Oral Answers to Questions

Rebecca Smith Excerpts

Thursday 25th June 2026 Commons Chamber

[Martin Rhodes (Glasgow North) (Lab)]

3. What steps he is taking to improve relations with the EU.

[Rebecca Smith (South West Devon) (Con)]

11. What recent discussions he has had with his EU counterparts on the future EU-UK relationship.

[Jeff Smith (Manchester Withington) (Lab)]

15. What steps he is taking to improve relations with the EU.

--- Later in debate ---

[Nick Thomas-Symonds]

The UK supports the EU’s efforts to promote sustainable and responsible corporate behaviour within global value chains. We will continue to review the impact of measures taken by the EU and other countries, including, as my hon. Friend suggested, to see what lessons can be drawn from other jurisdictions to inform the UK’s approach.

[Rebecca Smith]

I was recently in Washington DC. On several occasions, our American counterparts raised concerns about the future of the EU-UK relationship and realignment. What discussions has the Paymaster General had with his US counterparts, as well as with EU counterparts?

Oral Answers to Questions

Rebecca Smith Excerpts

Wednesday 24th June 2026 Commons Chamber

[Olivia Bailey]

I have said how greatly I recognise the significant anxiety that is felt by some in the trans community at the moment. The Supreme Court was extremely clear that trans people’s rights and protections against discrimination and harassment are protected in law, and the Government will defend and extend trans people’s rights. The draft code of practice is before the House for scrutiny, and Members can apply for additional debates on the subject if they wish.

[Rebecca Smith (South West Devon) (Con)]

2. What steps she is taking with Cabinet colleagues to help tackle antisemitism.

[The Minister for Equalities (Seema Malhotra)]

The rise in antisemitism is unacceptable; antisemitism has no place in Britain. It requires a whole-of-society response. That is why we are strengthening policing, and investing in record protective security funding to keep Jewish communities safe. We are also clamping down on antisemitic extremism, tackling antisemitism in schools and universities, ensuring that Arts Council England withdraws funding from those who promote antisemitism, and accepting all the recommendations in Lord Mann’s review on antisemitism and racism in the health service.

[Rebecca Smith]

The inaugural Jewish Culture Month has just concluded. More than 100 events took place across the country to celebrate Jewish culture, community and creativity. For example, the Plymouth Jewish community partnered with the Klezmer Village Band to bring traditional Jewish music to local schools and Plymouth Theatre Royal, helping to share Jewish culture with a wider audience. Given that the Prime Minister believes that rooting out antisemitism is a highlight of his tenure, what support was the Minister able to show for Jewish Culture Month, and did she attend any events?

[Seema Malhotra]

The hon. Lady speaks for the whole House in recognising the importance of celebrating and sharing Jewish culture, and that is why this month has been so valuable. She may be aware that an event was held in the Department for Education. We will leave no stone unturned to tackle antisemitism. Members on both sides of this House are committed to ensuring that no person from the Jewish community feels that they have to change their way of life, or what they wear, in order to be safe.

Oral Answers to Questions

Rebecca Smith Excerpts

Wednesday 22nd April 2026 Commons Chamber

[Jo Stevens]

I thank my hon. Friend for recognising the scale of the opportunities and new jobs that this Government are creating in Wales and across the UK. Whether it is 3,000 jobs in new nuclear, 5,000 jobs in floating offshore wind, 8,000 jobs in our two AI growth zones, 12,000 jobs with our historic £14 billion commitment for Welsh rail, or 25,000 jobs in our freeports and investment zones, we are delivering generational change for people in Wales.

[Rebecca Smith (South West Devon) (Con)]

In Wales, the south-west and across the UK, nearly 1 million young people are not in education, employment or training. Labour’s jobs tax, failed welfare reforms and damaging energy policies will worsen that crisis. Does the Minister recognise that when the Labour Government’s first response to any crisis is to tax business, businesses stop hiring, and it is young people in Wales who suffer most?

