theodi/ndl-core-corpus huggingface dataset:
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-15)

UK Parliament Hansard data: debates/debates2025-07-15c conversation_14

Helen Maguire:What steps he is taking to increase the use of renewable energy. \p Michael Shanks: Our clean power 2030 action plan sets out our pathway to delivering clean power. To support that plan, we recently launched the solar road map, which confirms plans to increase domestic solar installations through the future homes standard and warm homes plan. \p Helen Maguire: Over 50% of our food and £2.7 billion in lifesaving medicines depend on the cold chain, but operators face soaring energy costs and growing grid instability. In Epsom and Ewell, Sunswap is pioneering battery and solar-powered refrigeration, which cuts emissions while protecting vital supply chains. Will the Minister commit to targeted support for renewable energy innovators like Sunswap, whose technology can strengthen both sustainability and national resilience? \p Michael Shanks: The hon. Lady is right that we have an enormous amount of innovation in this space and real potential to meet our future needs, not just as a result of the pathway that we have outlined, but through innovative solutions like the one she mentioned, which provide specific support to targeted industries. I am happy to look further into her proposals, and at the funding available for innovation. If she wants to write to me with any details, I will happily follow up. \p Dave Robertson: A business in the village of Fradley in my constituency has a plan to put millions of watts of solar on the roof of its businesses. Unfortunately, it cannot proceed with that application, because there is not sufficient export capacity on the site. It would never export a watt of that electricity, which would meet only a fraction of its energy needs. Will the Minister meet me, so that we can discuss how we can make regulatory changes to support projects like this one? \p Michael Shanks: My hon. Friend makes a point that others have raised. We are looking in granular detail at how the system works to ensure that the regulatory landscape allows such opportunities to be taken. I am very happy to meet him to discuss this further. We are taking a detailed look at every single aspect of the system, so that communities, businesses and others can benefit from being able to export power to the grid. That will help the country with its energy needs and deliver a benefit for local communities.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-15)

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Graham Stuart:If he will make a statement on his departmental responsibilities. \p Ed Miliband: Since the last oral question time for the Department, the spending review announced the largest investment in clean energy in our country’s history—investment in new nuclear; in carbon, capture and storage; and in hydrogen transport and storage. We are investing £8.3 billion through Great British Energy and £13.2 billion in our warm homes plan for energy security, lower bills and good jobs. \p Graham Stuart: Evidence from the National Grid, Ofgem and Imperial College London shows that locational or zonal pricing would save billions of pounds a year, lower bills and reduce the need for expensive and often unpopular grid infrastructure. Why has the Secretary of State ruled it out? \p Ed Miliband: I made a comprehensive statement to the House on this last Thursday, and the grounds for the decision are these: first, there is the question of fairness, and secondly, there is the question of the cost of the transition and what would happen in the meantime. We need investment in our clean energy infrastructure, and we need investment in growth. I believe that our way—reformed national pricing—is the right way forward.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-15)

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Ben Goldsborough:In the fight for energy security, every area of our country must play its part, but that means energy infrastructure projects should be distributed evenly. What is the Department doing to ensure that no community will be asked to do more than its fair share? \p Ed Miliband: My hon. Friend makes an important point. That is why the strategic spatial energy plan will set out where we need our energy infrastructure, so that we can have a planned system that matches power needs and infrastructure at least cost to bill payers and taxpayers. \p Lindsay Hoyle: I call the shadow Secretary of State. \p Claire Coutinho: Yesterday, the Secretary of State said I was hiding when I was, in fact, with my six-month-old baby, who I know he is aware of. On behalf of all young mums who face those kinds of comments in their first few weeks back at work, may I gently suggest he reflects on those remarks?

I want to ask the Secretary of State a very simple question: is £82 higher or lower than £72? \p Ed Miliband: On the first point, I completely respect the right hon. Lady’s decision to be with her young baby, and there was no offence intended. I think it is very important that we understand the needs of new parents and, indeed, parents across the country. On the question she asked, I do not know what she is getting at, frankly. \p Claire Coutinho: I do not know whether the Secretary of State does not know or does not want to say, but £72 a megawatt-hour is what electricity cost last year, and £82 is the price he has paid for offshore wind, and he is set to do the same this year—and that is before the extra costs for the grid for wasted wind and back-up, which are going through the roof, thanks to his policies. Yesterday, he committed to radical honesty. In that spirit, will he admit either that he cannot add up, or that his policies cannot bring down bills? \p Ed Miliband: I am going to be radically honest and tell the right hon. Lady the truth: she is gambling on fossil fuels—the same thing she did that led us to the worst cost of living crisis in our country’s history, with family finances, businesses’ finances and public finances wrecked. The only way to bring down bills for good is through cheap, home-grown power that we control. We have an energy security plan. The Conservatives have an energy surrender plan.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-15)

