Jim Shannon
MP for Strangford · Democratic Unionist Party · United Kingdom
“I thank the Minister for those answers. This has happened three times in three years. Normally, on the third strike, you are out. Instead, the chief executive gets an £871,000 bonus. For people in Northern Ireland, a flight to Great Britain is a basic utility. When NATS crashed, my constituents were entirely cut off.”
“When it comes to lobbying, Northern Ireland has a peculiar circumstance where one party can be involved in politics in Northern Ireland and at the same time be involved in politics in the Republic of Ireland. When it comes to the accountability that the hon.”
“Member for North East Fife referred to this—everybody knew every officer in the area where they lived. Different times mean different pressures and different needs, but I have always supported community policing in all my years as an elected representative, throughout my time on the council and in the Northern Ireland Assembly before comi…”
“I will say this to the Minister: although policing is a devolved matter for us back home, I want to make some comments, if I may, about the focus of the police, which means they sometimes do what is unnecessary. I will give an example.”
“The hon. Gentleman is a Leicester City supporter, as I am; we do not have to seek our sorrows at this moment in time, but that is by the way. More importantly, his comments underline the issues for local independent pharmacy owners. As the hon.”
“That is the reality for these people, who have consciences, feel compassion and want to care for their patients and customers. The impact is clear, because almost 90% of pharmacies in Northern Ireland were unable to pay their wholesaler bill in January. Think about what that means for a second: that is real pressure.”
The complete record
Every one of 4,229 lines we hold for Jim Shannon, in date order, each linked to its source. Free to read, in full, without an account. Page 21 of 85.
“My goodness—that is quite unbelievable. We tend to find that the situation on the mainland is better than back home in Northern Ireland. I fear that Northern Ireland has fallen far behind, and that little consideration is being given to the impact that that is having. The capital funding from the Department of Health in Northern Ireland does not go far enough to accommodate everything that we need. How many more women must suffer for how many more years before the scale of the issue is realised? It is my duty, not only as my party’s spokesperson for health but because of my personal experiences over the years, to represent such issues as endometriosis services. It is no secret that more must be done: more engagement, more research and more resourcing.”
“I commend the hon. Lady for bringing forward this issue. She has strength of character, strength of personality and commitment to these subjects; it is always a pleasure to come along and hear her express her viewpoint, and I congratulate her. Just to be helpful to her—I did speak to her beforehand—she may only now be aware that in Northern Ireland, conviction on indictment for domestic abuse and coercive control can lead to up to 14 years’ imprisonment, while in England and Wales the same offence receives just five years’ imprisonment. Does she agree that coercive control demands its own legislation—equally applied, with equal severity— across the whole United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?”
“I thank the Minister for her positive response to the hon. Member for Bolsover (Natalie Fleet). The Minister obviously understands the issue very clearly. In my earlier intervention, I gave the example of Northern Ireland, where the sentence for coercive behaviour is 14 years. Over here on the mainland, in England and Wales, the sentence is only five years. Would the Minister and the Government consider strengthening the sentence to make it similar to that in Northern Ireland, ensuring that the time fits the crime?”
“I commend the hon. Lady for securing the debate. In rural constituencies such as mine and the hon. Lady’s, large stretches of unlit roads, pathways and open land, often bordered by dark fields, can create a real sense of vulnerability. Does the hon. Lady agree that future developments or planning proposals in such areas must take into account safe, well-lit corridors, especially when it comes to transport links, to ensure that women feel safe commuting to where they need to be in areas that are historically dark and isolated?”
“I thank the Minister, as always, for his answers. It is important that we all get the advantages of the level of methane harvested from landfill sites. In Northern Ireland we also have landfill sites, with a lot of rubbish and therefore a lot of methane possibilities. I know that the Minister visits Northern Ireland regularly, so what discussions has he had with the relevant Minister there to ensure that we can get the advantages that he mentioned in his reply to the hon. Member for Warrington South (Sarah Hall)?”
“I thank the shadow Minister and the Conservative party for bringing this subject forward. My constituents tell me very clearly, “If we have oil, let’s dig it, let’s drill it and let’s make sure that we get the opportunity from it.” Is it not ludicrous for the Labour party to let Norway get all the assets from the drilling and let us get nothing, when it is coming from the same bed? For the Labour party to have that policy is ludicrous. It goes against the will of the people and against the will of us those of us on the Opposition Benches of this Parliament. I think the Minister should take a review of this decision.”
