Business of the House

Debate between Nadia Whittome and Alan Campbell

Thursday 11th June 2026 Commons Chamber

[Sir Alan Campbell]

My hon. Friend raises a deeply concerning matter. Local agencies already have strong powers, including public spaces protection orders, to address persistent antisocial behaviour and protect communities, and it is for those local agencies to determine whether their use is appropriate. I hope, however, that they will have heard what my hon. Friend has said today as he quite rightly stands up for his constituents. We have also strengthened penalties for breaches of PSPOs through the Crime and Policing Act 2026.

[Nadia Whittome (Nottingham East) (Lab)]

On 21 May, the Government laid the Equality and Human Rights Commission’s draft code of practice for services, public functions and associations before the House. Since then, a litany of trans-led organisations, human rights groups, charities and trade unions have come out in opposition, citing the harm it poses to trans people, the contradictions it contains and how unworkable it will be to implement. Last week I tabled early-day motion 240, which would disapprove the draft code of practice.

[That the draft Code of Practice for Services, public functions and associations, a copy of which was laid before this House on 21 May, be disapproved.]

This is the mechanism set out in the Equality Act 2010 for MPs to be able to prevent the code from coming into force. In less than two weeks, 128 MPs have signed—almost one in five—making it the most-signed early-day motion since the last general election. It is supported by trans-led organisations, Amnesty International, Unison, the GMB and ASLEF. Would the Leader of the House not agree that this level of widespread, cross-party concern warrants the code being debated and voted on, and will the Government therefore allocate time to do so?