the House join me in congratulating all those who took part, and in recognising the work of the Moira Fund and Victim Support Scotland?
Several hon. Members rose—
Mr Speaker
Order. Just to help everybody, I am aiming to finish this at 12 noon, because the business today is very important. It would be useful if Members helped each other. Shockat Adam will be a great example.
Shockat Adam (Leicester South) (Ind)
This half-term, the children of Leicester South should be enjoying their local playgrounds, yet many are not fit for purpose. In the Highfields area, Sherrard Road play area has been closed for almost three years amid a ding-dong between the local council and Severn Trent Water, and many other areas are funding their local play area themselves. Will the Leader of the House schedule a debate on playground funding?
Several hon. Members rose—
Danny Beales (Uxbridge and South Ruislip) (Lab)
It is a tough time for motorists, which is why it is particularly galling that tonight Hillingdon council will meet to decide whether to increase parking charges by more than 70%. It is the second rise in just a year. Does the Leader of the House agree that that is bad for motorists and for businesses? Can we have a debate in this House to discuss what more we can all do to support motorists at this difficult time?
Sir Alan Campbell
My hon. Friend, as ever, raises an important matter. As I set out at the beginning of these business questions, parking is an issue that matters to our constituents. It is disappointing, frankly, to hear of discussions and decisions that may well be taken or confirmed by his Conservative-run council. It is a matter for local authorities, but my hon. Friend has put his concerns on behalf of his residents on the record today, and I hope that Hillingdon council will have heard him loud and clear.
Mr Speaker
Order. The names of those Members who did not get in have been taken for next week, when I expect to prioritise them.
Business of the House
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Mr Speaker
The reshuffles have left in place the old guard—the old team—so let us start off with the shadow Leader of the House, Jesse Norman.
Business of the House
Lindsay Hoyle Excerpts(3 months, 4 weeks ago)
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The Leader of the House of Commons (Sir Alan Campbell)
With permission, Mr Speaker, I would like to make a short statement to provide an update on this week’s business. The business for tomorrow is now:
Tuesday 14 July—Remaining stages of the Public Office (Accountability) Bill, followed by consideration of Lords amendments to the Steel Industry (Nationalisation) Bill.
Members who are considering tabling amendments to the Public Office (Accountability) Bill should consult the Public Bill Office as soon as possible. The Government will ensure that the text of our new amendments is made available to members in the Vote Office straightaway.
The business for the remainder of the week is unchanged:
Wednesday 15 July—Opposition day, third allotted day. Debate on a motion in the name of the official Opposition, subject to be announced, followed by a motion to approve a statutory instrument relating to national security.
Thursday 16 July—The Sir David Amess summer Adjournment debate. The subject for this debate was determined by the Backbench Business Committee.
The House will rise for the summer recess at the conclusion of business on Thursday 16 July and return on Tuesday 1 September. I will make a further business statement on Thursday.
Jesse Norman (Hereford and South Herefordshire) (Con)
I cannot come to the Dispatch Box without registering my sadness, and I am sure that of everyone across this House, at the dreadful news about Ann Widdecombe. I am sure that we will talk about this later, but I just wanted to start with that.
The Leader of the House is a good and honourable man, and he will be deeply embarrassed by this fiasco of a procedure today. It is a gross breach of parliamentary protocol and timing to bring a Bill, let alone a Bill of this sensitivity and magnitude, to the House on this very abbreviated notice. Of course, there is concern across the House about the victims of the Hillsborough disaster and their families, but these matters must be properly debated in due season. To do so, with new amendments that have not even yet been published, on no notice and without the ability of Members to amend those amendments or to comment until now, is a further breach.
Why has this happened? It is because the outgoing Prime Minister is desperate to preserve what he sees as a legacy. It is a tragedy that he should be so focused solely on his own political future, such as it is, and I think it is a pity that he has taken this opportunity to sideswipe the incoming Prime Minister, a man who arrives with no scrutiny and no accountability to this House.
I want to raise a few key points. Of course, it is understood that this legislation was being discussed in the Intelligence and Security Committee. It is also understood that this legislation and its implications were being discussed with our Five Eyes allies, with our armed forces, and with the USA in particular. I know that this abbreviation of protocol will attract the attention of the Lords when it arrives in their House.
Why has this Bill been brought forward now, on such an expedited basis? What has changed, and what of substance has caused the Government to want to abbreviate the consideration of these very delicate matters on such a timetable? Have our international partners been consulted on this change in procedure? Have the agencies been consulted? Above all, why, after seven months of grieving families being concerned about its passage, is the Bill suddenly now—as it may appear, with little or no change—being brought before this House?
