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12,942 spoken contributions under 12 words (interjections such as “Will the hon. Member give way?”) are hidden. Show them

1. 24 Jun 2026·Parliament·Labour·Daniel Francis

   Nottingham Maternity and Neonatal Services

   I pay tribute to my hon. Friend the Member for Sherwood Forest (Michelle Welsh) for all her work. My heart goes out to those families in Nottinghamshire, and I pay tribute to their work as well. I cannot imagine what it is like to lose a child in those circumstances, but I do know what it is like to see your own child suffer a brain injury at birth. I work very closely with other families with children who have cerebral palsy or hemiplegia, because of what they have been through and what my own family have been through. The reasons why such things happen are often connected with negligence, but they are often a result of other circumstances. In our circumstance, our children were born at 31 weeks, as twins. In other families, it is the fact that this woman is black or that woman is disabled that has caused those issues and that negligence. Will my right hon. Friend act on the recommendations of the Ockenden review and the review that is being undertaken by Baroness Amos, and work to ensure that those disparities are overcome when mothers have a greater risk of these things happening to them?

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2. 24 Jun 2026·Parliament·Labour·Dan Tomlinson

   Taxation (Energy and Vehicles)

   I beg to move, That provision may be made increasing the rate of the electricity generator levy to 55%.

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3. 24 Jun 2026·Parliament·Labour·Dan Tomlinson

   Taxation (Energy and Vehicles)

   The Chancellor has committed to doing what she can to support families and businesses to be responsive in a changing world and responsible in the national interest. The measures before the House assist the Government in that objective. The way that the current energy system works means that households and businesses pay more for their electricity when the gas price is high. The electricity generator levy already recoups some of the excess returns made by renewable generators when high gas prices push electricity prices over the current threshold of £82.61 per megawatt-hour. The Government have decided to increase the rate of the levy from 45% to 55% from 1 July. That will do two things: first, it will ensure that a large proportion of any exceptional revenues from high gas prices are passed back to the Government, providing a revenue stream so that money is available to support businesses and families with the impacts of the conflict in the middle east; and secondly, in the longer term it will support the new voluntary contracts for difference scheme, which was announced in April, by encouraging participation in the scheme. In March, the Government announced a review of mileage rates for employees using their own vehicle for work and the self-employed who use the simplified expenses rates. In recognition of the pressures facing drivers as a result of the effects of the Iran war, the Chancellor announced in May the first uprating of mileage rates in 15 years, backdated to April, to provide immediate support to both groups. Mileage rates will increase for 2026-27 from 45p to 55p for the first 10,000 miles, and then 25p thereafter, with effect from 6 April. That represents the largest ever increase to these mileage rates, benefiting around 2 million employees and 1 million self-employed individuals, and saving over £120 a year for a worker doing 6,000 business miles. It was a privilege recently to meet care workers and the Unison general secretary to hear directly about the difference that this uprating will make to those on the frontline. The general secretary said to me and the Chancellor that this measure is good news for people providing essential public services. It was an honour to meet those who work day in, day out looking after people across the country. I am glad that this measure will have a positive impact on those who do such vital work. Looking ahead, beyond 2026-27, the Government have already committed to a review of those rates and will set out further steps at the Budget. The third measure recognises the key role that the road haulage sector plays in transporting goods across the UK and its disproportionate exposure to fuel costs. The Government are introducing a 12-month holiday from vehicle excise duty for the majority of heavy goods vehicles, which will save a typical HGV £600 on top of the savings from fuel duty. Fuel costs make up a substantial proportion of HGV operating costs, and this action will help to prevent cost pressures from the Iran conflict spreading across the economy. The announcements on mileage rates and HGV VED were part of a wider package of measures announced in May, including on fuel duty. In total, the decisions taken since the 2024 general election to freeze fuel duty will save motorists 11p per litre, or £120 for the average car, £250 for the average van and over £2,000 for the average HGV, compared with the plans we inherited from the previous Government. This Government are taking action to support the economy at a time of global economic uncertainty following the Iran conflict. Our approach of targeting support at those groups who are hardest hit by the conflict will ensure that the measures we take are effective, while protecting the economy from the effects of reckless borrowing that took place under the previous Government.

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4. 24 Jun 2026·Parliament·Labour·Dan Tomlinson

   Taxation (Energy and Vehicles)

   The hon. Gentleman says it was for covid, but he forgot to mention Liz Truss. This Government’s record shows that despite that instability, our plan is working. UK GDP growth in the past two years was the second fastest in the G7. Real household disposable income per person has grown by more than 2% so far in this Parliament, compared with a fall of more than 2% in the last Parliament. Real wages have increased in every single month since this Government took office, with wages rising faster than inflation. These measures will continue that track record and demonstrate that this Government are committed to supporting working people.

