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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. 24 Jun 2026·Parliament·Labour·Sarah Coombes

   Media Green Paper

   Given that we are in a world of fake news, and the impact of that on public trust, I really welcome the Secretary of State’s work to modernise the prominence regime. The BBC is the jewel in our national crown. People have mentioned the cuts; it is a real shame that we are seeing cuts to really important consumer shows, like “Money Box Live”. Scams are everywhere, so these shows are vital to our nation. Can the Secretary of State say a bit more about the BBC and its importance to our nation?

   Hansard source
2. 24 Jun 2026·Parliament·Labour·Samantha Niblett

   Farming: Financial Sustainability

   It is a pleasure to serve under your chairship, Mr Turner. As I frantically go through the speech that I wrote before the statement today, I might end up saying a load of things that have been covered already, so I will snip it really short, mindful of the short amount of time that we have. I want to raise awareness of something I have already written to the Secretary of State about: the recent introduction of crippling electricity standing charges in the farming sector. I also want to put back on the agenda using the sustainable farming incentive to fund increased uptake of leguminous protein crops, and recognising the value of those crops as nitrogen-fixing tools in arable rotation. That would allow growers to optimise the efficient use of artificial fertiliser alongside strategically and environmentally beneficial crop production methods that also support domestic food production. I am mindful, as always, of the need to support our farmers—now more than ever. We need to show our farmers that we care by taking action to support and celebrate them. I very much look forward to reading in full this report in my hand. I could not be in the Chamber for the statement, but I look forward to watching that back and to listening to everybody else’s questions.

   Hansard source
3. 24 Jun 2026·Parliament·Labour·Samantha Dixon

   Elections: First Past the Post

   It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Mr Turner. I thank the hon. Member for Richmond Park (Sarah Olney) for calling the debate, and all hon. Members who have contributed to it. The Government recognise the strength of feeling expressed today regarding our voting system, which after all sits at the heart of our democracy. We welcome open and constructive debate on the voting systems we use and their effectiveness, whether by long-standing Members or more recently elected Members. As set out in our manifesto and our strategy for modern and secure elections, the Government believe that strengthening our democracy, upholding the integrity of elections and encouraging voter participation are key priorities and fundamental responsibilities for Government. Our Representation of the People Bill, which is currently before Parliament, contains a range of measures that will deliver on those commitments. As the hon. Member for Wokingham (Clive Jones) mentioned, that includes protecting elections against foreign interference. It also means moving towards more automated voter registration, strengthening the resilience of our electoral processes and opening up democratic participation for the next generation by removing barriers to increased participation. Those are substantial electoral reforms, and the Bill represents the boldest and most ambitious change to our democracy for decades. It will help to keep our elections secure, build public trust and encourage more people across society to engage and participate. Turning to the specific matter of this debate, the Government recognise that different voting systems can be better suited to different types of polls and elections. We believe that the first-past-the-post system works where people are elected to a body, such as a council or Parliament, where there is a mix of representatives from different parties and platforms. Although it is not perfect, the first-past-the-post system provides a robust, efficient and secure way of electing those representatives. It provides for strong and clear local accountability, ensuring a direct link between elected representatives and local constituents, as so ably demonstrated—and dare I say, embodied—by the hon. Member for Strangford (Jim Shannon). The first-past-the-post system is also well understood by voters, and as such we do not want to make any changes just for the sake of it. At present, therefore, the Government have no plans to change the electoral system for UK parliamentary elections or local council elections in England. For single-person executive positions, such as mayors or police and crime commissioners, the same reasoning does not apply, as they exercise their powers as individuals. We therefore believe it is appropriate to use a different voting system—the supplementary vote system—which allows voters to express a first and second preference, and which requires the winning candidate to receive the majority of the votes counted.

