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1. 17 Jun 2026·Parliament·Labour·Jo White

   High Street Shops: Illicit Activity

   I totally agree with my hon. Friend. I strongly believe that such businesses are money-laundering fronts. There needs to be close police scrutiny of them, and greater partnership with other authorities to monitor those shops and shut them down as quickly as possible. Local traders and residents are rightly concerned. Earlier this year, I decided to take a closer look. I held a local inquiry, alongside Julie Leigh, the leader of Bassetlaw district council; Sally Gillborn, the chief executive of our business improvement district; and Michael Bullen, a local businessman. They deal with this issue day in, day out. The message that we received was clear: the system is not working. Planning rules are too weak, licensing is underpowered and enforcement is stretched. We set out some practical recommendations. First, the Government must give councils real control over their high streets. At the moment, the clustering of such shops just happens and local communities are left to deal with the consequences. Secondly, we need proper regulation of vape and tobacco retailers—a licensing scheme is long overdue. Thirdly, we cannot ignore the harder question. Where we see cash-heavy businesses with little visible trade, it is right to ask whether they have links to wider criminal activity. Such links must be properly investigated, and enforcement needs backing. Licensing fees have not kept pace with other developments, trading standards officers are under pressure and the relevant data is not being used as it should be. This is not just about Whitehall; it is also about what happens locally. We need visible neighbourhood policing back in our town centres, with named officers, a consistent presence and real relationships with businesses. The Nottinghamshire police and crime commissioner listened to my call for a police station in Worksop, and I welcome the announcement that it will be opening shortly, but we need simple ways to report concerns, and confidence that those concerns will be acted on. We need co-ordination; at the moment, too much intelligence is siloed. At its heart, this is about fairness—fairness for the businesses doing the right thing—and confidence for the public that their high street is safe and properly regulated. What we are seeing is not tolerated or isolated; it is serious, and we need action right now.

   Hansard source
2. 17 Jun 2026·Parliament·Labour·Jo Stevens

   Cost of Living

   Let me begin by congratulating all the Welsh recipients of King’s birthday honours, which were announced over the weekend—particularly my hon. Friend the Member for Newport East (Jessica Morden). We are doing everything we can to tackle the cost of living. We are increasing wages faster than inflation, creating thousands of jobs, helping people into work, and increasing pensions and universal credit, and we are going even further to ease the pressure on families this summer, because tackling the cost of living is the core purpose of this UK Labour Government.

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3. 17 Jun 2026·Parliament·Labour·Jo Stevens

   Cost of Living

   My hon. Friend is right. What matters for families is not just getting by, but being able to enjoy time together without worrying about the next bill. The Great British summer savings scheme is cutting VAT on, for instance, children’s meals, tickets for cinemas and theatres and other attractions, and we are cutting the cost of the weekly shop by lowering tariffs on more than 100 staple products. All of that will ease pressure on household budgets, support parents during school holidays, and back Welsh businesses.

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4. 17 Jun 2026·Parliament·Labour·Jo Stevens

   Cost of Living

   As my hon. Friend knows from his constituency experience, poverty scars children’s lives and life chances. That is why we announced the child poverty strategy, including the removal of the two-child limit, which will benefit nearly 70,000 children right across Wales. We have also increased universal credit for 320,000 families in Wales and raised the minimum and living wages, and, as I mentioned earlier, we are slashing VAT on days out to help families not just get by but enjoy the summer, as everyone should. Meanwhile, what can Welsh families expect from the new minority Plaid Government in Wales? Well, the First Minister has announced a steering group, and has promised to come up with a plan at some point soon. That is the difference between Labour and Plaid: we act and they talk.

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5. 17 Jun 2026·Parliament·Labour·Jo Stevens

   Cost of Living

   I have to say that it has been rather amusing to hear the new minority Plaid Cymru Welsh Government bragging about what they have done since the election. They have started a review, they have set up a steering group, they are working on a plan for another plan, they have set a target, and they are thinking about things. Meanwhile, this Government have invested £134 million in the Cardiff capital region, approved seven new youth hubs across Wales, launched the summer savings scheme to cut the cost of living, announced a new ban on social media to keep our children safe, given a pay rise to over 3,000 armed forces personnel in Wales, and expanded the Valour programme for veterans. That is the difference between us and Plaid: we are getting on with the job.

