Liz Jarvis

Party affiliation

Parliament's party history for this member: Liberal Democrat (4 Jul 2024 – present).

Register of interests

Register on Parliament's site

Latest on this tracker 168

1. 3 Nov 2026·Parliament·Liz Jarvis

   Budget Resolutions

   Last Wednesday my constituents in Eastleigh looked to the Chancellor for real help with the cost of living. While some of the measures that he announced are welcome, I am afraid that this Budget lacks ambition, and is short term and poorly targeted. According to the Resolution Foundation, the one-off household energy payment based on council tax band rather than need means that 1.4 million low-income households in higher bands will miss out, while the scrapping of gas standing charges will save the typical household just £1.83 a month. The cuts to VAT on electricity and fuel duty both end next July, long before the OBR expects pressure on family budgets to ease. For constituents like Susan, a widow who lives in a park home in Fair Oak, the Budget offered very little. She is off the main gas grid and has no choice but to heat her home with liquid petroleum gas, which is far more expensive and is not protected by the energy price cap. Her £100 payment will barely touch the sides, and scrapping standing charges does nothing for her. Will the Minister set out what support the Government will provide for off-grid households like Susan’s, who rely on liquid petroleum gas and are not protected by the energy price cap? The Chancellor’s decision to raise the threshold for small business rates relief from £12,000 to £18,000 is welcome. However, the policy does not live up to the headline, benefiting only a limited number of businesses in Eastleigh. On Thursday, I hosted a post-Budget business breakfast in my constituency. Lucy, who runs Telmar CNC, a precision engineering firm in Chandler’s Ford, told me that her rates bill has doubled in six years, and manufacturers like her business got nothing. Jane runs Elite Hair Salon, which, as a microbusiness, is too small for the changes to make any difference. She told me, “Overall, this Budget has done little to support my business or many others within the hair and beauty sector.” I welcome the extra small producer relief. However, raising alcohol duty yet again in February will hit the very pubs and drinkers that small brewers depend on, and that is why we oppose it. We are approaching Remembrance Sunday; and, in the current climate, ensuring that our armed forces are properly equipped is more urgent than ever. In Eastleigh, Stuart, who runs GW Martin & Co, has welcomed the Government’s commitment to small firms in the defence investment plan, but he told me, “We would like to see greater urgency in funding this necessary investment as we have capacity and capability to respond quickly, which will create jobs, growth and revenue.” Instead, the plan to reach 3% of GDP on defence has been pushed back to next year’s spending review. James, who owns JLMS—an apprenticeship provider—told me, “This was not a Budget for youth employment.” The payment for taking on an apprentice has not gone up in five years, while the cost of employing and training a young person keeps rising. The Chancellor had a choice. He could have reversed the increase to employer national insurance contributions, which has sent job vacancies to a five-year low. Instead, he told young people to wait for another review. On plan 2 student loans, this Budget was again silent. It was an opportunity to reverse last autumn’s deeply unfair decision to freeze the repayment threshold from April 2027 for three years. With the minimum wage rising and the threshold frozen, we are approaching the point where a graduate on the minimum wage could have to start repaying. I urge the Treasury to scrap the freeze and link the threshold to average earnings. I am pleased that the Chancellor has finally listened to Lib Dem calls to scrap the carer’s allowance cliff edge. That is a welcome first step, but it will not come into force until 2030, and carers trying to balance work with looking after a loved one need this safety net now, not in four years. Will the Minister commit to bringing forward its introduction so that carers do not have to wait until 2030? Eastleigh needed a Budget with real ambition, but this one falls short. I urge the Chancellor to go further.