“I thank the hon. Gentleman for introducing the debate; he is absolutely right to underline these issues. He has given a number of examples of where the process has fallen down because evidence could not get to the victim—I always focus on victims, as I know he does. Is he aware of any cases or examples where, because of not being able to get the evidence, and the victim not being able to ascertain all the necessary information, cases have fallen and justice has not been delivered?”
“I led a deputation to Kurdistan about five weeks ago, and was impressed by what the Government were doing there in relation to public order and hate crime legislation. There are many things in Kurdistan that we in the United Kingdom could take on board and have as our core values. It may be outside the remit of the Minister, but if they do something good somewhere else, I think we should look at it here, so will she do that for me?”
“While we welcome the progress of talks in the middle east, the fact that our Government have to learn updates from the news cycle is beyond disappointing. The deterioration of the relationship between the President of the United States and the Prime Minister is particularly worrying. Will the Secretary of State begin to rebuild that relationship with our American allies, and show willingness to work in the best interests of this nation? The attacks on Diego Garcia prove that this nation is under attack, and that deserves decisive action. How will the Minister secure the right action to put us back in step with our American friends, regardless of any personality clashes?”
“I thank the Minister very much for his statement, and for assuring Jewish people across the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland that we stand with them and that they are in our prayers. No one has any doubts about the Government’s commitment to standing alongside the Jewish diaspora, but this latest antisemitic attack shows the depth of depravity that those who hate Jews will sink to even today. The symbolism of an attack on ambulances for the sick and vulnerable cannot be lost on anyone. It is clear that Government steps to combat antisemitism do not go far enough, so what meaningful steps will the Minister take to support the Jewish community, whose only crime is to exist in Britain? They are British citizens, and they deserve full support from their Government.”
“Well done, Minister—it has been a joy to see the hon. Lady’s elevation to the position she now holds, and I wish her well. Is she aware that Lord Dodds, a DUP Member of the other House, continued to push for changes to age verification in the Bill, and that my party’s primary motivation for the amendments was retailer protection? Without strict parliamentary scrutiny of age verification rules, small businesses will face disproportionate burdens compared with large supermarkets, and the moving age restriction, which rises by one year every year, makes manual verification increasingly difficult for shopkeepers over time. Has the Minister had the opportunity to address that issue, as it concerns many people?”
“I thank the Minister for bringing this Bill forward. He brings a good story to the House, but sometimes these decisions give rise to questions. My constituents believe that the Bill creates a financial disincentive for middle-income earners to save for their retirement. Does he not agree that this risks creating a pensions gap, with individuals becoming more dependent on the state in later life, which will cost the taxpayer more in the long run than the tax relief costs today? My constituents feel that, and I am asking the Minister the question. How would he answer it?”
“We stood for many years against that evil in Northern Ireland, so I stand against it today, together with others in this House. It cannot be permitted. I ask all Members present to join me and others in satisfying truth and justice, which is what it is always about. Eight minutes is almost done, so thank you, Dame Siobhain, for giving me the chance to speak for that wee bit longer.”
“Any form of Irish co-operation with any inquiries can only begin when that happens, and when we get some information leading to the prosecution of murders. Until that day comes, there can be, and should be, no co-operation with those whose hands are as bloody as some, such as Gerry “I was never in the IRA, by the way” Adams—we know him, as he is the one. I said at the outset of my comments that we cannot satisfy everyone, but we must satisfy truth and justice. My mother was about truth and justice, always about what is right. This approach does neither, and merely further alienates the true victims of the troubles. That is why we ask any right-thinking Member of this House to refuse to allow legislation to pass that lets the murder of two unborn children in Omagh be painted as part of a glorious cause. It was not—it was evil and wicked.”
“We know about the future of Unionists in the Republic of Ireland—it is a dark, cold and unforgiving place for Unionists. I hope they are listening down in the Republic of Ireland, because that is how my people see it. That is how my family felt, who left there to go north, because that was where they had a future. There was no future for my family, for my mum and dad, and those others from the Republic of Ireland who came north. That is why any form of Irish co-operation with any inquiries can only begin with sincere apologies. Let us get those apologies. Let the Republic of Ireland apologise to us for giving sanctuary, security and a haven to those murdering scum that they were. That is what I want to hear about.”