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Anneliese Midgley:What ambitions does the Department have for sectors and technologies that GB Energy will prioritise, since the chief operating officer has said that he wants to evolve it into a major energy company, and what might that mean for job creation, including in constituencies like mine? \p Ed Miliband: GB Energy will prioritise a whole range of projects, and that is a matter for GB Energy, as a publicly owned energy company at arm’s length from Government, but there are huge opportunities right across our country, whether in floating wind, tidal, hydrogen or offshore wind and supply chains. GB Energy is owned by the public and will benefit people right across Britain. \p Lindsay Hoyle: I call the Liberal Democrat spokesperson. \p Pippa Heylings: Across Europe, we have already seen 2,300 heatwave-related deaths—avoidable deaths—and the Met Office report says that things will just get worse. The Lib Dems and I have a really cool idea. Will the Secretary of State work with local authorities to open up public spaces with air conditioning, such as leisure centres and libraries, so that they can provide relief from extreme heat for the elderly and vulnerable? \p Ed Miliband: There is no monopoly on good ideas, and the hon. Lady raises the important issue of how we adapt as a country to the climate crisis. We know we have a lot more to do, and we will listen to all good ideas.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-15)

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Cat Eccles:In my  constituency I am proud that we have the first example in the country of a high-energy use craft that has transitioned fully to renewables, having worked with a  UK manufacturer to create a super-efficient electric furnace. Will the Secretary of State come to Stourbridge and visit Allister Malcolm Glass at the Stourbridge Glass Museum with me, to highlight it as an example for others to follow, and protect high-energy use heritage crafts across the country? \p Ed Miliband: My hon. Friend raises a great example, and I will take a risk and say yes, I will come to Stourbridge. I love Stourbridge, and I look forward to seeing that project.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-15)

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Carla Denyer:The Government’s new Scope 3 guidance for offshore projects is hugely welcome. We are already battling deadly heatwaves and overshooting climate limits, so it is critical that we stop extracting new oil and gas. Given that there is no scenario in which Rosebank, or indeed any new oil and gas wells are compatible with limiting global temperature increases to 1.5°C, why are the Government trying to delay recognition of that climate reality by saying that applications will be considered on a case-by-case basis? Will the Minister give us a conclusive science-backed answer now, and confirm that Rosebank will not be going ahead? \p Michael Shanks: Of course the Government follow the regulations that we have put in place quickly, and applications must be considered on a case-by-case basis—that is the way anyone would expect them to be dealt with. I will not say on the Floor of the House any more about those applications, as they are live decisions that will be made in due course by the Department.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-15)

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Melanie Onn:What reassurance can the Minister offer the nearly 1,000 workers at Prax that the Government are 100% focused on finding a new owner for the Lindsey oil refinery? \p Michael Shanks: I will repeat what I have said before: we are obviously hugely disappointed by the way that the owners have dealt with the company. I repeat the ask that I have made in the House a number of times, and in writing to the chief executive, that he should put his hands in his pockets and do the right thing by the workforce. We are doing everything we can as part of the insolvency process safely to manage the refinery, and to look at whether there are buyers interested in taking it on.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-15)

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Blake Stephenson:The latest central estimate from the Office for Budget Responsibility puts the cost of achieving net zero by 2050 at £803 billion, with half that cost attributed to lost fuel duties. Does the Secretary of State accept that the Government will need to increase duties elsewhere, including on renewables, which could push bills up further? \p Ed Miliband: The most significant thing about the OBR report is that it says there is an 8% threat to our GDP by 2070 in a 3°C world, and a 56% rise in the debt to GDP ratio if we do not act on climate change. That is the most important thing from that report, which I recommend all hon. Members read over the summer.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-15)