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6. 17 Jun 2026·Parliament·Labour·Jo Stevens

   Cost of Living

   As the hon. Lady will know, red diesel has been slashed to its lowest rate for over 20 years. We have protected farming budgets, all the trade deals that we have signed have helped farmers, and we are looking at all the measures that we can introduce to tackle the cost of living and the impact of the Iran war—in which we did not want to get involved, and we decided not to get involved, despite the protestations of some parties in this House. We are making sure that the economic impact is mitigated.

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7. 17 Jun 2026·Parliament·Labour·Jo Stevens

   Defence Spending

   Wales has a crucial role to play in our national security. Wales is home to a dynamic defence SME base, as well as major companies such as QinetiQ, BAE Systems, Airbus, General Dynamics and Thales. The increased defence budget will support thousands of jobs in communities across Wales, help to grow our economy and keep the UK safe.

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8. 17 Jun 2026·Parliament·Labour·Jo Stevens

   Defence Spending

   The Welsh defence sector is central to the security of the United Kingdom. I am proud that our defence growth deal, backed by £50 million of UK Government investment, will transform our nation into a centre for defence innovation, creating highly-skilled jobs and driving economic growth across the country. It has been a real pleasure to see at first hand the opportunities the defence sector is bringing to people and communities in Wales, such as the talented young local apprentices I met recently who are starting out on their careers at General Dynamics in Oakdale.

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9. 17 Jun 2026·Parliament·Labour·Jo Stevens

   Defence Spending

   My hon. Friend is absolutely right. The Government are undertaking the biggest sustained increase in defence spending since the cold war. We know that the increase creates not only a defence dividend but a Union dividend, too. It will boost prosperity, create high-skilled jobs and strengthen security for working people in every corner of the UK, while at the same time bolstering the resilience of our defence industrial base. My hon. Friend is right to say that every nation and Government of the United Kingdom should stand together and play their part in our national security.

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10. 17 Jun 2026·Parliament·Labour·Jo Stevens

    Defence Spending

    The strategic defence review reinforces the importance of close collaboration between all Governments on defence, particularly where key levers such as skills and planning are devolved. I can confirm to my hon. Friend that I have written to the Cabinet Minister for Finance in the new minority Plaid Welsh Government on Wales’s role in the defence of the UK. I regret to inform the House that the Minister did not respond to my request for confirmation that the Welsh Government will support the UK’s full membership of NATO, but I can assure the House that the UK Labour Government are wholeheartedly committed to our defence and security.

    Hansard source
11. 17 Jun 2026·Parliament·Labour·Jo Stevens

    Defence Spending

    I could not agree more. As I said earlier, the increase in defence spending creates not only a defence dividend but a Union dividend, too. That is why every nation and every Government in the United Kingdom should stand together and play their part in our national security.

    Hansard source
12. 17 Jun 2026·Parliament·Labour·Jo Stevens

    Defence Spending

    I am reassured to hear the Conservative party finally acknowledging the importance of defence spending. This Government are undertaking the biggest sustained increase in defence spending since the cold war. We are doing that to keep Wales and UK safe, and to create thousands of new, well-paid jobs. The hon. Member’s party left office having hollowed out our armed forces, leaving military homes in a disgusting state, so I am glad that she has finally learned the lessons of previous Tory failures.

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13. 17 Jun 2026·Parliament·Labour·Jo Stevens

    Economic Growth

    The UK Government are strengthening the Welsh economy, helping businesses grow, and supporting thousands of good, well-paid jobs. Whether it is nuclear energy in Wylfa, offshore wind in Port Talbot, or connecting our communities with a £14 billion pipeline of rail projects, this Government are building a stronger Welsh economy for generations to come.