“I also think of Lexie Cummings, murdered in Strabane. The people who murdered him escaped across the border. Where did the people who murdered Winston Donnell, the first UDR man ever to be killed, go? Across the border. Why did they go to the border? Because they could get away with it. I want accountability, so let us make the Garda Síochána and the Republic of Ireland accountable in this process. We hear about collusion in the RUC and the armed forces, with spurious allegations put forward, and yet the truth that the dogs on the street know about the Garda Síochána and the Irish Government is their shelter of murderers, and that is left as just the way things are. Well, that is not for me, and not for anyone else. I remind the Westminster Hall Chamber that my family knows at first hand about that collusion, and we understand it.”
“Superintendents Breen and Buchanan were murdered by the IRA on the border. They had been at a meeting in the Republic of Ireland, when, coming back up north, the two of them were blown up at the border. This question has often been posed, and I pose it again today. The Garda Síochána had a mole who gave the information, the intelligence, to the IRA who then murdered those two guys at the border. The Republic of Ireland—forgive me for pointing the finger—has a case to answer in relation to those two men. They were murdered because they were RUC personnel, and yet the Garda Síochána never had an inquiry into the intelligence breakdown, or compassion for the families. I make that case. I also make a case for Daniel McCormick and Kenneth Smyth—people might know that Kenneth Smyth was my cousin—murdered in December ’71.”
“Subsequently, we cannot and will not support this approach, which gives power and funding to those who wish to paint blood on to the hands of RUC and service personnel who were held to account at the time and since, and yet allow republicans to be painted in glowing colours of glory. That is unbearable, and we will not ask our people to bear it. Neither can we allow to go unchallenged the repeated refusal of the Irish Government to admit their collusion, and continuing to be a haven of safety for republican terrorists, who knew they could skip across the border and not a question would be asked, not a car would be searched, and not a murderer of babies and women would be held to account. I remember the murder of those two superintendents that the hon. Member for South Antrim referred to.”
“The Democratic Unionist party does not agree that legal aid should be provided to the next of kin in an inquest —nor does it agree with the form of what Government have called “enhancing inquisitorial proceedings”, the bulk of which will focus on state involvement—but not to witnesses to those proceedings, or to those seeking answers and redress for their loved ones via legacy investigations. Many families bereaved through terrorism faced the ignominy of tick-box inquests, with little in the way of information provided and no state funded legal representation. That should not be compounded by sustaining a deep inequality in how inquests are dealt with going forward.”
“If God spares me and I get home in time, I will be at the La Mon Hotel tonight, and it will be a reminder of what happened there. The balance in the focus of investigations towards members of the security forces is in itself a barrier to fairness. Inquest proceedings have often enabled legal representatives to use high-profile public hearings to aggressively examine witnesses, including ageing veterans, and to push spurious and unchallenged narratives of the troubles.”
“That disgracefully politically motivated overreach of the coroner merely confirmed the view that those inquests are not designed to meet the obligations of truth and justice, but can ignore the actions of the terrorists and make victim-makers into victims. The Government have taken no steps to rectify the system that allowed the Clonoe inquiry to report as it did, and therefore the right-thinking people of Northern Ireland—those who lived through the troubles: my generation and my parents’ generation—have no faith in the system, which they believe exists as a sop to terrorism, aiming to rewrite the evils we lived through as though they were understandable and excusable. Ask those burnt at La Mon, whose scars receive medical attention to this day, if they understand or excuse the bomb that murdered innocent people.”
“I remember where I was: it was Saturday, I was sitting watching the TV, and it felt like a film, but the brutality and violence of the despicable murder of those two soldiers was happening in real life. My party has deep concerns that the Government have chosen to press ahead with their intent to restore provision for inquests without a fundamental appraisal of how the coronial system in Northern Ireland approaches troubles-related cases, specifically the actions of the security forces. One need only to look at the disgraceful coroner’s report on the Clonoe inquest, where the coroner exceeded his remit by questioning the honest belief of ex-SAS soldiers during the 1992 ambush, where four IRA members were killed after attacking Coalisland Royal Ulster Constabulary station.”
“Eight minutes of brevity, Dame Siobhain. I will try and squeeze it into eight minutes, but it will be difficult. I am very pleased to be here. I thank the Northern Ireland Affairs Committee, and particularly the Chair, the hon. Member for Gower (Tonia Antoniazzi), for her hard work on this topic, which is a complex issue with numerous concerns. I understand that it is impossible to please everyone, but we must always please the tenets of truth and justice. I do not believe that this has been achieved. I say that with great respect to the Committee and the Secretary of State. The hon. Member for South Antrim (Robin Swann) has just reminded us of the murder of the two corporals.”
