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Showing every spoken contribution, including 12,832 under 12 words. Hide short remarks

1. 12 Oct 2026·Parliament·Labour·Jayne Kirkham

   Rejoining the EU

   As a Cornish MP, I want to reinforce that. It supported the airport, the trains, United Downs geothermal, and businesses in Cornwall. We did so well from being, ironically, one of poorest regions in western Europe. I want to make a particular point about our farmers and fishers and the upcoming SPS agreement, which we hope will get across the line by 2027. Does my hon. Friend agree that the agreement will be so important for our farmers and fishers, and that we must make sure that we push it through?

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2. 12 Oct 2026·Parliament·Labour·Jayne Kirkham

   Baby Loss Awareness Week

   My constituent, little Bran Tunnicliffe, was born on 11 December 2024. He suffered a severe head injury during his birth and died on 17 December 2024. On 7 February, he had his funeral. He was born at the Royal Cornwall hospital in Cornwall and was transferred to Southmead after that. I am here to make some of the points that his parents have made to me about the care that he had, and to make some other points that have not been made yet about the system of post mortems and coroners’ inquests. It was a struggle, after what happened, to get mental health support for Bran’s mum, and there was very little support for the other parent. The point has been raised across the House that the other parent is often left to feel that they are just there, and that what they think and feel is not taken into consideration and often does not really matter. Helen and Phil have asked me to say that the bereavement team at Treliske have been very good throughout their experience. They also wanted me to say that although many recommendations have been made following reports and investigations, it is difficult to see, as the right hon. Member for Godalming and Ash (Sir Jeremy Hunt) mentioned, whether they are acted on, and how parents can ensure that care improves. I spoke about Bran last year. The previous Health Secretary met Helen and Phil, who fed into the Government’s review. Some of the points made were also relevant to the Ministry of Justice, so a Minister from the MOJ was there, too. There was a very long wait for a pathologist’s report in Bran’s case; the lack of pathologists is a common issue, and the Minister did take that away. Bran’s inquest is still being delayed, and is scheduled to take place in the new year—more than two years since Bran died, which is an extremely long time. The family also said that they have had a number of dealings with the coroner’s court, and thought that perhaps improved training for coroners’ courts in dealing with parents who have undergone this kind of thing would be helpful. They found the whole process extremely difficult. Some charities that really helped Bran’s family, and that are local to us in Cornwall, are Luna’s Fund, which supports parents in Devon and Cornwall, and 2wish, which is a child bereavement charity. Helen and Phil set up their own charity for Bran, Bran’s Library, which gifts picture books to parents in similar situations. I want to mention my predecessor in this place, Cherilyn Mackrory, who spoke movingly in this House about her experiences and her daughter Lily. She chaired the APPG on baby loss with the right hon. Member for Godalming and Ash. So many families are affected by baby loss, and mine is no exception. We learn from the experiences of our constituents and our own families; hopefully the Health Secretary—it is fantastic that she has been here throughout this debate—can take away those stories and make improvements for the future.

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3. 12 Oct 2026·Parliament·Labour·Jayne Kirkham

   Highway safety measures at Cubert Crossroads

   I am not the first to talk about the issue of Cubert crossroads, which has defeated many people. Over 1,000 people in two small villages have signed this petition. The problem is becoming worse, because over the summer months traffic volumes have increased significantly, and we have far more seasonal visitors and far more new houses around the area. The petition states: “The petitioners therefore request that the House of Commons urge the Government to support the campaign to ensure that Cubert Crossroads has appropriate highway safety measures in place, recognising the importance of having a safe crossroads that does not put road users at risk.” Following is the full text of the petition: [The petition of residents of Cubert, St Newlyn East and the surrounding areas, Declares that visibility at Cubert Crossroads falls below national standards for a 60mph road, putting road users at risk of accidents and fatalities; further declares that during the summer months traffic volumes increase significantly due to seasonal visitors who are unfamiliar with the junction, increasing the risk; further declares that current cost-benefit approaches to road safety infrastructure undervalue the risks faced on rural roads and junctions; and further declares that the urgent implementation of highway safety measures, such as average speed cameras, a restriction on turning, traffic lights, or a roundabout, is needed to protect local communities and visitors using this junction. The petitioners therefore request that the House of Commons urge the Government to support the campaign to ensure that Cubert Crossroads has appropriate highway safety measures in place, recognising the importance of having a safe crossroads that does not put road users at risk. And the petitioners remain, etc.] [P003243]

