Speech in Commons Chamber - Thu 18 Dec 2025
Local Government Reorganisation
"I thank the Minister for advance sight of her statement. The question many will be asking out there today is: what does this Labour Government have against democracy? Only two days ago, when asked, the Secretary of State said that all local elections were going ahead. He either hid his …..."Paul Holmes - View Speech
View all Paul Holmes (Con - Hamble Valley) contributions to the debate on: Local Government Reorganisation
Speech in Westminster Hall - Wed 17 Dec 2025
Housing Development: Cumulative Impacts
"It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Mr Twigg. I congratulate my right hon. Friend the Member for East Hampshire (Damian Hinds) on raising this important issue for debate today. He and I—as well as our hon. Friend the Member for Farnham and Bordon (Gregory Stafford) —represent stunning …..."Paul Holmes - View Speech
View all Paul Holmes (Con - Hamble Valley) contributions to the debate on: Housing Development: Cumulative Impacts
Speech in Westminster Hall - Wed 17 Dec 2025
Housing Development: Cumulative Impacts
"Well, I believe the hon. Gentleman will have watched the news. I would be the first to acknowledge that we had quite a few in the last Parliament, but there absolutely was prioritisation of brownfield sites first. We prioritised building houses where they were needed, not where they were not.
…..."Paul Holmes - View Speech
View all Paul Holmes (Con - Hamble Valley) contributions to the debate on: Housing Development: Cumulative Impacts
Speech in Westminster Hall - Wed 17 Dec 2025
Housing Development: Cumulative Impacts
"The hon. Gentleman is absolutely correct. My right hon. Friend the Member for East Hampshire and my hon. Friend the Member for Farnham and Bordon made that point, I was about to make it, and the hon. Gentleman’s Liberal Democrat colleagues also made it, so there is universal acclaim for …..."Paul Holmes - View Speech
View all Paul Holmes (Con - Hamble Valley) contributions to the debate on: Housing Development: Cumulative Impacts
Speech in Westminster Hall - Wed 17 Dec 2025
Housing Development: Cumulative Impacts
"I disagree with the hon. Gentleman slightly. I remember that in the last Parliament, under the Conservative Government, there absolutely was a commitment from Planning Ministers and Secretaries of State to prioritise brownfield development. That was announced during our time in government by the former Prime Minister but three, and …..."Paul Holmes - View Speech
View all Paul Holmes (Con - Hamble Valley) contributions to the debate on: Housing Development: Cumulative Impacts
Written Question
Wednesday 17th December 2025
Asked by:
Paul Holmes (Conservative - Hamble Valley)
Question
to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of people being held in Accident and Emergency departments due to unavailability of local NHS mental health beds on patients.
Answered by Zubir Ahmed
- Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
While no such specific assessment has been made, we know that in some local areas there is a need for more beds. This is being addressed in part through investment in new units, although this should be considered as part of a whole system transformation approach.
Investment of £75 million of capital funding this year aims to improve inpatient care and help stop mental health patients being sent far from home for treatment. Our neighbourhood mental health centres will also improve continuity of care, drive down waits, and reduce inpatient admissions. These centres provide round the clock, open-access to treatment and support for adults with severe mental health needs. We have opened the first of six 24/7 neighbourhood mental health centres in England, in Tower Hamlets, and other local areas are looking to rollout the model more widely.
We also know that pressures in accident and emergency are best addressed by clear, efficient, and adequately resourced routes to appropriate crisis care. NHS Operational and Planning Guidance for 2025/26 tasks local health systems to improve patient flow through mental health crisis pathways and reduce waits longer than 12 hours in accident and emergency departments. Systems should do this by maximising the use of crisis alternatives and through robust system oversight.
Substantial progress has been achieved in building more robust crisis care pathways across all ages ensuring that people in mental health crisis have access to timely and appropriate support. Key developments include the introduction of the NHS 111 ‘select mental health’ option, investment in alternative crisis services, roll-out of the Mental Health Response Vehicles programme, and full national coverage of 24/7 liaison mental health teams in general acute hospitals. We are also investing up to £120 million to bring the number of mental health emergency departments up to approximately 85. Mental health emergency departments provide rapid assessment and support in a therapeutic setting, helping those with mental health needs get the right care quickly and reducing reliance on emergency departments.
Division Vote (Commons)
17 Dec 2025 - National Insurance Contributions (Employer Pensions Contributions) Bill -
View Vote Context
Paul Holmes (Con) was Teller for the Noes
and against the House
Vote Tally: Ayes - 312 Noes - 165
Speech in Westminster Hall - Tue 16 Dec 2025
Quarries: Planning Policy
"Will the Minister give way on that point?..."Paul Holmes - View Speech
View all Paul Holmes (Con - Hamble Valley) contributions to the debate on: Quarries: Planning Policy
Speech in Westminster Hall - Tue 16 Dec 2025
Quarries: Planning Policy
"It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Dr Murrison. I congratulate my hon. Friend the Member for South Leicestershire (Alberto Costa) on securing the debate, which is vital to me and my constituents.
Over the past six years, since being elected in 2019, I have been fighting against …..."Paul Holmes - View Speech
View all Paul Holmes (Con - Hamble Valley) contributions to the debate on: Quarries: Planning Policy
Speech in Westminster Hall - Tue 16 Dec 2025
Quarries: Planning Policy
"The hon. Gentleman is absolutely correct. His situation sounds very similar to mine. I do not blame the Minister, as she has inherited a system that has been in place for decades, but what confidence can local people have in maintaining high standards when they are not in the guidance? …..."Paul Holmes - View Speech
View all Paul Holmes (Con - Hamble Valley) contributions to the debate on: Quarries: Planning Policy