Dame Harriett Baldwin (West Worcestershire) (Con)
Will the Leader of the House confirm that, given that the other place is sitting next week, there is nothing to stop him tabling a business statement to enable this House to sit next week? Given the enormity of the events happening in the Government next week, does he not think that would be a good idea?
Mr Speaker
Such a move would also require the agreement of the House and, from colleagues’ faces, I am not sure it is quite ready.
Sir Alan Campbell
Thank you, Mr Speaker. I just announced the recess dates. There are no plans to change the dates on which the House is sitting. As you have alluded to, Mr Speaker, recess dates are agreed by the House in advance to give colleagues certainty about parliamentary business. Just to reassure the House, the work of the Government will continue through the recess.
Business of the House
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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.
Wendy Chamberlain (North East Fife) (LD)
I associate myself with your remarks, Mr Speaker, and the remarks by the Leader of the House and the shadow Leader of the House of both congratulations and condolences.
On the business the Leader of the House has announced, I have to say that I am very disappointed that it means the Deputy Prime Minister’s remarks yesterday to my hon. Friend the Member for St Albans (Daisy Cooper) about the Hillsborough Bill were not accurate. I hope we will see it return after the summer recess.
On the world cup, all I will say is that, like fellow Scots, I am probably looking for my Viking helmet at the moment.
We all know that the former Member for Clacton’s resignation is nothing but a stunt designed to distract the country from the raft of allegations facing him and, it increasingly appears, his colleagues. Such allegations must be fully investigated, so that voters have all the facts about the candidates they are voting for, whether they be a bin or a politician who sees being a Member of Parliament as a part-time job.
Now that the writ has been moved, does the Leader of the House share my regret that the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards investigation into the former Member for Clacton must pause? Does he agree that, in circumstances where the nature of an allegation is sufficiently serious, there is merit to it continuing, even if the Member is no longer an MP? Does he agree that it could and should continue regardless? Obviously, those of us on the Liberal Democrat Benches wish Count Binface well.
It was interesting to read overnight that the right hon. Member for Makerfield (Andy Burnham) has plans for changing the culture and narrative of the Labour party. I am sure those on the Government Benches are looking forward to that new-found freedom. But for all the talk of collaboration and modernisation, we still do not know anything about the legislation that the new Labour Government are planning to bring to the House. We know more about the right hon. Member’s love of guitar and rugby league than we do about his plans for fixing the problems facing the country. The Liberal Democrats would welcome detail on his plans to fix social care, tackle the special educational needs and disabilities crisis and support the small businesses bearing the brunt of the Government’s jobs taxes. Will the Leader of the House commit to doubling the length of Prime Minister’s questions next week, and give the Prime Minister-in-waiting the opportunity to answer questions and outline his views on the issues that really matter?
Sir Alan Campbell
I will certainly join my hon. Friend in recognising the work of local campaigners such as Darren and Nick. We absolutely recognise the importance of such sites and are empowering local people through the new community right to buy, but also through our Pride in Place programme. I will ask the Secretary of State to write to my hon. Friend on this important matter and to give her the information she needs to take forward her campaign.
Bob Blackman (Harrow East) (Con)
Of course, we do not know whether the Leader of the House will become Prime Minister in a few days’ time, but we do know that either he will continue in his current role or someone will replace him. On behalf of the Backbench Business Committee, I ask that we get early warning of what time we will receive when we return after the summer recess. The Leader of the House has suggested that our Committee will get a slot on the day we return. If that does happen, we already have potential offers out to bidders for both the Tuesday and the Thursday.
I turn to the business in Westminster Hall. Next week, on Tuesday 14 July, we will have a debate on isolation and hidden deprivation in coastal communities. On Thursday 16 July there will be a debate on the impact of the national policy planning policy framework changes, followed by a debate on capital funding for Changing Places toilets. On Tuesday 1 September, when we return from recess, we will have a debate on the provision of face-to-face banking services in rural areas. On Thursday 3 September there will be a debate on vaccination rates in England, followed by a further debate, the subject of which is yet to be confirmed. On Tuesday 8 September there will be a debate on the safety of the Jewish community. On Thursday 10 September there will be a debate on reform of the vascular sector, followed by a debate on the contribution of fathers and positive male role models to families and society. Finally, on Tuesday 15 September we will have a debate on building safety remediation of residential buildings. As you can tell, Madam Deputy Speaker, we are getting on with the job of allocating the time that we have available to us.
