Business of the House 2025-11-13
2025-11-13
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Questions & Answers
Q1
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The conflict in Ukraine is intensifying with Russian forces advancing, increased attacks on infrastructure, and Ukrainian forces facing shortages. The hon. Member for Harwich and North Essex requests a Backbench Business Committee debate to discuss the situation.
Following reports of significant gains by Russian forces in Pokrovsk and intensified missile and drone attacks on Ukraine's infrastructure, my brilliant Friend has called for a Backbench Business Committee debate on 4 December to discuss renewed strategic co-ordination among Ukraine’s allies. The hon. Member urges the Leader of the House to commit to keeping back that date.
The hon. Member’s request will be considered by the relevant committee, and I am sure that all Members of the House share his concerns about the situation in Ukraine. The Government will do everything possible to support the committee's work on this important matter.
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Q2
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ASG in Derby has been impacted by a cyber-attack from Jaguar Land Rover. The hon. Member highlights the importance of such companies across supply chains and asks for measures to prevent similar attacks.
The hon. Member's 100-strong workforce at ASG show why we are proud of our city’s makers, but a recent cyber attack has left them on the edge without certainty of work. Does my right hon. Friend recognise the importance of companies like ASG across supply chains and agree that everything must be done to prevent such attacks?
Yes, I do recognise that. Cyber security is a key priority for the Government. We are working with NCSC to provide businesses like those mentioned by my hon. Friend with tools, advice, and support to protect against such attacks. The Cyber Security and Resilience (Network and Information Systems) Bill was introduced yesterday to better protect the UK from cyber-criminals.
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Q3
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The hon. Member for Tatton urges the Health Secretary to address the issue of a new medical centre that was promised but not fulfilled.
Will my right hon. Friend encourage the Health Secretary to break off from his leadership bid to come to the House and explain progress on ensuring Knutsford gets its new medical centre, which health professionals, the public, and I believe is essential?
The Health Secretary regularly updates this House on his work. Regarding the specific case, it may be a matter raised by the previous Government without available funding. The hon. Lady might wish to meet with the Health Secretary herself.
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Q4
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The hon. Member welcomes the words from the Leader of the House about a covid memorial response and suggests holding a statement or debate to remember those lost during the pandemic.
I welcome the words from my right hon. Friend on the covid memorial response. May I encourage him to hold a statement today so that this House can remember the names and lives of those who are lost, and explore with the relevant Minister how aspirations set out today can be translated into memorials across the country?
I think we should go one stage further and have a debate, perhaps through Backbench Business or an Adjournment debate, so that not only can a Minister explain what has been announced, but Members can raise relevant constituency cases to remember the dark days.
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Q5
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The hon. Member reports that the charity, which supports over 20,000 disabled people annually, has gone into administration. She urges urgent plans to save this essential service.
Queen Elizabeth’s Foundation for Disabled People, based in my constituency and supporting nationwide partners, is now on day three of a wind down after entering administration. The NHS agreed to buy the building but will not use it immediately. Another charity offers an alternative to keep operating, but its hands are tied by PPF. Does my right hon. Friend agree that urgent plans must be set out to save this essential service for disabled people and meet in the next week?
I will draw this issue to the attention of the relevant Health Minister to make sure the hon. Lady gets the response she needs.
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Q6
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The hon. Member raises concerns about the failure of Reform Derbyshire County Council to deliver special educational needs services, impacting families and children.
Families in Bolsover and across Derbyshire with special educational needs are let down by our dire education services that were ruined by the Tories and now failed by Reform. I met families earlier this year who shared heartbreaking stories of being ignored by the council. Does my right hon. Friend agree that Reform Derbyshire must improve its SEN services and deliver for children?
Yes, I do. The Government take reform of special education very seriously because the system is broken. Reform Derbyshire over-offers and underachieves, and they should get the message my hon. Friend delivered today.
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Q7
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The conflict in Ukraine is escalating, with threats to transport routes and increased missile attacks. International aid flows have slowed.
I thank my right hon. Friend the shadow Leader of the House and others for pressing the case for a Backbench Business debate on Ukraine. May I just emphasise the importance of having a motion on the Order Paper that raises particular issues such as the missing children, the atrocities, the need for long-range weaponry and the need for increased sanctions?
I am grateful to the hon. Gentleman for the way he raises this matter. I will give a commitment that if we are able to find time for this debate, I will speak to him and those on his Front Bench to ensure that if the House agrees to the motion in that debate, which I suspect it will, it will be one of unity across the House.
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Q8
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Pupils at Hitchin boys’ school had a debate on the risks they face online, raising concerns about online safety.
