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12,868 spoken contributions under 12 words (interjections such as “Will the hon. Member give way?”) are hidden. Show them

1. 9 Jul 2026·Parliament·Labour·Sir Alan Campbell

   Business of the House

   There will be no immediate changes to how people watch TV; terrestrial TV will stay until at least 2034. However, as the right hon. Gentleman and the House know, TV is increasingly moving online. We recognise the particular challenges in remote and rural areas, particularly for older people, people with disabilities and others who might spend more time watching TV. I want to emphasise that we want to ensure that the transition is managed responsibly and that no one is left behind, which is why we are consulting on two dates for the switchover, with either date contingent on a full and watertight transition plan. I will ensure that Ministers hear of his concerns.

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2. 9 Jul 2026·Parliament·Labour·Sir Alan Campbell

   Business of the House

   I thank my hon. Friend for his work on this important issue—I know that he joined campaigners in taking the campaign to No. 10 last year. As he will know, the Government remain committed to banning the import of hunting trophies from species of conservation concern, and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs continues to engage with relevant stakeholders to ensure that we can implement a robust ban. I am not sure whether this matter was raised at DEFRA questions this morning, but I will certainly ensure that Ministers hear of his concerns.

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3. 9 Jul 2026·Parliament·Labour·Sir Alan Campbell

   Business of the House

   I do not share the hon. Gentleman’s analysis that the Government are either slow or, worse, doing nothing about Russian soft power, because our support for Ukraine is unwavering and our opposition to Putin’s illegal war is absolute. We have introduced sanctions on individuals and entities as part of our Russia sanctions regime, and we are working with allies to pursue all lawful ways of ensuring that Russia pays for the damage it has caused. However, I will raise with the relevant Minister the hon. Gentleman’s concern about Russia being readmitted to things on a case-by-case basis. He is right to say that the general public may well think it is not the time for that.

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4. 9 Jul 2026·Parliament·Labour·Sir Alan Campbell

   Business of the House

   My hon. Friend has considerable experience and knowledge about these matters—far greater than would allow me to respond in the detail that his question requires. I am therefore going to offer him a meeting with the relevant Minister so that he can make his case. The Government will be committed to meeting those timelines and qualifications, and it is important that he makes that case to the relevant Minister.

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5. 9 Jul 2026·Parliament·Labour·Sir Alan Campbell

   Business of the House

   There is a great deal of “if” in that matter. I find it astonishing that a party’s finances should need to be investigated by the National Crime Agency, frankly, but these are very serious matters. Individuals should have protections, and when investigations are necessary those protections should be respected. Let me take the matter away and raise it with the relevant authorities, because it is important that even the National Crime Agency and others are held to account. I have absolute faith in the National Crime Agency to get on with the important job that this House gives it.

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6. 9 Jul 2026·Parliament·Labour·Sir Alan Campbell

   Business of the House

   My hon. Friend illustrates the power and influence of business questions. She is a true champion for small businesses in her constituency. As I have said on a number of occasions, small businesses are at the heart of our local communities, and we are absolutely committed to supporting them, including through our £10 million hospitality support fund. She has listed what I am sure are just a few of the fantastic cafés in her constituency. Should I find myself in Grimsby, I would be delighted to accompany her to one or more of them. She may want to raise the issue of hospitality more widely during the pre-recess Adjournment debate or in a Westminster Hall debate when we return. I am sure that if she were to raise the issue, others would join her, because Members have similar concerns across their constituencies.

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7. 9 Jul 2026·Parliament·Labour·Sir Alan Campbell

   Business of the House

   I wish everyone involved with the hospital all the very best for the future, and I thank them for the work that they are doing. It is truly pioneering work, and it is really important. The women’s health strategy sets out our renewed strategy to address the issues that women face every day. We want to ensure that no woman is left behind and has to endure long waiting times for a diagnosis. That is why we are rolling out diagnostic centres and putting more resources into the NHS. As well as thanking the hospital, I will raise its work with the relevant Minister.

