Jim Shannon
MP for Strangford · Democratic Unionist Party · United Kingdom
“I could give similar examples of my own constituents —all Members probably could—because we all know people who are alive and walking around the streets in our constituencies today, still with their families. I thank the hon. Gentleman for that.”
House of Commons29 October 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“It is not just somebody being injured on a farm or having a road traffic accident; that can happen, but it could be a boating accident where the air ambulance comes to the rescue. Some of the air ambulance team are in the Gallery, and I thank them for all their information and comments. I will refer next to Bristol.”
House of Commons29 October 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“This is the thrust of the debate: when a helipad is unavailable, has restricted operating hours or cannot operate safely, additional challenges can arise in getting patients to the right place at the right time for treatment to save their lives.”
House of Commons29 October 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“Many other hospitals have helipads that support emergency transfers and wider patient pathways. A national policy must recognise their contribution and ensure that their operational requirements are not overlooked.”
House of Commons29 October 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“Member for North Cornwall sought the timescale; although not responsible for that, I know that the Minister will seek to get a timescale. Whenever I go to a meeting, whether it be with the roads service or hospitals, they always tell me what they are going to do and I say, “When will it happen?” That is the question.”
House of Commons29 October 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“The APPG for air ambulances has launched a report, and I have no doubt that the Minister has had a chance to look at its recommendations. I commend the APPG members, some of whom are present, for what they have done in outlining the case for safeguarded, 24/7 on-site hospital helipads at major trauma centres and specialist hospitals.”
House of Commons29 October 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
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“I thank the Minister for that answer. Castle Ward, a local National Trust site in my constituency, puts on a host of cultural and creative activities throughout the year to allow locals to engage with the arts. Bus services are needed so that people in urban and rural areas can access those activities. Will the Minister work in partnership with the National Trust on this issue right across this great United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?”
House of Commons3 September 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“6. What steps the Church of England is taking to work with local authorities to help church communities to support family hubs and community cohesion.”
House of Commons3 September 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“I thank the Second Church Estates Commissioner very much for her answer. St Mark’s church in Newtownards, in my Strangford constituency, held a brilliant summer scheme this year, offering games, songs and crafts for children from the local community. The church has the facilities and capacity to provide more activities and support for families throughout the year. However, with additional funding it could do much more. Given the need for central Government funding, what steps can she and the Government take to ensure that community organisations such as St Mark’s have access to the funding they want and need to support local families and communities all the year round?”
House of Commons3 September 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“Our long-term goal must be energy independence so that we are never again at the mercy of volatile foreign regimes for our basic power needs. National Energy Action Northern Ireland has highlighted that roughly 39% of households in Northern Ireland are currently living in fuel poverty. That is compounded by the fact that 60% of homes in Northern Ireland still rely on heating oil and are subject to unregulated markets. Given that the public consultation has now concluded, will the Minister assure the House that the final decision will strike a balance between our environmental responsibilities and the urgent need to protect domestic energy security, shield hard-pressed working families from soaring utility bills and safeguard the thousands of vital jobs supported by our domestic energy sector?”
House of Commons3 September 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“Will the Minister assure this House that the Government are working directly with pharmaceutical manufacturers to guarantee security of supply, and will he commit to working closely with the Northern Ireland Assembly to ensure that our family farms are not left at the back of the queue for those vital BTV-3 vaccine supplies, as the midges’ active season continues and gets even worse.”
House of Commons3 September 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“I thank the Minister for his positive answers, which I think we should be encouraged by. Although Northern Ireland thankfully has no reported cases of bluetongue, the Ulster Farmers’ Union—I declare an interest as a member—has issued an urgent warning that vaccine supplies are under severe pressure in GB, with some major manufacturers completely out of stock. The Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs in Northern Ireland has rightly moved to a general licence to allow our farmers to vaccinate, but they cannot protect their herds if they cannot access the physical vaccine vials.”
House of Commons3 September 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“Each week I usually bring an individual religious persecution issue, but this week I wish to bring forward a collective request. Will the Leader of the House ask the Foreign Secretary to make a statement on the disturbing findings of the Pew Research Centre’s latest report on the worsening state of global freedom of religion or belief across the world, and what steps the Government of this United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland are taking to uphold the freedom of religion or belief as an intrinsic and non-negotiable human right in their foreign policy?”
House of Commons3 September 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“How can we talk about the vote and the UK when every time a consumer in my Strangford constituency picks up a pint of milk stamped with “Not for the EU” they are looking at a badge of foreign interference in our internal UK market? True Brexit means Brexit for the whole of the United Kingdom, not just for the mainland of Great Britain. We have been trapped in a dynamic alignment. If the mainland innovates and cuts red tape, Northern Ireland is legally forbidden from joining them because we are chained to the EU customs code. That is not the best of both worlds; it is economic partition.”
House of Commons2 September 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“It leaves a border in the Irish sea, dividing us from our biggest market and tearing at the economic and constitutional fabric of our country. How can we say we have fully left the EU when Northern Ireland is still subject to laws that it has no say in making and that are judged by a foreign court? How can we say that we have taken back control when our hard-working farmers face losing half their vital veterinary medicines simply because Brussels dictates what can and cannot cross the Irish sea? That is a fundamental denial of democracy. How can we talk about the result of the vote when it is a constitutional outrage that our own Government’s ability to support British businesses in Northern Ireland is legally handcuffed by European competition courts through a ban on state aid?”