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14. 17 Jun 2026·Parliament·Labour·Jo Stevens

    Economic Growth

    My hon. Friend is absolutely right that regenerating our high streets and town centres is vital to creating jobs and supporting local businesses, restoring pride in our communities. That is why we are investing over £300 million in Pride in Place funding for Wales, alongside over £500 million through the new local growth fund. It is vital that this funding, which will be delivered by the Plaid minority Welsh Government, is operational as quickly as possible. I have written twice to the Welsh Government Minister responsible about how we can get that funding out to communities, and I look forward to his eventual response.

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15. 17 Jun 2026·Parliament·Labour·Jo Stevens

    Economic Growth

    This Government have delivered the biggest financial settlement for the Welsh Government in devolution history, with nearly £6.5 billion more spending power for public services in Wales, and that includes funding for transport. That contrasts with the activities of the hon. Member’s Conservative Government, who, through austerity, starved public services in Wales of funding.

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16. 17 Jun 2026·Parliament·Labour·Jo Platt

    High Street Shops: Illicit Activity

    It is a pleasure to speak under your chairship, Mr Dowd. I thank my hon. Friend the Member for Halesowen (Alex Ballinger) for securing this important debate. This is an issue that communities such as Leigh and Atherton face every single day. Quite frankly, my constituents have had enough. Illegal and exploitative businesses are undermining public safety, damaging our high streets and eroding community pride. Whether it is vape shops, barber shops or mini-marts, people are fed up with outlets appearing overnight, often acting as fronts for organised crime, and residents having no say. Meanwhile, as we have heard, legitimate businesses that follow the rules and contribute to the local economy are struggling to survive. I have been working alongside my hon. Friend the Member for Great Grimsby and Cleethorpes (Melanie Onn) on a campaign to shut these dodgy shops down. That campaign now has support from over 50 Members—many of them are here today—and that shows just how widespread and serious the issue has become. Enforcement action such as Operation Machinize, which took place in Leigh and Atherton back in 2024 and led to numerous arrests, and the recent raids by His Majesty’s Revenue and Customs in London show what can be achieved. They also highlight a fundamental problem: the system does not stop these businesses opening in the first place, nor does it give the authorities the tools to keep them closed. I thank the Government because they have taken welcome steps and are listening. Those steps include new funding, a dedicated organised crime unit and stronger closure powers. I particularly welcome the extension of closure orders to up to 12 months, and I thank the Minister for working alongside us on that. However, we must be honest: this will not be enough on its own. Too often when one shop is shut, the same individuals reopen nearby within weeks. Residents see it and I see it. At the same time, the spread of these outlets continues, particularly in more deprived communities. Leigh and Atherton does not need any more of them. We need to go further. We need stronger enforcement powers and proper resourcing for trading standards and local authorities. Trading standards needs more teeth.

    Hansard source
17. 17 Jun 2026·Parliament·Labour·Jo Platt

    High Street Shops: Illicit Activity

    I thank my hon. Friend, who is a huge champion of that cause and who did so much work on it before entering this House, and I echo his comments. We need joined-up action across Government and a commitment to maybe extend the funding beyond the initial three-year period. It cannot be a short-term fix. We need a court system that can deliver swift justice and we need tougher consequences, whether through escalating fines or a clear “three strikes and you’re out” approach so that repeat offenders cannot simply carry on. Finally, as was mentioned earlier, it is really important that landlords and managing agents are held to account. Greater due diligence is needed so that properties are not repeatedly let to those engaged in illicit activity. If we are serious about restoring trust in our high streets and in politics, we must deliver real change. That means backing legitimate businesses but also taking decisive action against those who are undermining our communities. If we want our high streets to thrive, they must be safe, lawful and fair. The Government have made a start, but we must go further and faster. I want to end by thanking the Government for the work they have done so far on the issue. They have truly listened to our communities’ concerns, and I look forward to working alongside them to continue to tackle this problem on our streets.

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18. 17 Jun 2026·Parliament·Labour·Jim Dickson

    High Street Shops: Illicit Activity

    My hon. Friend is making an excellent speech on an important issue. As he will know, the Tobacco and Vapes Act 2026 recently came on to the statute book, which I hugely support as a member of the all-party parliamentary group on smoking and health. There is a licensing scheme under that Act, enabling local authorities to have more control over shops that sell products such as tobacco and vapes. There will be a clear method to facilitate the reduction of those shops on our high streets. Does my hon. Friend agree that it is important for the Department of Health and Social Care to get on with the consultation on that licensing scheme as soon as possible?

