Robert Buckland
MP for South Swindon
Con
Questions Asked by This MP
Parliamentary questions and government responses.
Response classifications show how directly each question was answered.
The increasing proliferation of AI-generated disinformation and deepfakes poses a clear and present danger not only to our democratic process, but to the administration of justice itself. What further steps will my right hon. Friend take, following the Bletchley summit, to strengthen our domestic law when it comes to this threat to democracy, and to take international action to provide the guardrails that I believe are essential if we are to maintain integrity in the administration of justice?
Context
The increasing use of AI-generated disinformation and deepfakes poses a threat to democracy, including the administration of justice.
Rishi Sunak
I thank my right hon. and learned Friend for all the work he has done in this incredibly important area. He is right that we need to have guardrails around the successful exploitation of this technology, which is why the Online Safety Act 2023 gives the regulator significant new powers to regulate the content on social media companies, including some of the ones that he mentioned. We are also working internationally, following on from the summit, to ensure that we can all get the benefits of this technology, but in the process safeguard our democracy, which is so crucial to the functioning of our country.
Assessment
Specific steps taken following Bletchley summit were not detailed
Mentioning Existing Regulations And International Efforts Without Detailing New Steps
Session: PMQs
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I commend my right hon. Friend for grasping the nettle and seeking to negotiate an agreement on the Northern Ireland protocol. Does he share my frustration with the expressed views of people who are commenting on a deal that has yet to be reached, and does he agree that the best way to reduce or even end the jurisdiction of the Court of Justice of the European Union is through treaty change itself, not through domestic legislation in this Parliament?
Context
Government seeking to negotiate an agreement on the Northern Ireland protocol. Frustration expressed about comments made before deal is reached.
Rishi Sunak
My right hon. and learned Friend is absolutely right that we need to keep going, but he is also right that we need to find enduring solutions to the challenges faced by the people of Northern Ireland. That is why, as my right hon. Friend the Member for Lagan Valley (Sir Jeffrey M. Donaldson) mentioned earlier, it is absolutely right that we address the constitutional and legal framework of our arrangements and ensure that we can put in place new arrangements that secure Northern Ireland's place in the UK.
Assessment
Did not explicitly express frustration with pre-deal comments.
General Principles
Session: PMQs
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Today's announcement by our serving United Kingdom judges of their withdrawal from the Hong Kong Court of Final Appeal is now the right decision, and I support it, as does my right hon. Friend. Does he agree with me that, on this sad day for the people of Hong Kong and at a time when the international rule of law is under unprecedented challenge, it is for us here in Britain to stand up for what is right, to be resolute in the face of tyranny and to make sure that the international rules-based order is defended at every opportunity?
Context
UK judges have withdrawn from the Hong Kong Court of Final Appeal due to constraints imposed by the national security law. The decision is supported by the UK government.
Boris Johnson
I thank my right hon. and learned Friend. I know how passionately he has campaigned on this issue. I also thank the judges in Hong Kong's court for everything that they have been doing. Evidently, they have concluded that the constraints of the national security law make it impossible for them to continue to serve in the way they would want.
Session: PMQs
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What clarification can the Secretary of State give to community, voluntary and other groups that need to plan ahead, and whose funding faces a cliff edge if they do not have assurances soon?
Context
The MP highlights the importance of ensuring continuity in funding beyond March 2025 to secure Northern Ireland's place in the Union.
Chris Heaton-Harris
The Secretary of State is wary of giving too many assurances about the next spending review period due to potential changes post-election but acknowledges the success of the shared prosperity fund in Northern Ireland and hopes for its continuation strongly.
Session: Union of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
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Barnaby Webber from Taunton was described by his family as an “extraordinary ordinary person”. His killer was found guilty of manslaughter, rather than murder, on the basis of being subject to paranoid schizophrenia. Barnaby's mother, Emma Webber, says it is “abhorrent” that murder charges were not pursued against her son's killer. Will the Secretary of State consider re-categorising homicide laws to introduce first-degree and second-degree murder?
