Business of the House

Paul Waugh Excerpts

Thursday 11th December 2025 Commons Chamber

[Sir Alan Campbell]

My hon. Friend raises such an important matter, and I join him in celebrating the crucial lifesaving work done by mountain rescue teams in his area and across the country. His is a very beautiful area for both residents and the many visitors he gets. Unfortunately, mountain rescue teams are very active at all times of year, and they do an absolutely fantastic job. I know that Members have welcomed, as he has, the changes to vehicle excise duty announced in the Budget, but there are perhaps other things we can explore. If he seeks an Adjournment debate, or uses the pre-recess Adjournment debate to amplify his message, we will see where that leads.

[Paul Waugh (Rochdale) (Lab/Co-op)]

The residents of Littleborough, Smithy Bridge and Rochdale have been plagued by roadworks on the A58, and they have suffered appalling delays as a result. They have been late for work, school and hospital appointments. Given that the privatised water company United Utilities is responsible for many of these roadworks, often because of years of neglect of its pipework, can we have a debate on the changes in the law needed to end the misery on the A58, and other roads like it?

[Sir Alan Campbell]

I thank my hon. Friend for raising such an important point, and therefore amplifying it, so that it is heard by Members across this Chamber and anyone who happens to be listening. Roadworks have been raised with me many times in these sessions, and rightly so. We know how disruptive street works can be for local communities. That is why we are doubling fixed penalty notices in the new year for certain street work offences, and extending overrun charges to cover weekends and bank holidays. As roads get busier in the run-up to Christmas, I have no doubt but that many people will be frustrated, and we need to tackle this. He may wish to raise this matter next Thursday, or indeed in an Adjournment debate, because this issue applies in not just his constituency, but virtually all our constituencies.

Business of the House

Paul Waugh Excerpts

Thursday 27th November 2025 Commons Chamber

[Sir Alan Campbell]

The Department has made clear what it proposes to do, and I am sure that it will bring forward the review at the earliest opportunity—if appropriate, before the end of the year.

[Paul Waugh (Rochdale) (Lab/Co-op)]

From one Lancastrian to another, happy Lancashire day to you, Mr Speaker. Last week, Owen Charnley from Rochdale completed a solo charity walk of more than 4,200 miles from Azerbaijan to his home in Ogden. Owen braved torrential rain, searing heat and several attacks by stray dogs on his trip through 17 countries. He walked 21 miles a day over 233 days, all to raise much-needed funds for two Greater Manchester homelessness charities: Barnabus and the Booth Centre. Will the Leader of the House join me in congratulating Owen on this amazing feat of kindness as well as endurance?

[Sir Alan Campbell]

I absolutely join my hon. Friend in congratulating Owen and others for the efforts they are making. We are backing them by investing over £1 billion in tackling homelessness in the next year. My hon. Friend may wish to attend the Westminster Hall debate on Tuesday 2 December on the adequacy of funding for the support of homeless people, to highlight and amplify Owen’s efforts.

Business of the House

Paul Waugh Excerpts

Thursday 20th November 2025 Commons Chamber

[Sir Alan Campbell]

Before I answer, may I wish the hon. Gentleman all the very best wishes? He got engaged this week—indeed, he got engaged in this very Chamber.

The Government respect the court judgment. This is a serious matter, and there are clearly different views on it, but the Government are absolutely committed to bringing forward proposals at the earliest opportunity and giving the House an opportunity to discuss them.

[Paul Waugh (Rochdale) (Lab/Co-op)]

Last week saw a big day for Rochdale and for Greater Manchester, as building works began on a world-leading research centre—the Sustainable Materials and Manufacturing Centre in Kingsway Business Park, which is backed by £15 million of this Government’s money. Does the Leader of the House agree that that proves the Government’s industrial strategy can boost the jobs and apprenticeships of the future to help towns such as mine that have a proud manufacturing past and present?

[Sir Alan Campbell]

I certainly agree with my hon. Friend. That kind of investment speaks to the strength of our industrial strategy, which the whole of Government are focused on delivering. He is absolutely right to draw attention to how the strategy is unlocking opportunities for young people in every part of the United Kingdom, and I am sure he will amplify the success of that investment and what the new manufacturing centre means for Rochdale and beyond.