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Juliet Campbell:I have received numerous emails from my constituents in Broxtowe, raising concerns about the loss of or threat to meadows. Meadows are critical to our environment and have been part of our natural heritage for centuries. They provide a wealth of benefits such as a unique wildlife habitat, flood alleviation and the promotion of clean air. Without better protection, remaining historic meadows and their ecological value risk vanishing beneath our feet. Will the Minister commit to including the protection of meadows in the list of irreplaceable habitats? \p Kerry McCarthy: I appreciate my hon. Friend’s concerns. This is a matter for the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, but I am happy to talk to colleagues as they bring forward their land use framework. Nature-based solutions to climate change are important, so we very much engage with our colleagues in DEFRA on these issues. \p Llinos Medi: Solar developers are not playing by the rules when it comes to accessing the land of people on Ynys Môn. Government guidance states that developers must act reasonably when trying to obtain permission to access the land, but my constituents have received threatening emails and there have even been cases of developers trespassing on land. Does the Minister condone such behaviour, and does he believe that current guidance is strong enough to protect constituents such as mine? \p Michael Shanks: I do not know the specifics of the case that the hon. Lady raises—if she wants to send any details to me, I will certainly look at them. We clearly want to see and expect in every single case a partnership between developers delivering projects that we think are important, the planning system responsible for putting the processes in place and the communities who should have their local area protected and be able to access it. I am happy to follow up with her if she wants to raise specifics with me.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-17)

UK Parliament Hansard data: debates/debates2025-11-17b conversation_1

Calum Miller:What steps she has taken to ensure that the tendering process for immigration removal centre contracts is competitive. \p Alex Norris: The Home Office has a procurement policy of competition by default, actively engaging with suppliers via the Government “find a tender” service to generate interest and promote competition for immigration removal centre contracts. Bids are evaluated on both technical and price aspects to ensure the contracts we sign are effective and value for money. \p Calum Miller: My constituents are very concerned about the Home Office’s race to reopen the Campsfield House immigration removal centre. The first contract for opening the centre was announced in June 2024, when this House was not sitting. The then Home Secretary announced that she intended to expand the facility in August 2024, when again the House was not sitting. I believe that contract has not yet been tendered. Will the Minister please provide my constituents with some reassurance that Ministers are not just racing to make announcements about this ahead of real need and in order to catch a headline, but are actually serious about using taxpayers’ money in an appropriate manner to look after and contain these issues? \p Alex Norris: “Real need” is a very important phrase. The reality is that over this Government’s time in office, we have deported over 50,000 people who have no right to be here—the best period of time in 10 years in this regard. We do need that detention capacity. Things are moving at Campsfield, so perhaps I should meet the hon. Gentleman to give him a full brief on our plans there. \p Christopher Vince: I thank the Minister for his previous answer. Does he agree that the main cause for the asylum backlog was the fact that, under the previous Government, decisions fell by 70%? What reassurance can he give my constituents in Harlow that this Government will tackle the issue we have inherited? \p Alex Norris: I totally agree. The original sin in respect of what we are dealing with today—hotel use across the country and our pivot to military sites—was the choice of the previous Government to simply stop assessing applications. We are of course reversing that, but it is taking time to turn around their failure.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-17)

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James McMurdock:What steps she is taking to reduce the cost to the public purse of migrants who have crossed the channel illegally. \p Shabana Mahmood: The previous Government lost control of our borders, and the result was a ruinously expensive asylum system that used more than 400 hotels at a cost of nearly £9 million a day. We have acted to cut those costs, with fewer than 200 hotels now in use. Our historic agreement with France means small boat departures are prevented, arrivals are detained, and those with no right to be in the UK are returned. As the House knows, I will shortly make a statement setting out the additional steps to go further and faster in the reform of our asylum system. \p James McMurdock: According to a recent National Audit Office report, £15.3 billion will be spent on asylum accommodation alone over the next 10 years. That money will be spent on people who will, in some instances, commit violent and sexual crimes—crimes that would make our skin crawl—against the British people. What do we say to our residents, voters and taxpayers, who feel like we are spending money on people who want nothing for us but harm? \p Shabana Mahmood: The hon. Gentleman should wait for the statement later today. The assumptions made by the National Audit Office in its projections are based on the current policy environment, which is about to change very significantly.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-17)

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Peter Lamb:What steps she has taken to tackle delays in the payment of refunds by her Department. \p Mike Tapp: UK Visas and Immigration makes millions of decisions every year about who has permission to visit or stay in the UK, protecting our borders and delivering excellent customer service across the globe. Where customers require refunds, UKVI officials ensure that they are made as swiftly as possible. \p Peter Lamb: I thank the Minister for his response. I have several residents who have been waiting almost a year for a refund from the Home Office. Given the dramatic improvements that we have seen in asylum application processing in the last year, can I trust that the Minister will put the same zeal into ensuring that the other Home Office processes work just as efficiently? \p Mike Tapp: I am aware of those three specific issues, and I reassure my hon. Friend that we are looking at them. I am happy to talk to him in more detail offline. \p Jim Shannon: I thank the Minister for his answer. Application costs are significant, and sometimes push those who apply to the wall. Whenever it comes to getting moneys back from someone who owes them, the Government are very zealous—as they should be. I suggest that when it comes to those that they owe money to, the Government should be just as zealous. \p Mike Tapp: I thank the hon. Member for his question, and of course we will be just as zealous with those receiving refunds.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-17)