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4. 24 Jun 2026·Parliament·Labour·Samantha Dixon

   Elections: First Past the Post

   I will write to the hon. Member on that point, but I would say that the supplementary voting system ensures that mayors have a broader base of support from the people they represent. SV was the system used when the roles of mayors and PCCs were first established, and it was changed to first past the post following the Elections Act 2022. The Government have been consistently clear about our intention to revert the system back to SV. I refer the hon. Member for Cheadle (Mr Morrison) to the fact that we have already passed the necessary legislation to change it back in some cases. The change for other mayoral systems and police and crime commissioners will occur in due course, once the relevant measures in the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Act 2026 are commenced. The forthcoming mayoral election in Greater Manchester will therefore take place under SV, which we have always been clear is the most appropriate system for electing mayors. However, the electoral system we use is just one part of ensuring trust in our democracy. We are also strengthening the postal and proxy voting system to make it more resilient and responsive. We are introducing tougher political finance rules that will give electors more confidence in how political parties are funded and protect UK politics from foreign interference. And we recently launched a democratic engagement fund to provide £2.5 million to increase democratic participation. Turning to the points raised by other hon. Members, trust in our elections is important to everyone in this House, as referenced by the hon. Members for North Herefordshire (Dr Chowns), for South Cotswolds (Dr Savage) and for Hazel Grove (Lisa Smart). That is central to what we are trying to do in the Representation of the People Bill. The Government recognise that our voting system is of fundamental importance in ensuring trust between elected representatives and the public. Although the first-past-the-post system is not perfect, it is a way of ensuring that elected representatives have a strong connection with their constituents. My hon. Friend the Member for Falkirk (Euan Stainbank) talked about disengagement from voting. I would gently suggest that that was not borne out by the recent by-election in Makerfield, which saw high levels of participation. In reference to his remarks and those of my hon. Friend the Member for Edinburgh South West (Dr Arthur) regarding the devolved Governments, we work closely with them; indeed, I met Ministers from Scotland and Wales yesterday to discuss our proposals for legislation and bringing them forward, so that we can learn and work together across our country. I think I have covered the comments about trust and involvement. Several hon. Members—including the hon. Members for South Cotswolds, for Didcot and Wantage (Olly Glover) and for North Herefordshire, and my hon. Friends the Members for Edinburgh South West and for Falkirk—asked about a national commission on electoral reform. We have no plans to set up such a commission and do not believe that doing so is appropriate or necessary at this time. The important reforms we plan to introduce as part of the Representation of the People Bill will ensure that our democracy remains secure and robust in elections going forward. To summarise, the Government are content that first past the post is the appropriate system for use in UK parliamentary elections and local council elections in England, and that the supplementary vote system should be used for single executive positions. We currently have no plans to make any further changes to that approach. Although I appreciate that that is disappointing news for many hon. Members in the room, we will continue to welcome discussion and feedback on this important topic. In closing, I thank the hon. Member for Richmond Park for securing this important debate, and all hon. Members who have contributed.

   Hansard source
5. 24 Jun 2026·Parliament·Labour·Sadik Al-Hassan

   Draft Local Government (Structural and Boundary Changes) (Control of Disposals etc.) (Amendment) Order 2026

   It is a pleasure to serve under your chairship, Mr Vickers. I support this technical but important correction. Section 27’s anti-avoidance provisions exist to prevent authorities facing dissolution from disposing of assets to avoid scrutiny, but their value depends on the reference date staying current. My constituency of North Somerset is a useful illustration of why this matters in the long term. It has been a unitary authority since 1996 and, even 30 years on, legacy questions around assets, contracts and historical boundary decisions can resurface. Updating the baseline in section 27 from December 2006 to 31 March 2025 is sensible housekeeping, which ensures that the consent regime keeps pace with present-day restructuring, rather than the baseline being tied to the 2008-09 wave of unitarisation. It is the kind of provision that must be kept under continual review so that it does not drift out of date in the same way a second time.

   Hansard source
6. 24 Jun 2026·Parliament·Labour·Sadik Al-Hassan

   Farming: Financial Sustainability

   It is a pleasure to serve under your chairship, Mr Turner. My constituency is built on the backs of family farms that I have visited, many of them run by the same family for generations. I have had the privilege of sitting around kitchen tables with farmers and the NFU, and I hear the same thing time and again: making a profit from growing food in this country is almost impossible. However, North Somerset farmers do not do this job for the money; they do it as a way of life, and with the hope—often a distant one—that one day prices will allow them, or their children, to make a decent living from this land. I warmly welcome the long-term farming road map published today and the Government’s response to the Baroness Batters review. I also welcome the action on supply chain fairness and the transfer of the Groceries Code Adjudicator to DEFRA. That matters because farmers need a fair price. As a member of the Labour rural research group, I asked the Minister, as this road map is delivered, to keep welfare labelling firmly in view. It could put an extra £60 million into farmers’ pockets. LRRG research suggests British farmers are losing out by as much as half a billion pounds, undercut by lower-welfare imports. A mandatory tiered labelling system would build on the excellent foundations laid today. Farmers in North Somerset have waited a long time for a Government willing to back them with a genuine plan. Today, they have one.