Business of the House

Paul Waugh Excerpts

Thursday 13th November 2025 Commons Chamber

[Sir Alan Campbell]

The Government are looking at the whole subject of buying and selling houses, and this issue may be an interesting part of that. The hon. Lady may wish to write to the Minister about it.

[Paul Waugh (Rochdale) (Lab/Co-op)]

Minky Homecare’s ironing board factory in Shawclough, in Rochdale, is the only one of its kind in the whole country. It provides high-quality British-made products and lots of vital local jobs. Does the Leader of the House agree with me that making, selling and buying British products is this Government’s priority, as we support our manufacturers across the country?

Business of the House

Paul Waugh Excerpts

Thursday 17th July 2025 Commons Chamber

[Lucy Powell]

I thank my hon. Friend; I am looking forward to a well-earned rest. He is very much on-theme today in inviting me to his favourite spots in his constituency, and he has done that very well. The Minister for Data Protection and Telecoms sitting next to me just said about my hon. Friend’s constituency, “It is very, very nice.” Maybe one day I will visit Loch Lomond and perhaps do better at golf than I did in answering the previous question.

[Paul Waugh (Rochdale) (Lab/Co-op)]

Hanson Springs in Rochdale was founded 62 years ago by Malcolm Hanson, and it has gone from strength to strength. This year the company is investing £3 million in new plant, machinery and expanded factory space. Malcolm turns 80 next month, but still works 40 hours a week and his granddaughter Lucy joined the firm only this week, straight from Rochdale sixth-form college. Will the Leader of the House join me in wishing Malcolm a very happy 80th birthday, because he is exactly the sort of grafter and entrepreneur that makes our town and this country such a special place?

[Lucy Powell]

I join my hon. Friend in wishing Malcolm Hanson a very good 80th birthday. His granddaughter has a very good name; I will say that. It is great to see that he is offering great job opportunities to young people in his constituency, and Hanson Springs sounds like it is going from strength to strength.

Business of the House

Paul Waugh Excerpts

Thursday 3rd July 2025 Commons Chamber

[Lucy Powell]

There is always a great competition in these sessions for the most beautiful constituency, but I can confirm that Buxton and many other parts of my hon. Friend’s constituency are indeed beautiful and well worth a visit. I join him in congratulating Explore Buxton, and encourage those who want to have a lovely day out to go to Buxton.

[Paul Waugh (Rochdale) (Lab/Co-op)]

Rochdale is the historic birthplace of the co-op movement, so it is fitting that we will host the UK Co-op Congress 2025 this weekend. There is an impressive array of speakers, including Steve Coogan, Patrick Grant, my hon. Friend the Member for Peterborough (Andrew Pakes), and the Leader of the House herself. As we celebrate the International Year of Co-operatives, will she join me in paying tribute to representatives of the Co-operative Union of Palestine, whom I met in Ramallah earlier this year, for all their heroic work in keeping communities together—against the odds—in the west bank and Gaza?

[Lucy Powell]

I am really looking forward to coming to my hon. Friend’s constituency tomorrow to speak at the Co-op Congress. I am not sure whether the attraction is me or Steve Coogan—I am pretty sure it is Steve Coogan. I join my hon. Friend in thanking co-operatives for their work, including the one in the west bank and Gaza that he describes. It just shows that when we come together and work in a mutual way, we can really tackle some of the big problems that the world faces.

Business of the House

Paul Waugh Excerpts

Thursday 26th June 2025 Commons Chamber

[Lucy Powell]

We have all been shocked by these cases; I am sorry to hear about what Liz has suffered. For so many years, those who were gay were not able to be in the armed forces. That they were treated in such appalling ways, getting criminal records and losing the jobs they adored, is truly shocking. I was really pleased that we recently had a debate on these matters on the Floor of the House, but I will absolutely ensure that she and other Members are updated on the delivery of that compensation scheme and of justice for those involved.