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5. 24 Jun 2026·Parliament·Labour·Dan Tomlinson

   Taxation (Energy and Vehicles)

   I thank all those who have spoken, and I thank my hon. Friend the Member for Chesterfield (Mr Perkins) for his warm remarks. I will respond to the points made by the shadow spokespeople. I assume that this change will appear as a line item, although I would not want to prejudge any future decisions by the OBR on how it scores all these things and presents them in Budgets, as it is a specific tax head. The Conservative and Liberal Democrat spokespeople asked how much this change will raise. It is difficult to know. As the Liberal Democrat spokesperson, the hon. Member for Witney (Charlie Maynard), highlighted, prices are coming down. They are at the moment slightly above the threshold in the system, but prices, as the shadow Energy Secretary will know, are volatile. In the usual way, the independent OBR will set out its estimate at the Budget for how much this change will raise and how much will be raised overall by the electricity generator levy. He is right to note that the levy does not raise billions and billions. It is a relatively targeted policy. We have increased the rate from 45% to 55%, but we have not changed the threshold and the routine uprating that takes place within it. The Opposition spokesperson, the hon. Member for North Bedfordshire (Richard Fuller), asked whether there will be a review and whether this new higher rate is now the rate out into the future. That is something the Government are considering. He is right to highlight that we have not made a definitive announcement on whether that rate will last a short period or will go on into the future, but we will update in due course—it is not something that we want to leave hanging. I would expect that update will be at the Budget, if not before. However, that issue will be reviewed by the Chancellor and the Energy Secretary in the coming weeks.

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6. 24 Jun 2026·Parliament·Labour·Dan Tomlinson

   Taxation (Energy and Vehicles)

   As the shadow Minister will know, all tax rates, thresholds and the design of tax policy are considered in the round in the run-up to Budgets. With the key policy intention of the increase in the rate, and by extension the decision to continue the policy in any form, one of the things that the Government have been considering is the fact that having the rate in the system should change the incentives and encourage electricity generators to partake in the wholesale contracts for difference, which are being developed and which the Energy Secretary will bring forward in the coming months. The shadow Minister asked about investment. It is always difficult to make changes in taxation, particularly outside of the Budget cycle. The Chancellor have been cautious about making changes in response to the conflict in Iran. We wanted to take a measured approach to ensure that we manage the public finances well, but also to ensure that we support businesses and households that have been particularly affected by the impact of the conflict washing up on our shores. It is worth highlighting that new investment is excluded from the electricity generator levy, so a business owner thinking of investing in renewables or nuclear in the UK should note that their new investments will not be affected by the increase in the rate. Turning to the second measure, the Liberal Democrat spokesperson and my hon. Friend the Member for Chesterfield were right to point out that the mileage rates have not been changed since 2011. It is very disappointing that, although we saw plenty of inflation spikes, the previous Government did not take the chance to uprate them.

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7. 24 Jun 2026·Parliament·Labour·Dan Tomlinson

   Taxation (Energy and Vehicles)

   I am not sure. I have been in the Chief Secretary’s office in the Treasury, and there are many pictures on the wall of the countless Chief Secretaries who served under the last Government—especially towards the end, what with all the chopping and changing. However, both the Liberal Democrats and the Conservatives had ample time to make more than the one change that was made in 2011. The hon. Member for North Bedfordshire asked why no change was made in the “above 10,000 miles” rate. We did of course consider that when developing the policy. A very significant proportion of those who drive for work drive less than 10,000 miles. As the hon. Gentleman pointed out, some will drive more, especially if they have long distances to drive or live in rural communities, but we thought that this approach—providing a significant 10p increase in the rate up to 10,000 miles while leaving the 25p rate unchanged—got the balance right between supporting people who need help right now and being fiscally responsible. The hon. Gentleman will know, and drivers will know, that the marginal cost of each extra mile driven will decline over time, because the up-front costs can be spread over more mileage. As for annual indexation, it is not the Government’s policy. I welcome the representation, but, again, that is not a policy that was pursued before. As he rightly observed, it would be a complicated process, given the volatility in petrol prices. I should, of course, mention to the Liberal Democrat spokesperson that I am from Witney, and Chris Hayter Transport, the haulage company, is based just behind the housing estate on which I grew up. It is a very good local business, and I am glad to know that it will benefit from this measure. I take the points raised about the challenges facing the haulage sector, but I hope that our temporary and targeted change will benefit that business and businesses across the country. Question put and agreed to. Income Tax (Mileage Amounts) Resolved, That— (1) In the table in each of— (a) section 230(2) of the Income Tax (Earnings and Pensions) Act 2003 (approved amount for mileage allowance payments), and (b) section 94F(2) of the Income Tax (Trading and Other Income) Act 2005 (appropriate mileage amount), for “45p” substitute “55p”. (2) In consequence of paragraph (1), in section 94F(3) of the Income Tax (Trading and Other Income) Act 2005, for “45p” substitute “55p”. (3) The amendments made by this Resolution have effect for the tax year 2026-27 and subsequent tax years. And it is declared that it is expedient in the public interest that this Resolution should have statutory effect under the provisions of the Provisional Collection of Taxes Act 1968.—(Dan Tomlinson.) Vehicle Excise Duty (Temporary Rates for Goods Vehicles) Resolved, That— (1) The Vehicle Excise and Registration Act 1994 has effect in relation to vehicle licences, other than trade licences, taken out in the period beginning with 1 July 2026 and ending with 30 June 2027 as follows. (2) Paragraph 9 of Schedule 1 to that Act (rates for rigid goods vehicles exceeding 3,500 kgs revenue weight) has effect in relation to goods vehicles to which sub-paragraph (1), (2)(b) or (3) of that paragraph applies and which are used in the course of a trade as if— (a) in sub-paragraph (1), for “shall be determined in accordance with” to the end there were substituted “and not exceeding 44,000 kgs is £1.”; (b) where sub-paragraph (2) applies in relation to rigid goods vehicles mentioned in paragraph (b) of that sub-paragraph, in that sub-paragraph for “basic goods vehicle rate” there were substituted “£1”; (c) in sub-paragraph (3), for “£1,703” there were substituted “£1”. (3) Paragraph 10 of that Schedule (rates for certain rigid goods vehicles exceeding 11,999 kgs) has effect in relation to goods vehicles to which sub-paragraph (1) of that paragraph applies and which are used in the course of a trade as if— (a) in sub-paragraph (3), for “to be determined in accordance with” to the end there were substituted “£1.”; (b) in sub-paragraph (7), for “£654” there were substituted “£1”. (4) Paragraph 11 of that Schedule (rates for tractive units exceeding 3,500 kgs) has effect in relation to goods vehicles to which sub-paragraph (1), (2)(b) or (3) of that paragraph applies and which are used in the course of a trade as if— (a) in sub-paragraph (1), for “shall be determined in accordance with” to the end there were substituted “and not exceeding 44,000 kgs is £1.”; (b) where sub-paragraph (2) applies in relation to tractive units mentioned in paragraph (b) of that sub-paragraph, in that sub-paragraph for “basic goods vehicle rate” there were substituted “£1”; (c) in sub-paragraph (3), for “£1,703” there were substituted “£1”. (5) Paragraph 11C of that Schedule (rate for certain tractive units exceeding 41,000 kgs but not exceeding 44,000 kgs) has effect in relation to goods vehicles to which that paragraph applies and which are used in the course of a trade as if for “£10” there were substituted “£1”. (6) Where subsection (2) of section 3 of that Act (6 month licences) applies in relation to a vehicle for which any of paragraphs (2) to (4) has effect, that subsection has effect as if, in paragraph (a), for “£50” there were substituted “£0”. (7) Article 3(1)(b) of the Vehicle Licences (Duration of First Licences and Rate of Duty) Order 1986 (S.I. 1986/1428) has effect in relation to vehicle licences, other than trade licences, taken out in the period beginning with 1 July 2026 and ending with 30 June 2027 for vehicles for which any of paragraphs (2) to (5) has effect as if for “£50” there were substituted “£0” And it is declared that it is expedient in the public interest that this Resolution should have statutory effect under the provisions of the Provisional Collection of Taxes Act 1968.—(Dan Tomlinson.) Ordered, That a Bill be brought in upon the foregoing resolutions; That the Chairman of Ways and Means, the Prime Minister, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Lucy Rigby, Rachel Blake, Dan Tomlinson and Torsten Bell do prepare and bring in the Bill. Taxation (Energy and Vehicles) Bill Presentation and First Reading Dan Tomlinson accordingly presented a Bill to increase the rate of electricity generator levy and mileage amounts relating to income tax and to provide for temporary rates of vehicle excise duty for goods vehicles. Bill read the First time; to be read a Second time tomorrow, and to be printed (Bill 103) with explanatory notes (Bill 103-EN).