UK Parliament Hansard data: debates/debates2025-11-17b conversation_8

John Lamont:Whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of extending the remit of the national statutory inquiry into grooming gangs to include Scotland. \p Jess Phillips: The national inquiry into group-based child sexual exploitation and abuse will mirror the Casey audit, and therefore cover England and Wales. That said, all parts of the UK must work together to protect children and bring perpetrators to justice. We have committed to sharing relevant findings with devolved Administrations and are considering how the inquiry’s work may interact with devolved responsibilities in Scotland, including cross-area trafficking concerns. \p John Lamont: Last week, brave grooming-gang survivor Fiona Goddard spoke of how she was trafficked to Scotland as a vulnerable teenager. As she rightly said, the idea that this issue stops at the border is “insane”. Despite clear evidence from victims about grooming gangs operating in Scotland, the SNP Government in Edinburgh still refuse to hold an inquiry. [Interruption.] Will the Minister please listen to victims and campaigners and extend the national inquiry to Scotland, so that we can ensure that young girls and teenagers are not treated in this way again? \p Jess Phillips: I thank the hon. Gentleman—others are stating from a sedentary position that the SNP Government in Scotland have said something different. However, any information can be given to the inquiry. In the example that the hon. Gentleman gave, where people are trafficked into Scotland, that evidence can be given to the inquiry. But police, justice, education, children’s services and health are all devolved, which is different to the system in England and Wales, where just policing and justice are devolved. We have to ensure that we are working within frameworks where the recommendations can be fully taken, but we will work with all nations to make sure that the findings make things better in the future.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-17)

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Christopher Bloore:What steps she is taking to improve public access to police officers in Redditch constituency. \p Sarah Jones: We are committed to delivering a stronger neighbourhood policing presence in communities across England and Wales. Every neighbourhood, including those in Redditch, now has a named, contactable officer dedicated to addressing issues facing the community. West Mercia police is using its share of the £200 million made available this financial year to grow its neighbourhood team by 51 full-time-equivalent neighbourhood officers. \p Christopher Bloore: I thank the Minister for that answer, and for the extra £39 million given to West Mercia police. But residents in Redditch have told me clearly that they want to be able to walk into their local police station and speak to an officer face to face. Does the Minister agree with me, and the many hundreds of constituents who have already signed my petition, that the new police station in Redditch should reinstate a public-facing front desk? \p Sarah Jones: As my hon. Friend will know, how resources are spent is a matter for the chief constable, but the Government are clear that visible policing is essential to restoring public confidence in the police, and we have invested £30 million since we came to power in new IT systems to make it easier for the public to report crime. That is also why we are ensuring that everyone has a named, contactable neighbourhood officer that they can call on.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-17)

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Mike Wood:What assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of introducing a statutory annual cap on levels of legal immigration. \p Mike Tapp: An arbitrary limit on legal migration would serve no one. As we have seen in the past, attempts to implement such caps have been unsuccessful. I remind the hon. Member of the 1 million in one year under the previous Government, undercutting British workers. Instead, this Government have set out a plan to reduce net migration by restoring control to the immigration system, reducing our reliance on overseas labour, and investing in domestic skills. \p Mike Wood: Does the Minister not recognise that an important step towards significantly reducing net migration would be to make it clear to all those working in his Department or handling migration that there is a number that everyone is working towards? If that is the case, surely Members of this House should be able to vote on that binding cap, as happens successfully in countries such as Australia. \p Mike Tapp: It is always amusing to be lectured about immigration by the Conservative party. There are more sophisticated ways to address high net migration, and this Government are doing that by tackling the underlying causes of over-reliance on migrant labour by employers, alongside raising the bar for who can come to the UK, and targeted visa restrictions.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-17)