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8. 9 Jul 2026·Parliament·Labour·Sir Alan Campbell

   Business of the House

   The Government are committed to doing everything that we can to support traditional and new businesses in what can be quite a difficult environment. My hon. Friend tempts me down the route of saying that were the House to decide at some point on renewal and restoration, I would hope that tile manufacturers, stone providers and steel manufacturers around our country would benefit from the investment that I hope we would make. My hon. Friend raises the question of traditional skills. Such jobs are not, by and large, ones that can be replaced by AI. We should be very proud of those skills, and I thank my hon. Friend for being a champion for his constituency and for continuing to raise those skills.

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9. 9 Jul 2026·Parliament·Labour·Sir Alan Campbell

   Business of the House

   The hon. Gentleman is right when he says that churches and faith groups do an incredible amount of good work in our local communities. The national prayer breakfast in Westminster Hall was a fantastic way to celebrate their contribution in Parliament. Should the hon. Gentleman wish to raise the importance of churches and faith groups in our local communities, he has an opportunity to do so on Thursday in the pre-recess Adjournment debate, or indeed, in a Westminster Hall debate when we return.

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10. 9 Jul 2026·Parliament·Labour·Sir Alan Campbell

    Business of the House

    My hon. Friend raises a concerning matter. We are committed to strengthening support for British nationals overseas. I will ask the Foreign Office, in the first instance, to write to him with an update on the case—I am sorry that the family feel disappointed by the response so far. Following that, I am sure that a Foreign Office Minister will be happy to meet my hon. Friend.

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11. 9 Jul 2026·Parliament·Labour·Sir Alan Campbell

    Business of the House

    That is a very tempting offer. I have been to a number of country shows. I appreciate their importance for rural communities and the rural economy, given the important work that people involved in agriculture do, as well as for the wider rural communities. The right hon. Gentleman is right to raise the importance of that, and again, because it is timely, I invite him to raise the matter on Thursday during the pre-recess Adjournment debate.

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12. 9 Jul 2026·Parliament·Labour·Sir Alan Campbell

    Business of the House

    I absolutely will, and I pay tribute to everybody involved in Muslim Climate Action Week. It is important that we take this issue seriously, not least given the period through which we are living, and I wish them well. It is important that faith groups and interfaith groups come together on what is, in many ways, the defining issue of our age.

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13. 9 Jul 2026·Parliament·Labour·Sir Alan Campbell

    Business of the House

    The hon. Gentleman is raising the importance of supporting hospitality now and through his Bill. The Government are committed to doing everything that we can. I gently say to him that a reduction in VAT is a costly matter, and we cannot have it both ways; he wants to reduce VAT, but that means he and others will be looking for more money for our public services.

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14. 9 Jul 2026·Parliament·Labour·Sir Alan Campbell

    Business of the House

    My hon. Friend is absolutely right. Her constituents do deserve better from their local council, and it is simply not good enough to blame teething issues or technical problems. She is right to raise the issue and stand up for her constituents. I hope that East Suffolk council, which I understand is run by the Lib Dems and Greens—how Greens can get themselves into a situation about environmental management is beyond me—has heard what she said, and gets on and resolves the matter.

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15. 9 Jul 2026·Parliament·Labour·Sir Alan Campbell

    Business of the House

    As I said in response to a previous question, I respect the importance of shows for the farming community. I encourage everyone who can go along to do so, to get a better understanding of the rural community and the importance of rural matters to our economy. The hon. Lady refers to Silverstone; I also recognise the importance of grand prix and Formula 1 for technological invention, jobs and its wider contribution to the economy. I am delighted that it has put her area on the map.

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16. 9 Jul 2026·Parliament·Labour·Sir Alan Campbell

    Business of the House

    My hon. Friend is right to champion the restoration and reuse of historical buildings; I know that there have been many successful cases of that happening in her area. This is an important matter for local communities, and she raises an important point about housing. I will ensure that she gets a reply from the relevant Minister, so that she can hear more about what the Government are doing and intend to do. In the meantime, she could consider applying for a Westminster Hall debate on the subject, or taking part in the pre-recess Adjournment debate, to give further voice to these important issues.