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4. 12 Oct 2026·Parliament·Labour·James Naish

   Rejoining the EU

   In the Chamber earlier today the Prime Minister committed to me that he is in favour of a visa waiver when it comes to touring artists who want to go into Europe. Will the Minister reiterate that and also look into the issue of cabotage—the internal movement of goods and people by a carrier registered in a different country? Will he put that on the agenda for discussion at the summit on 20 November?

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5. 12 Oct 2026·Parliament·Labour·James Naish

   International Update

   The Prime Minister loves his music, as does Rob, a constituent of mine who is a member of the Musicians’ Union. He welcomed the Government’s plan for music, “Turn It Up”, and its support for local venues, but that plan is quiet about what the future relationship with Europe will look like when it comes to touring. With 59% of musicians saying that EU touring is no longer viable, will the Prime Minister commit to putting visa waivers for this specific purpose on the table on 20 November?

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6. 12 Oct 2026·Parliament·Labour·James Murray

   The Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (Calculation of CBAM Rate and Determination of Carbon Price Relief) Regulations 2026

   I beg to move, That the Committee has considered the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (Calculation of CBAM Rate and Determination of Carbon Price Relief) Regulations 2026 (S.I., 2026, No. 809). Should I speak now, Mr Stringer? I have not done a statutory instrument in a few months, so I am just recalibrating.

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7. 12 Oct 2026·Parliament·Labour·James Murray

   The Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (Calculation of CBAM Rate and Determination of Carbon Price Relief) Regulations 2026

   Thank you for the quick explainer, Mr Stringer. It is a pleasure to serve on this Committee and to see you in the Chair. The regulations form an important part of the legislative framework for the UK’s carbon border adjustment mechanism. The core framework for CBAM has already been set out in the Finance Act 2026, but the regulations provide further detail on two important aspects of its operation. Mainly, they establish how and under what circumstances liable persons can claim relief for charges paid under overseas carbon pricing schemes; they also provide additional clarity on how the CBAM rate should be calculated in practice. CBAM is a new environmental tax that will apply from 1 January 2027. It will apply to specified goods in five highly traded carbon-intensive sectors: aluminium, cement, fertiliser, hydrogen, and iron and steel. The reason for introducing CBAM is clear: to support the UK to decarbonise, domestic producers face carbon costs that encourage investment in cleaner and more efficient production. Without CBAM, there is a risk that production and associated emissions will simply move overseas to jurisdictions with lower carbon costs, leading to what is known as carbon leakage rather than to a true reduction in global carbon emissions. CBAM is designed to address the risk of carbon leakage by ensuring that imported goods face a carbon price comparable to what manufacturers would pay were they producing the same goods in the UK. In doing so, it supports our decarbonisation objectives and gives UK producers the legislative support that they have called for to bolster their confidence in investing in the transition to net zero. The regulations put this idea into practice by creating a mechanism that ties the CBAM rate to domestic carbon prices. They set out that the CBAM rate is to be calculated by taking the quarterly mean average of the UK emissions trading scheme auction price, and how the free allocation adjustment is to be applied to reflect the upcoming phase-out of free allowances to domestic industry.

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8. 12 Oct 2026·Parliament·Labour·James Murray

   The Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (Calculation of CBAM Rate and Determination of Carbon Price Relief) Regulations 2026

   The mechanism of removing free allowances is part of the transition to the new system. Under the new system, the CBAM price will ensure that those industries within the UK that are investing in decarbonisation are not disadvantaged by industries moving overseas. If the industries move overseas to areas that have a higher carbon intensity, they could be at an advantage relative to the industries here in the UK. It is about levelling the playing field for businesses operating in the UK.