[Paul Waugh (Rochdale) (Lab/Co-op)]

This weekend, the England women’s football team play their final friendly before they defend the Euro championship trophy they won so brilliantly in 2022. I am delighted to say that Rochdale’s very own Keira Walsh will again wear the No. 4 shirt at the heart of our midfield. Will the Leader of the House join me in thanking and wishing Keira and the Lionesses all the very best of luck and in thanking her proud mum and dad, Tracy and Peter, for what they did in producing such an inspiring figure for women and girls across the country?

[Lucy Powell]

I am sure that the whole House will join my hon. Friend and me in wishing the Lionesses well in defending their title. What joy winning the Euros four years ago brought to us all. I join him in thanking Tracy and Peter for bringing up their daughter and for all the drop-offs and pick-ups, and all the time and energy, that go into creating someone as brilliant as Keira Walsh.

Business of the House

Paul Waugh Excerpts

Thursday 12th June 2025 Commons Chamber

[Lucy Powell]

I of course join my hon. Friend in condemning this awful incident in his constituency. I thank his local police and the school for their swift response, and I look forward to justice being served.

[Paul Waugh (Rochdale) (Lab/Co-op)]

Mr Speaker, as a proud Lancastrian like myself, you will be aware that this Friday is Whit Friday, and that across the north-west we still have a strong tradition of Whit walks and carnivals, where brass bands play to our local communities. Some of our fabulous local bands, including Milnrow, Wardle Academy, Wardle Anderson, Littleborough and Bloom Music will be performing at the internationally renowned Saddleworth and Oldham Whit Friday band contest. Will the Leader of the House join me in blowing their trumpet—or, more appropriately, cornet—and have a debate in Government time on the brilliance of brass bands across the country?

[Lucy Powell]

My hon. Friend may be slightly better at puns than me, but I join him in celebrating Whit walks. I can confirm that his constituency does a great turn at that, and I join him in trumpeting all those in his constituency who participate.

Business of the House

Paul Waugh Excerpts

Thursday 5th June 2025 Commons Chamber

[Lucy Powell]

I absolutely agree that we have to get people out of sickness and back into work. That is why this Government are bringing forward reforms to the universal credit health element to ensure that people are not consigned to sickness for a long period, but encouraged back to work.

[Paul Waugh (Rochdale) (Lab/Co-op)]

Rochdale’s award-winning trading standards team has led the country in exposing the spread of ghost car number plates, which allow child sex offenders, speeding motorists and drug dealers to avoid police detection cameras. Will the Leader of the House join me in thanking Darren Hughen and Dennis Chalmers, who visited Parliament this week, and will she support my campaign and that of my hon. Friend the Member for West Bromwich (Sarah Coombes) to outlaw ghost car number plates?

[Lucy Powell]

Absolutely. My hon. Friend the Member for West Bromwich (Sarah Coombes), my Parliamentary Private Secretary, is not in her place today, but I know she has been working with my hon. Friend the Member for Rochdale (Paul Waugh) and others on the campaign to get rid of ghost plates. Their campaigning has been fantastic at highlighting this issue and the problems it causes, and I know that Transport Ministers are looking at it.

Business of the House

Paul Waugh Excerpts

Thursday 24th April 2025 Commons Chamber

[Lucy Powell]

As ever, the hon. Gentleman raises the important issue of freedom of religion or belief for all—in this case, in Nigeria—which we raise with the Nigerian Government on a regular basis. We need to put an end to the inter-community violence that we are seeing in Nigeria.

[Paul Waugh (Rochdale) (Lab/Co-op)]

I know the Leader of the House has a sweet tooth, so she may be disappointed that she missed out on the very first chocolate festival held by The Oxford pub in Shawclough over the Easter break. The festival was attended by 800 people, and it was held in conjunction with the chocolate maker Slattery. As well as having a great time, customers and the pub donated free Easter eggs to children in need in Rochdale. Will she join me in congratulating the McNeeney family on putting on the festival, and will she join me for a candy and a shandy in Rochdale soon?

[Lucy Powell]

I will certainly join my hon. Friend in congratulating the McNeeney family on putting on the chocolate festival, which sounds like a really great event. It ensured that those who perhaps could not afford to indulge over the Easter weekend had the opportunity to do so at The Oxford pub. I gently say to him that next time he should bring us back a few chocolates, so that we can make sure that they are up to the standard that the whole House would want.