The Leader of the House will probably be aware, there is currently a scandal around local authority social rented properties and housing association properties being let on Airbnb. I have been a strong campaigner for more social housing to be built in this country, but it is clearly important that the people who have the tenancies actually live in those properties and use them. If tenants do not use them, they should be vacated and used for people on the waiting list who desperately need them. Will the Leader of the House arrange for a Minister to make a statement in the House next week on what the Government will do to expose this scandal and ensure that the tenants who are supposed to be in these properties actually live there? If they are not living there, the properties should be released for those who desperately need them.
Business of the House
Lindsay Hoyle Excerpts(4 months, 1 week ago)
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Several hon. Members rose—
Mr Speaker
Order. We need to end this session by around 11.45 am, so let’s help each other. I call Siobhain McDonagh to set a good example.
Dame Siobhain McDonagh (Mitcham and Morden) (Lab)
St Helier hospital has the fourth best maternity unit in the country, the only exclusively NHS-run assisted conception unit in south-west London, and a specialist gynaecology ward where nurses are highly trained in counselling. Yet all that is set to close next May because of the need for emergency repairs. Could the Leader of the House find time for a debate on those vital services, and whether they be temporarily relocated somewhere else on the St Helier site and returned to the current building on completion of the repairs?
Sir Alan Campbell
My hon. Friend is a strong defender of the interests of her constituents, and I listen very carefully to her concerns. The Government are committed to improving maternity across the country. That is why we have set up a national maternity and neonatal taskforce, and we are very keen to get on with it. If she wishes to apply for an Adjournment debate, she could hear directly from a Minister about how her specific constituency concerns might be addressed, and if she wishes to seek a meeting with Ministers to make her case, I will help her to arrange one.
Bobby Dean (Carshalton and Wallington) (LD)
I join the whole House in congratulating the England team, in particular Tottenham Hotspur academy product Harry Kane for his heroics last night. I am also grateful to the Conservatives for their lecture on sanctimony, though I note that self-awareness was never their strongest trait.
This week my community was rocked by the news that Coughlan’s Bakery—a family-run business that been operating in the local area for 89 years—will close its doors for the last time. In their announcement, they say: “This was so devastating as March was a fantastic month, as was a lot of last year with our growth with new stores opening, but as soon as April’s new Government rules kicked in on national insurance, wages and rates, it instantly hit the high street”. That shows that Government policy is directly killing long-term, family-run businesses.
We warned the Government about this, and when we did we were told that they could not fund public services without the rises in business taxes, but let me make it clear to them: the Government will no longer receive any tax income from this local business anymore, and I fear that the revenue loss will continue to grow over the course of this year. Will the Government organise a statement from the relevant Department explaining what they are going to do about small businesses in distress, outlining how many are at risk and how many have already closed since April?
Sir Alan Campbell
In short: yes, I do. Our thoughts should be with the victims of these appalling crimes. The perpetrators in grooming gangs and sexual abuse cases must face the full force of the law, whoever they are and wherever they come from—let me be absolutely clear about that. If the individual we are talking about breaches the very strict conditions that have been placed upon him, he will be locked up again immediately—I hope he pays heed to that—but I also know that the Government are exploring every option in this case.
Martin Vickers (Brigg and Immingham) (Con)
The Chairman of the Committee sends his apologies, Mr Speaker. In addition to the business that the Leader of the House has announced, the Committee has agreed two Select Committee statements: one next Thursday from the Science, Innovation and Technology Committee and one the following Thursday from the Work and Pensions Committee. In addition, in Westminster Hall next week, there will be debates on UK aid policy in the context of global funding trends and on the humanitarian impact of conflicts on older people. On Thursday, there will be a debate on Government support for the Lobular Moon Shot Project. The following week, there will be debates on isolation and hidden deprivation in coastal communities, on the impact of the national planning policy framework changes and on capital funding for Changing Places.
I urge Members to take part in the Sir David Amess debate, which the Leader of the House mentioned. It is an opportunity to raise any constituency matters and perhaps to avoid having to come to the Backbench Business Committee, where we have to find more time for those debates. In addition, will the Leader of the House give the Committee early notice of debating time in September, particularly if it is on the first day back?