“I thank the Minister for her response to the hon. Member for Hackney South and Shoreditch (Dame Meg Hillier), who always brings forward interesting matters for this House to consider. I always underline the importance of farming, fishing and food in Northern Ireland, and would not want a change to the public ownership of markets in Northern Ireland to impact us in any way. May I, very respectfully and genuinely, ask the Minister whether she has had an opportunity to discuss these matters with the relevant Minister in Northern Ireland, to ensure that nothing similar to what the hon. Lady says may happen in London, happens to us?”
“The Christian community in Pakistan continued to face grave injustices and targeted violence throughout February 2026. Families were displaced, livelihoods destroyed, and many continue to live in fear for their safety and freedom. These ongoing persecutions underscore the urgent need for both national and international attention to safeguard fundamental human rights and ensure justice for victims. Will the Leader of the House ask the Foreign Secretary to set out what representations the Government have made to the Government of Pakistan regarding these ongoing injustices? What steps have been taken to raise concerns about freedom of religion or belief in Pakistan?”
“The Secretary of State has been given a challenging statement today about issues that we all consider. I very much welcome the prioritisation of women and girls in conflict zones; that is essential. Does the Secretary of State agree that we also need to ensure funding to stop the radicalisation of young men? Training young men to work and find a fulfilling role is worth the investment to halt the breeding grounds of anger and despair, and to bring hope. Does the Secretary of State agree that we all have a responsibility in this regard? What will she do to help those young men by stopping them being radicalised and turning to violence and, instead, giving them hope?”
“We need it sorted Minister; the ball is at your toe.”
“I am currently dealing with a child with diabetes who has been accepted for a personal independence payment, but due to Royal Mail delays—it is not the child’s fault, but someone else’s—his form is late and his parents are missing out on more than a month’s worth of payments that they should be entitled to. It is clear that Royal Mail needs to buck up its ideas. Ofcom recently fined Royal Mail £21 million for missing national delivery targets, but that will not get my constituent the backdated PIP money that they are due. Email is beyond many of our older people, and they depend on the so-called snail mail, which must return to being dependable once more. The staff are phenomenal, but root-and-branch changes must take place. The Minister is a good man and I spoke to him about this issue yesterday.”
“A system designed for letters has been choked by the sheer volume of parcels and, in the race for profit, it is the humble first-class letter—the one containing peoples’ hospital results or bills—that is being left on the floor. We are told it is a recruitment issue. We are told it is the weather. For the people of Northern Ireland it feels like a postcode lottery. A letter could be a contract or a connection. We are not asking for the world; we are simply asking for a postal service that works for everyone, regardless of their address. I have a quick example of how things are going wrong.”
“It is a real pleasure to serve under your chairship, Mr Twigg. I thank the hon. Member for Exmouth and Exeter East (David Reed) for providing the opportunity to speak about this issue. We are seeing the breakdown of vital services in my Strangford constituency and in Ards. We are hearing stories of cancer screening invitations arriving a week after the appointment date. We are seeing small business owners—the backbone of our local economy—having to apologise to customers for parcels that are sitting in the sorting office. We are seeing elderly neighbours waiting for pension letters or bank cards that never come. The staff on the ground are working hard but they are being asked to do the impossible.”
“The Minister is always very responsive; I appreciate his responses today and in the past. I spoke about a person who applied for PIP and found that there was a delay in the post. That young boy, a type 1 diabetic, was denied one month of his benefit as a result. Will the Minister please look at that?”
“I commend the hon. Gentleman on securing this debate; he was absolutely right to do so. I am also very happy to see the Minister in her place and I look forward to hearing her response. Does the hon. Gentleman share my concern about children in emergency refuge accommodation? I bring that to his attention simply because, in Northern Ireland, some 45% of children in emergency refuge are aged nought to five, which has a difficult impact on those formative years. More support is needed to provide a firm foundation for children during those most vulnerable years—it is not just the ladies; it is the children as well.”
“May these words strengthen our resolve to stand with all those who suffer. May they encourage us to act with courage and conviction, even in the face of much adversity.”
“For Christians, that hope is found in Jesus Christ, the one who proclaims freedom for the captives and light for those in darkness. I will draw to a close, ever mindful that the right hon. Member for Chingford and Woodford Green (Sir Iain Duncan Smith) will speak after me. I want to give him time to participate, because his words are important and we all look forward to hearing what he has to say. James 4:17 states: “Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin.” As Christians, we adhere to that promise and hope that others will do likewise. As parliamentarians, we have both the opportunity and the responsibility to do good. We know what good must be done; I think, to be fair, that the Minister and our Government also know what good must be done.”