   Hansard source
2. 19 Oct 2026·Parliament·Liz Jarvis

   Controlling or Coercive Behaviour: Sentencing

   It is a pleasure to serve under your chairship, Mr Mundell. I thank the Petitions Committee for scheduling this important debate, and I thank my constituents who signed the petition. Above all, I thank my constituent Paris Shears, who is in the Gallery today and is the reason we are all present in this Chamber this afternoon. It has been a privilege to support Paris as she has brought this campaign forward. She has taken the worst experience of her life and has turned it into a fight to change the law so that no other victim has to go through what she did. I am incredibly proud to be her Member of Parliament and to speak on her behalf today. I would like to start by saying a little more about what happened to Paris, because her story is the reason the petition exists. Paris’s ex-partner was charged with several offences, including intentional strangulation and controlling and coercive behaviour, to which he pleaded not guilty. For over 530 days, Paris prepared to stand in court and relive what had happened to her, carrying the fear of giving evidence, of facing her former partner and of not being believed.<span id="266WH" class="column-number" data-column-number="266WH"></span> On the morning of the trial, the defendant changed his plea. For that, he was given a reduced sentence for sparing Paris the ordeal of a trial, despite what he had already put her through. When Paris heard the sentence, she fell to her knees and curled up in a ball crying. As she puts it: “He got handed a suspended sentence. I am still living with a life sentence.” No one should ever have to say that about our criminal justice system. It is completely unacceptable that a defendant can continue their cycle of abuse and still be rewarded with a reduced sentence for changing their plea at the last possible moment. Guilty pleas exist for a reason: to spare victims the ordeal of a trial. A plea entered on the day of the trial spares them nothing. This matters especially in cases of coercive control, because this particularly insidious form of abuse is about power. It is about trying to control every aspect of another person’s life. When a defendant pleads not guilty and then holds out until the morning of the trial, that control carries on—only now it is exercised through the courts. Paris’s law would stop this. Although it is welcome that some domestic abuse crimes have been excluded from the early release scheme, that does not go far enough. Domestic abuse does not end when an offender is convicted, and an offender’s release can be one of the most dangerous periods that a survivor will face. Our police forces, probation services, courts and specialist domestic abuse organisations are already struggling to monitor perpetrators of abuse and breaches of release. Releasing more domestic abuse offenders early will only place even greater pressure on a system that is already failing to cope. I would be grateful if the Minister could clarify how many domestic abuse offenders the Government expect to be released under the early release scheme. If the Government get this wrong, survivors will pay the price. They and their families may be forced to abandon their homes, their children’s schools, their jobs and their support networks, which will plunge domestic abuse services and refuges into even greater demand. Domestic abuse is one of the most despicable crimes, and those convicted of these offences should not be eligible for early release. We understand why our prisons are full. Years of neglect and mismanagement under the previous Conservative Government let the court backlog spiral and left victims waiting unacceptably long for justice. However, the answer to tackling the crisis of overcrowding cannot be solved by transferring the risk from prisons directly into the homes and communities of survivors. Violence against women and girls is a national emergency. With one in four women having experienced domestic abuse, and with a woman being killed by a man every three days in the UK, greater action is needed to tackle this epidemic. Last December, the Government published a strategy with the aim of halving violence against women and girls within a decade. This is absolutely a welcome ambition, but that ambition must be matched by practical steps. Paris’s law is exactly the kind of practical step that the target demands. Young people of all ages must be taught what a healthy relationship looks like, what controlling behaviour is and how to report problems at home. Paris told me that she believes that if she had received education like that, much of her trauma could <span id="267WH" class="column-number" data-column-number="267WH"></span>have been avoided. The best way to help protect future women from coercive and controlling relationships is to make sure that they are able to recognise the warning signs early on. Paris has been brave enough to tell her story and fight for a change in the law. It is now time for action. I urge the Minister to back Paris’s law and make sure that no survivors of coercive control suffer the same injustice that the current gap in our judicial system allows.

   Hansard source
3. 13 Oct 2026·Parliament·Liz Jarvis

   Gas and Electricity Prices

   <Question HRSContentId="{EE705A65-C333-4D41-9B89-D8DBC736CB8A}">1. <QuestionText HRSContentId="{21CCC6DE-8D16-427D-82D7-DD8E14F60F5D}">What recent progress she has made in decoupling the price of gas and electricity.</QuestionText> </Question>

   Hansard source
4. 13 Oct 2026·Parliament·Liz Jarvis

   Gas and Electricity Prices

   I raised the decoupling of gas and electricity prices with the former Energy Secretary in March, so I welcome the Government’s continued commitment. However, eight months into the illegal war in Iran, rising gas prices have pushed the price cap up by 4% this month, wiping out VAT savings on energy bills, while Trump’s lifting of sanctions on Russian diesel leaves fuel prices once again at the mercy of Putin. In my constituency of Eastleigh, more than a quarter of households are in fuel poverty, and I have spoken with many businesses that are struggling with spiralling bills. Will the Secretary of State therefore go further and faster on decoupling gas and electricity prices, including by investing more in home-grown renewable energy?