   Hansard source
7. 24 Jun 2026·Parliament·Labour·Rosie Wrighting

   Farming Road Map and Profitability Review

   I thank the Secretary of State for coming to the House and showing her commitment to domestic food production. Supporting farmers should not just matter to those of us in this House who represent rural or semi-rural constituencies; it should matter to everyone, because it is so crucial for our national security. With that in mind, what support can we give to our farmers to ensure that they can buy equipment such as tractors from UK manufacturers and not have to rely on production elsewhere?

   Hansard source
8. 24 Jun 2026·Parliament·Labour·Rebecca Long Bailey

   Media Green Paper

   The Secretary of State’s dedication to trusted news and promoting public service media is really welcome, but I am sure she shares my concerns that this will be dramatically undermined by the recent announcements of brutal cuts at STV and the BBC, as thousands of jobs and programmes are at risk of being lost. Will she urgently intervene to project jobs and the future of public service media?

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9. 24 Jun 2026·Parliament·Labour·Rebecca Long Bailey

   Nottingham Maternity and Neonatal Services

   The whole House is appalled by the neglect, contempt, and sheer trauma that these families have faced. I commend their strength and the strength of my hon. Friend the Member for Sherwood Forest (Michelle Welsh), but these themes are chillingly all too familiar. The Secretary of State will be aware that NHS England has taken enforcement action against the Northern Care Alliance in recent weeks over multiple safety concerns. Indeed, staff and I raised serious safety concerns relating to the gynaecology department directly with the trust as far back as last year, demanding urgent action, but little happened. Will the Secretary of State meet me to discuss these issues, and will he outline what action he will now take to ensure that patient safety, adequate resourcing and safe staffing levels are urgently addressed at the trust?

   Hansard source
10. 24 Jun 2026·Parliament·Labour·Rachel Hopkins

    Engagements

    Q10. Following last Friday’s train collision south of Bedford, the emergency response from Bedfordshire police, the British Transport police, Bedfordshire fire and rescue service, the East of England ambulance service, Magpas air ambulance and other counties’ air ambulances, our local NHS hospitals, and of course railway staff was swift, professional and compassionate in supporting those who were impacted, especially in such distressing circumstances. This was public service at its best. Will the Prime Minister join me in thanking all those involved for their outstanding work in the aftermath of this tragic incident?

    Hansard source
11. 24 Jun 2026·Parliament·Labour·Peter Swallow

    Media Green Paper

    Last week we had a powerful reminder of how important trusted news broadcasting is when the BBC reported that arson attacks targeting the Prime Minister and his family were orchestrated by Russia. Not stopping there, Russian-backed bots then spread homophobic misinformation about those attacks. We know how the Conservative party responded to that: its deputy chair, the hon. Member for Stockton West (Matt Vickers), went on national TV and laughed. Now we can see how this Labour Government are responding to the issue. Can I urge the Secretary of State to go even further on supporting trusted news sources, as a powerful response to misinformation and disinformation online, a lot of it fuelled by our foreign adversaries?

    Hansard source
12. 24 Jun 2026·Parliament·Labour·Peter Swallow

    Climate Change

    It absolutely will be about jobs—I thank the right hon. Lady for giving way. The CBI—not the Government, but the CBI—has found that the net zero economy is worth £100 billion of investment in this country every year and supports 1.1 million jobs.

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13. 24 Jun 2026·Parliament·Labour·Peter Swallow

    Climate Change

    My hon. Friend is making an important point. I have been contacted by many constituents who have engaged with the “People’s Emergency Briefing” campaign. One of its key asks is greater public awareness of the effects of climate change. Does he agree that the Government should do more to make sure that people are aware of the effects of climate change? Perhaps we could start with the shadow Secretary of State.

    Hansard source
14. 24 Jun 2026·Parliament·Labour·Paulette Hamilton

    Engagements

    Q8. I thank the Prime Minister for his leadership. One of the concerns I hear most often from my constituents across Erdington, Kingstanding, Castle Vale and south Oscott is about the rapid growth of exempt accommodation. In my constituency and across Birmingham, properties refused house in multiple occupation licences are opening anyway as exempt accommodation, with very little scrutiny. This undermines local communities and decision makers, so will the Prime Minister confirm when new legislation will be brought forward and whether it will close the loopholes? Will that legislation and its regulations be applied retrospectively, so that communities such as mine are protected?