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Alison Griffiths:Whether her Department provided evidence relating to the alleged breach of the Official Secrets Act on behalf of China. \p Dan Jarvis: As set out on multiple occasions in this House, no Ministers and no special advisers played any role in the provision of evidence. The Director of Public Prosecutions has confirmed that publicly. \p Alison Griffiths: Our judicial system is rightly rigorous and independent, which is why the Government’s handling of intelligence that is central to national security, and passing it to prosecutors, matters so much. As the Minister responsible for our state threats framework and domestic security, will the Home Secretary tell the House when she was first alerted to concerns that crucial evidence had not been passed to the Crown Prosecution Service? Does she agree that the public deserve a full and frank account of how two alleged Chinese spies were able to walk free? \p Dan Jarvis: This was an independent decision by the CPS, and we have repeatedly made clear that there was no political interference in the evidence provided. This Government are extremely disappointed with the outcome of this case, and remain concerned about the espionage threat posed to the UK. We are working relentlessly to counter it.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-17)

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Yuan Yang:Whether she has made a recent assessment of the potential impact of exempting British national overseas visa holders from the proposed extension of the settlement qualifying period on levels of net migration. \p Mike Tapp: The Government remain steadfast in their support for Hongkongers in the UK, and remain fully committed to the British national overseas route. We will consult on the earned settlement scheme shortly, and everyone will be welcome to participate. \p Yuan Yang: Reading is proud to be a town of many immigrant diasporas, including Hong Kong BNOs who are seeking refuge here. Many of my immigrant constituents have lived in our community for years, and they work incredibly hard so that they can put down roots, much as my parents did when I was a child. Will the Minister acknowledge the contributions of immigrant families who enrich towns like mine, when making policy about settlement periods? \p Mike Tapp: Absolutely. Across the board we recognise the contribution from migrant communities, and specifically the Hong Kong community. We are listening to their views about the route to settlement, and will continue to do so. \p Gideon Amos: The case for legal migration and for those genuinely seeking asylum is undermined by evidence that businesses in  Station Road in my constituency are using and exploiting migrants to carry out illegal trading. Local businesses are shocked and frustrated that when the police raid those premises, they remain open and continue trading. Will the Government consider bringing forward legislation to provide for the immediate closure of illegally trading shops? \p Mike Tapp: We take extremely this seriously in the Home Office, but it is out of control after the previous Government left us with a broken system. That is why in just over a year and a half we have increased arrests by 50% and visits by 64%—the highest in British history—and we will continue on that route.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-17)

UK Parliament Hansard data: debates/debates2025-11-17b conversation_14

Seamus Logan:If she will make a statement on her departmental responsibilities. \p Shabana Mahmood: I am pleased to start with some very good news indeed: one of the heroes of the Huntingdon attack, Samir Zitouni, the member of the train’s crew who risked his own life to save others, has been discharged from hospital. There is a long road ahead of him and his family have asked for privacy, but I am sure the whole House joins me in wishing him the swiftest and fullest recovery possible. [Hon. Members: “Hear, hear!”]

Since the last Home Office oral questions, I have made a number of significant announcements. A review of police protest powers was launched last weekend, and I am pleased that the former Director of Public Prosecutions, Lord Ken Macdonald, will lead it.

Last week, we announced that police and crime commissioners will be abolished. The introduction of police and crime commissioners by the last Government was a failed experiment. I will introduce new reforms so that police are accountable to their mayoral teams or local councils. The savings from this will fund more neighbourhood policing on the beat across the country, fighting crime and protecting our communities. I recognise the efforts of all current and former police and crime commissioners, and I thank them because they served their communities with honour and will continue to do so until they have completed their current— \p Lindsay Hoyle: Order. The answer is far too long. I still have to get other people in. Please can we have shorter answers. \p Seamus Logan: The Muscatelli report, commissioned by the Labour party in Scotland, recommended that the Scottish Government push for a bespoke immigration approach that tackles the unique issues faced by Scotland and its economy. While the leader of the Labour party in Scotland, Anas Sarwar, may be a bit confused about what is devolved and what is reserved, I am sure the Home Secretary is not. Will the Home Secretary meet me to discuss the report further, to deliver a win for the Scottish economy and fulfil one of the manifesto commitments made by the Labour party in Scotland? \p Shabana Mahmood: No, I will not, because immigration is a reserved matter. Trying to devolve this matter would create perverse pull factors all across the United Kingdom, which would be deeply inappropriate.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-17)