   Hansard source
5. 10 Sep 2026·Parliament·Liz Jarvis

   Topical Questions

   <Question HRSContentId="{58738D3D-4F67-4421-B218-88CDFAEECDD1}">T2. <QuestionText HRSContentId="{A0F59489-EA70-48B5-A11B-94C3A3574C40}"></QuestionText>My constituent Simon gave 31 years’ service at the Maritime and Coastguard Agency, supporting the Royal Navy. He contacted Capita in March, ahead of his retirement, and was assured that his pension would be sorted. The same promise was repeated in June and again in July. His case is still awaiting triage. Can the Minister say when the backlog will be cleared and when Simon can expect his pension?</Question>

   Hansard source
6. 10 Sep 2026·Parliament·Liz Jarvis

   Air Traffic Control Disruption

   NATS is a significant local employer for my constituents, and I put on record my thanks to the engineers and controllers who worked hard to restore the system and keep passengers safe. However, this is the third such collapse in three years, and all employees who work for NATS, as well as the airports, airlines and passengers who rely on it, deserve better. What steps is the Minister taking to ensure that a genuinely effective back-up system is in place, so that we are not back here again in another two years?

   Hansard source
7. 10 Sep 2026·Parliament·Liz Jarvis

   Business of the House

   On Tuesday, Salt of the Earth—a family-run business in my constituency—was formally awarded the 2026 King’s award for enterprise and sustainable development. From kitchen chemists to natural deodorant pioneers, this fabulous little business is now manufacturing from a 16,000 square foot facility. Does the Leader of the House agree that small and medium-sized enterprises such as Salt of the Earth are crucial to growth across the country, and that their success should be celebrated and supported?

   Hansard source
8. 10 Sep 2026·Parliament·Liz Jarvis

   Social Housing Bill [Lords]

   As someone who grew up in rented accommodation, with all the uncertainty that goes with it, I fully understand the pressures faced by so many families who just want a permanent home of their own. So I welcome many of the provisions in this Bill, notably the reforms to right to buy and the strengthened protections for tenants who are victims of domestic violence. Right to buy transformed the lives of millions of social housing tenants, letting them own a home when that seemed a distant dream. However, its implementation ravaged the social housing stock in this country, with over 2 million homes sold, but only 500,000 new social rent homes built since 1980. That is why I welcome the provisions protecting what remains of that stock by extending the minimum tenancy requirement, curtailing discounts and the number of times a tenant can exercise the right to buy, and giving local authorities first refusal when a social home is resold. These are positive steps towards redressing the balance between social and private rented housing. The Liberal Democrat-run council in Eastleigh has invested heavily in housing across the borough through partnerships with house builders and housing associations, and by commissioning homes directly. The recent announcement that Eastleigh will be one of three strategic partners in Homes England’s social and affordable homes programme for 2026 to 2036 is testament to its success. For too long, the victims of domestic abuse have been forced to escape their homes. Clause 14 and schedule 1 begin to correct that, giving survivors a simplified legal mechanism to remove an abuser from a joint social tenancy, so it is the perpetrator who loses the home they use as a weapon of control. Crucially, this Bill closes a loophole that has too often been exploited. Currently, an abuser can end a joint tenancy on a technicality through a notice to quit while possession proceedings against them are ongoing, leaving the survivor with nothing. This Bill stops that, giving housing associations the clear, workable powers they have lacked to help survivors remain safely in their own home or move to suitable alternative social housing without losing tenancy rights. My constituent Karen and her two children fled domestic abuse. She was refused social housing because she jointly owns a property that her ex-partner deliberately keeps off the market as a form of control. After a year spent living in a single room in a refuge, Karen and her children were served a notice to leave with nowhere secure to go. They have since found a home, but she should never have had to fight this hard to get one. Her case shows that a joint tie to a property can trap a domestic abuse survivor just as surely as a joint tenancy can, and the same is true of housing-related debt caused by an abuser.<span id="1276" class="column-number" data-column-number="1276"></span> Clause 17 removes uncommenced provisions from the Housing and Planning Act 2016 that would have phased out lifetime secure tenancies. I strongly support this. It gives tenants housing security and lets a family build a life within a community, not just occupy a home. The Bill would simplify what never needed complicating, and protect what matters to tenants. I support it, and trust that Members will ask in Committee how it could go further to ensure everyone has a home to call their own.