    Hansard source
15. 24 Jun 2026·Parliament·Labour·Paulette Hamilton

    Nottingham Maternity and Neonatal Services

    May I start by saying that my thoughts are with the families and with the babies who have died? I would also like to say to my hon. Friend the Member for Sherwood Forest (Michelle Welsh): I am sorry you had to go through this. It should not have happened, and I am angry. I am a member of the Health and Social Care Committee, and the reason I am angry is that last year we did a follow-up review on black maternal health, and the same things kept coming up over and over again: racism, equality issues, women being silenced, a lack of governance, women not being heard, unavoidable deaths, and a lack of accountability. Where does it stop? There is a lack of training, and the system is failing our women; we have had over 70 recommendations, but that is what we found last year. Every time we say, “Enough is enough”, what happens? We have yet another review. My daughter had a baby a few years ago. If I had not been with her, she would have lost that baby, because it was as if she was invisible. It was not until somebody else went into the room with her and said, “Enough”, that the people there were really willing to listen. These failures are systemic. What worries me is that funding is not ringfenced for maternity services—it can go anywhere in the system. Once this review—or whatever it might be—has been done, what will be done to ensure that the funding follows the recommendations? It is no good having the funding there if it is being run by local organisations that are using it to plug holes. That has got to stop.

    Hansard source
16. 24 Jun 2026·Parliament·Labour·Paula Barker

    Engagements

    Q7. My constituent Jake McGregor-How, a 16-year-old with everything to live for, has been diagnosed with Friedreich’s ataxia—a rare neurodegenerative condition that is cruel and swift-acting. The average life expectancy of people diagnosed with it is just 37. Despite the NHS’s founding principle that care should be based on clinical need, not ability to pay, Jake’s father is crowdfunding to pay for treatment in Germany with a new drug, omaveloxolone, which has received clinical approval here but is not available through the NHS. Assessment by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence has stalled. The condition is not classed as an ultra-rare disease, yet it is rare enough that any drug to treat it will struggle to meet NICE’s cost-effectiveness criteria.The family constantly have to raise enough money to pay for each round of treatment. Shockingly, Jake has recently undertaken a personal independence payment assessment and been turned down for much-needed support. Families should never have to crowdfund for treatment abroad for a life-threatening disease. Will the Prime Minister arrange for me and other colleagues who have constituents with this cruel condition to meet the Health Secretary to discuss a way forward?

    Hansard source
17. 24 Jun 2026·Parliament·Labour·Olivia Blake

    Climate Change

    I declare an interest as chair of the climate and nature crisis caucus. I also refer Members to my entry in the Register of Members’ Financial Interests. It is a pleasure to speak in support of the Carbon Budget Order 2026. As I stand here, the UK is experiencing a frightening heatwave and a rare red weather warning, which means a risk to all, not just the vulnerable. That is how hot it is outside. Another heat record has been absolutely smashed. It was 36.1°C last time I checked, but who knows if it has gone up in the minutes that we have been sitting here? Surely Opposition Members cannot now bury their heads in the red-hot sand and deny that climate change is real. It is coming fast, and we are living through it right now.