    Hansard source
19. 17 Jun 2026·Parliament·Labour·Jessica Morden

    Steel Tariffs

    As the Minister knows, I represent Llanwern, which produces galvanised steel. I repeat my ask to the Minister to be mindful of the impact of the scale of the allocations for non-EU countries on Llanwern. Will he continue to liaise directly with Tata and the unions on this issue?

    Hansard source
20. 17 Jun 2026·Parliament·Labour·Jen Craft

    High Street Shops: Illicit Activity

    In my patch in Thurrock, we unsurprisingly do not have a lot of London tourist tat shops, which are synonymous with dodgy directors changing hands every few weeks. We do, however, have a number of really suspect home goods shops, which sell goods that are often faulty. People have no recourse to a refund if the products go wrong, because the shops change hands every three to six months. Does my hon. Friend agree that we must do more to crack down on such evasion of responsibility by businesses changing hands through Companies House?

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21. 17 Jun 2026·Parliament·Labour·Jen Craft

    High Street Shops: Illicit Activity

    It is a pleasure to serve under your chairship, Mr Dowd. I congratulate my hon. Friend the Member for Halesowen (Alex Ballinger) on securing this important debate. I also congratulate my hon. Friends the Members for Leigh and Atherton (Jo Platt) and for Great Grimsby and Cleethorpes (Melanie Onn) on their work to combat dodgy shops. As is evident from the number of Members here—particularly Labour Members—this issue concerns many of our constituencies. Sadly, my Thurrock constituency is not immune to dodgy shops and illegality and criminality on the high street. Like others, we have seen a massive proliferation of vape shops and barber shops, as well as—if not mini-marts—very odd home goods shops springing up out of nowhere, with two or three competitors directly opposite, and selling goods that probably explode the minute they are turned on and are no good for anyone. Those phoenix shops close down or change hands after five to six months, evading tax, evading business rates and providing no good and no use to the town at all. Indeed, one such shop, on Grays High Street in my local town, now does not even bother to remove the merchandise or move it around; it just sticks a Sharpie-written sign up on the door every six months saying that it is under new management, which is absolutely appalling. We know where the issues lie: spending on trading standards has been reduced by around 50% over the last decade.

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22. 17 Jun 2026·Parliament·Labour·Jen Craft

    High Street Shops: Illicit Activity

    That is indeed shocking and very short-sighted. The real issue in my area is that our council is under intervention, so its ability to plan and take enforcement action, and to put planning conditions on town centres to better reflect what people are after—rather than the best way for businesses to turn a profit—is somewhat hampered.

    Hansard source
23. 17 Jun 2026·Parliament·Labour·Jen Craft

    High Street Shops: Illicit Activity

    I agree with my hon. Friend. The lack not only of Reform UK Members but—other than the shadow Minister—of Conservative Members is disgraceful and a real shame. Labour Members are trying to make positive change to bring communities together and tackle this issue, which, as we hear time and again, is a root cause of people’s disaffection and disillusionment with the state of their town centres and, indeed, of our country. When I walk down Grays High Street, Derwent Parade or Civic Square in Tilbury, I find it an incredibly depressing experience—I know that Members will be familiar with that. There are big gaps where shops used to be. Those shops were the pride—the crown jewels—of the town, and they are being replaced with shops that bring no real benefit, including dodgy vape shops and other phoenix shops that change hands every few months. It leads to a sense that high streets are not for decent people or for the community; they are for those who seek to turn a quick buck, who do not play fair or by the rules, and who are often the very sharp end of a criminal network that makes hundreds of millions of pounds and exploits vulnerable people. We all know this. I am delighted that the Government have announced the high street organised crime unit and that Thurrock will be one of the areas targeted for attention. Bringing together a co-ordinated response using the National Crime Agency, trading standards and the local police force will start to turn the tide on some of the illegal and illicit activity that we are seeing on our high street. But I would like to pose a question about what comes next. If dodgy shops are closed down and closure periods are extended, we can manage to stamp them out for good, but we need to think about what they will be replaced with; an empty, dead high street is no good for anyone. I have been trying to encourage my local council to use some Pride in Place impact funding, particularly around Grays High Street, to open up shops closed down for illicit activity to the community as welcoming spaces. We could do something that the community can be proud of and create a place where people might actually want to go and spend time in. We must have a co-ordinated effort across Government and at the local level about what to do. If we end criminality and illegality, what do we want our high streets to look like? They cannot go back to being the high streets of the 1950s—we are not going back there—but what does the high street of the future look like? What is a space that we can all be proud of, that is welcoming and encouraging for our communities and that is not under the purview of criminality? Let us reclaim our high streets and regenerate them once and for all.