Last week I had the privilege of visiting Hitchin boys’ school to listen to pupils across the year groups debating how we could do more to protect them from online harm. Will the Leader of the House join me in congratulating the pupils on having such a fantastic discussion, and could we have a debate here about what more the Government can do to protect young people right across the country?
I absolutely join my hon. Friend in congratulating the pupils of Hitchin boys’ school, who were discussing a topic of huge importance. The Online Safety Act 2023 provides stronger protection for children, and we have launched a study into the effects of smartphone and social media use on children.
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Q9
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There is a family farm tax, early cutting off of the sustainable farming incentive and watering down of measures to prevent equipment theft from farms.
We are in a farming emergency with the family farm tax, the early cutting off of the sustainable farming incentive and the watering down of measures to prevent equipment theft from farms. Will the Leader of the House look at extending DEFRA questions to a full hour so that rural communities are not left behind?
I will look at the hon. Gentleman’s suggestion, but as he knows, if one thing expands, something else is squeezed. I will look at that, but it might not be as easy as he suggests.
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Q10
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A regional export trade seminar was hosted for businesses from across south Wales to learn more about export opportunities.
Last week during International Trade Week, my dear and hon. Friend the Member for Newport East and I jointly hosted a regional export trade seminar for businesses from across south Wales. Will the Leader of the House join us in thanking DBT colleagues, Ministers and the businesses that attended for their commitment to ensuring that the UK is front and centre of global trade markets?
I thank colleagues at the Department for Business and Trade for their excellent work and thank the businesses for taking part, because they are the key to growing our economy. I also place on the record my thanks to my hon. Friend and our other trade envoys for their excellent work.
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Q11
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Shropshire council has a dire financial emergency and needs exceptional financial support.
Sixteen years of Conservative mismanagement of Shropshire council combined with successive Governments’ failures to understand the needs of rural local authorities have left Shropshire council with a dire financial emergency and in need of exceptional financial support. Can the Leader of the House assist me in arranging a meeting with the relevant Secretary of State and MPs for Shropshire so that we can press the Secretary of State to ensure that Shropshire receives that support?
Yes, I can.
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Q12
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There were incidents of environmental pollution at Camber Sands in East Sussex and huge sewage dumps in the seas around Ramsgate and Broadstairs.
My right hon. Friend will be aware of the appalling environmental pollution incident at Camber Sands in East Sussex last week. A few days later, we also had huge sewage dumps in the seas around my constituency, leaving beaches in Ramsgate and Broadstairs effectively unusable. Will my right hon. Friend consider having a debate in Government time on the economic impact of water quality—poor water quality in particular—on our coastal towns and seaside resorts?
As a coastal MP, I absolutely share my hon. Friend’s concern about the state of not just the seas, but our rivers and lakes, and the terrible legacy that we inherited. We are taking action to clean our waterways up through the Water (Special Measures) Act 2025.
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Q13
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Residents of Northpoint in Bromley have suffered eight years of disruption due to work to replace cladding on their building.
Residents of Northpoint in Bromley have suffered eight years of disruption and uncertainty due to work to replace cladding on their building. There is a case of serious water ingress, and they have now been waiting four months for a response from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government to see if any subsequent work can be funded by the aluminium composite material remediation fund. Can we have a debate on how we can protect leaseholders and ensure that they do not suffer disruption like my residents in Bromley?
I will make sure that I draw that to the attention of MHCLG Ministers. If an answer is awaited, I will make sure that residents get the answer, and perhaps Ministers can explain to the hon. Member what further steps we intend to take.
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Q14
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Women and girls living with endometriosis are waiting on average nine years for a full diagnosis, leading to pain and uncertainty.
Women and girls living with endometriosis are waiting on average nine years for a full diagnosis. That is almost a decade of pain, uncertainty and endurance before they receive the targeted support that they need. Would the Leader of the House agree that the soon-to-be-renewed women’s health strategy must get a grip of these appalling wait times and ensure that all women affected are heard and finally prioritised?
I do agree. It is a debilitating and life-altering condition. As my hon. Friend said, our renewed women’s health strategy will set out our longer-term vision. Members from across the House will have concerns about this issue, so my hon. Friend may want to seek a Backbench Business or Adjournment debate.
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Q15
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Residents in Irlam and Cadishead have been excluded from the local resident discount scheme for the Warburton toll bridge, while those living further away receive a 50% discount. Peel Ports has not responded to inquiries made on behalf of constituents.
Many of my constituents use the Warburton toll bridge to get to work, visit family and go about their everyday lives. However, residents in Irlam and Cadishead have been arbitrarily excluded from the local resident discount scheme, meaning that they have to pay the full price while many who live further from the bridge receive a 50% discount. To date, Peel Ports has not responded to inquiries I have made on constituents’ behalf. Will the Leader of the House consider a debate in Government time on the need to ensure that where essential infrastructure is in private hands, appropriate oversight is in place and local needs are properly considered?