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9. 12 Oct 2026·Parliament·Labour·James Murray

   The Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (Calculation of CBAM Rate and Determination of Carbon Price Relief) Regulations 2026

   Although fertiliser production is emissions-intensive, the effective carbon price paid by UK-based fertiliser manufacturers has been extremely low because of the allocation of free allowances to that sector. As a result, we expect initial liabilities to be very modest for imported fertilisers. To support transparency and to help businesses to prepare, the Government will publish illustrative CBAM rates very shortly, which will provide a clear indication of the likely scale of the charge that may apply to fertiliser imports when the CBAM comes into force. I should emphasise that CBAM is not a protectionist measure, nor is it designed to raise revenue. Its purpose is to ensure that imported goods face carbon costs comparable to those that our domestic industry faces, as I set out in response to my hon. Friend the Member for Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland. It is therefore only right that, where the emissions embodied in an imported good have already been subject to qualifying a carbon price overseas, those costs are recognised and relief is made available. Importers of goods produced under schemes that align with the criteria, such as the EU emissions trading scheme or the Canadian federal output-based pricing system, should not pay twice for the same emissions. Those are just two examples; a list of all the national schemes that the Treasury recognises as qualifying carbon pricing schemes has been published on gov.uk. The regulations establish the framework for claiming this relief. They define the characteristics of a qualifying carbon pricing scheme, set out how an effective carbon price should be determined and specify the evidence and independent verification required to support a claim for carbon price relief. The Government remain committed to a full consultation throughout the development of CBAM, and that has included a technical consultation of the regulations before the Committee today. A small number of technical and clarificatory changes were made following that consultation, as is set out in paragraph 7.3 of the explanatory memorandum. Those changes improved the operation and clarity of the regulations without altering the policy intent. Engagement has not been limited to formal consultation. The Treasury and HM Revenue and Customs continue to work with domestic businesses, trade bodies, verifiers, international partners and other interested stakeholders and remain committed to ongoing engagement as CBAM comes into force on 1 January 2027 and beyond. In summary, the regulations implement important aspects of the CBAM framework already approved by Parliament in the Finance Act 2026. They provide clarity on carbon price relief, including when it is available and how importers can calculate it, and they give transparency on how the CBAM rate will be calculated. In doing so, the regulations support the effective introduction of CBAM from 1 January. They help to protect against carbon leakage and they give businesses greater certainty about how the new tax will operate. I commend them to the Committee.

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10. 12 Oct 2026·Parliament·Labour·James Murray

    The Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (Calculation of CBAM Rate and Determination of Carbon Price Relief) Regulations 2026

    I thank all Members for their contributions. As I set out in my opening remarks, the regulations before the Committee give effect to important elements of the CBAM framework, which has already been established by Parliament under the Finance Act 2026. Ultimately, CBAM is about ensuring that the UK’s decarbonisation efforts lead to a real reduction in global emissions. The regulations help to achieve that objective by ensuring that imported goods face a carbon price comparable to that of goods produced in the UK. The regulations support a fair, proportionate and effective CBAM to protect against carbon leakage, and to give industry the confidence to invest in the transition to net zero. I am grateful to hon. Members for their contributions and will try to address some of their points. As I say, without CBAM the risk is that production and associated emissions will simply move overseas to jurisdictions with lower carbon costs. That carbon leakage, as it is referred to, would be the impact of not having a CBAM, rather than a true reduction in global carbon emissions. A number of points have been made about the impact on businesses, about the timing of the introduction of the measures and about when the various values will be put in the public domain. I assure the Committee that we have considered carefully how best to support businesses’ preparations for CBAM. We have had to balance the benefits of publishing information at the earliest possible opportunity against the importance of ensuring that the figures published are sufficiently representative to be genuinely useful. For that reason, we have chosen to wait for the latest available data through the UK ETS baseline data reporting exercise, which will provide a robust illustration of future CBAM liabilities. As I say, we will publish that information very shortly.