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17. 9 Jul 2026·Parliament·Labour·Sir Alan Campbell

    Business of the House

    The sector is important to our country’s prosperity, and the Government are absolutely determined to do everything we can on that, including getting investment into post-16 education and, indeed, employment more widely. I am more than happy to join the hon. Member in congratulating all the young people in her constituency who have undertaken examinations. I wish them well for when the results come out. I pay tribute to them and the staff, and also to their sometimes long-suffering parents.

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18. 9 Jul 2026·Parliament·Labour·Sir Alan Campbell

    Business of the House

    My hon. Friend raises an important matter, and is a stout defender of the interests of her constituents. We recognise the contribution that hospitality businesses make to jobs, growth and local communities across the UK, but His Majesty’s Revenue and Customs estimates—this follows on from an earlier question—that reducing VAT in the way she mentions would cost around £11 billion a year. To put that in context, it is roughly equivalent to the total expenditure on the Royal Navy. We are, however, committed to supporting the sector through targeted measures, such as our £4.3 billion business rates package and the Great British summer savings scheme.

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19. 9 Jul 2026·Parliament·Labour·Sir Alan Campbell

    Business of the House

    I certainly pay tribute to the hon. Member’s local Men Walking and Talking group, and the important contribution that such groups make, not least to mental health. The Government are absolutely determined to tackle the issue of poor mental health head-on, because it is important that men can play a full part in family life and their local communities without the scourge of poor mental health. He asks how we can raise these matters. He can raise them during a debate that he calls, or in the pre-recess Adjournment debate—but he has also just done it.

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20. 9 Jul 2026·Parliament·Labour·Sir Alan Campbell

    Business of the House

    I certainly join my hon. Friend in wishing the musicians of Stirling and District Schools Pipe Band every success, and I thank all volunteers who make events like the highland games possible. Tutors such as Chris, Andrew and Chloe, who pass down their skills to future generations, are invaluable; they are responsible for keeping such important traditions alive. If my hon. Friend is able to, I encourage him to highlight this success, and these important matters, in next Thursday’s pre-recess Adjournment debate.

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21. 9 Jul 2026·Parliament·Labour·Sir Alan Campbell

    Business of the House

    I certainly make a special case for the Driffield show and everybody involved, and 150 years is a remarkable achievement. As I have said, such shows are an important part of local communities. The Government take food security very seriously, and the hon. Gentleman will have the opportunity next Thursday to highlight the importance of not just Driffield Agricultural Society, but all the other agricultural societies in his constituency.

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22. 9 Jul 2026·Parliament·Labour·Sir Alan Campbell

    Business of the House

    I congratulate Ayrshire college on its well-deserved award. We are committed to creating a skilled workforce that is fit for the future and aligned with local needs, with our £182 million industrial strategy and engineering skills package. Should my hon. Friend wish to apply for a debate on this subject in Westminster Hall, I am sure that it would be well attended; the shadow Leader of the House, for instance, does fantastic work on these issues in his constituency.

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23. 9 Jul 2026·Parliament·Labour·Sir Alan Campbell

    Business of the House

    As I have said before, the SNP should come clean on these matters, and authorities should hold it to account. The hon. Member talks about an investigation that is under way, and I will not comment on that. We will debate these matters in the future, but let us await the outcome of the investigations.

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24. 9 Jul 2026·Parliament·Labour·Sir Alan Campbell

    Business of the House

    E-bikes and e-scooters can be a great way to travel around the city, but we have heard too many tragic stories of unsafe e-bikes and e-scooters. Rogue sellers not only risk bringing dangerous products into homes but undermine confidence in active travel. I will ensure that my hon. Friend’s concerns are raised with the Department for Transport, and should he seek a meeting with the relevant Minister, I will help him to arrange one.

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25. 9 Jul 2026·Parliament·Labour·Sir Alan Campbell

    Business of the House

    I certainly wish everyone involved in sports days all the very best. I have to say, sports day triggers memories that are less than happy, but that is another matter. I know that the hon. Lady asked about a general concern, but if she lets me know the details of the particular school that she mentioned, I will raise the matter with the Department to see if we can get the clarification that she seeks.

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26. 9 Jul 2026·Parliament·Labour·Sir Alan Campbell

    Business of the House

    I join my hon. Friend in congratulating everyone involved in bringing the re-enactment of the battle of Linlithgow bridge to life. As she rightly points out, volunteer organisations like Linlithgow civic trust play a vital part in our living historical memory, allowing us to connect with our heritage. I pay tribute to them for their work. If she wishes to enlighten the House further, she could do so in the pre-recess Adjournment debate next week.