I thank my hon. Friend for raising this issue. I understand his constituents’ frustration if they rely on the bridge in their daily lives. The Government believe that local infrastructure should work for the community that it serves, and I will ensure that the relevant Minister hears about this issue.
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Q16
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The Meriden gap is a vital route for migrating wildlife and it is threatened by the Government's planning agenda. Villages such as Hockley Heath, Dorridge, Knowle, Marston Green, and Meriden are all under significant threat.
The Meriden gap is a vital route for migrating wildlife, and it is under huge threat from the Government’s planning agenda and the dubiously vague definition of grey belt. My constituents in villages such as Balsall Common and Berkswell have already made huge sacrifices for projects like HS2. Now villages such as Hockley Heath, Dorridge, Knowle, Marston Green and Meriden are all under significant threat. Will the Leader of the House please write to the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government and try to figure out how we can protect vital routes like the Meriden gap and while not increasing the housing burden when my constituents have already made significant sacrifices?
I will draw that to the attention of the Secretary of State, but as the hon. Gentleman knows, there is a balance, which the Government want to achieve, between protecting nature and making sure that we have the houses this country needs.
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Q17
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Children from armed forces families often face unique challenges in education and mobility, yet data on their outcomes and experiences remains limited.
During Remembrance Week we rightly honour the service and sacrifice of our armed forces and their families. Children from armed forces families often face unique challenges in education and mobility, yet data on their outcomes and experiences remains limited. There is a need for better recognition of service children in education policy, for improved national data collection and for sustained funding for the professionals supporting them. Will the Leader of the House allocate time for a debate on ensuring that service children receive whole-person, whole-journey support and evidence-based investment to help them thrive?
Children of armed forces families do face unique challenges. The Government are aware of this and recognise that we can do better by them than has been done in the past. This would be a good subject for a debate so that Members across the House can share experiences and Ministers can learn more about the way forward.
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Q18
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In June, the Under-Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs committed to investigate whether Ministers have powers to instruct water companies to prioritize pipe upgrades in chalk streams.
In June, I met the Under-Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, the hon. Member for Kingston upon Hull West and Haltemprice (Emma Hardy), to press the Government to adopt the measures in my Chalk Streams (Sewerage Investment) Bill. I was delighted by her commitments, namely that she would investigate whether Ministers already had the powers to instruct water companies to prioritise pipe upgrades in chalk streams and, in any event, would write to those water companies and ask them to do so. Will the Leader of the House please ask the Minister to produce a written statement to update the House on that work?
I will ensure that the hon. Lady gets the update that she seeks.
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Q19
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Royal Mail services have been outsourced, with worker devaluation and Christmas stamps downgraded to second class.
When the last Government allowed the sale of Royal Mail to billionaire Daniel Kretinsky’s company, they maintained a golden share, which I now ask Government to use. Services are less frequent, outsourced workers are handling parcels and postal workers feel devalued, with their traditional Christmas stamps downgraded to second class. Will the Leader of the House ask the Business Secretary to make a statement on Royal Mail, a service that should be renationalised, and ensure that our postal workers get their first-class stamps because they are simply first class?
I thank my hon. Friend for highlighting the work of our postal workers and I join her in paying tribute to the dedication that they show particularly at this time of the year, but also throughout the year. I understand the disappointment that workers will feel at that decision and I will ensure that Ministers hear her concerns.
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Q20
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The Northern Ireland Troubles Bill is causing concern for members of the armed forces and veterans community who fear being judged by current standards rather than those applicable at the time.
The Northern Ireland Troubles Bill is in the business statement. Does the Leader of the House accept that that will cause concern for many members of the armed forces and the veterans community, who are worried that in years to come they may be judged by the standards of the day rather than the standards that applied when they were engaged in doing the state’s business? Does he further recognise that there is good evidence now that people are leaving the armed forces, and certain parts of the armed forces in particular, because of those concerns? Will he also ensure that adequate time is provided on Second Reading and in Committee to assure the House that steps are being taken to remove that threat to national security?
We are acutely aware of the concerns that the right hon. Gentleman raises. That is why we are bringing forward a Bill to replace legislation that was either illegal or unfit for purpose, or both. May I say that my hon. Friend, the former Veterans Minister who is now the Armed Forces Minister has done an excellent job of raising those matters at the heart of Government and seeking to reassure colleagues on them? As the right hon. Gentleman points out, we are bringing forward the legislation and we will ensure that there is adequate time so those matters can be debated properly.