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11. 12 Oct 2026·Parliament·Labour·James Murray

    The Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (Calculation of CBAM Rate and Determination of Carbon Price Relief) Regulations 2026

    As I said earlier, that happens not only through the formal consultation, but through regular engagement with all sorts of industries affected by the introduction of the CBAM. We want to ensure that we develop the detail of the policy in the best possible way, particularly in relation to fertiliser. I understand that the hon. Gentleman raised that issue, as did a number of others. A few hon. Members mentioned a figure of £70 per tonne of emissions in fertiliser. I do not recognise that figure at all. I confirm to the Committee that, as I have said, although fertiliser production is emissions-intensive, the effect of the carbon price paid by UK-based fertiliser manufacturers has been extremely low because of the allocation of free allowances to the sector. As a result, we expect initial liabilities to be very modest for imported fertilisers. I will publish illustrative rates very shortly. Other hon. Members questioned the impact on businesses of the administrative burden of implementing the CBAM. I reassure the Committee that only those that import £50,000-worth or more of CBAM goods in a 12-month period will need to register for the UK CBAM. HMRC estimates that more than 80% of otherwise affected importers will be excluded from the CBAM altogether and that more than 99% of imported emissions will be covered. We believe that that gets the balance right between covering the relevant imports and minimising the administrative burden to those who could be affected.

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12. 12 Oct 2026·Parliament·Labour·James Murray

    The Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (Calculation of CBAM Rate and Determination of Carbon Price Relief) Regulations 2026

    I am happy to write to the right hon. Gentleman with any further information that might be available, in addition to what he referred to. However, the wider point, as I said in my opening remarks, is that this is about ensuring we address the risk of production with associated emissions simply moving overseas to jurisdictions with lower costs. The CBAM ensures that we prevent such carbon leakage, so the impact of the policy is to have a genuine reduction in carbon emissions rather than simply moving production overseas. That is the driving principle behind the regulations, the framework in its totality, and the details that we are debating. I thank all right hon. and hon. Members for their contributions and commend the regulations to the Committee. Question put.

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13. 12 Oct 2026·Parliament·Labour·Hilary Benn

    Drumcree

    My right hon. Friend was clearly faced with a very difficult decision, but I think he took the right decision in the light of the advice he was given by the Chief Constable, which he has reported to the House, and I thank him for it. Given the enormous progress that Northern Ireland has made since the signing of the Good Friday agreement, who would want to go back? What does he think is now required to restore confidence in an independent process for determining parades?

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14. 12 Oct 2026·Parliament·Labour·Helena Dollimore

    International Update

    I welcome the Prime Minister’s commitment to strengthening relations with our European neighbours. Can I give him one example of how he can boost economic growth by doing just that on the south coast? Thousands of the people I represent have called for international trains to come back to Ashford International. It would boost our economy by £2.7 billion and bring half a million more visitors to Sussex and Kent every year, and we have an international terminal sitting there ready to be used. It is a no-brainer, so will the Prime Minister give me his commitment that he will support this, like the Transport Secretary?

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15. 12 Oct 2026·Parliament·Labour·Helen Hayes

    Rejoining the EU

    It is a pleasure to see you in the Chair, Mrs Barker. In 2016, my constituency was among the most pro-remain voting constituencies in the country. The result of the referendum was devastating for the vast majority of my constituents, most of whom continue to feel exactly the same way a decade on. I hear from businesses in my constituency about the harm that they have suffered. Perhaps when it is not just one deli in one constituency, but every deli in every constituency, and every manufacturing company across the country, we need to listen to what small businesses are saying. I hear from parents of my generation who regret that their children find it so much harder to access the opportunities that we had to travel, make friends and build community across the English channel with our friends in Europe. For 10 years, we have been acutely aware of the ways in which the Brexit referendum and its aftermath have continued to divide our country. We disagreed democratically, but did so quite narrowly and with profound consequences. Because of the depth of division caused by the Brexit referendum, many people felt that it was important not to do anything that might reopen the wounds. No one likes to be told that they were wrong, whichever way they voted in 2016. No one likes the person who says, “I told you so.” But 10 years on, there is a growing number of electors who were too young to vote in 2016, alongside a growing number of people who voted to leave but can see that the vote did not allow the country to take back control and has in reality made trade with our European partners more difficult and held back our economic growth at a time when we needed the opposite. There is clear evidence of a shift in public opinion and of foreign interference in the referendum. For many years, there has been a focus on what improvements and changes can be made to our relationships with our European partners without consideration of a more ambitious rethink or any suggestion of going back in. The time for that is over, and I am glad that our new Prime Minister recognises it. Brexit has been genuinely devastating for our country. It has harmed our economy. The promised money for the NHS has not materialised. The opportunities for our young people are diminished. It has deepened the divisions in our country on immigration, because the absence of agreements with our European neighbours has made it harder to tackle perilous channel crossings. At a time when we face the threat of Putin on Europe’s edge in Ukraine and an increasingly erratic and unreliable ally in the US, it has also made us less secure. Most people across our country want to see it prosper and thrive. They want to see our economy growing, opportunities for our young people and investment in our public services. They want to feel secure and to know that our Government can work in the most effective ways to keep them safe, and they want to be friends with their neighbours, local and international. Now is the time to put aside the awkwardness of having picked a side in 2016, forget what we felt was right or wrong in that debate and look objectively and clear-sightedly at what our country needs right now. Our country needs to be able to co-operate with our European neighbours on trade and security. That is the way we can prosper. I support our Prime Minister in exploring every possible option for achieving that, including the potential for us to rejoin the European Union. I also support our Prime Minister’s agenda of increased devolution. It is important to consider these two things together. Devolution offers people the opportunity to have more agency and more control over the decisions that affect their lives at a local level, closer to where they live. That is the opposite of giving away power and control. We can only benefit from a stronger UK, bolstered by devolution, more confident in our local, regional and national identities, and fully engaged in building closer ties with our nearest neighbours and friends. I look forward to our Prime Minister setting out how it will be achieved in due course.