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24. 17 Jun 2026·Parliament·Labour·Jayne Kirkham

    High Street Shops: Illicit Activity

    Hotspot teams are looking at this issue in certain areas, but does my hon. Friend agree that it is also a problem in rural and coastal areas, such as mine in Falmouth? The problem is spreading across the country—he talks about it moving into the Black Country—so perhaps we should look at extending the hotspot areas much wider.

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25. 17 Jun 2026·Parliament·Labour·Jayne Kirkham

    High Street Shops: Illicit Activity

    There are also situations where people try to report but are too scared or worried, so there needs to be some sort of process so that people can report without fear of retribution.

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26. 17 Jun 2026·Parliament·Labour·Jayne Kirkham

    Abuse of Customer-facing Workers

    This is a really important debate. In Falmouth and Truro, we have a lot of abuse of shop workers in connection with shoplifting. An issue in the past has been that people think they are immune if they shoplift something worth less than £200. That is changing and the police will now arrest those people. Will my hon. Friend deal with that different way of tackling shoplifting, which often comes with a level of abuse and violence these days?

    Hansard source
27. 17 Jun 2026·Parliament·Labour·Jas Athwal

    Cost of Living

    4. What steps she is taking with Cabinet colleagues to help reduce the cost of living in Wales.

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28. 17 Jun 2026·Parliament·Labour·Jas Athwal

    Cost of Living

    This Government removed the two-child cap, which took 5,000 children in my constituency out of poverty. Will the Secretary of State please explain how that is helping children in Wales?

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29. 17 Jun 2026·Parliament·Labour·Jacob Collier

    Abuse of Customer-facing Workers

    It is a pleasure to serve with you in the Chair, Mrs Hobhouse. I congratulate my hon. Friend the Member for Caerphilly (Chris Evans) on securing this debate and on the passionate way in which he laid out the case. The Crime and Policing Act was a key moment in our journey to a society in which the job that we do does not determine how we are treated at work, and retail workers across my constituency are now safer, thanks to the actions of this Government and the campaigning by the Co-operative party and USDAW in particular. Before I was elected, I went to visit Central Co-op workers in my constituency in Stretton, Horninglow and Winshill, and I was shocked by what I heard. Pretty much every worker that I spoke to had faced verbal or physical abuse of some kind simply for doing their job. They were proud, hard-working people simply going out to do a job and provide for their family. Sexism and racism makes women workers and workers of colour even more vulnerable. Probably the most horrific story I heard when I spoke to those workers was about a female colleague doused in liquid and threatened with a lighter. I cannot imagine what that would have been like for her in the moment and then reflecting on it afterwards. But in true brave spirit, she was back at work within days. Often, as my hon. Friend the Member for Caerphilly said, the trauma of that abuse goes home with people. It does not just affect them and their mood; their wider family are impacted, too. That abuse is an assault on their pride in who they are. Often, retail workers, particularly those who work in shops, will live local to where they work. I heard one case of a female shop worker who was verbally assaulted and then saw the person who had committed that abuse as she was walking home in her uniform. Due to this Labour Government making assault against retail workers a specific offence, I can say to those people I met, “We have heard you. We have acted.” It must be noted that the law change did not include verbal abuse or wider customer-facing roles, so that is why I congratulate my hon. Friend the Member for Caerphilly on securing this debate and on the points that he has made. I cannot pretend that things will change just because the law has changed—sadly, they will not. The fact that we have to put up signs in shops and hospitals and on our buses asking people to be kind shows that, as a society, the basic respect that we had for each other has broken down. I hope that we can restore that. The change in the law was, however, a clear statement that assault of retail workers will not be tolerated. We have repealed the appalling Tory law that meant that those stealing items under £200 were effectively decriminalised.