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8. 24 Jun 2026·Parliament·Labour·Dame Nia Griffith

   Climate Change

   My hon. Friend is making an excellent speech, with which I very much agree. I want us to tackle climate change as fast as possible, and to accelerate the bringing online of that cheap, clean energy that will help both households and businesses. Does he, however, understand the pressures on the automotive industry? Will he join me in asking the Minister to look carefully at a rescheduling of current targets so that we do not have a knee-jerk reaction, but instead have a long-term plan that industry can sign up to, which would provide the certainty that is needed in that particular sphere while we battle on with the other things we are doing to bring down emissions?

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9. 24 Jun 2026·Parliament·Labour·Chris Webb

   Media Green Paper

   We know that misinformation and disinformation is on the rise right across our country, and that was shown in the recent Makerfield by-election; the Social Market Foundation reported that ahead of that by-election, there was a quadrupling of fake news, and that one in six posts on all the local Facebook groups were fake news. We have seen the same thing in my constituency; after a news article was published, the news went rampant across our town that a woman and child had been attacked at a train station. It never happened, but it caused fear and anxiety. I warmly welcome the Green Paper, but how can we get more support for our trusted local news services, including local papers and broadcasters? They are what residents turn to in times of crisis when they need information. The Secretary of State rightly pointed to the example of the Liverpool Echo.

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10. 24 Jun 2026·Parliament·Labour·Chris Vince

    Media Green Paper

    Thank you, Mr Speaker—21 again. I thank the Secretary of State for her response to this urgent question, and particularly for her emphasis on the importance online literacy, which, as a former teacher—Chris Vince bingo in full force today—I know to be really important. I pay tribute to Michael Casey, editor of Your Harlow, an online newspaper that prints tens of thousands of articles every year, and that filled the hole left by Harlow Star when it closed down. I would like to build on the question from my hon. Friend the Member for Glasgow South (Gordon McKee), who said that more and more people are using AI summaries to get their news, and are not relying on trusted sources. Is there not a danger that if we, and the AI companies, do not provide support to trusted sources, they will not be able to continue?

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11. 24 Jun 2026·Parliament·Labour·Chris Hinchliff

    Farming Road Map and Profitability Review

    For many years we have expected farmers to steward our environment and at the same time deliver food at rock-bottom prices to make up for the failure of politics to secure an affordable cost of living across the rest of society. That has made agricultural profitability increasingly difficult. Now, with the crisis posed by climate change to our national food security, we must pull every available lever to reverse that trend. At the general election, the Labour manifesto committed to a target of half of all food purchased across the public sector being locally produced or certified to higher environmental standards. Will the Secretary of State provide an update on progress towards that target?

