theodi/ndl-core-corpus huggingface dataset:
debates/debates2025-06-30b conversation_16
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-30)

UK Parliament Hansard data: debates/debates2025-06-30b conversation_16

Shockat Adam:In response to my written parliamentary question, the Minister for the Armed Forces said that the Ministry of Defence assesses support to foreign forces on

“a case-by-case basis. UK training courses promote British values, including human rights…and…international humanitarian law.”

How does that response square with our continued support of Israel’s war crimes in Gaza? Will dual nationals serving in the Israel Defence Forces be held accountable? \p Luke Pollard: All actions of the UK Government are in compliance with international humanitarian law. We want to see an immediate ceasefire in Gaza. We have fewer than five personnel from Israel on non-combat academic courses currently, but we keep all our training under review.
debates/debates2025-06-30b conversation_17
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-30)

UK Parliament Hansard data: debates/debates2025-06-30b conversation_17

Tristan Osborne:Ministers will be aware of the recent launch of XV Excalibur in the south of England. It is an autonomous submarine vehicle that is the future of naval capability. What other investments are being made, under the strategic defence review, in autonomous vehicles, unmanned submarine technologies, and glider technologies? \p Luke Pollard: I thank my hon. Friend for raising that. Excalibur will be an incredible autonomous asset. The strategic defence review sets out that crewed, uncrewed and autonomous systems will be standard across our armed forces, and at the heart of the review is investment in the people who will be manufacturing and standing behind those systems. That is why, when the defence investment plan comes out later this year, there will be more opportunities for small and medium-sized enterprises, primes and businesses right across the country to invest in our uncrewed and autonomous future in a hybrid military. \p Rebecca Smith: Last week, I asked the Chief Secretary to the Treasury what happened to the £4 billion earmarked for autonomous systems, including in Plymouth. That line was in the Chancellor’s spending review speech, but not delivered on the day. The Chief Secretary did not know. Can the Secretary of State confirm that this funding exists, and will he accept an invitation to Turnchapel Wharf, where exciting marine autonomy is being developed? \p John Healey: I can confirm that the £4 billion is funded. I can confirm that the investment in autonomous and drone technology in this Parliament is double what was planned before the election. I can confirm that we will spend and invest that money it in this Parliament. I always like coming to Plymouth; my hon. Friend the Minister for the Armed Forces drags me down there frequently.
debates/debates2025-06-30b conversation_18
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-30)

UK Parliament Hansard data: debates/debates2025-06-30b conversation_18

Christopher Bloore:Last week’s historic NATO summit concluded with members laying the foundation for a stronger united NATO. With the changing nature of the threats we face, does the Secretary of State agree that working even more closely with our NATO allies is crucial to keeping the UK secure at home and stronger abroad? \p John Healey: I do indeed. NATO is bigger, stronger and more lethal than ever before. It is our guarantee that we will never fight alone. That is why the leading contribution that Britain makes to NATO deterrence and defence is a big part of keeping us safe for the future. \p Chris Coghlan: Do the Government know if the US Government are still providing technical military intelligence support, such as electronic or imagery intelligence for Ukraine? If that were cut off by President Trump, would the Americans effectively restrict our British military technical intelligence support to Ukraine? \p Luke Pollard: The hon. Member will understand that we cannot talk about sharing military intelligence on the Floor of the House, but as he and I have an interest in this, I would be happy to have a conversation with him.
debates/debates2025-06-30b conversation_19
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-30)

UK Parliament Hansard data: debates/debates2025-06-30b conversation_19

Gareth Snell:North Staffordshire Tri Service and Veterans Support Centre does a wonderful job supporting veterans across Stoke-on-Trent, but all too often, it finds that the military covenant is not working for them. In Stoke-on-Trent in particular, it seems to be failing. What action are this Government taking to ensure that the covenant is worth the paper it is printed on in cities like mine? \p Alistair Carns: I highlight that the Prime Minister has made an announcement about broadening responsibility for the covenant, and the duty of care that it will deliver, from three Government Departments to 14. It will now be for other Departments to ensure that the duty is adhered to across all local councils.
debates/debates2025-06-30b conversation_20
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-30)

UK Parliament Hansard data: debates/debates2025-06-30b conversation_20

Ben Goldsborough:Some 3,537 of my constituents in South Norfolk are veterans. Being a veteran in a rural community is very different from being one in an urban community. What action are the Government taking to ensure that my veterans have the support they need? \p Alistair Carns: As I have mentioned several times today, the Valour programme will accommodate that. It will not be a service that is a blueprint for everyone, but we will take the geographical differences into account and ensure that it is fit for purpose so that our veterans are given the deal that they deserve. \p Graham Leadbitter: The strategic defence review, published this month, clearly states:

“The foundation of the UK’s approach to deterrence remains a minimum, credible, independent UK nuclear deterrent, assigned to the defence of NATO… The UK’s nuclear weapons are operationally independent.”