Moving on to my own question, I am sure the Leader of the House will be aware of the long-running campaign by the National Association of Retired Police Officers in respect of the injustice to widows and widowers, who can be deprived of their pension if they remarry. I have raised the matter in the House previously. Will the Leader of the House arrange for the Minister to come here and outline the Government’s plans? I know that would please many of my constituents and others across the country.
Phil Brickell (Bolton West) (Lab)
I declare an interest as the chair of the all-party parliamentary group on anti-corruption and responsible tax. This week, the hon. Member for Clacton (Nigel Farage) declared that he is earning an extraordinary £22,500 per hour working for a gold bullion dealer.
Mr Speaker
Order. Have you informed the hon. Member for Clacton that you intended to raise this matter?
Phil Brickell
Questions have also emerged about his lobbying the Bank of England for crypto-friendly policies, having himself invested £215,000 into bitcoin company Stack BTC, alongside former Conservative Chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng. Does the Leader of the House agree that Members of this House are public servants and that we should always put our constituents first, before any private interest? Will he use his good offices as Chair of the Modernisation Committee to deliver much-needed reform to the rules on Members’ outside employment?
Several hon. Members rose—
Business of the House
Lindsay Hoyle Excerpts(4 months, 2 weeks ago)
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Jesse Norman
I thank the Leader of the House for the business. I know the whole House will join me in thinking of the victims of the earthquakes in Venezuela, of which we have just had news, and of course the victims of the train crash in Bedford and the victims of what now have been deemed aggravated terrorism-related attacks in Edinburgh. It has been a difficult week, Mr Speaker, but on a brighter note, I am sure that all will want to join me in celebrating Armed Forces Week and thanking all the men and women across this country and abroad who serve His Majesty in the armed forces—a matter of particular interest, I remind the House, in Herefordshire.
We weep for the Scotland football team, but perhaps less so for Peter Murrell, who began a five-year sentence this week for theft and embezzlement. The Scottish police asked him in 2024, “What does the SNP need over £19,000 of luxury pens for?” It is quite a good question. One might ask the same about a Jaguar I-PACE, a state-of-the-art motorhome, a men’s slouch pouch onesie, whatever that is—I am not looking for guidance from the Chair on this matter, Mr Speaker. The real question is not just whether Nicola Sturgeon knew or should have known of these thefts, including the sudden appearance of a £2,500 Lalique salt and pepper set on the kitchen table; it is about the culture and probity of a Scottish Government who still refuse to appoint a KC to lead an independent inquiry.
While we are on the topic of vehicles, the leader of Reform UK, the hon. Member for Clacton (Nigel Farage), has publicly reserved the right to spend the £5 million donation definitely not related to politics from his Thailand-based crypto billionaire on Ferraris if he wishes. It appears that none of that money has been spent on personal security, from what he said, and he has now been referred to the Financial Conduct Authority, alongside the current investigation by the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards.
And so to the Government. I know the House will share my sadness at the tragic decision by the Leader of the House not to stand in the Labour leadership election, resulting in a coronation, alas, of the right hon. Member for Makerfield (Andy Burnham), and, I am sad to say, the rather tawdry sight of Cabinet Ministers trailing their coats. Once again, we can only regret the decision of the Leader of the House not to throw his hat into the ring, but I simply ask, what is the Government’s policy on the defence investment plan? The Prime Minister wants to publish it now. His successor wants a delay, but a defence investment plan that may be reopened within weeks is not a plan; it is a hanging IOU with a NATO deadline attached.
I turn now to a matter of the greatest sensitivity: the case of Lucy Letby, members of whose family are my constituents. It is essential to respect the independence of the judiciary in this matter. Nor, crucially, must we ever lose sight of the suffering of the families whose babies died or were gravely injured, but I believe there is also a proper public concern here as to the security of the verdict.
Since the convictions, a number of serious and reputable people have raised concerns about the expert scientific and statistical evidence in this case—both the evidence presented to the jury and the evidence that the jury never saw. Those concerns come from neonatologists, pathologists, statisticians and, most recently, from Dame Sue Black, one of the country’s most distinguished forensic scientists. Like me, Dame Sue makes no claim as to whether Lucy Letby is innocent or guilty, but she has said in measured terms that she is “troubled” by the conviction and by the apparent lack of forensic evidence. When someone of her public scientific standing speaks in those terms, I do not think the issue she raises can be properly avoided. Her and other expert concerns raise profound questions as to the fairness of the trial and, indeed, the status of the evidential test used by the Criminal Cases Review Commission in considering whether to reopen it.