Antisemitic Attacks

Rebecca Smith Excerpts

Monday 20th April 2026 Commons Chamber

[Dan Jarvis]

Every community must feel safe, and this Government will defend against racism wherever it raises its ugly head.

[Rebecca Smith (South West Devon) (Con)]

Last week, I had the privilege of visiting Auschwitz, on a visit organised by March of the Living UK. I joined 200 members of the British Jewish community there, and almost 8,000 people from around the world. We marched between Auschwitz and Birkenau. Many of those there were Holocaust survivors. I heard their stories, from the 1930s and 1940s, and from today. Many told me that they have an exit plan. We were escorted by security the whole time. Will the Minister provide much-needed assurance to our Jewish community in the UK by explaining what steps are being taken to address rising antisemitism here, and will he commit to taking action that is significant enough to reassure British Jews that they do not need a plan B?

[Dan Jarvis]

I will give the hon. Member that assurance. I am grateful to her for mentioning her recent visit to Auschwitz. I visited Auschwitz with the Holocaust Educational Trust. It was one of the most moving things I have ever done, and I recommend that all Members do it.

Security Vetting

Rebecca Smith Excerpts

Monday 20th April 2026 Commons Chamber

[The Prime Minister]

The information that was fed into the review, and the reasons for the review, are protected. This is not a Peter Mandelson issue; it is about the integrity of the process. What I do not accept is that that means I cannot be told the recommendation that comes out of it.

[Rebecca Smith (South West Devon) (Con)]

I wonder whether the Prime Minister knew the difference between the due diligence information from the Cabinet Office and the security vetting that had not taken place when he appointed Peter Mandelson on 18 December.

[The Prime Minister]

I did know the difference.

Oral Answers to Questions

Rebecca Smith Excerpts

Wednesday 11th March 2026 Commons Chamber

[Seema Malhotra]

My hon. Friend is absolutely right about the challenges that endometriosis brings and that workplaces cannot afford to lose such talented women. Action matters. That is why, as part of the Employment Rights Act, we are improving access to flexible working, making changes to statutory sick pay and opening up conversations about women’s health through the employer action plans that we launched last week. I look forward to working with my hon. Friend and other Members to make that support a reality.

[Rebecca Smith (South West Devon) (Con)]

One in 10 women have endometriosis, seriously impacting their ability to work. What plans does the Minister have to ensure that employers have clear guidance about the reasonable adjustments that they should be offering, not just for endometriosis but for all gynaecological issues that impact women’s work?

Middle East

Rebecca Smith Excerpts

Monday 2nd March 2026 Commons Chamber

[The Prime Minister]

Yes, I will. I can absolutely assure my hon. Friend and the House that there will always be a lawful basis for any action that we take, and there must be a viable plan for it.

[Rebecca Smith (South West Devon) (Con)]

Over the weekend, I heard from families in my constituency whose loved ones—also constituents of mine—are among the 300 service personnel in Bahrain who were within metres of the Iranian missile strike. Given that we have known for some time about the build-up of US forces in the region, why did the activity to decommission HMS Lancaster in Bahrain continue, and—I trust that this is not an operational question—will those works be paused and service personnel withdrawn until the treat status has been downgraded?

[The Prime Minister]

In relation to the hon. Lady’s constituents, may I ask her to urge them, if they have not already done so, to register their presence as quickly as possible so that we can give them the necessary advice, because this is about how we get people out in the coming days? There are obviously wider questions in the region, but it is very important that we take the necessary measures in the coming days.

Oral Answers to Questions

Rebecca Smith Excerpts

Wednesday 10th December 2025 Commons Chamber

[Alex Davies-Jones]

The hon. Lady is right, and Refuge does brilliant work to support victims of tech-based abuse. I have been to its offices and seen its team working really hard on this issue. The Government are determined to have a cross-Government approach, and I am working very closely with the Home Office and the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology to see how we can get to grips with the issue. We will be publishing our cross-Government VAWG strategy imminently and there will be a specific reference to tech abuse in that strategy.