Somehow, in the last 29 days, the UK Government have decided that they no longer see their Trident nuclear missiles as a minimum credible deterrent. Why was that major change in policy not announced in the SDR? \p Luke Pollard: The Government have made it very clear that our support for our independent nuclear deterrent is solid and is not changing. We are investing in new submarines, we are investing in the base in Faslane, we are investing in new nuclear reactors in Derby, and we are backing the people who keep our country safe with that guarantor of our security, the nuclear deterrent. \p Ben Obese-Jecty: Since 14 June, an F-35B from the Prince of Wales carrier strike group has been stranded on the runway at the Thiruvananthapuram  civilian airport in India. What steps are the Government taking to recover the plane, how much longer will that take, and how will the Government ensure the security of protected technologies on the jet while it is in the hangar and out of view? \p Luke Pollard: We continue to work with our Indian friends who provided first-class support when the F-35B was unable to return to the Prince of Wales when on a flight mission, and I am certain that the security of the jet is in good hands because Royal Air Force crew are with it at all times.
debates/debates2025-12-03e conversation_3
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-12-03)

UK Parliament Hansard data: debates/debates2025-12-03e conversation_3

Sarah Bool:What steps she is taking with the Home Secretary to help tackle grooming gangs in Wales. \p Anna McMorrin: I thank the hon. Member for raising this important matter. The Home Office is working closely with the Welsh Government to share information and co-ordinate work to prevent and respond to child sexual abuse and exploitation, including that perpetrated by grooming gangs. This includes taking forward the recommendations of Baroness Casey’s audit, and I strongly welcome the continued support of the Welsh Government as we do so. \p Sarah Bool: Welsh Labour voted against a grooming gangs inquiry in the Senedd. Now Scottish MPs are bemoaning the lack of action from the Scottish National party and the Scottish Government. Given that Welsh Labour is also dragging its heels over this inquiry, will the Secretary of State step up and ensure that it holds a Wales-wide inquiry into this horrific scandal? \p Anna McMorrin: I am disappointed in the hon. Member. She must have forgotten that the last inquiry was not implemented in any way, shape or form. We have accepted Baroness Casey’s recommendations in full, and we are working together—the Welsh Government and the Home Office, alongside Baroness Casey—to appoint a chair, as a matter of urgency. Victims’ voices should be at the heart of this inquiry, and it is imperative that any chair appointed earns the trust of the victims, who have been let down far too often. For those victims, we must get this right; we can absolutely do no less. \p Nick Smith: Can the Minister say more about how the Government are reflecting the experiences of victims when tackling grooming gangs in Wales? \p Anna McMorrin: Absolutely, and I thank my hon. Friend for raising this critical matter. We are putting victims’ voices at the heart of the inquiry, because their voices must be heard, and we are accepting Baroness Casey’s recommendations in full, including the introduction of mandatory reporting, the creation of a new child protection authority and the ending of the three-year statute of limitations for personal injury claims. I will say this once again: we are ensuring that victims’ voices are at the heart of the inquiry, because they have been forgotten for far too long.
debates/debates2025-12-03e conversation_4
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-12-03)

UK Parliament Hansard data: debates/debates2025-12-03e conversation_4

Steve Witherden:What steps she is taking with Cabinet colleagues to help create new jobs in Wales. \p Jo Stevens: Announcements made over the past month demonstrate that our industrial strategy is working. In November alone, the Government announced investments to create more than 11,000 jobs in Wales, and just this week, the Wales investment summit showcased investments totalling £16 billion, which are expected to bring tens of thousands of jobs to Wales. \p Steve Witherden: Montgomeryshire and Glyndŵr is home to the largest one-day livestock market in Europe, just off the Buttington roundabout in Welshpool. Will my right hon. Friend join me in welcoming the 55 jobs that have been created on the roundabout in the last month alone, and would she consider joining me for a milkshake in one of the numerous places in Buttington where we could now obtain one together? \p Jo Stevens: I am very pleased to hear about the new jobs created at Buttington Cross, and I should be delighted to join my hon. Friend for a milkshake—strawberry, please. Our landmark May deal with the European Union included a commitment to a comprehensive sanitary and phytosanitary agreement, which we are now actively negotiating, and which will reduce paperwork, delay and costs for Welsh farmers exporting their animals and produce to the EU. This Government are backing our farmers and food manufacturers. \p Jamie Stone: We have heard about the benefits that small modular reactors can bring to Wales and, indeed, to England. Does the Secretary of State agree that it would be a very good idea if she and I invited Mr John Swinney to come to Dounreay to hear from the workforce how badly they want one up there? \p Jo Stevens: I absolutely do not understand why the SNP Government are not willing to see the creation of jobs and opportunities for people in Scotland because of their ideology around new nuclear. \p Lindsay Hoyle: I call the shadow Secretary of State. \p Mims Davies: The Office for National Statistics has revealed that a scandalous 1,000 jobs are being lost every single day across the country, meaning that Aston Martin is not immune to this Government’s economic recklessness and could soon be forced to make over 100 job losses because of the poor trade deal that Labour struck with the US. The deal includes absolutely no guarantee that small-volume car makers, like Aston Martin, will get fair access to the 10% tariff rate from 2026, meaning that they could face the imposition of an eye-watering tariff of 27.5% if they are squeezed out of the 100,000 car quota to the US. What will the Secretary of State do? Will she turn up to ensure that iconic Welsh car makers get fair access to US trade? \p Jo Stevens: I have been in discussions with Aston Martin, as have Cabinet colleagues. We are doing everything we can to protect the car industry in this country. One of the biggest problems in the car industry arises from the Conservatives’ botched Brexit deal, for which the hon. Lady and her Government were responsible.
debates/debates2025-12-03e conversation_5
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-12-03)