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27. 9 Jul 2026·Parliament·Labour·Sir Alan Campbell

    Business of the House

    It sounds like a very concerning situation for the hon. Lady’s constituents. New energy infrastructure is important to ensure energy security, but it should be delivered through robust and proportionate consenting processes. Should she seek a Westminster Hall debate on the subject, I am sure that it would be well attended.

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28. 9 Jul 2026·Parliament·Labour·Sir Alan Campbell

    Business of the House

    My hon. Friend refers to tragic cases. I am sure that the whole House sends its sympathies to the friends and family of everyone who has lost their life during the extreme weather—and indeed previously—in water incidents. The National Water Safety Forum brings together a wide range of national groups to provide consistent guidance. There was a Westminster Hall debate on this matter last month, at which I understand it was agreed that a meeting would take place between all responsible Departments to look at what further action should be taken. I will get an update from the Under-Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, the hon. Member for Kingston upon Hull West and Haltemprice (Emma Hardy), on what is happening on that.

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29. 9 Jul 2026·Parliament·Labour·Sir Alan Campbell

    Business of the House

    I understand the concerns that the hon. Lady raises. Let me raise that with the relevant Minister and get her an update on how they may be able to do that.

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30. 9 Jul 2026·Parliament·Labour·Sir Alan Campbell

    Business of the House

    The Government’s position remains clear. Settlements are illegal under international law. They undermine international efforts to secure a just and lasting peace in the Middle East and risk doing permanent damage to the prospects of a secure and viable Palestinian state being able to live in peace alongside a secure Israel. We have a debate on this matter this afternoon, and I hope that my hon. Friend will be able to attend it to make his case.

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31. 9 Jul 2026·Parliament·Labour·Sir Alan Campbell

    Business of the House

    Yes, I will, and I will seek an update for the hon. Lady.

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32. 9 Jul 2026·Parliament·Labour·Sir Alan Campbell

    Business of the House

    I do indeed join my hon. Friend in thanking everyone involved in making her summer school a success and all the volunteers who support youth groups in all our areas. I have heard many good things about her summer school—long may it continue.

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33. 9 Jul 2026·Parliament·Labour·Sir Alan Campbell

    Business of the House

    As ever, the hon. Gentleman raises a serious issue. As he knows, we stand firm on violations of human rights. We have raised our concerns regarding the treatment of Uyghur Muslims with the highest levels of the Chinese Government. I will ensure that he gets a response from the Foreign Secretary, who will have heard his remarks, so that we can get the specifics of that case.

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34. 9 Jul 2026·Parliament·Labour·Sir Alan Campbell

    Business of the House

    I certainly echo my hon. Friend’s words about the importance of Black Country Day, and I wish everyone involved a success. We have got a pre-recess Adjournment debate—I said it was the day after tomorrow, but clearly it is next week—and should she wish to raise it in that debate, I am sure it would be a cause for celebration.

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35. 9 Jul 2026·Parliament·Labour·Sarah Hall

