Contributions
377 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARD Bromsgrove: Local GovernmentI agree with my hon. Friend and neighbour. He makes a very relevant point that the cost of organising two councils will be profound, and in the long term will prove to be a false…07 Jan 2026HANSARD Bromsgrove: Local GovernmentI beg to move, That this House has considered local government organisation in Bromsgrove. It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Mr Western. The reorganisation of…07 Jan 2026HANSARD Bromsgrove: Local GovernmentI am surprised but that must be seen in the context of the survey I referenced. Only a very small proportion of the Worcestershire population responded to any consultation about…07 Jan 2026HANSARD Bromsgrove: Local GovernmentI agree wholeheartedly with the hon. Gentleman. The disaggregation and loss of access to sustainable services is a profound risk in any case of local government reorganisation,…07 Jan 2026HANSARDTopical QuestionsOn a point of order, Mr Speaker. In response to my question about whether bills in April 2026 will be lower than in July 2024, the Secretary of State claimed that they would be.…06 Jan 2026HANSARDEnergy Bills ReductionThis Government’s promise to cut energy bills by £300 is dead in the water, as bills are now £190 higher than when they took office. Now their big idea is to pull the wool over…06 Jan 2026HANSARD Cyber Security and Resilience (Network and Information Systems) BillI start by putting on the record my broad support for the principles in the Bill. Cyber-threats are among the biggest threats that our country faces. We are living in the grey…06 Jan 2026HANSARDAgricultural Property Relief and Business Property ReliefAfter months of sleepless nights, fear and uncertainty, this partial U-turn is a victory for farmers—I pay tribute to farmers across the country, but particularly those in my…05 Jan 2026HANSARDBusiness of the HouseLeo, a 16-year-old boy in my constituency, has just received the best news that he could receive before Christmas. He is a leukaemia patient who has been searching for a donor to…18 Dec 2025HANSARDLocal Government FinanceTalking about local government finance, I was shocked to read in The Times yesterday that Reform-led Worcestershire county council has sought permission from the Government to…17 Dec 2025HANSARDPlanning ReformThe Minister has said that the Government want to double down on the brownfield-first approach, that they have a presumption in favour of development in urban areas and that they…16 Dec 2025HANSARD Employment Rights BillThe impacts of the Bill in its current form are already being felt: 71% of businesses have raised serious concerns, with over 90% of small business owners expressing deep worries,…15 Dec 2025HANSARD Employment Rights BillI thank my right hon. Friend, who makes his point eloquently, as usual. The Government must abandon the measure. If they are really on the side of workers, the best thing they can…15 Dec 2025HANSARD Employment Rights BillI will make progress. The idea that removing the cap will lead to anything other than a surge in cases is pure fantasy. This lack of understanding shows why the Government must…15 Dec 2025HANSARDTopical QuestionsT10. Today the head of MI6 will say that “the frontline is everywhere”. Does that not mean that the entirety of the Government and the military need to be far more proactive in…15 Dec 2025HANSARD Employment Rights BillThe hon. Gentleman misses the point that I am making. Currently, there is no financial incentive for very senior executives who cannot exercise any leverage over things such as…15 Dec 2025HANSARDNHS: Winter PreparednessThese strikes, at a time of peak seasonal pressure on the NHS, are reprehensible, and the BMA should be thoroughly ashamed of itself. Does the Health Secretary agree that we…15 Dec 2025HANSARD Employment Rights BillI was just about to get to the point that I wanted to make: removal of the cap will make matters significantly worse. To put it plainly, it will open the floodgates for senior…15 Dec 2025HANSARDSeasonal WorkIs my hon. Friend as concerned as I am that a typical pub in my constituency is paying around £2,500 per month more than it was 12 months ago? Let me briefly put that into…10 Dec 2025HANSARDSeasonal WorkDoes my hon. Friend agree that it is not just the tax rises and the additional cost burden that is causing a lack of confidence? That lack of confidence is in itself probably the…10 Dec 2025