UK Parliament Hansard data: debates/debates2025-12-03e conversation_5

John Cooper:Whether she has had discussions with the Welsh Government on the potential impact of the proposed visitor levy on the Welsh economy. \p Anna McMorrin: The Welsh tourism sector is thriving. Last year, British residents alone took over 7 million overnight trips to Wales. If all councils in Wales were to introduce the Welsh Government’s visitor levy, it could raise as much as £33 million a year across Wales to invest in communities and tourism. This is an excellent example of the Welsh Government leading the way. As announced last week, a similar overnight levy will be introduced in England, allowing mayors to invest across their communities. \p John Cooper: Hospitality in Wales and across the United Kingdom is dying on its feet. It needs a shot in the arm; instead, last week’s bin-fire Budget gave it a shot in the head. This is more money coming out of businesses, is it not? \p Anna McMorrin: Quite the contrary: the visitor levy would boost the economy by up to £33 million if all councils were to accept it across Wales. I do not think that will—[Interruption.] \p Lindsay Hoyle: Order. The hon. Member for Montgomeryshire and Glyndŵr (Steve Witherden) should wait for two questions after his own before leaving the Chamber. \p Anna McMorrin: Wales is leading the way on the visitor levy and I am proud to be from Cardiff—a city that is introducing the levy. People come in droves to Cardiff and I know that they will continue to do so. Perhaps the hon. Member for Dumfries and Galloway (John Cooper) should look to his own ranks first, because the Conservative-run Great Yarmouth borough council has supported this form of tourist levy for years. \p Alex Barros-Curtis: In last week’s Budget, the UK Government gave mayoral strategic authorities in England the power to propose a local overnight visitor levy—something that has already been introduced in Wales. Does the Minister agree that this is another example of the UK Labour Government and the Welsh Labour Government working together to share best practice to better our country?

May I also take this opportunity to ask her to join me in celebrating Cardiff Rugby’s 149th birthday this week? \p Anna McMorrin: I would also like to wish Cardiff Rugby penblwydd hapus on their 149th birthday. I absolutely agree with my hon. Friend that the Welsh Government are leading the way, and it is fantastic to see that a similar overnight levy will be introduced in England. This is the power of partnership: two Labour Governments working together. \p Lindsay Hoyle: Before we come to Prime Minister’s questions, may I extend a warm welcome to the President of the Parliament of Montenegro and his delegation, who are in the Gallery today? \p UNKNOWN: The Prime Minister was asked—
debates/debates2025-12-03e conversation_7
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-12-03)

UK Parliament Hansard data: debates/debates2025-12-03e conversation_7

Beccy Cooper:Gambling addiction is a serious public health harm, causing ill health and misery for millions of people in this country. The industry now spends £2 billion a year on advertising, often targeting vulnerable people and exposing our children to harm. Like many Members across the House, I very much welcome the Chancellor’s announcement last week to tax harmful online gambling products. Does the Prime Minister agree that to continue this essential work, we must now act to tackle harmful gambling advertising to protect the health of our children? \p Keir Starmer: My hon. Friend is right that harm from online gambling has surged—NHS referrals are up 91% in the past year. The decisions we made in the Budget mean investment in public services and lifting more than half a million children out of poverty, but we are working with industry to ensure that adverts do not exacerbate harm and, through our £26 million investment, helping the Gambling Commission to crack down on black market sites and illegal adverts to keep players safe.
debates/debates2025-12-03e conversation_8
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-12-03)

UK Parliament Hansard data: debates/debates2025-12-03e conversation_8

Paul Holmes:In 2020, the Justice Secretary said:

“Criminal trials without juries are a bad idea”,

and the Prime Minister himself has said that there should be

“a right of trial by jury in all criminal cases”,

but now they want to scrap trials by jury. With a Chancellor who cannot count and a Justice Secretary who has lost count of the number of people he has let out of prison, is it any wonder that the people of this country cannot ever again trust a single word this Prime Minister or Government say? \p Keir Starmer: The Conservatives left a broken criminal justice system in which victims of rape and serious sexual violence wait three or four years for trial. Only this week I have heard further examples of 14-year-old and 16-year-old girls having to give evidence four years after the allegation. That is not justice for them, and I am determined that we will deal with that. As the hon. Gentleman well knows, of all criminal cases going to court, 90% have always been in the magistrates court and 10% go to the Crown court. Of that 10%, 7% of  defendants plead guilty, which means that 3% of all criminal cases go forward for a jury trial—not all our cases. We are making sensible changes to ensure that victims get justice, which was denied to them under the failure left by the Conservatives.
debates/debates2025-12-03e conversation_9
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-12-03)