Context
The question discusses the case of Barnaby Webber, whose killer was found guilty of manslaughter rather than murder due to paranoid schizophrenia. The question calls for a review of homicide laws.
Alex Chalk
There is nothing I could say from this Dispatch Box that would put right the horror that the poor families of Barnaby Webber, Grace O'Malley-Kumar and Ian Austin suffered in those appalling attacks from Valdo Calocane. The law of homicide has been considered greatly—in fact, as a Back Bencher, I led a debate on the issue of first-degree and second-degree murder. It is of course something that we keep under careful consideration; there is complexity to it, but it is certainly a matter that we will consider.
Session: Sentencing Dangerous Offenders
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Is it not right that, were direct rule contemplated, primary legislation would be needed, and should we aim to restore governance at Stormont?
Context
Direct rule requires primary legislation under the St Andrews agreement.
Chris Heaton-Harris
We do not want to go down the route of direct rule or joint authority; our aim is to find a form that allows the Executive to reform, which we are working on with Northern Ireland colleagues.
Session: Restoration of Power Sharing
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In a perfect world, the victims of the Horizon IT scandal would have their cases individually assessed by the Criminal Cases Review Commission and the Court of Appeal. But we are not in a perfect world; the scale of the miscarriage of justice is enormous and there are hundreds of victims who understandably do not want to come forward because they have lost faith in the process. Will my right hon. and learned Friend the Lord Chancellor now consider the exceptional and unique step of legislating to quash the convictions?
Context
The Horizon IT scandal involves hundreds of victims who have lost faith in the process for seeking justice due to a massive scale of miscarriage of justice.
Alex Chalk
I am grateful to my right hon. and learned Friend, who speaks with such authority. The circumstances are truly exceptional; when I was a Back Bencher, I went on record as saying that Horizon is the most serious miscarriage of justice since the Guildford Four or the Birmingham Six. But the situation involves hundreds of people and will need an appropriate resolution.
Session: Topical Questions
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Will the Minister work with me to ensure that the publication of an independent review will be the beginning of a process to tackle the autism employment gap?
Context
The MP seeks collaboration with the new disabilities Minister to address the low employment rate among autistic adults.
Mims Davies
I am determined to make sure that people with disabilities have a voice across Government and deliver life-changing outcomes.
Session: Topical Questions
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No Northern Ireland application was successful in the recent third phase of levelling-up funding. Can he assure us that funding has been set aside for Northern Ireland projects?
Context
The MP noted concerns over Northern Ireland's unsuccessful bids for levelling-up funds and requested assurance that a sum is set aside for Northern Ireland projects.
Steven Baker
The money will be made available in Northern Ireland, about £15 million. The Government are keen to work with Northern Ireland Ministers for decisions that require a restored Executive.
Session: Public Services Budgetary Constraints
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May I commend the work that the Government are doing in pursuance of the call for evidence on neurodiversity that I initiated when I was in office? I note that 80 neurodiversity support managers have been appointed, but what more can be done to ensure that all our prisons have neurodiversity officers who can train other staff as well as screening prisoners who come into the system for a range of neurodiverse conditions?
Context
The hon. Member commended the Government's work on the call for evidence on neurodiversity and noted the appointment of neurodiversity support managers, but questioned the sufficiency of these efforts.
Mike Freer
I pay tribute to the work that my right hon. and learned Friend has done in this regard. I know that he took it very seriously and was passionate about this issue. In fact, we now have 100 neurodiversity support managers rather than 80: we have made significant progress, but there are still 22 vacancies. We have more work to do on the screening, and we have more work to do to ensure that the data collection is both consistent and robust.
Session: Criminal Justice System People with Neurodivergent Conditions
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We have embarked upon a review into autism and employment this month. What further measures will the Government take to close this employment gap?
Context
There is an employment gap where only two in ten adults with autism are currently employed.