I remind the House that there were no witnesses, no CCTV footage, no forensic evidence and no confession in this case. Everything therefore depended on the testimony of experts, but when it came to the defence, in the words of Dame Sue Black,
“there were no medical or statistical experts put forward at all”.
I would also highlight that Lucy Letby had had a prior complaint against the consultants in the hospital upheld after a detailed investigation and report, which found that there was absolutely nothing to prevent her from returning to work and that doctors had bullied and harassed her. That evidence, too, was never heard by the jury.
The Thirlwall inquiry into the Countess of Chester hospital has yet to publish its final report, despite many delays, but yesterday’s Nottingham University hospitals report is a powerful reminder that in neonatal and maternity settings, grave harm can arise from not only individual malfeasance but systematic clinical failure. [Interruption.] If I may conclude, the Criminal Cases Review Commission is now considering the Letby case. May I ask—
Mr Speaker
Order. I have allowed the time. You are a minute over. Please can you conclude now?
Jesse Norman
I think it is unfortunate that I was not allowed to conclude in the terms that—
Mr Speaker
We will leave it at that. Sorry, but I am not going to be challenged like that. I think that is totally unfair. I gave a full minute and allowed you to continue. I was going to allow you to come back. I would have expected better from the shadow Leader of the House than to challenge the Chair in that way—I have never had that before. I call the Leader of the House.
Sir Alan Campbell
Thank you, Mr Speaker. I welcome the right hon. Member for Hereford and South Herefordshire (Jesse Norman) back to his place, and I wish him a happy birthday for earlier this week.
I join him in sending our condolences to the people of Venezuela and those caught in the earthquake. Our thoughts are with the victims and their families. As the Prime Minister said yesterday, our thoughts are also with those injured in the rail collision last Friday, and the friends and family of the driver who lost his life, and I send my deepest sympathies at this dreadful time. As the shadow Leader of the House said, our thoughts are also with those injured in the horrific anti-Muslim attack in Edinburgh, and we send our thanks and appreciation to all the emergency services who responded to both incidents with bravery and professionalism in very difficult circumstances.
I echo the right hon. Gentleman’s words about the importance of Armed Forces Week—we will mark Armed Forces Day this weekend. Events are taking place across the country to celebrate the work of our armed forces, and show our support for the men and women who make up the armed forces community. I also thank you, Mr Speaker, for the events that you put on in Parliament this week.
Members across the House will be pleased to know that the Great British summer of saving has started. Families across the UK can take advantage of lower prices on children’s days out, meals and travel. We are cutting VAT to reduce the cost of children’s restaurant meals, children’s tickets for theatres and cinema, and all tickets for attractions such as soft play, amusement parks and museums. In August, children aged between five and 15 will be able to travel on local bus services in England for free, keeping the cost down further.
Before I turn to the right hon. Gentleman’s specific remarks, let me say that I very much welcome the three new Members to the House this week. I wish them all well, irrespective of whichever party they serve. It has in many ways been a momentous week following the Prime Minister’s announcement on Monday. He will leave office with a record of stabilising the economy, driving down waiting lists in the NHS, lifting half a million children out of poverty, as well as a proud record on the international stage and defending our national interest.
Standing for election and representing our community and country is the essence of politics. We would do well to remember that, regardless of party affiliation, at the heart of this are human beings for whom toxic political discourse only makes the job harder, and it can take a toll on them and their families. I hope we all bear that in mind, and recognise that the onus is on all of us to moderate political discourse, and ensure that it does not cross the line into abuse or intimidation. Reflecting on that, and on Prime Minister’s questions yesterday, made me even more grateful for the tone of the shadow Leader of the House. During these sessions, despite our party political differences, we share good-natured exchanges, for which I thank him. It is a habit of an old Chief Whip, or an old habit of a Chief Whip, that while exchanges are taking place in Prime Minister’s questions, I tend to watch the faces of Conservative Members, including the right hon. Gentleman. I think I am safe in saying that staring at the ground, or looking at a phone, is one way of demonstrating that he is not very happy with the tone that has been set by the leader of that party.
On Peter Murrell, as the Prime Minister made clear, the SNP should step up to the mark and address the matter, as should the necessary appropriate authorities where that work needs to be done. Similarly, I expect that the leader of Reform will be held to account, and that his account of what the £5 million was all about will be tested, as I suspect that it does not really hold water.
As the Prime Minister said, the defence investment plan will be published before the NATO summit, and I would expect that a statement will be made to the House once it is published. I reassure the House that the Prime Minister, and any future Labour Prime Minister, will be absolutely committed to the defence of our country, and to finding the money to pay for it.