UK Parliament Hansard data: debates/debates2025-12-03e conversation_9

Rachel Taylor:I am really pleased to hear many constituents tell me how much local NHS services have improved since this Labour Government entered office, but some, such as David Wootton from Atherstone, have faced long delays. He was told that he would have to wait five months for X-ray results from George Eliot hospital—and he is not the only one. My constituents deserve better. Will the Prime Minister set out how he will go further and faster to get our NHS fighting fit again? \p Keir Starmer: First, I am sorry to hear that her constituent David is waiting. We took decisions at the Budget to invest in the NHS and tackle waiting lists, which was to help people such as David. We delivered £29 billion extra investment into the NHS and scrapped NHS England to invest in the frontline. We are opening 250 neighbourhood health centres to treat patients closer to home, and we have more than 5 million extra appointments being delivered. Waiting lists are down 230,000—[Interruption.] Conservative Members are chuntering, but they absolutely destroyed our health service—we are picking it up. They should be ashamed of themselves.
debates/debates2025-12-03e conversation_10
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-12-03)

UK Parliament Hansard data: debates/debates2025-12-03e conversation_10

Jerome Mayhew:My constituent Claire runs Claire Howard Jewellery in Fakenham, and she is one of many small business owners who contacted me after the Budget last week. She was absolutely incensed by the style of the Chancellor, who seemed to give the impression that she was reducing taxes on small businesses when the exact opposite is the case. The tax on Claire’s shop is going up, not coming down. Could the Prime Minister do Claire and many other shop owners the common courtesy of just admitting that their taxes are going up and not down? \p Keir Starmer: The hon. Gentleman raises an important point; let me address it. At the heart of this issue is that temporary business rate relief was put in by the last Government during the pandemic. That was the right thing to do, and we supported it, but it was temporary relief. That is now coming to an end, and obviously there is a revaluation that goes with it. What we are doing is permanently lowering the rates for leisure, retail and hospitality, but because of the changes, we are putting in £4 billion of transitional relief. That means there will be a cap on increases for small businesses, and we are finding that by adjusting the burden between them and the online giants. It is the temporary business rates coming to an end that we have to adjust through this policy.
debates/debates2025-12-03e conversation_11
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-12-03)

UK Parliament Hansard data: debates/debates2025-12-03e conversation_11

Oliver Ryan:I declare an interest as the chair of the all-party parliamentary group on multiple sclerosis and as the proud son of a lifelong multiple sclerosis patient—she joins us in the Gallery today. Neurological conditions such as MS and Parkinson’s affect one in six, but wait times for first and follow-up neurology appointments have increased by a huge 65% since 2020, risking delayed treatment and  diagnosis at a critical time. I am proud that this Government are bringing down NHS waiting lists, cutting admissions and investing in care and equipment. Will my right hon. and learned Friend formalise these efforts, support an NHS modern service framework for neurology and get these wait times down? \p Keir Starmer: I thank my hon. Friend for his question and for sharing his personal interest. We are focused on bringing down waiting lists and making sure every patient receives the best possible care. As he knows, the 10-year health plan announced a new modern service framework to help rapidly improve care, and I reassure him that we will consider whatever else we can do. In the meantime, we are acting to improve neurology care, and we have cut neurology waiting lists by over 15,000.
debates/debates2025-12-03e conversation_12
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-12-03)

UK Parliament Hansard data: debates/debates2025-12-03e conversation_12

Layla Moran:Allison in Oxford is threatened with new service charges by her housing association, Green Square Accord, for shrubbery she happily cut herself for 22 years and for cleaning a communal area that simply does not exist. Meanwhile, Rebecca’s charges have more than doubled over the last four years, with no explanation. Green Square Accord is not the only provider doing this. It is a wild west out there. Will this Government consider Liberal Democrat plans for a new regulator and a cap on these outrageous rip-off service charges? \p Keir Starmer: I thank the hon. Lady for raising that. We are implementing the Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024, which is long overdue, providing homeowners with greater rights, powers and protections. Through that, we will strengthen regulation to protect leaseholders from abuse and poor service, which she has highlighted; bring the injustice of fleecehold to an end to protect up to 1.75 million households; and make sure that leaseholders receive standardised service charge documentation, making it easier for them to challenge unreasonable bills. The hon. Lady makes good points, and that Act will help to change things.
debates/debates2025-12-03e conversation_13
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-12-03)