    Hansard source
18. 24 Jun 2026·Parliament·Labour·Olivia Blake

    Climate Change

    I wonder whether the hon. Member will vote against this measure. That would tell her constituents very clearly her view on this matter. Back in 2008, under a Labour Government, the UK became the first country to introduce a comprehensive climate framework through the Climate Change Act, which set out the legally binding five-year carbon budgets that we have been reviewing and looking at. As has been said, with carbon budget 6 we did not get the opportunity for scrutiny that we should have got. That legislation was groundbreaking and ensured that Governments can be held to account for delivering long-term climate action. I thank the Minister for her efforts to bring that about. Nearly two decades later, we can see the impact of that foresight. The UK has successfully halved its territorial greenhouse gas emissions compared with 1990 levels, as we have heard, with much of that progress driven by decarbonisation of the energy system. That is a significant national achievement that we should all be proud of, and it is evidence that ambitious climate policy can deliver real results. It is therefore fitting that it once again falls to a Labour Government to confront one of the defining challenges of our times. The seventh carbon budget commits the UK to reducing emissions by 87% by 2040 compared with 1990 levels. If achieved, that will mark substantial progress towards our legally binding commitment to reach net zero by 2050. However, at present the UK is built for a climate that no longer exists. The economic impacts are staggering, costing the UK economy around £60 billion a year—about 2% of GDP and rising—through things such as flood damage, loss of crops and other forms of weather damage. We should also be mindful of the growing environmental footprint of our digital infrastructure. As data centres expand across the UK to meet rising demand, their substantial energy consumption underlines why decarbonising our power system is not simply an environmental imperative, but an economic one. That would provide more opportunities in that space. I welcome this budget. As we know, climate action is about more than meeting targets; it is about building a country where children are not exposed to toxic air, and where we have warmer, well-insulated homes, lower energy bills and greater energy security. It is about ensuring that future generations inherit a safer and more sustainable world. However, support for the Government’s ambition should not mean complacency about the scale of the challenge ahead. We face many interconnected crises, such as the climate crisis, the cost of living crisis and the nature emergency. Families continue to face high energy costs, while communities increasingly experience the impacts of flooding and extreme weather. The answer is not to slow down the transition and make things worse, but to accelerate it in a way that delivers tangible benefits for our communities.

    Hansard source
19. 24 Jun 2026·Parliament·Labour·Olivia Blake

    Climate Change

    Obviously we cannot do this on our own, which is why the global leadership we show in this space is very important. We have international agreements that aim for 1.5°, but as we have heard, we are heading more towards 2°, 3° or 4°. Moving away from our own commitments will leave us further behind; globally, emissions must peak urgently and then decline rapidly. The UK’s influence has always exceeded its size—we have always punched above our weight, and I am proud of that—and our credibility depends on continuing to lead by example. That is why we must see this carbon budget not as a ceiling but as a floor. The budget broadly reflects the direction of current Government policy, but it must be accompanied by the bold action necessary to deliver it. The Environmental Audit Committee, of which I am a member, has been clear that the UK’s climate credibility depends on not simply setting ambitious goals, but demonstrating how those goals can be achieved. The Committee has called on the Government to set out clearly how this budget will be met and how the policies that underpin it will be delivered, reducing emissions in the way it sets out to do. However, today marks an important first step, and I am proud to see something ambitious in front of us. If we are serious about meeting this budget, we must match ambition with action—accelerating clean energy, not abandoning it; upgrading our housing stock from what has historically been some of the poorest in Europe; supporting the industries of the future, which will provide jobs; and ensuring that communities across this country share in the benefits of this transition, leaving no community behind. The prize is enormous—we should not listen to the naysayers. Lower exposure to volatile energy prices, greater energy independence, more skilled jobs, better security, cleaner communities and a stronger economy are within our grasp. Climate action is not a burden to be managed; it is a necessary opportunity to be seized. As such, I support the order that is before the House, but I also urge Ministers to see it as the beginning of the task before us, not the end. Ignore the naysayers—the science demands urgency, our constituents expect leadership, and the opportunity is before us. Demand that we are bold, and let us meet this moment with the ambition it deserves.

    Hansard source
20. 24 Jun 2026·Parliament·Labour·Olivia Bailey

    Discrimination against Trans People

    Trans people deserve to live their life with dignity and respect, and without shame. This Government are committed to protecting and advancing the rights of trans people, including by equalising hate-crime legislation, delivering a trans-inclusive ban on conversion practices, and improving gender healthcare services.

    Hansard source
21. 24 Jun 2026·Parliament·Labour·Olivia Bailey

    Discrimination against Trans People

    I am so sorry to hear from my hon. Friend about the experience of her constituent, and I recognise how much anxiety there is in the trans community at the moment. Let me be clear that trans people’s rights against discrimination and harassment are protected in law—a fact that was underlined in the Supreme Court judgment. This Government are committed to defending and extending the rights of trans people in this country, including by equalising hate crime law and improving healthcare, and through our trans-inclusive ban on conversion practices.

    Hansard source
22. 24 Jun 2026·Parliament·Labour·Olivia Bailey

    Discrimination against Trans People

    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.

    Hansard source
23. 24 Jun 2026·Parliament·Labour·Olivia Bailey

    Conversion Practices Ban

    Conversion practices are an abhorrent and insidious form of abuse, perpetrated by people who believe that being LGBT is not only wrong but can be forcibly changed. This Government will ban that abuse.