    Lobular Breast Cancer: Moon Shot Project

    It is a pleasure to serve under your chairship, Mrs Hobhouse. I thank the hon. Member for Horsham (John Milne) for securing this hugely important debate and for his powerful speech. Just a few weeks ago, I stood outside Downing Street alongside women living with invasive lobular breast cancer, their families and campaigners for the Lobular Moon Shot Project’s 22-minute silence. Those 22 minutes represented the 22 women who lose their lives to lobular breast cancer every day. It was a deeply moving experience. Standing in silence with women who are living with the disease alongside those who have lost loved ones brought home why today’s debate really matters. They were not asking for sympathy; they were asking to be seen. They were asking for better research, earlier diagnosis and better outcomes for women diagnosed in the future. Today, I want to share the story of my constituent, Trish. She has kindly given me permission to share her story because she hopes that by doing so, another woman may recognise the signs of lobular breast cancer sooner. Trish did everything that we ask women to do. Between 2014 and 2025, she attended six mammograms—six opportunities for cancer to be found, and six occasions when she believed that if something was wrong, it would be detected. But none of those mammograms picked up any signs. Like many women, Trish believed that cancer meant finding a lump. It was not a lump that led to her diagnosis; it was a shadow. After getting out of the shower one morning, while putting her hair up, she noticed a shadow underneath her breast. She took a photograph and could clearly see dimpling in her skin. Thankfully, her GP listened and referred her urgently under the two-week-wait pathway. I place on the record my thanks to that GP, because despite there being no obvious lump, they recognised that something was not right. At the breast clinic, Trish underwent mammograms, ultrasounds and biopsies. Initially, she was reassured that there was no lump to feel. She was then told that there was a small area of concern. The plan was for a lumpectomy and a short course of radiotherapy, and she recalls being told that she would likely be back at work in a month. She underwent an MRI, which is when everything changed. It showed that the tumour measured approximately 72 millimetres. Following surgery, it was confirmed to be 75 millimetres. Trish’s treatment changed completely: she needed a mastectomy with immediate reconstruction, followed by 15 rounds of radiotherapy. She is currently undergoing 10 years of hormone therapy. She certainly was not back at work after a month. Trish’s experience raises important questions. Lobular breast cancer is the second most common type of breast cancer, yet many women have never even heard of it. Unlike the breast cancers many of us are more familiar with, lobular breast cancer often does not form a distinct lump. Instead, it grows in strand-like tumours, making it much harder to detect on mammograms and feel during examination. That is why women with lobular breast cancer are so often diagnosed later, when tumours are much larger and treatment becomes far more extensive. For Trish, six mammograms over more than a decade failed to detect her cancer. That is why the work of the Lobular Moon Shot Project matters. Campaigners are not asking for special treatment; they are asking for research into lobular breast cancer that reflects the scale of the challenge. They are asking for earlier diagnosis, better understanding of how the disease behaves, improved imaging and more effective treatments. Above all, they are asking that women with lobular breast cancer are no longer overlooked because their cancer behaves differently. Awareness of lobular breast cancer must improve. For many years, the message has quite rightly been, “Check for lumps,” but breast cancer is not always a lump; women also need to know about dimpling, puckering, changes in breast shape, thickening of the breast tissue and changes to the skin. As Trish said to me, “You should know your breasts as well as you know your face.” I welcome the engagement that Ministers have already had with campaigners and researchers, and I hope that today’s debate marks another step forward.

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36. 9 Jul 2026·Parliament·Labour·Sarah Hall

    Lobular Breast Cancer: Moon Shot Project

    Trish is a phenomenal campaigner—a lot like Susan—and she wants to work together to create an awareness campaign so that women understand that there is a difference between types of breast cancer. We are looking to establish a support group for women who have lobular breast cancer; that is in the works. On training, my hon. Friend is absolutely right: recognition and training forms part of research, understanding and detection—what it is and what causes it—but also what we need to do in the training required by people in the profession. I hope that the Government will continue working with researchers, clinicians and the Lobular Moon Shot Project to improve understanding of lobular breast cancer, support further research and ensure that women receive the earliest and most accurate diagnosis possible. Behind every statistic is someone like Trish, a woman who did everything that she was supposed to and who wants her experience to help somebody else. Next week, many of the women I stood with outside Downing Street will gather once again. My hope is that one day, they will no longer need to, and that through better research, greater awareness and earlier diagnosis, fewer women will hear the words that Trish heard. I hope that colleagues from across will continue to stand with those women until that becomes a reality.

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37. 9 Jul 2026·Parliament·Labour·Richard Baker

    Business of the House

    At the end of May, a 94-year-old woman in my constituency was hospitalised with life-threatening injuries after she was run over by a teenager who was recklessly and illegally driving a Sur-Ron e-bike. The Government have rightly taken action through the seizure of bikes that are being driven illegally, but will my right hon. Friend allocate time for Members to consider, in the House, what action might be taken at point of sale to tackle this huge problem, which is causing damage and harm in our constituencies?