UK Parliament Hansard data: debates/debates2025-12-03e conversation_13

Graham Stringer:This country can be proud of its history of religious tolerance and religious freedom. The quid pro quo for that is the right to criticise religion. Can the Prime Minister assure the House that there will be no introduction or reintroduction of a blasphemy law, either by statute, judicial overreach or a non-statutory definition of Islamophobia? \p Keir Starmer: Yes, I can give my hon. Friend that assurance, and it is important that I do so.
debates/debates2025-12-03e conversation_14
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-12-03)

UK Parliament Hansard data: debates/debates2025-12-03e conversation_14

Lewis Cocking:The best form of welfare in this country should be a well-paid job, but with unemployment up and this Labour Government choosing to raise taxes to spend even more on a bloated welfare and benefits system, is the Prime Minister happy with the message that sends to my hard-working constituents in Broxbourne and constituents right across the United Kingdom? \p Keir Starmer: We have a broken welfare system. Guess who broke it? The Conservatives. We are bringing in reforms to change it and mend it. What did they do?  They voted against them. Under their watch, they drove up welfare spending by £33 billion, so we need no lectures from them on welfare.
debates/debates2025-12-03e conversation_15
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-12-03)

UK Parliament Hansard data: debates/debates2025-12-03e conversation_15

Paul Waugh:As a lifelong Dale fan, I am delighted that Rochdale football club is top of the national league right now. But after 14 years of Tory cuts, sadly my town is also near the top of a league table that people do not want to be in: the child poverty league table. Does the Prime Minister agree that lifting 5,000 kids in Rochdale out of poverty, plus cutting every household’s energy bills by £150 and, crucially, expanding the warm home discount will mean that this Budget is a family Budget that reduces the cost of living for everyone in the country? \p Keir Starmer: Let me start by congratulating Rochdale football club on being top of the league for the time being. [Laughter.] Well, I say that because I know who is top of the premier league, but it will be in March and April that we find out who actually wins.

My hon. Friend is right. Thanks to the actions in the Budget, every household will see £150 off their energy bills, and because we have now extended the warm home discount to 6 million of the poorest households, they will save an additional £150. In the north-west, that benefits about 280,000 households. That is huge cost of living support for families alongside freezing prescription charges and rail fares and boosting the minimum wage.
debates/debates2025-12-03e conversation_16
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-12-03)

UK Parliament Hansard data: debates/debates2025-12-03e conversation_16

Liz Jarvis:My constituent Tracey owns O’Briens, a lovely café in the heart of Eastleigh. She works tirelessly to make it a success, but spiralling costs including business rates, VAT and the hike to employer national insurance contributions mean that she has not been able to take a salary for four months. David, the owner of Steam Town Brew Co and Jayne, the manager of the Holiday Inn in my constituency, say that their businesses will be impacted by the Government’s stealth tax on our high streets. They feel let down. Will the Prime Minister look again at the Liberal Democrats’ call for an emergency cut in VAT for hospitality? \p Keir Starmer: We put in place a strategy for small businesses, which was broadly welcomed by small businesses, because they contributed to it. That involves some of the key asks they made of us, including on late payments and greater flexibility when it comes to licensing for hospitality. We will always look at other measures that can help small businesses. We set out quite a lot of them in our small business strategy.
debates/debates2025-12-03e conversation_17
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-12-03)

UK Parliament Hansard data: debates/debates2025-12-03e conversation_17

Andrew Pakes:At the weekend, I had the great privilege to join volunteers from Peterborough food bank at the Tesco in Werrington on their autumn food drive. I put on record my thanks to my constituents and those of other hon. Members who have supported that Trussell Trust initiative over the last week. One of the most significant challenges my food bank has consistently talked to me about is child poverty. Even though the Conservative party opposes our plans, nearly 9,000 children will be lifted out of poverty across Peterborough because of decisions that our Chancellor  took in the Budget last week. Does the Prime Minister agree that that is not just the right thing to do for those children but an investment in our future and in growth? \p Keir Starmer: I thank my hon. Friend for raising that. I was in his constituency just the other week, and we could see the impact that this measure would have on children in Peterborough where, as he said, 9,000 children are living in poverty. In his constituency, 5,500 children are living in poverty. We are lifting them out of poverty, and that is the right thing to do. \p Graham Stuart: It wasn’t last year. \p Keir Starmer: The Conservative party shamefully dragged hundreds of thousands of children into poverty, and they will pay that price for the rest of their lives. Conservative Members should be ashamed of themselves. \p George Freeman: I was recently the target of an AI deepfake video announcing my defection to Reform. As colleagues across the House will know, that is about as likely as Reform moving from pub populism to a coherent programme for government. I am delighted to reassure my Chief Whip and the House that I am and always have been a faithful—[Laughter]—a faithful Conservative. Does the Prime Minister agree that while satire has always been an important part of our politics, the rise of AI deepfake disruption is a serious threat to our democracy? Will he work with me and cross-party MPs to frame some appropriate reforms, as proposed by the recent Speaker’s Conference, to protect our democratic integrity? \p Keir Starmer: I thank the hon. Gentleman for raising this important issue. We need to work cross party where we can on deepfake, on AI and on other issues that need to be addressed. I am afraid I missed his alleged defection to Reform. I would not have believed it if I had seen it, but I have to say that there are a lot of Conservatives going—I think three ex-MPs have gone this week. They talk about leaks. That is where their leaks are going: to Reform.