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16. 12 Oct 2026·Parliament·Labour·Graeme Downie

    International Update

    The Putin tax—the cost of Russian cyber and physical attacks on the UK—is costing the British taxpayer about £2.5 billion each year. My office conducted research over the summer, but we were unable to find a great deal of information about the true cost of Russian hostile activity because the Government do not collect that information. Will the Prime Minister commit the Government to collecting more of that information and to publishing it on a regular basis, so that the public know the true cost to the UK taxpayer of Vladimir Putin’s aggression?

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17. 12 Oct 2026·Parliament·Labour·Gordon McKee

    International Update

    Britain has enormous strengths in AI. We attracted almost as much private investment as the EU 27 combined last year, but in an industry dominated by the United States and China, it is only by co-operating with our friends in Europe that we can achieve the scale necessary to keep ourselves safe and to thrive. Does the Prime Minister agree that a technology partnership is one of the ways in which we could rebuild our relationship with the EU?

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18. 12 Oct 2026·Parliament·Labour·Gareth Snell

    National Security

    I thank the Home Secretary for her statement and recognise the dignified way in which she, as a woman of colour, carries out her duties in trying to help and support all of us, having been at the receiving end of quite a lot of this stuff herself over many years. I say that because in the two years that I have been back here, I have lost count of how many times we have stood here to discuss the activities and antics of people in this country who want to come after MPs, peers and minority communities. Whether those are the so-called patriots who do their patrols around the streets targeting migrant communities or the virulent antisemites who go after the Jewish community, they do so seemingly because they fear very little. I agree with the Home Secretary that we can put up walls to protect those communities—but at some point the state is going to have to say: “Enough of this; we are coming after them.” As well as all the welcome protections that the Home Secretary is putting in place for the victims, what more can we all do collectively to bring the perpetrators to the place they deserve to be, which is probably in front of a judge and then in jail?

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19. 12 Oct 2026·Parliament·Labour·Fleur Anderson

    International Update

    I congratulate the Prime Minister on his strong leadership at the UN and in preparing to host the G20. As a member of the Foreign Affairs Committee, I welcome the national centre for information defence. On the EU, we need to boost opportunities for our hospitality, accommodation and tech sectors; they are the ones that talk about the great opportunities for young people to study, work and live here and—for people in my constituency—to travel to Europe as well. I therefore welcome talk of a work experience scheme being discussed at the EU summit. Will the Prime Minister say more about whether that scheme will lead to a youth mobility scheme, which would boost growth in this country?