    Hansard source
24. 24 Jun 2026·Parliament·Labour·Olivia Bailey

    Conversion Practices Ban

    I thank Pride in North Cumbria and Cumbria Pride for their brilliant work. My hon. Friend is right to say that Pride events are a wonderful asset to the community. Given recent decisions to defund Pride events, this is a lesson that Reform councils clearly need to learn. I can confirm that this Labour Government will ban abusive conversion practices, and we will be publishing our draft Bill very soon.

    Hansard source
25. 24 Jun 2026·Parliament·Labour·Olivia Bailey

    Conversion Practices Ban

    I thank the hon. Gentleman for his question, and I look forward to discussing this matter further with him when we have published our draft Bill. Let me be very clear that what we are talking about is criminalising abuse that should happen to nobody, anywhere, in any situation or setting.

    Hansard source
26. 24 Jun 2026·Parliament·Labour·Olivia Bailey

    Topical Questions

    I thank my hon. Friend for that important question. The code is clear that nobody should be left without the services they need. The EHRC is clear that it will monitor the impact of the code.

    Hansard source
27. 24 Jun 2026·Parliament·Labour·Oliver Ryan

    Universal Credit, Personal Independence Payment, Jobseeker’s Allowance and Employment and Support Allowance (Decisions and Appeals) (Amendment) Regulations 2026 (SI, 2026, No.457)

    The reassessment changes that we are introducing through this statutory instrument and other measures will save something like £2 billion by the end of the Parliament. I am sure we all agree that would be welcome, given the increasing size of the welfare bill. Why is the hon. Member opposing that saving, and how would she fill the gap instead?

    Hansard source
28. 24 Jun 2026·Parliament·Labour·Oliver Ryan

    Universal Credit, Personal Independence Payment, Jobseeker’s Allowance and Employment and Support Allowance (Decisions and Appeals) (Amendment) Regulations 2026 (SI, 2026, No.457)

    The hon. Gentleman talks about the types of assessment and the way in which the assessment is done, and he is right to talk about capacity. Just before the election, the previous Government signed new contracts that said 80% of new assessments would be done virtually. The changes to reassessment in these regulations will save money and move more of those assessments from being virtual to face to face, which will better serve people on PIP. Does the hon. Gentleman not support the introduction of more face-to-face assessments?

    Hansard source
29. 24 Jun 2026·Parliament·Labour·Oliver Ryan

    Universal Credit, Personal Independence Payment, Jobseeker’s Allowance and Employment and Support Allowance (Decisions and Appeals) (Amendment) Regulations 2026 (SI, 2026, No.457)

    As the Minister is reading out his list of achievements, may I add to it? Does he think it is a good thing that we have put nearly £1 billion into support for the sick and disabled? That will partly come from savings from this and other measures, which we hope will save £1.9 billion by the end of the Parliament. As he says, the act of government is about making these difficult decisions and trade-offs in order to provide people with more support in the long run.

    Hansard source
30. 24 Jun 2026·Parliament·Labour·Noah Law

    Farming Road Map and Profitability Review

    I really welcome the ambition of the road map, particularly the focus on buying British and the nod to honest food labelling. We must now make that ambition real and focus steadfastly on the drivers of farm profitability, so that farmers are making more money from their core business of farming by the end of this Parliament than they were when it started. In that spirit, the Labour rural research group continues our calls for honest origin labelling for food. I hope the Secretary of State will back those calls and commit, as did her predecessor, to meeting the LRRG to discuss this issue further.

    Hansard source
31. 24 Jun 2026·Parliament·Labour·Natasha Irons

    Media Green Paper

    I declare an interest: I worked for a public service broadcaster and my husband still does. I say as somebody who understands the sector a bit that it is not just about public service but about recognising Britishness on our screens and in the media and, essentially, protecting what it is to be us, as well as providing opportunities for people to get into the sector. I really welcome the thinking on this issue, but can the Secretary of State give us a bit more detail on how the changes will ensure that our public service media are protected for the future, so that people can continue to access high-quality news and content in general, and are given opportunities?