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38. 9 Jul 2026·Parliament·Labour·Rachael Maskell

    Conflicts: Impact on Older People

    It is a pleasure to serve under your chairship, Mr Betts. I congratulate the hon. Member for Strangford (Jim Shannon) on securing this debate. I also wish his mother a very happy birthday for next Tuesday. In many areas of deep conflict, the population rarely reaches our definition of older people. In Gaza, life expectancy has plummeted from 73 years to just 40.5 years. In Sudan, life expectancy is 66 years, and in Nigeria and Chad, it is 55 years. Compare those numbers with the UK life expectancy of 81.3 years or the life expectancy in Japan of 84.7 years. It is a privilege that our nation is safe, secure and conflict-free. Those figures show that conflict shortens lives by decades through poor access to healthcare and pharmaceuticals; disability, disruption and displacement; prevalence of disease and hastened frailty; and an environment of climate change, floods and famine. Gender-based violence scars the lives of its survivors. I am so proud that our Foreign Secretary has rightly placed tackling the prevalence of the use of gender-based violence as a weapon of war at the heart of her work. Access to healthcare, an issue that I particularly look at in my work in the House, is significantly reduced, with the targeting of health facilities and health professionals now central in many conflicts. We have seen that in Gaza and in Sudan. Health professionals working there run these risks in the work that they do and because they are targeted by weapons. That breaks the rules of just wars, but these wars, of course, are never just. We have also seen the shrinking capacity of healthcare against the increased demand, whether from the wounds of war or the poor mental health sustained from the sharp rise of sexual violence against women. As a result, the ability to access healthcare is reduced, and that, of course, will always impact older people the most. Often in war, we look at the wounds and we understand why, but it is the chronic conditions—the cancers, the diabetes and other illnesses—that often get forgotten; it is the drugs not getting through, the treatments not available, the clinicians simply diverted to acute care. Our hearts beat when we know that a child has been rescued or a life has been saved, but although the life of an older person is of equal value, often the resources are not there to save or sustain that life. As the hon. Member for Strangford said, it is often the elderly who stay behind in conflict zones because they cannot move—they cannot be displaced, and they stay in those areas. We have seen that in Ukraine and in many other areas. Our research shows that moving an elderly person has other impacts; it can cause much confusion and have a real impact on mental wellbeing. We need to take on board why so many older people die in conflict; it is because they are in the direct firing line, or because the facilities and infrastructure that keep them going are removed. This is not just about healthcare. It is about social care and the social infrastructure when family is no longer available to provide support. State provision can be disrupted, and pensions no longer available. Food supplies are diverted into emergency and humanitarian aid. It is so important that we put older people at the front of all agendas. I say that as chair of the all-party parliamentary group for ageing and older people; I take this matter very seriously. Now, with severe cuts to international aid, a humanitarian response is more challenging. I urge the Government to return to 0.7% as a matter of urgency and to provide leadership once again, to ensure that we can provide aid. Not everyone will be able to receive that, but we should provide it to as many people as possible. Older lives matter, too. When infrastructure breaks down, resilience plummets and that is particularly stark among older people. The Government must be mindful of that when appraising their priorities. Without financial resilience, even the basics become barriers, especially for women in conflict zones. Aid must ensure provision of food, care, medicines and support. It needs to be a lifeline. This is not just about the physical impact of destitution and the health consequences. The psychological trauma must be recognised, too. Elders play such a pivotal role in communities and families. If their resilience is broken, so is that of their societies. In many societies to this day, women are at particular risk of violence and abuse, including sexual violence. It has been a taboo subject, not least among the older generation, yet it is so traumatic. Last Ukraine day, an event was held in my constituency where I heard from a Ukrainian woman and saw a film about the sexual violence being perpetrated against women in Ukraine, and the horrors and the scars that it has left them with. They did not speak, because of the shame it brought them and the trauma that they were going through, but, when they started to share their stories, it brought healing between them. Without the proper support and psychological care wrapped around individuals, that healing does not come. That is why I am so proud that our Foreign Secretary has recognised that and has put resources into it, particularly in the Sudan region. We need to make sure that women there access the support.