The right hon. Gentleman raised the serious matter of the Lucy Letby case, which I know is a concern for both Government and Opposition Members. It is important that the decision was sound and safe, so I will raise it with ministerial colleagues. Should he wish to express his concern directly to ministerial colleagues, I will arrange that for him too.
Sir Alan Campbell
I reassure my hon. Friend that this Government have increased the amount spent on defence by a record amount since the end of cold war, and we are determined to ensure that we have proper funding for defence. I hear what she says about the role played by companies across our constituencies. Since we came into office, 1,400 major contracts have been agreed, 86% of which are with British businesses, so colleagues across the House, including my hon. Friend, should be reassured that this Government’s intention is to ensure that British businesses benefit from that spending and, crucially, that our armed forces have the means that they need to defend our country in these very difficult times.
Bobby Dean (Carshalton and Wallington) (LD)
I join the Leader of the House in his comments about Venezuela, Edinburgh, Bedford and our armed forces. I acknowledge his comments about the summer of saving, but ask him: a summer of saving who?
Paternity leave has been a joy. I know it will not make me popular with new parents, but mercifully my daughter has been sleeping pretty well, so far—[Interruption.] Mum is doing well too. As hon. Members may know, our journey to this point has not been straightforward. I shared our story of miscarriage in the baby loss debate last year. Telling that story was the start of hearing from thousands of women across the country about their experiences, which was truly humbling. It connected me with organisations such as Tommy’s, which is proposing a new model for graded levels of care for miscarriage. Shockingly, at the moment, those who go through a miscarriage experience are not offered support—they have to wait until their third miscarriage to get support. Tommy’s is campaigning for access to graduated support from day one. I note that the hon. Member for Southgate and Wood Green (Bambos Charalambous) has written a cross-party letter to the Government about this, which I support.
We received information about maternity services in Nottingham yesterday, but we still await the final report on the national maternity and neonatal investigation, led by Baroness Amos. She gave interim findings earlier this year, from which we discovered that lots of women feel as if they are not listened to, that there is a postcode lottery for services and that many women are being treated in inadequate buildings. Will the Leader of the House confirm when that report will be published? We were told last August that there would a rapid investigation, so I hope it will be published this side of the summer recess.
Sir Alan Campbell
My hon. Friend is a champion for the rights of his constituents, and I pay tribute to him. I recognise the concern that he has raised. Everyone, including trans people, should have the right to access the services and facilities that they need in a respectful way that protects dignity and privacy. Trans people continue to be protected under the Equality Act 2010, which we on the Labour Benches are particularly proud of. I will write to Ministers on his behalf and see whether we can arrange the meeting that he seeks.
Bob Blackman (Harrow East) (Con)
I thank the Leader of the House for announcing the business that we have scheduled. In addition to the business he has announced, on Thursday 9 July there will be a debate on a ban on trade with illegal Israeli settlements, followed by a further debate on which we await confirmation from the sponsor. On Thursday 16 July, assuming that we are given that date, there will be the annual Sir David Amess pre-recess Adjournment debate, which is very popular with all colleagues.
As we await the implementation of the new Government, it seems that Government business is reasonably light. Early notice of any extra dates that we might get before the recess would be appreciated, as we have only just cleared requests for debates in the Chamber dating back to December. We have a large queue.
Let me turn to the debates in Westminster Hall next week. On Tuesday 30 June, there will be a debate on Government support for removing unlawful storefronts and regenerating local high streets. On Thursday 2 July, there will be a debate on reducing premature deaths from heart disease and stroke, followed by a debate on Government plans to tackle air pollution. On Tuesday 7 July, there will be a debate on UK aid policy in the context of global funding trends.
On Thursday 9 July, there will be a debate on Government support for the lobular moonshot project, and a further debate to be confirmed. I can announce in advance that on Thursday 16 July in Westminster Hall there will be a debate on the impact of national planning policy framework changes, followed by a debate on capital funding for Changing Places toilets.
Given the recent hot weather, I have been inundated with reports of individuals trapped in their flats in high-rise buildings, lifts going out of action and people being trapped in stairwells and collapsing because of the heat. That is particularly prominent in social housing. Given that this is about the design and upkeep of properties, can we have an urgent statement from one of the Housing, Communities and Local Government Ministers on what action the Government will take to protect these very vulnerable people? I have to say that they are often from visible ethnic minorities and often have no recourse to the support that they need. This is an urgent matter. Given that the hot weather is likely to continue for some time to come over the summer, we must take urgent action.