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Ian Lavery:The data centre in Cambois in my constituency has a £10 billion investment. Together with subsea interconnectors, for example, it looks as if my constituency is a plug-in centre for critical national infrastructure. With that in mind, can the Minister give me some advice on whether terrorism is being looked at as a serious issue because of the investment and what is happening in Cambois and patches such as mine? \p Dan Jarvis: My hon. Friend raises an important point. The assessment of the terrorist threat to the UK is made independently by the Joint Terrorism Analysis Centre. Government partners, including JTAC, the National Protective Security Authority and counter-terrorism police, work closely with industry to ensure that the latest threat picture is appropriately responded to by owners of CNI. I am happy to discuss that further with him. \p Lindsay Hoyle: I call the shadow Home Secretary. \p Chris Philp: Last October, a Sudanese small-boat illegal immigrant murdered 27-year-old Rhiannon Whyte by stabbing her 23 times with a screwdriver. In September, an illegal immigrant from Egypt was jailed for brutally raping a young woman in Hyde Park. Just last week, an Iranian and two Egyptian  small-boat illegal immigrants were committed to trial for the rape of a 33-year-old woman on Brighton beach. How many more murders and rapes must there be before the Home Secretary agrees to the immediate deportation of all illegal immigrants within a week of arrival? \p Lindsay Hoyle: Order. Just before the Minister answers, let me say that the last case is sub judice, so please be careful with the answer. \p Alex Norris: I am grateful for that clarification, Mr Speaker.

We are totally clear that those who commit crimes should not get settlement or citizenship in this country; they should be removed. That is why removals have reached their highest level for a decade. We can do much more in this space, which is why the Home Secretary will make the statement that she is going to make later.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-17)

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Jacob Collier:In Staffordshire, there are proposals to limit the hours of police community support officers in the evening. I welcome the named police officers returning to my constituency, but will the Minister ensure that the neighbourhood policing guarantee will mean more PCSOs on our streets, not fewer? \p Sarah Jones: My hon. Friend is right to raise that. We will ensure that there are more neighbourhood officers on our streets, with 3,000 more by next April, but PCSOs have a really vital role to play. I am a big fan of them, and I encourage all forces to have more of them. \p Lindsay Hoyle: I call the Liberal Democrat spokesperson. \p Max Wilkinson: Ahead of the Budget next week, the Labour Chancellor departed from years of silence on the matter by admitting that Brexit has been a disaster for our economy. Will the Labour Home Secretary follow the Chancellor’s lead by admitting that Brexit has also caused significant harm to this country’s ability to maintain order in our immigration and asylum system? \p Alex Norris: I am slightly reluctant to enter into the Brexit theory of everything with the hon. Gentleman. The reality is that we have the settlement we have. The British people rightly want to understand why asylum numbers are falling across Europe but increasing in the UK, and that is why we are taking the actions we propose to take. He will not have to wait much longer to hear the detail.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-17)

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Alex Barros-Curtis:What steps is the Home Secretary taking to counter the rise of extremist narratives, whether domestic or foreign-backed, that seek to undermine our democratic processes? \p Dan Jarvis: Everyone deserves to feel safe and to be able fully to participate in public and political life, free from the threat of violence or exclusion driven by hateful prejudice. We will persist in our efforts to challenge extremist narratives, disrupt the activity of radicalising groups and directly tackle the causes of radicalisation. Alongside our work to tackle extremism, the defending  democracy taskforce is driving forward a whole-of-Government response to the full range of threats we face to our democracy.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-17)

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Christine Jardine:I have been contacted by constituents concerned that a group calling itself Justice for Innocent Men in Scotland is allegedly harassing victims of sexual violence by undermining their anonymity. Will the Minister tell me what the UK Government are going to do to protect women across the UK from that sort of targeting and harassment? \p Jess Phillips: I thank the hon. Lady for raising this case with me, and I am happy to look into it in more detail. It is a fundamental principle that victims of sexual violence are entitled by law to anonymity, and breaching that anonymity is a crime. I am very interested to hear from her and to see how we can ensure that that is not happening.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-17)

UK Parliament Hansard data: debates/debates2025-11-17b conversation_19

Phil Brickell:The  Home Secretary will be aware of the existing asset recovery incentivisation scheme, which uses seized criminal assets to fund enforcement agencies in their work to tackle economic crime. There are, however, concerns about the lumpy nature of the funding model, which can lead to wild variations in financial support year on year for the likes of the Crown Prosecution Service, local police forces and the Serious Fraud Office. Will the Minister therefore meet me to discuss the merits of introducing a ringfenced, multi-year funding pot for law enforcement agencies tackling economic crime? \p Dan Jarvis: The Department is committed to reinvesting criminal proceeds into asset recovery and tackling related economic crime. In 2024-25, £174 million supported law enforcement, including through the ARIS top slice, a multi-year fund that is ringfenced for core and innovative capabilities. We are reviewing ARIS with stakeholders to improve stability and effectiveness. I know that my hon. Friend is engaging with the noble Lord Hanson of Flint, but I would be very happy to discuss this matter with him further.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-17)