Talking of leaks, according to the front page of the Financial Times this morning, the leader of Reform apparently says he wants to merge with the Conservative party and sit down in here with them—an absolutely unholy alliance of austerity and failure.
debates/debates2025-12-03e conversation_18
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-12-03)

UK Parliament Hansard data: debates/debates2025-12-03e conversation_18

Elsie Blundell:This week, I have been speaking to warehouse workers at Tetrosyl in my constituency, who have been given an appalling ultimatum in the run-up to Christmas: they must either sign a new contract with reduced pay and breaks or lose their jobs. Can the Prime Minister advise me on what action can be taken against rogue employers such as Tetrosyl who take action against workers and seek to exploit them and undermine their rights? \p Keir Starmer: I thank my hon. Friend for fighting hard for her constituents who are facing awful uncertainty, which is bad enough at any time of the year but really bad at this time of the year. Our thoughts are with the workers and their families who are facing the uncertainty that she has flagged. Our landmark  Employment Rights Bill will strengthen workers’ rights and put them in a better position, including by ending unscrupulous fire and rehire practices. I thank her for fighting for her constituents. \p Shockat Adam: No religion, theology or philosophy is beyond critique or scrutiny, and we must protect freedom of speech at all costs. But Islamophobia is real, at least for Zainab Hussain in my city, who was run over not just once but twice, simply for being a Muslim. She survived. Not so lucky was Makram Ali, who was killed outside Finsbury Park mosque simply for being a Muslim, or Mohammed Saleem, who was stabbed to death simply for being a Muslim. When the Prime Minister was in opposition, a definition of Islamophobia was adopted, but in government it has been dropped. What has changed? \p Keir Starmer: I thank the hon. Gentleman for raising those examples of hatred in his constituency. He is right to raise them and we should all condemn them. Hatred in all its forms should be condemned by all of us in this House, and that includes anti-Muslim hatred as well. We intend to act on it.
debates/debates2025-12-03e conversation_19
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-12-03)

UK Parliament Hansard data: debates/debates2025-12-03e conversation_19

Anna Dixon:This week I met my constituents, Mike and Sue. Their autistic son Jimmy was imprisoned as a young man. The judge recommended a sentence of two and a half years. Jimmy is now in his 40s. He has been in prison for nearly 20 years on an indeterminate sentence for public protection. His doctors say that he is safe and well for discharge, and a supported living flat is waiting for him in Shipley. Will the Prime Minister please help by ending the injustice of these IPP sentences and help to get Jimmy home? \p Keir Starmer: My hon. Friend raised this case with me in the Lobby last night. It is a really shocking case of two years leading to someone being in prison for over 20 years and not yet released, and with delays in the release process. The Justice Secretary will look into this case and meet her to discuss her concerns to see what more can be done. It is right that IPP sentences have been abolished, and we are committed to supporting the progression of all those who are serving such sentences. \p Rachel Gilmour: I have a charming elderly constituent who, after a series of major medical interventions, has been left in excruciating, uncontrolled pain after her opioids were withdrawn, pushing her to suicidal ideations. Can the Prime Minister shed light on what plans His Majesty’s Government   have to help people manage pain in order to live a happier and more comfortable life? Please can I have a meeting with the appropriate Minister? \p Keir Starmer: I thank the hon. Lady for raising this awful case. We are putting in further protection and support, but I will take this up. It is important for her to discuss this with the relevant Minister, because the case that she has referred to sounds appalling.
debates/debates2025-09-02e conversation_6
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-09-02)