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Sir Alan Campbell
My hon. Friend is absolutely right to bring this matter to the House’s attention. Buses are the most used form of public transport, and they are a lifeline for many communities. The last Conservative Government’s record on bus routes is appalling. They raised fares and left communities stranded, and I am sorry that the Reform councillors appear to be following that example. I hope that they have heard my hon. Friend’s remarks today and that they reconsider their decision.
Lisa Smart (Hazel Grove) (LD)
Thank you, Mr Speaker. It is a pleasure to be here for business questions once again, subbing for my hon. Friend the Member for Carshalton and Wallington (Bobby Dean).
Last week the NHS published the first ever official figures on corridor care, which ripped off the plaster and revealed a scandal that many of us have seen at first hand. In one month, patients across the country were treated in corridors at least 69,000 times, and that is with major trusts such as Birmingham failing to share their figures. The practice has become dangerously normalised across our NHS. We on the Lib Dem Benches believe that amounts to serious and continual negligence, and Ministers should be held to account before a corridor care tribunal of patients, bereaved families and frontline NHS staff.
Behind every one of those numbers is an NHS trust or a hospital starved of resources and capital funds, and a social care system in crisis that leaves hospitals full of people who cannot leave, despite being desperate to do so, because the care package they need is not available. Meanwhile, A&E waiting rooms are heaving with patients waiting to be seen. Nowhere is the crumbling estate behind this crisis clearer than at Stepping Hill hospital in my patch, with its growing £134 million repair backlog. There have been collapsing ceilings, leaking roofs that forced the temporary closure of the intensive care unit, and times when just four of the 14 lifts were working, meaning that anyone using a wheelchair was unable to visit a higher-floor ward and that patients were carried up and down stairs in scoops.
Will the Government therefore make time for an urgent debate on the corridor care crisis and the state of the NHS estate to ensure that patients, including those in my Hazel Grove constituency, are no longer treated in corridors, or left waiting in them for hours for the treatment they deserve?
Sir Alan Campbell
I thank my hon. Friend for bringing that to the attention of the House. She is right that ensuring that communities can come together is vital, and the Government are providing funding to help local areas breathe life back into their high streets and restore community pride—not only by giving them investment, but by allowing them to make the choices. Hers is a very beautiful part of the country, and I know that many Members will see the benefits of those community events and of commemorating both the Consett cycle race and the Blaydon race. I recommend an Adjournment debate as the best way to discuss how beautiful her constituency is and to find out how much the Government support what she aspires to.
Bob Blackman (Harrow East) (Con)
In addition to the business that the Leader of the House has announced, next Thursday, in the Chamber, there will be a statement from the Work and Pensions Committee on its recent report. The Backbench Business Committee received eight high-quality bids for estimates day debates, and we had to disappoint two. As the Leader of the House announced, we have allocated three debates on each day. I make a plea to him to avoid Government statements on those two days, because the debates are well subscribed and Back Benchers will want to have their say about the estimates.
The Backbench business in Westminster Hall on Tuesday 23 June will be a debate on fly-tipping in residential areas and the associated impacts. On Thursday 25 June there will be a statement from the Select Committee on Housing, Communities and Local Government, followed by a debate on the national lung cancer screening programme, followed by a debate on ports and port connectivity. On Tuesday 30 June there will be a debate on Government support for removing unlawful storefronts from, and regenerating, local high streets. On Thursday 2 July there will be a debate on reducing premature deaths from heart disease and stroke, followed by a debate on Government plans to tackle air pollution.
Given my experience this morning, I was tempted to ask the Leader of the House for a statement on the performance of London Underground, but as that is a devolved responsibility to the failed Mayor of London, I have something much more joyous to relate: Sunday will be the International Day of Yoga, which has been celebrated across the world since 2015 and will be celebrated next week in Parliament. Personally, I do my yoga stretches first thing in the morning when I wake up. Yoga is now recognised by the national health service as extremely valuable to individual health, and I recommend it to everyone. May we have a statement next week, presumably from a Health Minister, on the benefits of yoga for personal health?
Sir Alan Campbell
I hear what the right hon. Gentleman says. As he says, this has already been raised; it is raised at most business questions, if I am honest. As I said in a previous answer, the Government do take this seriously. We are acting to turn around what is a very difficult situation, but I hear what he says about getting an update, and I will see what I can achieve.