    Hansard source
30. 17 Jun 2026·Parliament·Labour·Jacob Collier

    Abuse of Customer-facing Workers

    My hon. Friend makes a great point. I have often heard about repeat offenders and the same sort of people coming into the shop. Workers often have to protect themselves from individuals who they know are going to commit a criminal act. Unfortunately, abuse against customer-facing workers happens everywhere in society. I have heard that from workers across different sectors of our economy. I should probably declare my membership of Unison and the GMB union. I recently met GMB Swissport members at East Midlands airport about their “Airport Workers Against Abuse” campaign. I heard their shocking stories about the physical attacks and verbal abuse they suffer in terminals. There is a difference between how people can be policed landside versus airside. As there are fewer protections airside, workers are more vulnerable. Travelling abroad is often a very stressful time, but there is no excuse to take it out on the hard-working men and women who get us to where we want to be. The Government and the airports should listen to the GMB’s campaign and introduce stricter penalties to protect the dignity of our airport workers. Those working in customer-facing roles in my constituency, whether in a pub or a nursery or driving a bus, deserve to have dignity at work and the right to do their job without facing abuse. It is on us to put in place the conditions to make sure that happens.

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31. 17 Jun 2026·Parliament·Labour·Jacob Collier

    Steel Tariffs

    I thank the Minister for his personal engagement on this matter. As he knows, time is of the essence. Businesses are already telling me that they are cancelling orders, and that these quotas and tariffs create uncertainty. I cannot understand why we would put tariffs on our own British businesses when they cannot obtain the size and grade of steel that they need, and that includes non-speciality steel in categories 1 and 7. Will the Minister apply tariff exemptions when there is no ability to buy British?

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32. 17 Jun 2026·Parliament·Labour·Harpreet Uppal

    High Street Shops: Illicit Activity

    It is a pleasure to serve under your chairship, Mr Dowd. I congratulate my hon. Friend the Member for Halesowen (Alex Ballinger) on securing this important debate. As other Members have noted, town centres are incredibly important to residents, and Huddersfield is no different. The town centre is a part of our identity; it is a reminder of our childhoods, and, for many, it represents whether a place is doing well and whether agencies, councils and Governments care about them. In too many places in the north and the midlands, people have seen the slow decline of their town centre—the place they call home. That has led to resentment and a lack of trust in politicians and agencies to get the basics right. On top of that, the number of vape shops in England has grown by nearly 1,200% in little over a decade. While cash-intensive businesses are not new, for too many residents the rate at which they are rising is alarming. The National Crime Agency estimates that at least £1 billion of criminal cash is laundered through UK high street stores each year. Not only do those stores often provide hotspots for illicit activity, they also destroy the character that makes towns so special. From my conversations with constituents at coffee mornings, at business round tables and on doorsteps, I have heard loud and clear that closing those stores is vital to injecting the life back into our town centre. I welcome the creation of the Government’s high street organised crime unit, particularly its focus on strengthening partnership working and the intensified enforcement action on businesses that are committing these offences, which includes additional raids, closure orders and cash seizures. In November 2025, the West Yorkshire trading standards team conducted undercover raids to crack down on high street businesses suspected of laundering criminal cash. The operation seized £2.7 million of criminal assets. The feedback from those operations has been positive and they will be continuing. Will the Minister set out when further enforcement activities like those will be increased in local areas? In addition, what further steps are being taken to connect information across agencies and to flag suspicious entities so that such operations can be closed down quickly and, as other Members have said, stopped from popping up again? A recent report by the Chartered Trading Standards Institute, titled “Hidden in Plain Sight”, highlighted a corridor of crime across the north of England, from Liverpool to Hull and Grimsby. Unfortunately, Huddersfield has been ranked in the top 10 UK towns and cities with the most dodgy shops on the high street. The report calls on the Government to urgently invest in enforcement capabilities and particularly mentions trading standards. Over the past decade, trading standards has seen its resources cut by up to 50%. In 2002, more than 4,000 staff were employed by trading standards, but in 2025, there are now 2,300. Since then, crime has become more visible, so will the Minister confirm the steps being taken to support trading standards on the ground? We must ensure that our town centres can once again become vibrant spaces worth fighting for.