UK Parliament Hansard data: debates/debates2025-11-17b conversation_20

Clive Jones:In  Wokingham, many businesses have created their own text warning system to notify each other when known shoplifters are about in the town. Their priority should not be preventing crime; it should be selling their products. Will the Government commit to reversing Conservative cuts to police officer numbers by increasing the number of police officers on the beat, in order to tackle crime, ease residents’ concerns and protect high street businesses? \p Sarah Jones: The hon. Gentleman highlights an awful crime that was very much overlooked by the previous Government. We are changing the system, so that the £200 rule—whereby crimes would not be investigated if the goods stolen were worth less than £200—is scrapped. As my hon. Friend the Member for Nottingham North and Kimberley (Alex Norris) championed in opposition, we are bringing in a new offence of assaulting a shopworker. This issue needs a really targeted response, and we know that a lot of local police are working closely with  the Co-op group and others to make sure we target the prolific offenders who are responsible for a vast amount of these crimes. \p Andy McDonald: The Government have tabled an amendment to the Crime and Policing Bill that would create sweeping powers to impose conditions on public protests based on cumulative disruption. Can the Minister set out to the House what that amendment means by serious disruption to a community? How will this be determined and measured, and how will these powers be made subject to democratic scrutiny? \p Sarah Jones: That would probably take longer to answer than the amount of time I have for a topical question, but I am very happy to speak to my hon. Friend about this issue. The definition of serious disruption is not changing; the amendment deals with the circumstances in which a police force can put conditions on a protest while not banning it. I am very happy to have more conversations with my hon. Friend about this.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-17)

UK Parliament Hansard data: debates/debates2025-11-17b conversation_21

Rupert Lowe:Does the Home Secretary agree that if a migrant—legal or illegal—cannot speak English, claims benefits, lives in social housing, refuses to work, rejects integration, commits crime, and is a drain on our society or even actively hates Britain and wishes to do us harm, they should be removed from our country, regardless of how many millions of deportations that would inevitably result in? \p Alex Norris: I am sad that the hon. Gentleman has a different characterisation of those who seek refuge in this country than the one I have from my own community —that is not my experience. We are clear that if individuals commit crime, there must be consequences, including their removal from this country. As I have said, the hon. Gentleman will not have to wait much longer to hear what the Home Secretary has to say, but I cannot recognise his characterisation. \p Grahame Morris: As a lifelong political activist and trade unionist, I value free speech and the right to protest. Having lived through the miners’ strike, I know what it means when the state turns against working people and disregards their rights, so I am deeply concerned that the proposed amendments to the Crime and Policing Bill will allow police to prohibit marches, demonstrations and even picket lines simply because another such event has taken place in the same area. Can the Minister guarantee that this House will have sufficient time to debate and vote on those amendments? \p Sarah Jones: To be clear, these amendments are not about stopping marches; they are about conditions, including the length of time and the geography of them. Of course, the right to protest is one that Labour will always champion.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-15)

UK Parliament Hansard data: debates/debates2025-10-15b conversation_2

Alex Easton:What steps he is taking to ensure that Intertrade UK operates independently and transparently. \p Hilary Benn: As part of “Safeguarding the Union”, Intertrade UK was established to advise on and promote trade and investment across the UK. The terms of reference and work programme were published on gov.uk. The NIO provides secretariat support, but Intertrade UK is free to submit advice and recommendations to the Government as it sees fit. \p Alex Easton: What indicators is the Secretary of State using to measure growth in trade within the UK internal market? Will he commit to publicising an independent assessment of the barriers that the Northern Ireland protocol is having on trade within the UK and Northern Ireland, which I believe affects the ability of Intertrade UK to fully promote trade within the UK and operate independently? \p Hilary Benn: As the hon. Gentleman will be aware, a range of organisations, including Intertrade UK, are looking at the impact of the Windsor framework. We have recently had Lord Murphy’s report, for example, which the Government are committed to publishing. The House of Lords Northern Ireland Affairs Committee published a report on the same subject only this morning. \p Claire Hanna: Does the Secretary of State agree that one of the major deterrents to investment and growth in Northern Ireland is the absence, 20 months after the restoration of Stormont, of a published investment strategy from the Executive with any sort of a road map for investors or businesses on the infrastructure, roads and housing developments that the Executive will invest in? Does he agree that, in the absence of that strategy, we are flying blind in investment terms? Has he had any discussions with the Executive about that? \p Hilary Benn: Like my hon. Friend, I look forward to seeing the investment strategy published. Northern Ireland has a great opportunity under the Windsor framework because of the dual market access, which no other part of the United Kingdom has. For those looking to invest to trade with both the UK and the European Union, there is no better place to come and do that but Northern Ireland.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-15)