   Hansard source
9. 8 Sep 2026·Parliament·Liz Jarvis

   Vehicle Theft

   I beg to move, That this House has considered the matter of vehicle theft. It is a pleasure to serve under your chairship, Dr Allin-Khan. Data commissioned by the Liberal Democrats shows that since the start of 2025 115,448 instances of vehicle theft have been recorded across England and Wales. Home Office data shows that vehicle theft has risen by 75% in the past decade. Even accounting for the increased number of cars on our roads, theft rates have risen from 2.71 to 4.42 cases per 1,000 privately owned cars. To put those figures into perspective, that is one vehicle stolen in England and Wales every four minutes. According to the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency, 357,000 cars and vans have been stolen in the last five years alone. In 2025-26, Hampshire and Isle of Wight constabulary recorded 2,408 cases of vehicle theft. Although that represents a slight decrease from the year before, when 2,455 cases were recorded, it remains far too many. Local police have told me that vehicle theft is increasing in my constituency. Car theft is not a victimless crime: behind every statistic is a person whose life has been disrupted.

   Hansard source
10. 8 Sep 2026·Parliament·Liz Jarvis

    Vehicle Theft

    The hon. Member makes a good point. This is also about the human impact of these crimes. I have heard from constituents, including NHS workers who have not been able to get to work or do the school run because their car vanished overnight. In one case, a couple told me that they saw a van pull up outside their property, and then someone get out and simply drive their car away. In April this year two constituents woke up to find that their brand-new car had been stolen while they slept. The insurance payout did not cover the real cost of a like-for-like replacement. The feeling of intrusion was significant for my constituents, whose sense of personal safety and security have been violated by the thoughtless crime that took place just metres from where they slept. The emotional toll was difficult <span id="315WH" class="column-number" data-column-number="315WH"></span>for them both, and being without a car for several weeks was very disruptive: they had to cancel hospital appointments and other commitments, including collecting their grandchildren from school. For tradespeople, the impact can be even more direct. A van is stolen every 52 minutes in this country, taking with it the tools of someone’s trade and their ability to earn a living. For many of my constituents, there is not always a bus to fall back on. With the 61 bus service cut in late 2025, there is one less option for residents who no longer have a car to rely on. Losing a car to theft leaves people feeling exposed and unsafe in their own homes. Their sense of security, once lost, is hard to win back. To understand why this crisis is accelerating, we need to look at how these thefts are being carried out. The methods being used today bear little resemblance to the car thefts of a decade ago. The most common method now is relay theft, where criminals used a signal amplifier to capture a key fob signal from inside the owner’s home and then relay it to a device held next to the car. That tricks the vehicle into unlocking and starting without the key being present. Another method is controller area network bus injection, which involves physically accessing the vehicle’s onboard computer through an exposed entry point, using plug-in devices disguised as harmless electronics. What should concern us most is how accessible this technology has become. These are not improvised tools: devices targeting high-end vehicles can sell for more than £20,000, so there is a serious criminal market built around vehicle theft.

    Hansard source

2024 General Election: Eastleigh

Election result on Parliament's site

Parliamentary career

Career on Parliament's site

Published contact details

Only the details Parliament publishes for this member. Contact page on Parliament's site