Tom Pursglove
We are committed to initiatives that support more disabled people and people with health conditions into work, including focusing on knowledge and responsiveness in workplaces.
Session: Topical Questions
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The impact assessment for the anti-strikes Bill stated that on a strike day last year, 20% of rail services were still operational. Clearly, the Tories think that 20% is too low, but to a layman, that is a minimum service. What minimum service will they impose on workers under threat of sack?
Context
Impact assessment for the anti-strikes Bill stated that on a strike day last year, 20% of rail services were still operational. The questioner challenges this threshold as being too low.
Huw Merriman
We have already written to our stakeholders and we will be launching a consultation.
Session: Topical Questions
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Does the Chancellor agree that investor confidence will increase only if we bring forward reforms on corporate criminal liability? Will he support further amendments to the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Bill, including those implementing Law Commission recommendations?
Context
Investor confidence needs to be increased through overdue corporate criminal liability reforms.
Victoria Atkins
My right hon. and learned Friend is one of the people who knows most about corporate criminal liability. I would be happy to take his question away and discuss it with him, because justice system addresses not just individuals but companies too.
Session: Topical Questions
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Further to the question that my hon. Friend the Member for Bromley and Chislehurst (Sir Robert Neill) asked, I commend the courts Minister for his announced intention to meet representatives of the criminal Bar. May I press him to do so at the earliest opportunity? Will he make the subject matter of that meeting the implementation of the rest of the Bellamy reforms, notably the reforms to the advocates' graduated fee scheme and the composition and remit of the advisory board?
Context
The next stage of Bellamy reforms, including advocates' graduated fee scheme, has not yet been implemented.
James Cartlidge
My right hon. and learned Friend has made an extremely good point. He is aware of the article to which I referred in my answer to my hon. Friend the Member for Bromley and Chislehurst—the Chairman of the Select Committee—in which I made clear my wish to engage with the Criminal Bar Association on the next stage of reform, which includes the advocates' graduated fee scheme and some of its core elements that were not in the first phase. As I have said, we adopted that two-phase approach precisely in order to deliver the initial increase in fees as soon as practicable, and it will be introduced in September: a 15% increase for criminal barristers working in magistrates courts and police stations and for those in the AGFS. We think that that is a very generous offer, and we hope the members of the CBA will think about it and stop their disruption of our courts.
Session: Topical Questions
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Accountability in local government should include participation from all. The Disability Policy Centre reported that only two in five local authority homepages are accessible for people with disabilities. What work will the Government do to ensure more access?
Context
The member highlights issues related to accessibility of local government websites and buildings, referencing the Disability Policy Centre's report on barriers faced by disabled individuals.
Kemi Badenoch
My right hon. and learned Friend raises a very important issue. Officials are consistently looking at ways to ensure we comply with the Equality Act 2010. If there is a specific example he would like to give me, I would appreciate it if he wrote to me.
Session: Accountability of Locally Elected Representatives
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Other Parliamentary Activity
Debates led and petitions presented.
South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands: Marine Protected Area
22 November 2023
Responding: Anne-Marie Trevelyan
Main Concerns
['The MP is concerned about the need to strengthen marine protections around South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, given their immense biodiversity including over 3 million penguins of four species and millions of other animals. The threat from industrial fishing for krill, which is a vital food source for these creatures, is growing significantly. With climate change affecting krill populations, there is an urgent need to protect more waters around the islands to ensure the survival of endangered species.']
Specific Asks
["The MP urges the Government to take bold steps in this year's review of the Marine Protected Area (MPA) and designate all 400,000 sq km of ocean around the South Sandwich Islands as a no-take zone. He also calls for additional targeted extensions to protections around key areas in South Georgia's waters."]