UK Parliament Hansard data: debates/debates2025-09-02e conversation_6

Abtisam Mohamed:What progress his Department has made on the evacuation of UK scholarship students from Gaza. \p David Lammy: I have been working closely with the Home Secretary to ensure that students from Gaza, including Chevening scholars, can secure their UK visas. We are expecting nine Chevening students to start their courses soon. I am pleased to say that we are extending this support to students in Gaza with full scholarships. \p Abtisam Mohamed: Yara is a 24-year-old student from Gaza City. Her ambition is to study international law and global justice, and earlier this year she won a scholarship at the University of Sheffield to do just that. Yara is one of more than 80 scholarship students trapped in Gaza today, displaced again and again, with all her belongings packed into a small bag and ready to move at a moment’s notice. This scholarship offers her a chance to escape Israel’s genocide, famine and bombardment, which has flattened more than 1,000 buildings in Yara’s neighbourhood in just one week. Can the Foreign Secretary guarantee that Yara and other students like her will not be left stranded and will be immediately evacuated by the Government in time for their courses to start this month? \p David Lammy: I am grateful to my hon. Friend for bringing Yara to the attention of the House. Of course we want to see bright students like her able to achieve their ambitions. We are reliant on Israeli permissions and on students having a full scholarship, but what I can do is ensure that the Minister for the Middle East meets my hon. Friend to discuss this case in detail. \p Shockat Adam: Along with thousands of other children, my youngest son is today going back for his first day at school. Unfortunately, more than 660,000 Gazan children—those who have not been butchered or maimed irreversibly by the Israel Defence Forces—are being denied schooling for the third consecutive year. That is not surprising, given that 97% of schools have already been virtually destroyed.  What is the Secretary of State doing to ensure that the next generation of Palestinians can access education, alongside launching a bespoke visa system that enables students to come to study here in the UK? If not, why not? \p David Lammy: The hon. Gentleman is right to raise with the House the plight of children in Gaza. Yesterday I mentioned my concerns about malnourished children and what that does for their educational outcomes. Yesterday he will have heard the Home Secretary and myself undertake to do more to support students with full scholarships to come to our country. Of course, as the hon. Gentleman would expect, I press the Israeli Foreign Minister on these very same issues.
debates/debates2025-09-02e conversation_8
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-09-02)

UK Parliament Hansard data: debates/debates2025-09-02e conversation_8

Chris Law:What discussions he has had with his international counterparts on the recognition of a Palestinian state. \p David Lammy: We have been clear that we will recognise a Palestinian state by the United Nations General Assembly in September to protect the viability of the two-state solution, unless the Israeli Government take substantive steps to end the appalling situation in Gaza and commit to a long-term sustainable peace. \p Chris Law: The United Kingdom Government should never have placed conditions on the recognition of the state of Palestine—there is no place for it in international law. However, given that it is clear that Israel has failed to comply with these conditions, can the Secretary of State confirm that the UK will unconditionally and immediately recognise the state of Palestine at the UN General Assembly next week? \p David Lammy: High-level week is not actually next week; it is in three weeks’ time. May I say to the hon. Gentleman that it is most bizarre to say to a responsible Government that they should not attempt to change the situation on the ground to encourage Israel to commit to a ceasefire and to a process? Of course we should use all diplomatic efforts to do that, notwithstanding what we said about the assessment we will make on recognition at the appropriate time. \p Luke Myer: We all want to see an end to the suffering and progress towards a two-state solution, but what assurance can the Foreign Secretary provide that in the recognition of Palestine there can be no role for Hamas in the governance of a Palestinian state? \p David Lammy: I am grateful to my hon. Friend for raising this issue. Let me be crystal clear. Hamas must never be rewarded, and we will not reward it by the UK’s recognition of Palestine if we reach that point. Our demands of Hamas are absolute and unchanged: it must immediately release all the hostages who were cruelly taken on 7 October 2023 and held in the most atrocious conditions, which we have already discussed in the Chamber this morning.
debates/debates2025-09-02e conversation_10
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-09-02)

UK Parliament Hansard data: debates/debates2025-09-02e conversation_10

Ashley Fox:If he will make a statement on his departmental responsibilities. \p David Lammy: Yesterday I updated the House on the unimaginably bleak situation in Gaza and the Occupied Palestinian Territories. I shared the latest on Iran’s dangerous nuclear programme, and my right hon. Friend the Defence Secretary set out Britain’s unwavering support for Ukraine. May I also mention the tragic earthquake in Kunar province in Afghanistan? We have announced a package of support for those who have been killed. \p Ashley Fox: The Foreign Secretary wants to pay a huge amount of taxpayers’ money to Mauritius to lease back a military base that we already own. Why is he afraid of holding a vote on this policy? \p David Lammy: I know that the hon. Gentleman has not been in Parliament very long, but he will see that there is a Second Reading next week, and of course there will be a vote.
debates/debates2025-09-02e conversation_12
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-09-02)

UK Parliament Hansard data: debates/debates2025-09-02e conversation_12

Daniel Francis:My constituents Lee and Joanna Woodcock’s daughter Holly was found deceased in France in August last year. They have raised significant concerns regarding the investigation by the French authorities, and some lesser concerns regarding the support they have received from the FCDO. Will the Minister meet Mr and Mrs Woodcock to hear directly about their experience? \p Stephen Doughty: First, I express my deep condolences over Holly’s death. I know this is a very distressing time for Mr and Mrs Woodcock and the whole family. My hon. Friend will know about the consular support that is being provided, as we have spoken about that. I would, of course, be very happy to meet him and the Woodcock family to discuss the matter further, although he will understand that I cannot get directly involved in overseas investigations by authorities in France. \p Lindsay Hoyle: I call the Liberal Democrat spokesperson. \p Calum Miller: The Business Secretary is due to travel to China next week to restart trade talks. His trip will fall 50 days after Beijing announced its latest round of extraterritorial bounties, targeting 19 pro-democracy Hongkongers, including several more UK-based activists. In an earlier answer, the Minister laid out the many steps to sanction the Georgian Government for their assault on democracy. Will the Foreign Secretary implore the Business Secretary to cancel his trip and press for a block on all UK ministerial visits to China until Beijing rescinds those bounties? \p Catherine West: In June, the Minister for Security, my hon. Friend the Member for Barnsley North (Dan Jarvis), and I met the UK activists targeted by the Hong Kong arrest warrants and bounties. We have raised concerns regarding the arrest warrants and bounties directly with the Chinese ambassador here in London, reaffirming that the safety and security of Hongkongers in the UK is of the utmost importance to the Government. The matter is being raised at all levels—by Ministers and by the Foreign Secretary, and will indeed be raised, if there is such an occasion in the future, leader to leader.
debates/debates2025-09-02e conversation_13
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-09-02)