    Hansard source
32. 24 Jun 2026·Parliament·Labour·Nadia Whittome

    Nottingham Maternity and Neonatal Services

    First, I want to thank the families who were bereaved and harmed by Nottingham University hospitals NHS trust—some of the most courageous and selfless people I have had the privilege of knowing, including my hon. Friend the Member for Sherwood Forest (Michelle Welsh). They have for years relentlessly pursued the truth, justice, accountability and real change, often at great personal cost, and not only for their own families but to prevent future families having to endure similar trauma and cruelty. I also want to express my sincere gratitude to Donna Ockenden for her service to Nottinghamshire. I am so thankful that it was her who led this review. The scale and magnitude of the systemic failures uncovered by the review are truly harrowing. Mothers and babies were harmed and even died through the most shocking negligence and indifference. Families were lied to, disbelieved, blamed and gaslit. Mistakes were covered up and regulators failed to do their jobs. One of my constituents included in the review summed up well where we go from here when she told the Secretary of State that “we need immediate action and we need long-term accountability”. On immediate actions, will the Secretary of State set out a timeline of when he expects to be able to implement the recommendations in full? On accountability, is he open to a statutory inquiry, provided that it does not delay criminal proceedings?

    Hansard source
33. 24 Jun 2026·Parliament·Labour·Ms Julie Minns

    Farming: Financial Sustainability

    It is a pleasure to serve under your chairship, Mr Turner. About 55% of my Carlisle constituency is agricultural land. Farming remains vital to our local economy, our identity and our communities. However, more than half of the farmland in our county—some 54%—is classified as “less favoured area”. As a result, farmers in my area require substantially more land to support their livestock and maintain viable businesses than is the case in other areas. That is why it is important to recognise the distinction between a farm’s physical size and its economic size. A holding may cover a large number of hectares but that does not mean it generates a proportionally large income or profit. Against that backdrop, in February I wrote to the then Minister of State with concerns about the first round of SFI allocations because SFI funding was open only to farms under 50 hectares. My concern is not with the principle of supporting smaller farms but rather that an approach that focuses solely on physical size does not always reflect the realities of farming across different parts of the country. Farmers in my constituency with holdings of more than 50 hectares will have to go into the next round of SFI and compete with farms that are genuinely large in terms of productive output, with farms that are much larger, and often with land agents. I therefore have two questions for the Minister. Will he please consider how future schemes will consider the impact of LFA land? Will he also confirm that common land farmers will be eligible to apply for the SFI?

    Hansard source
34. 24 Jun 2026·Parliament·Labour·Ms Julie Minns

    Conversion Practices Ban

    The work of Cumbria Pride and Pride in North Cumbria in supporting people to feel accepted and confident in their sexuality stands in stark contrast to those who peddle cruel and abusive conversion practices. The last Conservative Government failed multiple times to introduce a ban on these practices. Will the Minister please confirm that this Government will legislate, and will she set out the steps that the Government are taking to do this?

    Hansard source
35. 24 Jun 2026·Parliament·Labour·Mr Toby Perkins

    Farming Road Map and Profitability Review

    First, I echo the Secretary of State’s thanks to Baroness Batters for this excellent report. She is also right to observe that Reform MPs have not bothered to turn up for this statement. She might also note that no Green MPs have bothered to turn up. They used to be interested in the environment, but sadly those days are long behind us. On the sustainable farming incentive, can the Secretary of State tell us any more about how she will make sure that its new iteration not only is spent and gets to where it is needed, but is available for a wide range of farmers, including the family farms we speak so much about, and is not all snaffled by the major farm companies?

    Hansard source
36. 24 Jun 2026·Parliament·Labour·Mr Toby Perkins

    Taxation (Energy and Vehicles)

    I do not intend to detain the House for long. I welcome the motion to increase the electricity generator levy, which—alongside the Government’s plans to encourage participation at a competitive price in long-term fixed contracts for low-carbon generators—will weaken the link between electricity and gas prices, with the overall effect of bringing down energy bills for my constituents and consumers across the UK, as well as for British businesses. I also welcome the long-overdue increase in the approved mileage allowance for workers from 45p per mile to 55p. It is very noticeable that over the 14 years I was in Parliament under a Conservative Government, that rate stayed exactly the same, while the cost of petrol rose by around 33% and the cost of diesel by around 44%. Every single year, those workers were worse off than they had been the year before. The motion to temporarily reduce vehicle excise duty is also welcome. Right now, HGVs pay about £1,700 on average per vehicle; the motion would change that to £1 this year. Last month, I visited Spectrum Freight in Chesterfield, where we discussed the challenges the industry is facing. It and other businesses in the industry will very much welcome the Government’s sensible approach to supporting the sector at this difficult time.