    Hansard source
33. 17 Jun 2026·Parliament·Labour·Harpreet Uppal

    Rail Network

    7. What steps she is taking with Cabinet colleagues to improve the rail network in Wales.

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34. 17 Jun 2026·Parliament·Labour·Harpreet Uppal

    Rail Network

    It is brilliant to see you wearing your Yorkshire rose, Mr Speaker. The UK Labour Government are investing in our railways to boost economic growth right across the country. In my constituency, we are seeing continued investment through the trans-Pennine route upgrades in Huddersfield. Will the Minister set out what rail upgrades are coming to Wales, and how they will deliver economic growth and boost employment across the nation?

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35. 17 Jun 2026·Parliament·Labour·Harpreet Uppal

    Steel Tariffs

    Local manufacturers in Huddersfield have raised real concerns with me, particularly about the unintended consequences of this policy, the lack of a level playing field for raw materials and finished imports, and uncertainty around supply. Some are already seeing cost inflation in key steel outputs. Can the Minister please look at these matters again? Categories 14 and 27 have also been raised with me, and we must communicate better with our local companies.

    Hansard source
36. 17 Jun 2026·Parliament·Labour·Gurinder Singh Josan

    Defence Spending

    3. What assessment she has made of the potential impact of increases in defence spending on Wales.

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37. 17 Jun 2026·Parliament·Labour·Gurinder Singh Josan

    Defence Spending

    In the King’s Speech, the Labour Government made it clear that our key priorities are national security, economic security and energy security. Those three priorities have one thing in common: the promise of jobs for communities across the whole UK. The defence growth deal stands to unlock some 50,000 new jobs across the UK, including 500 well-paid skilled jobs in Wales. Will the Secretary of State tell the House how defence spending is having a positive impact in Wales?

    Hansard source
38. 17 Jun 2026·Parliament·Labour·Gurinder Singh Josan

    Steel Tariffs

    This issue has raised a great many concerns in my constituency and across the Black Country. I have been working closely with my colleagues in Sandwell in particular, and we have had many meetings with local companies and communication with my hon. Friends the Member for Tipton and Wednesbury (Antonia Bance) and for West Bromwich (Sarah Coombes). Hadley Industries, a large employer, is already considering downscaling its number of employees. Pargat Housewares in my constituency, another large employer, is a significant manufacturer of pots, pans and bakeware—in fact, it is one of the largest manufacturers in the UK, supplying most of our superstores and exporting. However, steel suitable for kitchenware is not manufactured in the UK in significant quantities and at competitive prices. What advice would the Minister give you give companies that are facing a 60%—

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39. 17 Jun 2026·Parliament·Labour·Gordon McKee

    Mental Health: Parity of Esteem

    My hon. Friend is being very generous in giving way. I know that this is a topic she understands deeply and has campaigned on for many years. She is right to highlight the Milburn review. Does she agree that part of the response has to be developing a mental health support system that is preventive, not just reactive? We see that in child and adolescent mental health, particularly in Scotland, where there are enormous waitlists. We have to tackle those, but we also have to have a system—in education, for example—where we prevent people from reaching crisis, whether in childhood or when they become adults.

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40. 17 Jun 2026·Parliament·Labour·Gordon McKee

    Abuse of Customer-facing Workers

    My hon. Friend is being extremely generous with his time, and he is making an important speech. At a supermarket in Muirend in my constituency, there is a strong connection between other criminal actions—particularly shoplifting—and abuse of staff and sometimes physical violence towards staff. Do you agree that the UK Government must work with the Scottish Government and the police to ensure that we take a co-ordinated approach to resolving all retail-related crime, because that often leads to abuse of shop workers?

    Hansard source