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12. 24 Jun 2026·Parliament·Labour·Chris Hinchliff

    Climate Change

    I declare an interest as vice-chair of the climate and nature crisis caucus. It is time to put it plainly: if we fail to prevent man-made climate change from getting worse, we face an existential threat to the British way of life. As our weather becomes more extreme, we face the threat of repeated crop failures and the heat-related deaths of thousands of livestock. With our country built for a climate that no longer exists, the impact of storms and heatwaves on our roads, hospitals, schools and pylons will finish off the efforts of the previous Tory Administration to wreck most of our national infrastructure. Iconic wildlife species, such as the curlew and the salmon, may disappear from these islands, and the British seasons will lose their traditional rhythm. Even our veteran English oaks will begin to vanish from our landscapes. It is bitterly ironic that the Conservative party, which takes our oak tree as its symbol, has abandoned in recent years its commitment to the protection of the environment in a way that puts that icon of our national identity at risk. It has given up conserving anything. I fully support the Government’s determination to keep our country on track for net zero and to play our part in tackling the climate emergency. Failing to act would put 1,000 years of history and the prosperity of every generation to come at risk. Nevertheless, delivering the seventh carbon budget will be possible only if we face head-on the problems in our society that so often stand in our way. As the Government’s impact assessment shows, there are huge potential benefits to becoming a more environmentally sustainable society: new export industries, better insulated homes that are more affordable to keep at a comfortable temperature and, with less pollution in our air, healthier lives. We will never realise those opportunities, however, if we do not work towards meeting our carbon budgets in a way that also addresses the deep inequalities across the UK. With millions in our country already struggling for a decent standard of living, tackling climate change will be impossible if it becomes a threat to their jobs and livelihoods, and to their ability to pay rent, heat their home and put food on the table. The fight against climate change must also be a fight for full employment, decent wages, affordable homes and an end to fuel poverty. The Government’s impact assessment for this carbon budget is clear: there is a risk to delivery if efforts to deploy new technologies outpace the capacity of industry and households to respond. If it takes up-front spending to invest in net zero technologies such as solar panels and heat pumps to play our part and to benefit from long-term savings, the Government must ensure that everyone is able to do so, regardless of income. Similarly, for Ministers to secure public backing for the measures needed to deliver carbon budget 7, we must have a geographically fair approach that puts genuine decision-making power in the hands of local communities up and down the country. Once again, the impact assessment is clear that there is the potential for adverse ecological and landscape impacts from the delivery of net zero infrastructure. Rural communities such as those that I represent cannot just be told to lump it, and that is where I think the impact assessment is inadequate. It is not enough to say that there will be net benefits overall, so it is okay that places such as Stocking Pelham in north-east Hertfordshire are being inundated with speculative proposals for renewable energy schemes. Unless we address the clear disconnect between the development of new infrastructure, how it is done, who it benefits and who experiences the harms, public backlash will continue to delay and frustrate the essential progress that we urgently need. Will the Minister not only make more of the obvious win-win opportunities, such as rooftop solar on commercial buildings and over car parks, but invest more resources in local area energy planning so that rural communities are empowered to decide what technologies they host in their local landscape, where, and at what scale?

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13. 24 Jun 2026·Parliament·Labour·Catherine Fookes

    Farming Road Map and Profitability Review

    I thank the Secretary of State for the excellent farming road map that she has laid out. I am really glad to see that supply chain fairness is at front and centre of the new road map, and I welcome the moving of the Groceries Code Adjudicator from the Department for Business and Trade to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, as this will make things more joined up. Farmers in Monmouthshire have raised with me so many times the issue of unfair practices; in fact, five dairy farms there—yes, five—have recently had their milk contracts cancelled. Does the Secretary of State agree that processors and supermarkets have far too much power, and that that power imbalance must be remedied?

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14. 24 Jun 2026·Parliament·Labour·Catherine Atkinson

    Violence against Women and Girls

    We have made the landmark commitment to halve violence against women and girls within a decade, and we have begun delivering already; providing domestic abuse specialists in 999 call centres, specialist rape and sexual offence investigation units in our police forces, and £16 million for programmes in schools on healthy relationships and tackling harmful behaviour. Our ambition is clear, but there is much more work to do.

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15. 24 Jun 2026·Parliament·Labour·Catherine Atkinson

    Violence against Women and Girls

    My hon. Friend is right: far too often, the least safe place for a woman is her own home. Children who witness or experience abuse in their home are victims in their own right. This Government are determined to tackle domestic abuse; we are putting domestic abuse specialists in 999 call centres, prosecutions are rising, and domestic abuse protection orders can provide unlimited-duration protection, and are already protecting more than 1,000 victims. I welcome my hon. Friend’s commitment to legislating to protect children and young people who are caught in abusive relationships, and I look forward to working with her on her private Member’s Bill.

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16. 24 Jun 2026·Parliament·Labour·Catherine Atkinson

    Violence against Women and Girls

    I am grateful to my hon. Friend for raising this important matter. Where domestic abuse drives a woman to take her own life, it is a profound tragedy and an injustice, and perpetrators must be held to account. Those who drive their partners to take their own life can face prosecution for the offences of manslaughter and encouraging suicide. The Government have asked the Law Commission to conduct a wholesale review of the law of homicide and the sentencing framework for murder, which will include a review of the use, and any obstacles to the use, of manslaughter charges where abuse may have driven someone to suicide. We recognise that there is more to do, particularly on better understanding and preventing suicides linked to domestic abuse, and we will continue to work with experts, frontline services and campaigners to strengthen our response.

