Business of the House

Debate between Nusrat Ghani and Alan Campbell

Thursday 30th October 2025 Commons Chamber

[Sir Alan Campbell]

My right hon. Friend is a great champion for her local community, and she is right that local people need to be involved in decisions that affect their local community. She has put on record her concerns, but I would encourage her to go even further on this matter, perhaps by applying for an Adjournment debate.

[Madam Deputy Speaker (Ms Nusrat Ghani)]

I call the Liberal Democrat spokesperson.

--- Later in debate ---

[Sir Alan Campbell]

The hon. Gentleman raises an important point. Many of our constituents will agree with his concerns. He may wish to seek a Backbench Business or Adjournment debate to raise those matters.

[Madam Deputy Speaker (Ms Nusrat Ghani)]

I call my parliamentary chess partner, Warinder Juss, who lost to Kazakhstan by six points.

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[Sir Alan Campbell]

I will draw the hon. Lady’s comments to Ministers’ attention and ask that they arrange a meeting as soon as possible.

[Madam Deputy Speaker (Ms Nusrat Ghani)]

A tip for Members: look at your question, cross out half of it, and speak for half the length of time.

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[Sir Alan Campbell]

I invite my hon. Friend to apply for either a Backbench Business debate or an Adjournment debate on the subject. He is right that everyone has a role to play. Local authorities have a key role to play in using their power to ensure that spaces are kept clean. As part of our pride in place strategy, we plan to bring forward statutory enforcement guidance on things like littering and fly-tipping.

[Madam Deputy Speaker (Ms Nusrat Ghani)]

We need super-short questions. I will try to get everybody in.

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[Sir Alan Campbell]

It would not be business questions without a question about the mismanagement of Reform-led Lancashire county council. I congratulate my hon. Friend on raising these matters, and he is of course right to continue the fight for the services that his constituents rely on. As I have said previously, raising these matters in Adjournment debates or in Backbench Business debates shines a light on the record of Reform councils not just in Lancashire, but across the country.

[Madam Deputy Speaker (Ms Nusrat Ghani)]

I thank Members for working with me and for speaking at lightning speed. I also thank the Leader of the House, who has got his exercise in for the week.

Privileges

Debate between Nusrat Ghani and Alan Campbell

Wednesday 29th October 2025 Commons Chamber

[The Leader of the House of Commons (Sir Alan Campbell)]

I beg to move,

That this House—

agrees with the Committee of Privileges in its First Report of Session 2024–26, Matter referred on 14 July 2025: Omagh Bombing Inquiry;

welcomes the acknowledgement in the Petition from the Secretary of the Inquiry that the Inquiry has taken advice on the application of Article 9 of the Bill of Rights to its proceedings and will be mindful of the privileges of the House;

notes the assurance given by the Inquiry that it will handle material provided to it by the House in accordance with its disclosure protocol;

and accordingly orders that the unpublished transcript of unreported evidence taken by the Northern Ireland Affairs Committee on 11 November 2009 be provided to the Omagh Bombing Inquiry and that the Inquiry shall have power to disclose or publish it if it thinks fit to do so, after taking relevant advice.

I welcome the consideration by the Committee of Privileges of this matter and its report. If approved, the motion will enable the unpublished transcript of unreported evidence, taken by the Northern Ireland Affairs Committee in November 2009, to be provided to the Omagh bombing inquiry, and enable the inquiry to publish that evidence if it thinks fit to do so, subject to relevant advice.

I thank my hon. Friend the Member for Gower (Tonia Antoniazzi) and the hon. Member for North Dorset (Simon Hoare) for raising this issue in the House in July. I also thank the Chair of the Privileges Committee, the hon. Member for South Leicestershire (Alberto Costa), for his Committee’s swift work in considering the matter. I commend in particular his Committee’s sensitivity in handling this subject, as well as its commitment to facilitating the important work of the Omagh bombing inquiry.

In relation to parliamentary privilege, the report highlights important points on the matter of exclusive cognisance and the privileges of this House. Be in no doubt, Madam Deputy Speaker, that the Government support the rights of this House and will act to defend them. I hope that the House will support this motion today, and I commend it to the House.

[Madam Deputy Speaker (Ms Nusrat Ghani)]

I call the Chair of the Privileges Committee.

Business of the House

Debate between Nusrat Ghani and Alan Campbell

Thursday 23rd October 2025 Commons Chamber

[Madam Deputy Speaker (Ms Nusrat Ghani)]

Order. Before the Leader of the House responds, we only have 30 minutes to go, so questions must be short and answers even shorter.

[Sir Alan Campbell]

The hon. Lady would not expect me to speculate about what is in the Budget, but there will be adequate time during the debate on it to address the concerns she raises.

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[Madam Deputy Speaker (Ms Nusrat Ghani)]

Order. That question was far too long.

[Sir Alan Campbell]

The hon. Lady can seek either a Backbench Business or Adjournment debate, because I am sure her concerns are shared by other Members. That way, she can hear an answer to her point from the relevant Minister.

[Several hon. Members rose—]

Business of the House

Debate between Nusrat Ghani and Alan Campbell

Thursday 16th October 2025 Commons Chamber

[Madam Deputy Speaker (Ms Nusrat Ghani)]

Order. Before the Leader of the House responds, let me say that many Members wish to contribute, so can I ask that questions are short and that the Leader of the House is on point as well?

[Sir Alan Campbell]

So far, 750 schools are offering free breakfast clubs, which puts, on average, £450 a year back into parents’ pockets, and we intend to extend free school meals too. I understand that areas believe this may not be enough, or that other areas are better off. I will draw that to the attention of the Chancellor, but so can the hon. Lady at Treasury questions.

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[Sir Alan Campbell]

Again, this issue is not unique to my hon. Friend’s constituency, and though he is a great advocate for his constituency, I am sure others have similar stories. He may seek a Backbench Business debate to raise these matters, because as far as I can remember, we have been discussing these things for quite a long time and we therefore do need to work out what further things can be done.

[Madam Deputy Speaker (Ms Nusrat Ghani)]

Apparently, we have a short question from Jim Shannon.

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[Sir Alan Campbell]

Pubs are at the heart of our communities and often serve as vital community assets, and we certainly do not want them to close. We are working with the sector, including through the Hospitality Sector Council, to address the clear challenges faced. I urge my hon. Friend to raise his concerns at Business and Trade questions on 30 October.

[Madam Deputy Speaker (Ms Nusrat Ghani)]

Order. In order for me to get everybody in, the questions will have to be shorter. I call Warinder Juss to show us how it is done.

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[Sir Alan Campbell]

The Government expect local authorities to engage meaningfully with residents on planning. Planning law requires local planning authorities to notify neighbours regarding planning applications, either by site notice or letter, and to publish information about the application on a website. My hon. Friend may wish to seek a debate on those matters, not just to highlight the concerns of his constituents, for whom he is a great champion, but to see what the Minister’s response will be.

[Madam Deputy Speaker (Ms Nusrat Ghani)]

For the final question, I call Brian Leishman.