“Perhaps most troubling of all are the systematic restrictions placed on young people. Open Doors reports that those under the age of 18 are not permitted to attend even registered church services. Children are the future of any nation; we all know that. Preventing them from attending worship is not accidental. It is a deliberate attempt to shape the future by erasing faith from the next generation. I cannot imagine what it would be like to live in a society in which sharing my faith with my own children could result in punishment, surveillance or separation from them. Faith is not simply something that we say or do. It is a fundamental part of who we are. In moments of despair and difficult headlines, we all look to hope.”
“In everything we do, we must remember the Uyghur Muslims, the thousands of Christians worshipping in underground churches, the Falun Gong practitioners and the many other minority communities who face constant pressure to conform to the ideology of the Chinese Communist party or risk separation from their families, forced labour or even death. For me as a Christian, and for the many others here who have the same faith, this is not only a political responsibility, but an expression of spiritual solidarity. The deliberate dismantling of families and communities is especially devastating. Church leaders are removed from their homes and imprisoned simply for professing their faith in Jesus Christ. Parents are separated from their children. Congregations are dismantled.”
“If you refuse to submit to state control and the Chinese Communist party, you are silenced—not you, Ms Jardine; I am referring to the generic “you”. We are given the opportunity to be a voice for the voiceless. We must ensure that those who are suffering persecution know that they are not forgotten. If the freedom of one religious community is taken away, we must send a message to the world that the freedoms of others can also be removed without consequence. Nothing is more important than human lives made vulnerable by our silence.”
“More than 1 million Uyghur Muslims and other Turkic Muslim minorities have been detained without charge in so-called re-education or internment camps. Protestant and Catholic Christians face harassment, detention, imprisonment, fines and the closure of churches. Falun Gong practitioners and other independent spiritual groups have been labelled as evil cults since 1999. Many have been arrested, imprisoned and tortured. Tragically, there have been numerous reports of deaths in custody. Tibetan Buddhists face severe restrictions on religious expression, including surveillance, detention and torture for peaceful religious activities. Smaller religious groups and independent spiritual leaders are frequently targeted under broad social order laws. Among those cases, we see a clear pattern.”
“He was trying to tell me how things were in China, but he picked the wrong person that day. I gave him a wee bit of focus for his attention after he invited me to China. I said, “I’ll hardly be going, but I tell you what: whenever you stop persecuting the Christians, stop abusing the Falun Gong and stop massacring, killing and raping Uyghur Muslims, you and I will have a conversation.” I will also send him this speech, which will probably end up in his bin. He is the Chinese Communist party’s representative in Northern Ireland; I am watching him and he knows I am watching him. I hope he is watching us here on TV, by the way—just to let you know, I know where you are. I have made a list of the many communities in China who are not free to practise their beliefs.”
“Out of approximately 175 countries, it is right up at the top in third place, chasing place No. 1. China and the Chinese Communist party want to do away with all human rights and all religious beliefs and control them in their entirety. That is deeply concerning and should not be overlooked in any of our diplomatic engagements with Chinese counterparts. I want to acknowledge the important work of the UK-based non-governmental organisations and advocacy groups whose research and reporting continues to shed light on human rights abuses in China. Without their work and dedication, much of what we know today would remain hidden. I recently had a conversation with a representative of the Chinese consulate in Northern Ireland. Boy, is that boy brainwashed!”
“His disappearance is widely believed to be linked to his legal work defending human rights and religious minorities, particularly Christians and Falun Gong practitioners. His whereabouts remain unknown, but it is widely believed that he is being held in some form of detention. I ask that the Minister ask his officials to investigate where Gao Zhisheng is. Alongside him are Pastor Ezra Jin, Renagul Gheni, Pastor Huang Yizi and Dr Wang Bingzhang. Along with countless others, they have experienced similar stories of repression, arbitrary torture, detention and forced disappearance. Those stories must not be ignored. According to the 2024 Fund for Peace human rights and rule of law index, China ranks as the third worst country in the world for human rights.”