UK Parliament Hansard data: debates/debates2025-10-15b conversation_5

Andrew Rosindell:What steps he is taking to maintain Northern Ireland’s place in the UK internal market. \p Hilary Benn: The Government are committed to safeguarding Northern Ireland’s place in the UK internal market and to implementing the Windsor framework in good faith. The internal market scheme enables traders to move goods from Great Britain into Northern Ireland tariff-free and, since May, with significantly reduced paperwork and checks. \p Andrew Rosindell: It is a disgrace that the “Safeguarding the Union” provisions severely restrict trade between Great Britain and Northern Ireland, binding the Province to 300 areas of EU law over which the people have no say. Will the Secretary of State take steps to remove what is left of this damaging international trade border within our own nation and restore the birthright of the people of Northern Ireland as equal citizens of this United Kingdom? \p Hilary Benn: I say to the hon. Gentleman and those who advocated that we should leave the European Union: this is the consequence of it. There was an open border and two different jurisdictions—how were we going to deal with trade in those circumstances? Secondly, the goods are flowing; the goods are moving. Look at  the evidence: the Northern Ireland economy in the second quarter grew by 2%. That is not indicative of a problem. \p Lindsay Hoyle: I call the shadow Minister. \p Mike Wood: On 26 November last year, the Health Secretary assured this House that the Tobacco and Vapes Bill will apply in Northern Ireland. The Secretary of State will know that the age-based sales ban affects the placement of tobacco products on the market and so is potentially in breach of the EU’s tobacco products directive, so can the Secretary of State repeat the Health Secretary’s assurance and also tell us whether the Government have confirmed with the European Union that the ban will stand in Northern Ireland? \p Hilary Benn: It is certainly the Government’s intention that the ban will apply in Northern Ireland, because it is very important that young people all over the United Kingdom are protected in the way in which the Bill seeks. \p Lindsay Hoyle: Before we come to Prime Minister’s questions, I welcome to the Gallery the honourable Speaker of the Parliament of the Republic of Fiji and the Chairman of the Parliament of Ukraine.

Members will also know that today marks the fourth anniversary of the death of our friend and colleague, Sir David Amess, who was murdered in his Southend West constituency in 2021. Sir David was a long-serving Member of Parliament, respected and liked by Members across the House and dedicated to his constituency. We remember him fondly. \p UNKNOWN: The Prime Minister was asked—
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-15)

UK Parliament Hansard data: debates/debates2025-10-15b conversation_9

Alex McIntyre:Next year marks the 75th anniversary of the battle of the Imjin river, where the 29th Infantry Brigade’s last stand prevented the capture of Seoul during the Korean war. That hill is now called Gloster Hill as a proud testament to the incredible bravery of one of those battalions, our glorious Glosters. Will the Prime Minister join me in calling for a commemoration of the glorious Glosters, and all those who fought to defend democracy, liberty and freedom in South Korea? \p Keir Starmer: I join my hon. Friend in marking the heroism and sacrifice of the 29th Infantry Brigade, which is an enduring example of the bravery of all our armed forces. I know that Defence Ministers would be happy to discuss commemorating their courage. Our debt to the armed forces underlies our commitment to  veterans, which includes delivering homes for heroes and a new network of veteran support centres, backed with £50 million. \p Liz Saville-Roberts: Ahead of his party conference, the Prime Minister told the BBC that he was not sure whether he would campaign in Caerphilly for the by-election on 23 October. This is an important by-election in Wales, but with just over a week to go, the Prime Minister has not shown his face there yet. What is the problem? Is it his party’s decision to close 10 libraries in the community? Is it cuts to disability support? Or is it perhaps the fact that even the council leader resigned from the Labour party and is calling on people to support Plaid Cymru? \p Keir Starmer: The right hon. Lady leaves out of her count that we provided £21 billion—the largest ever settlement for Wales—and what did she do? She voted against it, if you can believe it. While we are on the question of money, I noticed that this week, the right hon. Lady accepted figures showing that independence would cost every Welsh person £7,000. Her party should be honest about the cost of their policies to the people of Wales.