[Rebecca Smith (South West Devon) (Con)]

The Government’s dithering on grooming gangs has gone on for so long that it is now unlikely that any report into what has happened will be published before the next general election. Does the Minister think that is acceptable, and will she commit to publishing interim findings before the next general election?

[Alex Davies-Jones]

The grooming gangs scandal was one of the darkest moments in this country’s history, with vulnerable young people being failed time and time again. The Prime Minister, the Home Secretary and I are determined to finally get victims and survivors the answers they need. It was this Prime Minister who brought the first ever major prosecution on the Asian grooming gangs, it was this Government who implemented the statutory inquiry recommendations, and it is this Government who have issued a national inquiry. We will get on with supporting victims and girls.

Oral Answers to Questions

Rebecca Smith Excerpts

Wednesday 29th October 2025 Commons Chamber

[Jo Stevens]

It sounds like the Liberal Democrats in Wales have the same position as Plaid Cymru. Our priority is to drive growth, lower bills and create jobs for people through our new green energy revolution, including those in the hon. Gentleman’s constituency. Investment in his constituency is something he should be welcoming.

[Rebecca Smith (South West Devon) (Con)]

5. What discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for the Home Department on the adequacy of accommodation for asylum seekers in Wales.

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Wales (Anna McMorrin)]

We inherited a broken asylum system in absolute chaos from the Tories, with tens of thousands stuck in a system dependent on expensive asylum hotels. We are committed to ending the use of hotels as asylum accommodation as soon as possible and before the end of this Parliament, as part of a controlled, managed and orderly programme.

[Rebecca Smith]

Under the Welsh Labour Government, waiting lists, educational standards and opportunities for young people have all ground to an abrupt halt. It is therefore shocking that the Welsh Labour Government are not prioritising issues that would make a real difference to the people of Wales. Instead, Labour Ministers, supported by Plaid Cymru, are ploughing tens of millions of pounds into their nation of sanctuary policy, which is believed to support services for some illegal immigrants. Does the hon. Lady agree that it is high time her colleagues scrapped this wasteful, non-devolved policy and instead focused their time on lowering NHS waiting times and improving standards?

[Anna McMorrin]

It sounds like the hon. Member does not agree with welcoming the thousands of Ukrainian refugees that the UK Government’s nation of sanctuary has supported. The scheme has been used to welcome Ukrainian families fleeing from Russian aggression. That is a cause that I understood her party supported.

Oral Answers to Questions

Rebecca Smith Excerpts

Wednesday 15th October 2025 Commons Chamber

[The Prime Minister]

My hon. Friend has been a strong advocate for his constituents on this issue. The Health Secretary has met the families affected by these failures twice, I think, this year to hear their stories, and I want to make it clear that what happened to their loved ones is unacceptable. The Health Secretary is currently considering the best way forward so that families get the answers that they deserve. It is right that they receive any update first, but I can assure my hon. Friend that we will provide that update as soon as we are able to do so.

[Rebecca Smith (South West Devon) (Con)]

Q5. Later this afternoon I will be launching a small business survey so that the 3,000 small and medium-sized enterprises in my constituency, which employ thousands of my constituents, can have their say about what is like to run a business under a Labour Government, and what their concerns are ahead of the Budget. However, I want to give the Prime Minister the opportunity to provide a word of hope that I can share. Will he tell my constituents that he has heard the pleas of SMEs and their fright about the Budget, that he will scrap business rates for hospitality and leisure as well as the family business and family farm taxes, and that his Government will commit themselves to no further tax rises for business?

[The Prime Minister]

Just a few months ago we published our small business strategy, which was based on what small businesses said to us. I will make a copy available to the hon. Lady so that she can give one to each of her constituents before they respond to the survey.