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17. 24 Jun 2026·Parliament·Labour·Catherine Atkinson

    Violence against Women and Girls

    I completely agree. Domestic abuse is not caused by football results; it is caused by perpetrators who make the choice to abuse women. Refuge, Women’s Aid and other specialist organisations are clear that suggesting otherwise allows abusers to deflect responsibility and avoid accountability. This Government are clear that there is no excuse, no context and no mitigating circumstances that make domestic abuse acceptable. I hope that the hon. Member for Runcorn and Helsby (Sarah Pochin) will reflect on the harm that that kind of framing causes to victims.

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18. 24 Jun 2026·Parliament·Labour·Catherine Atkinson

    Violence against Women and Girls

    The scourge of abuse, whoever commits it, must be rooted out, across all professions. We are committed, through our violence against women and girls strategy, to halving violence against women and girls. We need to look at healthcare settings as well as everywhere else, and I would certainly be happy to meet the right hon. Gentleman to discuss that issue further.

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19. 24 Jun 2026·Parliament·Labour·Catherine Atkinson

    Violence against Women and Girls

    We are committed to tackling violence against women and girls, whether it happens on the street, in people’s homes or online. In order to tackle abuse and harms online, we have criminalised the creation of non-consensual deepfakes and are banning nudification tools. We are also putting a legal duty on platforms to remove non-consensual intimate images within 48 hours. There is more that we can do, and I would be happy to meet the hon. Lady to discuss solutions.

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20. 24 Jun 2026·Parliament·Labour·Catherine Atkinson

    Violence against Women and Girls

    Our police receive calls relating to domestic violence every 30 seconds. Victims of domestic violence need to be treated well, and to see much more action taken, whether we are talking about our police, our courts, or the services that victims need. This Government are taking that action, not only by putting domestic abuse specialists in 999 call centres, but through domestic abuse protection orders, but we know that there is so much more that is needed by victims of domestic abuse.

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21. 24 Jun 2026·Parliament·Labour·Catherine Atkinson

    Violence against Women and Girls

    I have met victims and campaigners from the al-Fayed campaign, as has the Prime Minister. We must ensure that no matter who you are or where you are, there is always justice. I look forward to continuing to work with campaigners to ensure that they get justice.

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22. 24 Jun 2026·Parliament·Labour·Catherine Atkinson

    Violence against Women and Girls

    The hon. Member is right that we need to not just pursue perpetrators and provide support to victims, but prevent violence against women and girls. That is why this is a cross-Government strategy. No one Department can tackle this alone. The Department for Education is piloting programmes with young people in schools. We need to ensure that all Departments are doing their bit—and they are.

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23. 24 Jun 2026·Parliament·Labour·Cat Eccles

    Climate Change

    In 2026, the question is no longer whether we act on the climate crisis, but how fast we do so. Most people accept the science, which shows that the Earth’s average surface temperatures have increased significantly over the past century. It is hard to deny this in a week where the UK is yet again experiencing record-breaking heat, although one climate sceptic told me online recently that “it’s just weather”. Yes, there have been hot periods in recent history, but these are becoming more frequent and more prolonged, with global temperatures set to rise by 1.5°C to 2°C by 2050. While that may sound like a small number, these increases will lead to farmers’ crops failing more regularly, threatening food security. People’s health will be impacted. Sea temperatures will further increase; this will melt ice sheets and release massive amounts of carbon and methane into the permafrost, further increasing temperatures. The net zero brand, however, has become toxic, failing to clearly communicate what must be done and why. Measures to deal with climate and the environment are not “nice to haves”—they are essential to protect the country’s ecosystem, agriculture and infrastructure. It is no longer about whether we can afford to take action; it is about whether we can afford not to do so. If we do, our economy will actually benefit. We must confront the misinformation directly and put forward credible, practical solutions. The populist right promotes the misleading claim that the UK can secure its energy by drilling more oil and gas in the North sea, but in reality, projects such as the Rosebank oilfield would deliver only a relatively small supply of oil and be subject to global price shocks, all while causing significant environmental damage and giving more profits to oil giants. True energy security and lower costs will come from sustained investment in renewable energy, not from doubling down on fossil fuels. Some 37 years ago, Margaret Thatcher stood before the UN General Assembly and warned of the dangers of rising carbon emissions and their impact on the Earth’s climate. At the time, the Conservatives respected that evidence and engaged seriously with the science, but today the party is a pound shop version of its former self, more preoccupied with chasing Reform votes than offering serious solutions to the challenges facing our country. We urgently need to tell a better story on climate change and to show the public how policies will benefit them where it matters—in their pocket. During the last heatwave a few weeks ago, more than 80% of the energy in the grid came from renewable sources. That is a fantastic news story, and the public are set to reap the benefits from the planned decoupling of gas and electricity prices. Across the UK, we are already seeing warmer, wetter winters and hotter, drier summers, but this is not a task for DESNZ alone. A golden thread of safeguarding our environment for future generations must run across all Departments.