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20. 12 Oct 2026·Parliament·Labour·Euan Stainbank

    Youth Hubs

    10. What recent progress he has made on the expansion of youth hubs.

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21. 12 Oct 2026·Parliament·Labour·Euan Stainbank

    Youth Hubs

    In August, Falkirk became one of the first towns in Scotland to have a youth hub. Opened at the Falkirk campus of Forth Valley college—our primary local further education institute—it is visible evidence of our Labour Government’s investment in young people’s futures. Will the Minister join me on a visit to the youth hub and Forth Valley college, and will the Department re-engage with the Falkirk-based local training provider Powering Futures, whose model could deliver a preventive solution to youth unemployment but currently falls between the cracks of reserved and devolved competency?

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22. 12 Oct 2026·Parliament·Labour·Euan Stainbank

    International Update

    The Prime Minister will be aware of the concerns of our vehicle manufacturers about the consequences if the UK does not secure exemptions from “Made in Europe” as drafted, and I welcome his assurances that the Government are prepared to act to harmonise our approach on Chinese imports in order to achieve that. Does he agree that if there are any changes to tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles, there is no reason for a different approach to be taken to Chinese electric bus imports?

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23. 12 Oct 2026·Parliament·Labour·Emily Thornberry

    International Update

    I am grateful to the Prime Minister for treating concerted attempts to undermine our democracy with the seriousness they deserve. While it is always difficult to measure the success of such campaigns, it is also difficult to believe that Russia would bother if there was not at least a chance it might succeed. One thing is for sure: over the past 10 years, Russia has certainly got better at it, while at the same time, elements of the British state have been far too complacent about it. To hear the Prime Minister announce a new centre for information defence was encouraging. Can he assure the House that this centre will be publicly accountable and scrutinised by Parliament, and in particular by the Foreign Affairs Committee?

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24. 12 Oct 2026·Parliament·Labour·Dr Zubir Ahmed

    Rejoining the EU

    Two thirds of my constituents recognise the folly of Brexit, because they realised that 20,000 jobs in Glasgow city depended on the EU, and now they realise that there is an additional £250 on their food bill. Does my hon. and learned Friend agree that solidarity is always better than separation, that the unintended consequences of smashing apart our union are evident in the Brexit conversation, and that the optimal arrangement for my constituents in Glasgow South West and for Scotland is to be part of a strong United Kingdom inside a better settlement with the European Union?

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25. 12 Oct 2026·Parliament·Labour·Dr Scott Arthur

    Rejoining the EU

    Will the hon. Member give way?

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26. 12 Oct 2026·Parliament·Labour·Dr Scott Arthur

    Rejoining the EU

    It is, as always, a pleasure to see you in the Chair, Sir Edward. I want to thank my hon. and learned Friend the Member for Folkestone and Hythe (Tony Vaughan) for how he introduced the debate. It is customary for the mover of the motion to present a balanced argument, but in this case it is so difficult to find any benefits of leaving the EU. He had a really difficult job and I am only glad that he did not mention bendy bananas. This debate is timely because the Prime Minister has just this afternoon outlined his vision for a closer relationship with the EU. The important point to remember in all of this, and absolutely fundamental, is the need to work with other political parties to make that happen, because it is in the national interest and we find ourselves in a difficult time. That requires honesty. If all political parties are going into this debate, they have to be honest about the impact of Brexit. We must also be honest that rejoining the EU is not an easy proposition. I say gently to the hon. Member for Perth and Kinross-shire (Pete Wishart) that it would take years to re-enter. It is right that we look for benefits in the interim; I would be surprised if there was a referendum on rejoining within a decade. [Paula Barker in the Chair] I want to make four or five observations. People in my constituency are finding life difficult now because of five things: the financial crash, Brexit, covid, the Ukraine war and Iran. Some of that damage can be undone if we look again at Brexit. It is right that people have been asking who benefits from Brexit. Certainly, no business in my constituency has said that they have, and no student or academic says that they feel the benefit from Brexit—I cannot even think of a resident who would say that. We have heard that the Russians may have benefited; perhaps politicians who take bribes from Russia have as well, but I think that that person is in jail so we cannot speak to him. What infuriates me most is how immigration was weaponised by the right during the Brexit debate: they told us that we would get control of immigration again. In fact, we lost control of immigration. Now the same right-wing politicians are back, trying to weaponise immigration when perhaps they should be apologising for what happened. As the world moves towards becoming more isolationist through Trump’s tariffs and the European “Made in Europe” agenda, the UK is exposed more than ever as an island in the middle of the Atlantic without being part of that bigger trade bloc to negotiate with other nations. I say gently to my Scottish nationalist colleagues who talk about the impact of Brexit that it would have been so different if the SNP had not blocked a customs union for the UK when it had the chance. It chose to abstain, and that abstention swung the vote. They should own that and apologise. I have got that off my chest—[Interruption.] Feel free to intervene. We have to think carefully about what any future realignment might look like. We must acknowledge that the toxicity and fake news during the Brexit referendum mean that many people will feel uncertain about reopening the debate. Many will feel very uncertain about the prospect of a referendum as well, if one is to come. That is why incrementally getting closer to the EU makes sense—we have to win the argument one step at a time. We should start with trade, defence, security and student mobility. But we cannot talk about those as abstract concepts; we need to talk about what they will mean for people in our constituencies, particularly young people.