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37. 24 Jun 2026·Parliament·Labour·Mr Toby Perkins

    Climate Change

    I am happy to do so. Is the right hon. Member aware of the evidence from the Climate Change Committee that says that the cost of doing nothing is more expensive than the cost of everything that is needed for net zero? When she attempts to stand in the way of the transition, what she is actually doing is attempting to pile up the costs on British business and consumers, and on the sustainability of our country. She should understand the impact of her policies, rather than attempting to row back on one of the few things the previous Government should have been proud of.

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38. 24 Jun 2026·Parliament·Labour·Mr Toby Perkins

    Climate Change

    I very much welcome the draft Carbon Budget Order 2026, which sets the level of the seventh carbon budget on the way to our long-term and previously cross-party aim to balance the UK’s carbon emissions by 2050. I have to say that the speech we have just heard from the right hon. Member for East Surrey (Claire Coutinho) was quite remarkable because, at the most fundamental level, it failed to understand what we are doing today. The sixth carbon budget passed by the previous Government in 2020 only got its delivery plan in 2025. Today, we are debating our aim for 2038 to 2042. At this moment, it is not prescriptive about how we get there. That is why, at the most fundamental level, the shadow Secretary of State did not understand what she was debating, and why she failed to get answers to some of the questions that she thought should be answered. I am afraid that, at the most fundamental level, she was on the wrong path.

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39. 24 Jun 2026·Parliament·Labour·Mr Toby Perkins

    Climate Change

    That is a very good place to start, because the shadow Secretary of State suggested that the Climate Change Committee has attempted to silence her. It has not attempted to silence her. What it attempted to do, on a point of fact, was inform her of the basis on which her letter to the committee was wrong. This was not a matter of opinion; the Climate Change Committee was simply explaining to her where the cost of electricity comes from. My hon. Friend makes a good point. The shadow Secretary of State talked about transparency, which is interesting because the fact that we are having a debate on the seventh carbon budget is completely different from what happened on the fourth, fifth and sixth carbon budgets. The sixth carbon budget, under the previous Government, was approved in 17 minutes in a Delegated Legislation Committee, far away from public scrutiny. These are crucial matters. I agree with the shadow Secretary of State that they will have wide-ranging impacts on all of us, and they should be debated on the Floor of the House. I welcome that this Government, unlike the previous one, have brought this forward and reserved time to debate it. In debating this order, it is so disappointing that the political consensus that previously existed has evaporated. It lasted from the Labour Government’s seminal introduction of the Climate Change Act 2008, which was strengthened and updated in 2019 by the Conservative Government. With the introduction of the Climate Change Act and the pathway to net zero, Britain was world-leading in our ambition. The approach was so admired that, far from what the shadow Secretary of State said, it was copied by many other legislatures. How tragic that the Opposition should choose to jettison one of the greatest achievements in their 14 years in government in the face of a threat from the climate deniers in Reform. The approach pursued by successive Governments is working. Since 1990, the UK’s greenhouse gas emissions have been cut by 54%. At the same time, the UK economy has grown.

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40. 24 Jun 2026·Parliament·Labour·Mr Toby Perkins

    Climate Change

    There are many different things that impact energy prices. We have seen £150 taken off the price of bills. I think there is more that can be done to reduce electricity prices, and I will come to that. The reality is that the hon. Gentleman is an advocate of a greater reliance on gas and oil. If anything is explained to us, it is that we have no control over energy prices while we are reliant on gas and oil. Everything that has happened since 2022—[Interruption.] The hon. Gentleman puts his head in his hands. I say to him that the amount that the Government spent in 2022 to cover the cost of the increase in energy prices caused by the start of the Ukraine war was greater than the cost of everything that we will do on net zero between now and 2050. That is the reality: £44 billion pounds was spent propping up people’s gas, electricity and fuel bills at the time of that crisis. That is why we need to get away from that dependence. As I was saying, since 1990, the UK economy has grown, partly powered by the green economy, which last year was found to be growing at three times the rate of the rest of the economy, providing jobs and growth across the country. The most recent CCC assessment found that the UK remains among the leading group of countries that demonstrate sustained emissions reductions. The transition is the pro-business choice. This year’s CBI and Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit report on the net zero economy found that green businesses and their supply chains generated £105 billion in gross value added for the UK economy, as well as supporting over 20,000 small businesses and a million jobs.

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