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24. 24 Jun 2026·Parliament·Labour·Bridget Phillipson

    Child Poverty

    Tackling child poverty is a moral mission for this Labour Government. Background should not determine what people go on to achieve in life, but we know that inequality and poverty hold back too many of our children. We are improving the life chances of every child by scrapping the two-child limit, rolling out free childcare, Best Start family hubs, and free breakfast clubs, and expanding free school meals. Our child poverty strategy will deliver the largest reduction in child poverty in a single Parliament. This is the difference a Labour Government are making.

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25. 24 Jun 2026·Parliament·Labour·Bridget Phillipson

    Child Poverty

    I completely agree with my hon. Friend. The joy of reading should be open to every child, and that is really important in this National Year of Reading. Local libraries are special places, and Reform should be investing in our libraries, so that children can access them, not shutting down displays that make all families feel welcome. Sadly, this is characteristic of a party that, in my area, let back in a councillor who said that Nigerians should be “melted down” to fill potholes. Not fit for power at any level.

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26. 24 Jun 2026·Parliament·Labour·Bridget Phillipson

    Child Poverty

    I am proud of the last Labour Government’s record on tackling child poverty, but this Labour Government are going even further. We will lift the largest ever number of children out of poverty in a single Parliament, in sharp contrast with the Conservative party, which would plunge half a million children back into poverty.

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27. 24 Jun 2026·Parliament·Labour·Bridget Phillipson

    Topical Questions

    The Equality Act 2010 is a monumental achievement, passed by the last Labour Government, that protects everyone from discrimination and harassment. The public sector equality duty makes our services fairer for everyone, and we are bolstering that by commencing the socioeconomic duty. The Equality Act is our quiet guardian—the law that stops bosses overlooking pregnant qualified workers for promotion and that requires shops and transport to adapt for wheelchair users, making their services accessible. To those who want to dismantle those protections, I say that we will not let them turn back the clock. We stand by those rights; we will strengthen them.

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28. 24 Jun 2026·Parliament·Labour·Bridget Phillipson

    Topical Questions

    The hon. Gentleman raises two incredibly powerful and distressing cases. I share with him my sympathy for those affected, given all that they have been through and the harm that they have suffered. I am more than happy to discuss the matter further with him, or to make sure that a Minister meets him to hear his constituents’ views.

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29. 24 Jun 2026·Parliament·Labour·Bridget Phillipson

    Topical Questions

    South Wales police has paused its plans. It is right that it has done so. There are no blasphemy laws in this country, but it is right that we take action against hatred, prejudice and racism wherever we find it. We have seen shocking examples of Muslims in our country being targeted on the basis of their faith and because of who they are. We need look no further than the shadow Justice Secretary, the hon. Member for West Suffolk (Nick Timothy), who engaged in appalling racism towards Muslims in our country and, rather shamefully, was not sacked by the Leader of the Opposition for those comments.

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30. 24 Jun 2026·Parliament·Labour·Bridget Phillipson

    Topical Questions

    When Dr Hilary Cass published her review, we endorsed all those recommendations, as did the Conservatives. An important part of what Dr Cass set out was that it is essential that healthcare is available to children and young people who are experiencing gender dysphoria or incongruence, but that it must be safe, evidence-based and clinically appropriate. We have always been clear about the red lines regarding the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency’s trial and the prescription of puberty blockers, and the safety and wellbeing of children must be at the forefront of everything that we do, but the review by Dr Cass concluded that while not enough was known about the safety of puberty-suppressing hormones, it was necessary to take forward a trial.

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31. 24 Jun 2026·Parliament·Labour·Brian Leishman

    North Sea Oil and Gas

    It is a pleasure to serve under your chairship, Ms Furniss, and I thank the hon. Member for Bromsgrove (Bradley Thomas) for securing this debate. Let me say at the outset that we should not rewrite history. We know that under the Conservatives there were mass job losses in the oil and gas industry. It was also interesting to hear in the last 20 or 25 minutes that, after decades of not having a plan for the industry, the SNP now does have one. I look forward to hearing more about that in due course. Then, of course, there is Reform. Its Members just want to carry on regardless and to hell with the environmental consequences. Their absence from this debate shows their contempt for workers and working-class communities. But in all honesty, I do not care about any of those parties, because I am a Scottish Labour Member, and there is no doubt that right now our oil and gas policy has left voters incredibly worried. My congratulations go to the hon. Member for Aberdeen South (Douglas Lumsden). It was an excellent victory last week, and I commend him and his party on it. That by-election result in the north of Scotland really was telling for the Scottish Labour party. Even though we had an excellent candidate, we finished fourth. As a party, we often say the right things: that oil and gas will be part of the energy mix for decades to come, that we must detach ourselves from relying on the volatile fossil fuel market and, crucially, that we want to provide a just transition for the highly skilled workers of this industry. So far, however, all of that is just words. Scotland judged Scottish Labour in the Holyrood elections and in Aberdeen last week. Put simply, if one set of jobs is lost and a new set of jobs is not available, that is the very definition of an unjust transition. That is clear and obvious. People want evidence of what a genuinely just transition would be and how we can provide it, but most importantly, what people really want is action. There has not been nearly enough of that. It was 16 months ago this week that the Prime Minister promised £200 million for Project Willow and a bold new industrial future to be homed at Grangemouth. So far, we have had the MiAlgae and the Celtic Renewables announcements, and I welcome them, but again, those jobs are for the future—they are not for the now. Workers need jobs. An unjust transition means an exodus of skills and talent, with workers and their families having to leave the local area—the place they grew up in and call home. That means that communities then become poorer. I do not how many times I have asked the Minister this, but I will ask again, in the hope that he will give an answer: when will we see these new industries come to Grangemouth? When will my people in my community, who I am here to represent, see the change that they desperately need? They need jobs and reindustrialisation. Will the Government take at least some form of ownership of these new industries, which they will definitely need for decades—centuries—to come? Finally, in a party political moment, I say to the Minister that the electorate in Scotland do not know what the Scottish Labour party is about any more. In providing a genuinely just transition for workers and communities, we have the chance to say exactly who we are and who we are for, and to re-establish ourselves as the political voice for workers and communities. My constituency needs reindustrialisation, and so do the constituencies of many other hon. Members and right hon. Members. We have a blank canvas in Grangemouth. We could create something special that would transform my community and Scotland for generations. The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero has to shape up and deliver that, and it has to do it quickly.