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27. 12 Oct 2026·Parliament·Labour·Dr Scott Arthur

    Rejoining the EU

    Will the hon. Member give way?

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28. 12 Oct 2026·Parliament·Labour·Dr Scott Arthur

    Rejoining the EU

    Some of the hon. Gentleman’s constituents will have signed this petition. Just to be clear, is he doubting the intelligence and commitment of the people who signed it? He seems to be saying that they have not done their homework.

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29. 12 Oct 2026·Parliament·Labour·Dr Sam Rushworth

    International Climate Finance

    It is true, as we know, that those bearing the brunt of climate disasters are those least responsible for causing them. The reality is that the cuts being implemented—not just by this Government, but by all Governments—risk global food insecurity and increased poverty, conflict, and refugee and migration flows. I have previously called for the Government to properly assess the impact of this, and to publish it so that we, as British taxpayers, can understand what those impacts are. Would my hon. Friend join me in that call?

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30. 12 Oct 2026·Parliament·Labour·Dr Rupa Huq

    International Update

    From catching “Pride” at the National Theatre to jamming the Smiths with Ukrainian troops, we know that this Prime Minister gets culture. Can he revisit pragmatically the Tory mess that has left the Really Useful Group, a theatre group, touring a production of “Phantom of the Opera” in Europe with a Chinese cast because of all the red tape and musicians crippled by costs with no cabotage agreements, because it is killing gigs and venues?

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31. 12 Oct 2026·Parliament·Labour·Dr Peter Prinsley

    International Update

    I have listened carefully to what the Prime Minister has had to say, and I am very grateful to him. Would he agree with me that in our international affairs we must do all we can to support the BBC World Service, which is the voice of this country to the world—the voice of truth and facts?

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32. 12 Oct 2026·Parliament·Labour·Dr Peter Prinsley

    National Security

    British Jews like me find the vote by the Greens to declare Zionism racism deeply disturbing. Perhaps some Greens were misled, for Zionism is simply the belief that Jewish people have a right to self-determination in their ancestral homeland. So I am a Zionist, and who here is not a Zionist? British Jews, some of whom live in areas controlled by Green councils, are worried. How can they be reassured that they will not be the subject of political prejudice?

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33. 12 Oct 2026·Parliament·Labour·Dr Peter Prinsley

    Baby Loss Awareness Week

    My hon. Friend is making a very powerful speech. Does he agree that charitable organisations such as Sands—we have Suffolk Sands in my constituency and today the red pillar boxes throughout Bury St Edmunds are covered in crocheted hats that have come from Sands—and the peer group support they are able to make available is absolutely crucial to supporting families who have lost babies? There can be few families in the land who are not affected.

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34. 12 Oct 2026·Parliament·Labour·Dr Peter Prinsley

    Baby Loss Awareness Week

    I am very impressed to see both a former Health Secretary and the present Health Secretary here late in the evening for this debate, which is a sign of the subject’s importance. Does the right hon. Gentleman feel that fundamental to the third problem he describes is the breakdown in relationships between the profession of midwifery and the profession of obstetrics, and that there is, in some instances, what appears to be a competition between these two crucial professions, and that one answer may be to find some way of getting the two professions closer together?