Great British Railways Headquarters: Swindon’s Bid
24 May 2022
Responding: Wendy Morton
Main Concerns
["The bid for Swindon to host Great British Railways' headquarters is not just about hosting civil servants but involves rethinking the railway business model. With passenger levels at 72% of pre-COVID figures and Saturday being the busiest travel day, there's a need for innovation in railway service delivery. The current fare system is unsustainable as it heavily subsidises fares in the south-east and peak-hour tickets from Swindon to London are among Europe's most expensive. Additionally, Swindon is home to major engineering firms such as Atkins, Amey, and Hochtief, which can provide partnership opportunities. Swindon also has a strong net zero commitment with recent electrification projects that have improved rail journeys."]
Specific Asks
["The Government should consider Swindon's bid for the Great British Railways headquarters due to its alignment with levelling up objectives and exceptional connectivity and support from local organisations and communities, including nearly 95% support in a survey of over 3,000 respondents."]
Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill 2025-05-12
12 May 2025
General Debate
Contributed to this debate
The Minister for Border Security and Asylum introduced the new clause which amends the Immigration, Asylum and Nationality Act 2006 to extend employment prohibitions to other working arrangements such...
Infected Blood Compensation Scheme
21 May 2024
Ministerial Statement
Contributed to this debate
Port Talbot Steelworks
30 April 2024
Ministerial Statement
Contributed to this debate
Digital Markets Bill - Lords amendments and Government motions to disagree with certain Lords amendments
30 April 2024
Bill Debate
Contributed to this debate
The MP opens debate by moving that the House disagrees with Lords amendment 9, which pertains to secondary ticketing features. He highlights concerns about the balance struck in previous debates and t...
Buckland Review of Autism Employment
25 April 2024
General Debate
Led by this MP
The motion moves to consider the Buckland Review, an independent review that highlights the opportunities for businesses and the economy in supporting autistic individuals. It emphasises that only abo...
Safety of Rwanda (Asylum and Immigration) Bill
22 April 2024
Bill Debate
Contributed to this debate
The Safety of Rwanda (Asylum and Immigration) Bill - Clause 1 - Introduction, Lords amendment 3J
22 April 2024
Bill Debate
Contributed to this debate
Moves to disagree with Lords amendment 3J. States that the amendment is almost identical to previously rejected amendments. Reiterates government position on ratifying treaty and implementation progre...
Hospice Funding
22 April 2024
General Debate
Contributed to this debate
Calls on integrated care boards to urgently address the funding for hospice-provided palliative care. Emphasises the importance of end-of-life care as a legal right, highlights financial pressures fac...
Illegal Migration Bill - Exemption for agents, allies and employees of the UK Overseas Territories
17 April 2024
Bill Debate
Contributed to this debate
Moves to disagree with Lords amendment 1D. Proposes that nothing in the bill engages Commons financial privilege.
Asylum and Immigration (EU Withdrawal) Bill - Amendments 3B, 3C, 6B, 7B, 9, 10B
15 April 2024
Bill Debate
Contributed to this debate
3
PMQs Asked
12
Ministerial Questions Asked
103
House of Commons Debates Involved
2
Westminster Hall Debates Led
23
Statements / Bills
0
Petitions Presented
0
Voting Record
Activity Compared to Peers
How does this MP's parliamentary activity compare to the national average across 1370 MPs?
Prime Minister's Questions
-19% below average
This MP:
3
Average:
3.7
Ministerial Questions
-12% below average
This MP:
12
Average:
13.7
Westminster Hall Debates Led
-21% below average
This MP:
2
Average:
2.5
Commons Chamber Debates
+2028% above average
This MP:
103
Average:
4.8
Statements / Bills Proposed
+142% above average
This MP:
23
Average:
9.5
Petitions Presented
-100% below average
This MP:
0
Average:
2.4
Important Context
- - Ministers answer questions rather than asking them, so have different activity patterns
- - Activity quantity doesn't measure quality or effectiveness of representation
- - Some MPs focus more on constituency work than parliamentary questions
- - Newly elected MPs will have less parliamentary history
About This Page
This page tracks Robert Buckland's parliamentary activity including questions asked, debates (Commons Chamber + Westminster Hall), statements/bills, and petitions presented.