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32. 24 Jun 2026·Parliament·Labour·Ben Coleman

    Nottingham Maternity and Neonatal Services

    The Ockenden report is shocking and its findings are repellent. As my hon. Friend the Member for Birmingham Erdington (Paulette Hamilton) said, it is shocking how many of its findings also featured in a report on black maternal health that the Health and Social Care Committee, on which I sit, published last September. As she set out, women were not listened to. There was no accountability, weak leadership, a toxic culture, racial inequality, understaffing and poor data gathering. All those things are referenced in both reports, and my hon. Friend the Member for Calder Valley (Josh Fenton-Glynn) pointed out that things have been getting worse over the past 20 years. It used to be the case that women who were black were 4.7 times as likely to die in childbirth or around childbirth as white women. The figure is now only 2.3 times. While we can welcome that, the sad fact is that it is not because things have got better for black women; it is because things have got worse for everybody else across the country. The Ockenden report and its findings on what happened are the culmination of problems that have been building for years. I want to recognise my constituent, Louise Thompson. She suffered terribly giving birth, when the NHS would not listen to her about the care she needed. She is now running a powerful campaign for a maternity commissioner and improved maternal care. I hope she will meet my hon. Friend the Member for Sherwood Forest (Michelle Welsh) soon. The Secretary of State promises a comprehensive action plan to be formed by a national maternity and neonatal taskforce. That is welcome, but we have had action plans in the past and they have not delivered the change promised. Given that record, will the Government commit to publishing measurable targets and firm deadlines within the action plan and to report progress to Parliament at fixed intervals? We need to know, and women across the country need to know, what will really be different this time.

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33. 24 Jun 2026·Parliament·Labour·Becky Gittins

    Engagements

    This Government’s commitment, under the leadership and influence of the Prime Minister, to tackling violence against women and girls is shared by many of my constituents. On Saturday, I was out in Llangollen for a Welsh Women’s Aid fundraiser organised by the community champion Moira Gleed. Llangollen’s “Most Wuthering Heights Day Ever” saw me join more than 230 Cathys, learn a dance routine, while dressed all in red, and take part in a performance that was streamed across the world. We have even been contacted by some fans from Japan. Will the Prime Minister join me in recognising the hard work of Moira, her daughter Rowena and all the organisers, volunteers and, importantly, performers in enabling that important event to happen?

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34. 24 Jun 2026·Parliament·Labour·Barry Gardiner

    Taxation (Energy and Vehicles)

    Could the Minister just remind us to which party the Chief Secretary to the Treasury between 2010 and 2015 belonged?

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35. 24 Jun 2026·Parliament·Labour·Barry Gardiner

    Climate Change

    Madam Deputy Speaker, you will be delighted to hear that I am just about to throw away 22 pages of my 23-page speech in order to allow other Members to get in. I want to quote the Climate Minister—or, rather, I want to misquote her: “Twelve years ago, in 2026, the Royal Meteorological Society held a conference to recall 50 years since the heatwave of 1976. That week was marked by record temperatures, and the Met Office delivered a forecast for 2056 that stunned the journalists and reporters who were present. Its forecast predicted 45° summer heat in England in 2056. Now, in 2038, as we stand at the beginning of the period of carbon budget 7, we know that 45° has already been reached, that the 1.5° threshold was passed nine years ago, in 2029, and that our carbon budget growth and development plan was simply not up to the job. The scientists were right. We, the politicians, were wrong.” That is the speech that I want to ensure the Minister never has to make. It is why their lordships’ reasoned amendment in the other place last night was so ill conceived, and why today’s debate is so important. It is also the reason that the remarks of the shadow Secretary of State, the right hon. Member for East Surrey (Claire Coutinho), were so ill judged, and I want to answer some of the questions that she posed. She will recall that, in 2023, her own figures put the number of jobs that would result from the net zero target at between 135,000 and 725,000. She said that there might be a decline of between 8,000 and 75,000, but according to the Climate Change Committee’s progress report on the net zero economy, the number of green jobs that has been reached is 650,000. That is the figure that the committee has come out with today. The shadow Secretary of State also said how silly it was to talk about soil structure and waste, so perhaps she does not quite understand that soils and waste are actually emitters of carbon, and that if we want to achieve net zero and get a clean, green energy infrastructure, we have to think holistically.

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36. 24 Jun 2026·Parliament·Labour·Barry Gardiner

    Climate Change

    My hon. Friend is making a good point. Does he accept that the way that the previous Government changed the dates for the ZEV mandate may have had something to do with people’s confidence in being able to support an electric vehicle?