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39. 9 Jul 2026·Parliament·Labour·Rachael Maskell

    Conflicts: Impact on Older People

    I am really grateful to my hon. Friend for raising that point, as it is so important to make a catalogue of war crimes. Whether they are committed against the elderly, or they consist of any other form of violence, including sexual violence, it is crucial that we keep good records so that we can hold perpetrators to account when the opportunity arises. We know that if older people do not get the right nutrition, it has a massive impact on their ability to function. They can have greater episodes of confusion, making life much more challenging; they can become frailer; and they can rapidly lose their mobility, meaning that they have more complex needs. Good distribution of humanitarian aid is vital for the vulnerable, and we must always ensure that we factor in access to targeted support. It is not only about ensuring that people have the ability to reach that food; it must also be prepared for them in the right way. We have been talking about some of the challenges that we have seen in Sudan as of late. It is a horrendous and complex war, so I am glad that it was discussed at the NATO summit recently and remains at the forefront of our Government’s mind. It is very much a forgotten war in so many respects. Evidence has also shown that the elderly in Sudan have been in the direct line of violence. It is important that we do not forget that either. Older people—not least women—play a crucial role in the home and in the community, which often ripples out far beyond. Often, they are the ones who build the bridges, build the civil society, create the pathways to peace and organise communities at their most challenged. It is often the older women who can use their wisdom to bring co-ordination and build a way to the future. Indeed, I have been inspired by many older women leaders who have led the charge out of conflict, into a more resilient future. However, we must also recognise that there are significant challenges. First, what are the Government doing to provide better protections for older people and their rights? We in the all-party parliamentary group undertook an inquiry into the human rights of older people, which looked at the frameworks and mechanisms that we can deploy to enhance and protect those rights, and to ensure that people can uphold them. The work of the UN convention on the rights of older people has been inspiring, and it very much follows the lines along which other rights have been established, including the rights of the child or disabled people, to ensure that the protected characteristic of older people is upheld. Of course, it falls on the Foreign Office to advance that work and ensure that the UK plays a full role. We must bring our experience into that space so that older people’s identity can be seen, and so that their needs, in particular, can be supported. I ask the minister: what exactly are we doing to lead that work? Will the UK adopt the UN convention, once it has been established, to ensure that women, men and older people across the piece have their value recognised and their rights upheld? Having a rights-based framework will move the agenda; it will enable us to focus on that protected characteristic—for example, age-inclusive specialists can help to reprioritise the humanitarian response, particularly in health or care. We must also ensure that we have good data to accompany that work, so that we know exactly how to focus our humanitarian response. Of course, when it comes to healthcare insurance, we can then ensure that pharmaceuticals and equipment are available in conflict areas to meet the needs of the demographic that we are debating today. When only 0.1% of humanitarian funding databases mention older people, we know we have a problem. Can the Minister assure me that the Foreign Office will write older people into all its work, and will spread that good practice to agencies and other nations? Will the Government ensure that their humanitarian response is always age-inclusive, with an understanding of the risks that older people face when social infrastructure is destroyed by conflict? Will they also ensure that distribution is targeted to reach elderly people who have both chronic and acute health needs, wherever that focus is required? Will the Government promote opportunities for social protections, such as social security and pensions, among older people in conflict zones to ensure that they can access the resources that they need? Of course, it is important in many countries, as it is in this one, that people can use more traditional ways to access those services. Will the Government ensure that they crunch the numbers for conflict areas and use the data to design humanitarian responses, recognising the prevalence of older people and the focus that they need? Finally, I again make the point that the pivotal game changer for the issue is to have a UN convention on the rights of older people. That is about giving agency to older people in conflict zones, to better facilitate their participation in humanitarian planning, peace building, monitoring and decision taking. I look forward to hearing the Minister’s response, and to contributions from the shadow Minister, the hon. Member for Fylde (Mr Snowden), and the Lib Dem spokesperson, the hon. Member for Horsham (John Milne). I trust that we can rebuild our humanitarian response with good data, programmes and rights to support older people in conflict zones.

    Hansard source
40. 9 Jul 2026·Parliament·Labour·Rachael Maskell

    Conflicts: Impact on Older People

    I am grateful because this is such a fundamental issue that I have focused on for some time. Will the Minister say what steps the Government are taking to expedite the process, and what kind of timescale are we looking at to see that convention in place?

    Hansard source