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Q21
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Farepak collapsed years ago, causing significant financial loss for thousands of savers. New regulations are set to come into effect in January 2026.
It is the time of year when people are saving for Christmas, which is a reminder that, years ago, thousands of savers lost tens of millions of pounds when the Christmas savings scheme Farepak collapsed, highlighting a big gap in consumer protection. May we have an opportunity in this House to highlight how finally, under this Government, new regulations will come in from January 2026 due in no small part to my constituent, the former Farepak agent Deb Harvey, working with the former Minister, my hon. Friend the Member for Ellesmere Port and Bromborough (Justin Madders)? They have been campaigning for years. Will the Leader of the House join me in thanking them for helping to ensure that something like that does not happen again?
I thank my hon. Friend for raising this issue. I understand her point about the importance of protecting consumers, especially those who rely on Christmas savings schemes.
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Q22
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A constituent contacted Phil Brickell regarding the Greater Manchester integrated care partnership cutting the funding of an autism assessment provider, leaving his son's application on hold with no resolution timeline.
My constituent was informed that his chosen provider’s funding had been cut by the ICP. With his GP’s help, he was able to transfer to a different provider, whose funding has also been cut, and his application is now on hold, with no timetable for a resolution. Given the current NHS waiting times for autism assessment, can we have a debate in Government time on the steps being taken to ensure that children get the reviews they need?
We are acutely aware of this issue, which is why we are bringing forward proposals to fundamentally alter the special educational needs and disabilities system. I will raise my hon. Friend’s concerns with Ministers to see what further action can be taken to assist his constituent.
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Q23
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Concerns about transport connectivity, pressure on tourism, derelict buildings and declining high streets in coastal towns like Sandown.
Will the Leader of the House consider setting aside Government time for a debate on regenerating coastal communities, so that we can properly consider issues facing towns like Sandown on the Isle of Wight?
I endorse what the hon. Gentleman has said and if people want to see fantastic regeneration in action, they should come to Whitley Bay. This is an issue replicated across the country and I am sure that a debate on the issue, if he sought one from the Backbench Business Committee, would be timely.
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Q24
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The opening of new mental health facilities at Kingsway hospital in Derby marks a step forward in care for local people.
Will the Leader of the House join me in congratulating all those involved in delivering that fantastic project, and will he find time for a debate on how we can continue to improve mental health provision across the country, particularly for adults requiring acute care?
I join her in congratulating everyone involved in the project that she mentions. I am sure that in future there will be a debate in which she can discuss the matter further.
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Q25
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Residents in Chichester living on managed estates have reported exploitative practices by estate management companies, with service charges doubling year on year and no power to challenge these companies.
Will the Leader of the House urgently make time for a debate on the subject, so that we can finally improve outcomes for those residents in Chichester and across the country?
We are looking at a range of measures—on planning, leasehold reform and everything else—to ensure that we do not get the terrible cases that we did in the past. This is an issue across the country.
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Q26
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Members of the Royal British Legion have organized numerous events in Carlisle, including a festival of remembrance.
Will the Leader of the House join me in thanking Keith Richardson, and members of the Carlisle and Stanwix branch of the Royal British Legion, for organizing an inspiring number of events in my Carlisle constituency?
I absolutely join my hon. Friend in thanking Keith Richardson and everyone involved in the Royal British Legion in her proud and beautiful city. The work that they do is important for the local community, replicated across this country.
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Q27
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Liberal Democrats on Somerset council have cancelled the Cross Rifles roundabout upgrade in Bridgwater, leaving residents facing severe congestion.
May we have a debate on how we can hold councils to account when they cancel Government-funded infrastructure projects without offering an alternative for local people?
Local infrastructure is important, particularly to rural communities. I will draw this case to the attention of the Department for Transport. There might be an opportunity for the hon. Gentleman to raise the issue during the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill proceedings.
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Q28
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Hundreds of West Dunbartonshire constituents have been served notice to terminate their family protection funeral plan by CMutual and Maiden Life UK, leaving them with nothing on 30 November.
Will the Leader of the House agree to an urgent debate on the subject in Government time, and ask the Chief Secretary to the Treasury to conduct an urgent investigation?
This is an important issue and a concerning situation. I will draw it to the attention of the Chief Secretary to the Treasury. My hon. Friend may get an opportunity to raise the issue during the Budget debate, for which there will be a lot of time.
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Q29
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Some constituents have had valuable property stolen from their homes during viewings, with perpetrators not who they purported to be.
Can we have a debate on the need for estate agents to verify the names and addresses of people introduced to new properties?
The Government are looking at the whole subject of buying and selling houses. The hon. Lady may wish to write to the Minister about it.
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