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35. 12 Oct 2026·Parliament·Labour·Dr Peter Prinsley

    Baby Loss Awareness Week

    I am aware of the problem in the hon. Member’s hospital, and I would just like to say something quite shocking. We are talking about baby loss tonight, but we must also consider those babies who have been damaged by obstetric catastrophes. I will share a simple fact: the cost of the NHS obstetric service is about £3 billion per year, but we spend £1.3 billion per year on negligence compensation, with a total liability of £37 billion. The average claim for a damaged baby is £11 million. Although we are talking about baby loss and the problems affecting the obstetric service, we must also consider those babies who have been damaged because of obstetric disasters.

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36. 12 Oct 2026·Parliament·Labour·Deirdre Costigan

    Rejoining the EU

    Many of my constituents voted to leave the EU because they were bombarded with lies, from the mythical £350 million a week for the NHS that never appeared to the lie that immigration would come down when it actually trebled. Does my hon. and learned Friend agree that the Prime Minister’s announcement of the new national centre for information defence will help protect our constituents from foreign state influence as we consider our relationship with the EU again?

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37. 12 Oct 2026·Parliament·Labour·Deirdre Costigan

    Welfare Budget

    According to a recent report from the Good Growth Foundation, 50% of disability claimants would swap up to £1,000 of benefits for help such as employment support, therapy and physical aids. Does the Minister agree that giving disabled people tailored support could both reduce the welfare bill and stop those who want to work being written off by the system?

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38. 12 Oct 2026·Parliament·Labour·Deirdre Costigan

    Baby Loss Awareness Week

    Every single baby loss is a tragedy of almost incomprehensible magnitude, but I welcome the Amos report commissioned by this Government, which I believe will prove to be a watershed moment for those families. The report highlights that black, Asian and economically deprived families face significantly higher risks of death and complications in maternity and neonatal care. Babies of black and Asian ethnicity face higher rates of dying shortly after birth compared with white babies, and black mothers face up to a 40% higher risk of miscarriage than white mothers. For many of my constituents in Ealing Southall, which is one of the most ethnically diverse constituencies in the country, that brings an added level of risk when using maternity services. I recently met a family from Southall who had lost their newborn shortly after birth. Mum and dad did not have good English, so their 13-year-old daughter had to translate for them and explain that they were being asked to agree to turn off their new baby’s life support machine. This 13-year-old girl then ended up standing in front of a judge, arguing on behalf of her family. She showed me the heartbreaking letter the judge sent her, explaining the decision to end life support—a decision which she and her parents still cannot accept or even understand. We rightly focus on the parents when a child dies, but brothers and sisters are too often overlooked when it comes to support after a family bereavement. My 13-year-old constituent found that some of the medical professionals struggled to communicate with her about what had happened to her newborn baby sister. She told me that she felt there was not enough help available for her, both as a child experiencing the loss of a sibling and as a child carrying all the burden of communicating with officialdom on behalf of her family. No 13-year-old child should have to go through what my constituent experienced, so I welcome the Government’s commitment to more compassionate and individualised care for every bereaved family, but I hope that the Secretary of State will work on the design of this, to ensure that there are measures in place to support families for whom English is a second or even third language, and support for siblings who act as the family translator. Every woman should feel safe and looked after in the NHS. It is important that all women are listened to, including black and Asian women. I welcome the new task and finish group on miscarriage and baby loss care, but I urge it to look closely at the way that black and Asian women often face double jeopardy when accessing maternity and neonatal services, and to find ways of removing this inequality once and for all.

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39. 12 Oct 2026·Parliament·Labour·David Smith

    Drumcree

    I thank the Secretary of State for his statement, and for the tone he has taken. He is in an invidious position, as we can see from this debate. Does he agree that ultimately, if we take one step back from these events, what we are really talking about is the lack of societal reconciliation in Northern Ireland over the 30 years since the Good Friday agreement? Does he agree that we in this House and politicians in Northern Ireland have a role to try to foster that reconciliation wherever we can—whether it is through the Northern Ireland Troubles Bill or in another way—by resourcing it, funding it, and taking a lead on it?

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40. 12 Oct 2026·Parliament·Labour·Danny Beales

    Employment Support: Young People

    6. What steps he is taking to support young people into employment.

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