“There is no independent civil society. The freedoms of expression, association, assembly and religion remain severely restricted. Human rights defenders and those who are perceived as critics of the Government face persecution. I will mention some of them. One of those individuals is the Chinese human rights lawyer Gao Zhisheng, who is one of the APPG’s spotlight prisoners of conscience. He was first detained by the Chinese authorities in 2006. Prior to that, he was widely respected for taking on sensitive human rights cases, including defending religious minorities. Between 2006 and 2011, he was repeatedly disappeared and was subjected to severe beatings and torture. From 2011 to 2014, he served a prison sentence; he was released in August 2014. He was forcibly disappeared again from his home in Shanxi province on 13 August 2017.”
“Member for St Helens South and Whiston clearly outlined, more than a decade into President Xi Jinping’s rule, efforts to centralise control have resulted in heightened repression across the country, particularly in the years following the covid-19 pandemic. The Chinese constitution claims to guarantee freedom of religious belief, especially under article 36, which recognises five officially sanctioned religions. On the ground, however, the opposite happens: ultimately, the authority of the Chinese Communist party supersedes those constitutional protections. Police routinely arrest, detain and harass leaders and members of so-called illegal religious groups that refuse to join state-sanctioned religious bodies. Their peaceful gatherings are disrupted. Many face imprisonment simply for practising their faith independently.”
“Basic rights such as access to employment and the freedom to live in peace, practise one’s faith and hold one’s beliefs are routinely denied to Uyghur Muslims, Falun Gong practitioners, Christians and many other minority groups in China. It is therefore vital that our Government continue to hold partners, allies and counterparts accountable for the national and international commitments that they have made. For many of us, this is not the first time that we have discussed freedom of religion or belief in China. We are very aware of the injustices, persecution and systematic repression that many religious minorities continue to face, without respite or easement and without any sanction on the perpetrators. As the hon.”
“To be fair to the Leader of the House and the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, they always come back with a commitment within a week or 10 days. That is to be commended, and I thank the Minister and the Government for it. Our nation has long sought to stand at the forefront of global efforts to promote religious freedom. We recognise that faith is not merely a private conviction; it is a core pillar of identity, community, conscience and human dignity. Through my work as chair of the all-party parliamentary group for international freedom of religion or belief, I have learned how many of the freedoms that we take for granted are denied to millions around the world.”
“It is a real pleasure to serve under your chairship, Ms Jardine. I thank the hon. Member for St Helens South and Whiston (Ms Rimmer) for setting the scene incredibly well in this very important debate. Her unwavering commitment ensures that the persecution of religious minorities in China, an issue that too often risks being forgotten, remains a consistent and vital part of parliamentary discourse. I give credit to the Minister and the Government for their part in championing freedom of religion or belief as a fundamental human right. Each Thursday morning, at business questions to the Leader of the House, I ask a question about somewhere across the world where there is discrimination and where freedom of religion is found wanting.”
“I commend the hon. Gentleman for securing the debate. Like him, we lost our train station many moons ago—back at a time when I had hair, which was a long time ago. We have watched the decline of public transport, and if we get rid of stations, it means a slow decline, and can easily end up with the removal of lines. While the profit margin is, and should be, a material consideration, does the hon. Gentleman agree that the obligation to provide a service is equally important?”
“The drive and the ability are there. What is needed is the support. I look forward to the Minister’s speech. We must invest in local communities, understanding that every pound invested will not only have its returns in tax but, more importantly, fire up a generation to make their living doing something that they are passionate about and that helps their local community. We all have that desire. Working together, we can make those dreams a reality.”
“We also need legislative support to strengthen our right to buy, so that no community asset is lost simply because the paperwork is too complex. We need progressive procurement to ensure that the £3 billion that our Government spend every year prioritises businesses that deliver real social value back to our streets. Our sector is mature. Over half of our social enterprises have been trading for more than a decade. They are led by women—there are plenty of women here, as an indication of that. They are led by people with lived experience. They are motivated by a shared belief that profits should serve people, not the other way round. Let us not just build back; let us build ours. Let us ensure that every pound spent in Northern Ireland works twice as hard: once for the service it provides, and once for the community it empowers.”
“In Northern Ireland, social enterprise is not just nice to have; it is foundational. In my constituency—from the Gatelodge café at Ards hospital, which provides training and employment for young people with learning difficulties, to the Comber farmers’ market, a volunteer-led initiative that provides a platform for local producers while serving as a vital social hub for the town—we are seeing what happens when local people take the keys to their own future. Community ownership is how we reclaim our disused barracks, our closed pubs and our historic halls and turn them into hubs of health, heritage, hope and vision. To truly unlock that potential, we must move beyond the grant reliance trap. We need a dedicated regional community ownership fund tailored to the unique needs of local community infrastructure.”