Jessica Morden (Newport East) (Lab)
As a former history teacher, the Leader of the House will know that Newport was the site of the UK’s last armed insurrection. Every year in Newport, we honour and commemorate the Chartists’ sacrifice at the annual Newport Rising festival, and I am delighted to say that the torchlit march is being considered for the UNESCO inventory of living heritage in Wales. Does the Leader of the House agree that we should take every opportunity in this House to debate and recognise the sacrifice of people’s movements that helped to shape our democracy in this House, especially at a time when our democracy is under threat?
Sir Alan Campbell
First, I congratulate my hon. Friend on her very well-deserved damehood, announced last week. She is right to draw attention to the story of Chartism, because it is a vital part of the story of democracy in our country, not least the Newport rising in 1839. Our democracy is absolutely central to who we are as a country, and the Chartists helped to build that. We can take pride in the evolution of democracy, and as a Government, we have a responsibility to protect and strengthen it.
I will give some thought as to how we might be able to mark the contribution of Chartists and others who have played a part in the extension of democracy, and I invite other Members to do so too. In the meantime, there is what was once a secret door between the previous Chamber in this House and the cloisters. The workmen who were repairing it in 1851 slept among the cloisters and appear on the census that year. Although I am not sure we would approve it at this time, they covered the door with Chartist graffiti.
Sir Alan Campbell
Indeed. If anyone wants to see that graffiti, which is a remarkable example of the messages that Chartists leave for our history, I am sure the House can facilitate that.
Jamie Stone (Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross) (LD)
I want to raise the case of Hughie Stirling from Ullapool. He was on board a flotilla proceeding to Gaza with aid when the Israelis intercepted them in international waters and took them into custody. His partner tells me that he and others were shockingly mistreated—we are talking about physical abuse and even being beaten up. When his partner made appeals to the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office for information or assistance, the silence was utterly deafening. Hughie is a British citizen and has his rights, surely. Could we have a debate in this House on consular support and protection of UK nationals delivering aid abroad?
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Sir Alan Campbell
My hon. Friend is a doughty fighter for her community and the wider region, and she raises serious matters. There are opportunities for her to apply for a debate to hear directly from a Minister—perhaps in a Westminster Hall or Adjournment debate—but I will certainly take up her request that a Minister considers visiting to see the issue for themselves.
Wendy Chamberlain (North East Fife) (LD)
I associate myself with the remarks of the Leader of the House and the shadow deputy Leader of the House on the knife attack in Belfast this week. I also thank the Leader of the House for the business.
I need to put on the record that this is a momentous weekend, with Scotland’s first world cup match since 1998. I had just completed my final exam at university on the day of our match against Brazil in Paris, so it really was a long time ago. As Scotland take to the field against Haiti in the wee hours of Sunday morning, I trust that all Members will be cheering us on. I know my English colleagues and those from elsewhere are very good at doing that for Scotland. I wish Scott McTominay, John McGinn, Andy Robertson and the rest of the team the very best of luck. [Hon. Members: “Hear, hear!”] Thank you.
I want to highlight the fact that FIFA has done its level best to overshadow what should be a brilliant celebration and experience for fans, who are being squeezed until the pips squeak. Scotland fans are paying $80 just for the privilege of catching a train to the match this weekend, and some cannot even get there due to late updates to ESTAs. In one report, someone found out an hour before their flight was due to take off that they were no longer able to travel, meaning they are being prevented from travelling at all to the matches, having spent thousands of pounds. Liberal Democrats are calling for an international fans charter to protect against FIFA ever trying this racket again. I hope the Leader of the House will consider scheduling a debate on FIFA’s treatment of fans at the world cup.
This week, Liberal Democrats set out fully funded plans to overhaul energy pricing and to permanently lower bills for millions of households across the UK. Families were already struggling with their bills before Trump started his war with Iran, and now, with the announcement that the energy price cap will rise by 13% from July, it is time for the Government to act. By clawing back the unexpected windfall made by energy network operator companies—a windfall made possible only by weak regulation by Ofgem—we can give every household in Britain a basic energy allowance at a discounted rate, cutting the average bill by £100. I ask the Leader of the House to raise these proposals with the Chancellor and the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, and to schedule a debate on them in Government time.
Sir Alan Campbell
I echo my hon. Friend’s sentiment regarding the work that the Government have done on this important matter, but as he suggests, there is much more to do. We look forward to responding to the Milburn review once its full recommendations are published, and I am sure that my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions will want to keep the House updated once that process concludes.