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37. 24 Jun 2026·Parliament·Labour·Amanda Martin

    Media Green Paper

    I welcome the Green Paper’s focus on media literacy, so that people in Portsmouth have the skills they need to identify misinformation and disinformation. As viewing habits change and technology develops, can the Secretary of State reassure the House and residents in Portsmouth, particularly those who may be less confident online and have limited access to digital services, that any transition towards internet-based television will be carefully managed?

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38. 24 Jun 2026·Parliament·Labour·Amanda Martin

    Nottingham Maternity and Neonatal Services

    I pay tribute to those families, whistleblowers and campaigners who simply kept going, and to Donna Ockenden for her report and her approach. The report is damning, and my heart goes out to all the families who are having to relive their awful experiences as they see, in black and white, that their suffering and that of their loved ones was not only horrific and harrowing, but entirely avoidable, if only the leaders had been responsible and accountable, and had just listened. As we heard from my brave hon. Friend the Member for Sherwood Forest (Michelle Welsh), this is a national disgrace that must not be repeated. I welcome Martha’s rule, which gives patients the right to an independent second opinion. I also welcome the Secretary of State’s commitment to using the Hillsborough law to ensure that those who avoid scrutiny are compelled to give evidence and are held accountable in the future, but may I ask him two questions? First, can he confirm that he is working across Government to ensure swift implementation of this law, with clear and transparent timelines, so that these families, who have already waited far too long, can finally see justice? Secondly, what will happen to those who shockingly avoided giving evidence and avoided accountability in respect of this review?

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39. 24 Jun 2026·Parliament·Labour·Amanda Martin

    Climate Change

    The effects of climate change cannot be ignored in my city of Portsmouth. We are an island city, and rising sea levels will pose a growing threat if we do not get a grip on the climate crisis. The climate crisis affects my constituency every day. It is fitting that we are debating this motion during a record heatwave, in which people are struggling to cope in homes that are poorly equipped for increasingly frequent extreme weather. This is not just about reducing emissions; it is about rewiring our economy for a more sustainable future. Climate action is driving jobs, growth and investment across the UK, and we are already seeing that in Portsmouth. Earlier this year, I visited four constituents with Aura Retrofit. They had all received heat pumps through the Government’s warm homes plan, at no cost to themselves. They told me that these improvements have transformed their lives by keeping them warm through the winter, reducing their energy bills and, indeed, giving them money back. The Conservatives say that the public do not support the transition to net zero, but I do not know who they have been talking to, because 77 people surveyed by the Government’s public attitudes tracker said that they were concerned about climate change and its impact, and seven out of 10 voters say that they want to support Government action to reduce climate change. However, they know there is an issue that we must address. At a recent community event, it was evident that many people were afraid to discuss climate change and net zero for fear of attack and a pile-on following the misinformation spread online by some politicians. Despite heat pumps being available in my city, only 4% of households in Portsmouth North have taken them up, making us 483rd out of 650 constituencies for adoption. For some residents, the offer may simply sound too good to be true. Previous scams in the clean energy sector have damaged trust. In summing up, can the Minister consider how we rebuild confidence so that more residents can benefit from what one constituent has described as “kinder energy”? As a proud naval city, Portsmouth understands how global events can affect the cost of fuel, energy and food. That is why we must continue to invest in renewables and nuclear energy to free Britain from the rollercoaster of fuel prices. As my hon. Friend the Member for Glasgow North (Martin Rhodes) noted, we must bring the country with us, and people must see it, hear it and feel it. We should reject the false choice between restoring nature and reaching net zero, because we need both. Nature recovery and climate action are not competing objectives; they are mutually reinforcing. One area of concern I would like to highlight is the role of the shipping industry. Portsmouth international port’s shore power infrastructure, supported by Government funding, allows ships to connect to the electricity grid while berthed rather than running on diesel, making the air cleaner around the city and meaning that the income received from the municipal port is not costing local people their health. However, this port now faces serious challenges. The cost of electricity makes using the infrastructure more expensive than marine diesel, which is threatening to undermine the investment. I urge the Minister to work with Ministers across Government to find a solution. Our port wants to contribute to net zero, but the current system is holding it back. If we do nothing, we do not keep things as they are, but lock in more flooding, more extreme weather and greater energy insecurity. In the words of our own national treasure, David Attenborough: “If working apart we are a force powerful to destabilise our planet, surely working together we are powerful enough to save it.”

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40. 24 Jun 2026·Parliament·Labour·Amanda Hack

    Nottingham Maternity and Neonatal Services

    I thank the Secretary of State for his statement and the confirmation that he will expand the Hillsborough law to apply to those clinicians who did not speak but should have spoken. I also want to put on record my thanks to my hon. Friend the Member for Sherwood Forest (Michelle Welsh) for her leadership and courage, as well as my heartfelt sadness that so many families endured so much harm. This report has been so thoroughly and expertly delivered by Donna Ockenden, and it has to be the watershed moment. A key feature of this report and every meeting with Donna and the families has been an overwhelming sense of failure at every single level: failure to listen, failure to react and failure to prevent harm. The experiences of the harmed families will stay with me forever. Will the Secretary of State outline how the immediate and essential actions, including the first one—listening to women and families—will be the catalyst for the change that we need? What steps will he take in his first day of taking forward this report to ensure that we do not have Nottingham repeated elsewhere?

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