UK Parliament Hansard data: debates/debates2025-09-02e conversation_13

Rachel Blake:I share the anguish and profound distress of my constituents over the conflict in Gaza. Many of them have friends and family in the region; they are living with that torment every day. The Minister will have seen hundreds of thousands of Israeli citizens marching for a release of the hostages and for a ceasefire. What are the UK Government doing to support those citizens and the Opposition parties in Israel, who are being so let down? \p Hamish Falconer: I thank my hon. Friend for her sustained engagement in these issues. As the Foreign Secretary has said, we talk regularly to hostage families in Israel and to participants in Israeli politics right across the spectrum, and we will continue to do so. We make our disagreements with the Israeli Government clear, both in private and in public, and we will continue to do that, too.
debates/debates2025-09-02e conversation_14
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-09-02)

UK Parliament Hansard data: debates/debates2025-09-02e conversation_14

Sarah Bool:On 23 July, my constituent Dr Lindsey Fitzharris, a naturalised British citizen who is undergoing cancer treatment, was denied boarding her flight home to the UK from the US, a journey she has made numerous times without trouble. She was told to contact the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office for an emergency travel document, but it took three weeks —including interventions by me—to get her home for treatment. How can it have taken three weeks in an emergency to do so? Will the Department apologise to Dr Fitzharris and investigate the matter fully? \p Hamish Falconer: The Foreign Office seeks in its consular assistance to always provide timely support to British nationals overseas. I will investigate the case and report back to the hon. Lady.
debates/debates2025-09-02e conversation_15
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-09-02)

UK Parliament Hansard data: debates/debates2025-09-02e conversation_15

Laura Kyrke-Smith:This week, the International Association of Genocide Scholars passed a resolution concluding that Israel’s conduct meets the legal definition of genocide, as laid out in the UN convention, noting in particular the killing and injuring of 50,000 Palestinian children. What assessment does the Foreign Secretary make of this resolution, and does he agree that we must go further to ensure accountability for these crimes and justice for the Palestinian people? \p Hamish Falconer: I am grateful to my hon. Friend for her work on these matters. We have seen those reports; the Foreign Secretary referred to them in the House yesterday  afternoon. As I said earlier, the threshold that the Government must test against is the one we outlined in September, which is about the real risk. We have found that there is a real risk, and our actions have flowed from that determination.
debates/debates2025-09-02e conversation_16
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-09-02)

UK Parliament Hansard data: debates/debates2025-09-02e conversation_16

Lincoln Jopp:It has been more than a fortnight since the Alaska summit, and the deadline set by President Trump at that time has now passed. What diplomatic efforts are the Government making to maintain US focus on the Ukrainian theatre of operations in the face of Russian intransigence? \p David Lammy: I assure the hon. Gentleman that our National Security Adviser and I are in direct touch with the Ukrainians on these issues, and the Chief of the Defence Staff was in Washington last week following up on these matters. I think we are all grateful to Tony Radakin, who leaves today after 35 years of service to our country, for the work he is doing. Of course, the Defence Secretary is also co-ordinating via the coalition of the willing.
debates/debates2025-09-02e conversation_17
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-09-02)

UK Parliament Hansard data: debates/debates2025-09-02e conversation_17

Sarah Smith:I welcome the Foreign Secretary’s statement yesterday and the Government’s commitment to recognising the state of Palestine later this month, but with the attacks on the Nasser hospital last week and over 119 children now having died due to starvation, what further steps are we taking to evacuate the most vulnerable? Furthermore, while stacks of aid are unable to get through to Gaza, is the Foreign Secretary keeping under review the use of further sanctions to put greater pressure on Israel to end the blockade of this life-sustaining provision? \p Hamish Falconer: My hon. Friend has long advocated these questions. I pay tribute to the work of Save the Children and other UK non-governmental organisations that have continued to do dangerous and lifesaving work in Gaza. I met many of them over the recess. There are a number of restrictions in place in relation not simply to the passage of aid into Gaza, which we have discussed in this House a number of times, but to the function of the NGOs themselves. We keep a very close interest in this and have raised it with the Israeli Government.