House of Commons2 September 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“It is a pleasure to serve under your chairship, Ms Butler. I thank the hon. Gentleman for Perth and Kinross-shire (Pete Wishart) for securing this debate. He and I know that we will not agree on this subject, but we are good friends and Gaelic cousins. I appreciate his point of view; my point of view will be very different. Ten years ago, the people of the United Kingdom made a historic sovereign decision to leave the European Union. They voted to take back control of our laws, borders and cash, but as a proud Unionist and staunch Brexiteer, I stand here to declare that the impact of the referendum is uncertain because the job is not yet finished. There is still work to be done. I will outline some of the issues in Northern Ireland. The Windsor framework does not fix the problem; it institutionalises it.”
House of Commons2 September 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“We are undeniably stronger together; I am sure my friends in the SNP and Plaid Cymru will take note of that. Our economic, cultural and political bonds are what makes this nation great. Our focus must be on strengthening the ties between Belfast, Edinburgh, Cardiff and London, not managing an artificial barrier forced on us by Brussels. Let us stand firm, deliver on the full promise of 2016 and secure a truly United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland for generations to come. We are always better together.”
House of Commons2 September 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“I absolutely agree. I was going to come on to that issue, but he has done it for me so I will leave it at that. The hon. Member for Perth and Kinross-shire is a friend of mine, but we fundamentally cannot agree on this issue. I believe in accepting a democratic vote, not ignoring it. When we believe that we know better than the people, it is no longer a democracy; it is a dictatorship. Hon. Members are allowed to hate that result, but they are not allowed to overrule it without due process. We need to finish the job that the people voted for in 2016. That means removing the Windsor framework, stripping away the remaining vestiges of EU interference and fully restoring the internal market of the United Kingdom. We must solidify our precious Union.”
House of Commons2 September 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“First of all I thank the Minister, who always tries to answer our questions. In my contribution, which was specific to Northern Ireland, I asked him whether he had had an opportunity to consider the issues and the impact of the Windsor framework on Northern Ireland and how it affects our trading with the United Kingdom and Europe. Also, I thank him for coming back from his honeymoon to his new position.”
House of Commons2 September 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“I congratulate the hon. Lady on securing the debate. It is debates such as this that remind us of our job as MPs. Does she agree that when a family receive a devastating diagnosis, whether that is of a terminal illness, a severe disability or an aggressive childhood cancer, the financial shock and caring responsibilities are felt immediately? In the three-month qualifying period, families can sometimes accumulate up to £5,000 in additional debt during the most agonising months of their lives, while—I say this respectfully—the Government drag their heels. Will the hon. Lady join me in pressing the Minister, in her compassionate and understanding way, to get Government to recognise that a child’s suffering does not wait 90 days to become real, and to ensure that crucial financial support is delivered from the very point of diagnosis?”
House of Commons2 September 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“If I have correctly understood what the Minister is saying, if a consultant, GP or other doctor sent a letter confirming that the condition started way before the application was made, that would be the qualifying period, and that would be done by a medical person. Am I reading it right?”
House of Commons2 September 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“That is the question the hon. Lady put forward, and it is the one I am asking as well.”
House of Commons2 September 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“In the Prime Minister’s statement yesterday—which we all welcome, by the way; it would be churlish for anyone not to welcome it—he set a positive scene and laid out his vision for the United Kingdom. He mentioned hope, which was one of the words that I took from his statement—I was there for his statement but not for all the answers to Members, because there were other things to do. We must ensure that policies are rural-proofed. My real fear is that we are not doing so and that the losers are the most vulnerable and isolated communities. Economies of scale and isolation issues must be weighted when balancing the books. I look forward very much to the Minister’s response to address this issue for each rural area, and thank him for his response to the debate. How will the Government deliver support for upper-tier local authorities?”
House of Commons2 September 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“The Ards and North Down rural partnership is still working and doing good things, and the Government back home have recognised that rural isolation and rural needs are specific. The Ards and North Down rural partnership demonstrates the difference that targeted investment can make in our rural communities, from improving the local play parks, green spaces and the harbour areas, to supporting community centres. Does the Minister agree that equality does not always mean treating every area the same, and that rural areas should receive funding that recognises the additional cost of delivering services across the countryside and in rural communities?”
House of Commons2 September 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“In March, concerns were raised about the potential closure of a youth forum in the Londonderry area due to funding difficulties. The forum highlighted that rural isolation and social exclusion are precisely the types of issues that these services are trying to address—the very things that the hon. Lady and others have specifically requested. I was elected as MP for my constituency of Strangford in 2010, and in 2015 the Ards and North Down rural partnership was established to act as the administrative and financial lead for the Northern Ireland rural development programme, an excellent programme that did great work in my constituency and indeed across the whole of Northern Ireland. The programme was completed in 2022, but that work must not be allowed to stop there. We must build on that success with sustained investment.”
House of Commons2 September 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“As always, I give a Northern Ireland perspective, not because the Minister has any answering to do for it, because he does not, but to give examples of where some of what the hon. Lady and others have said relates to the situation back home in Northern Ireland. While Northern Ireland does not have a two-tier local government system—our 11 councils are single-tier authorities—our rural councils face many of the same challenges. One is that our councils play a much wider role than simply delivering standard local services. That is why it is of great concern that local community initiatives in rural areas are increasingly vulnerable to having their funding withdrawn. Some of the things that affect us in Northern Ireland also affect the hon. Lady’s constituency here on the mainland.”
House of Commons2 September 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“This follows its warning at the beginning of last year that Government cuts are being severely felt in rural areas, with around four in five rural local authorities stating that they felt they were in a worse position following the autumn Budget and the local government finance settlement. The network has called for a reinstatement of “remoteness” in the local government funding formula. There is perhaps a case to be made—as the hon. Member for North Shropshire did exceptionally well—that remoteness must be a priority and part of the scoring card when it comes to funding, to properly recognise that the delivery of services across sparsely populated areas costs considerably more, and the impact on rural communities.”
House of Commons2 September 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“There are growing concerns about the level of support being provided to upper-tier rural authorities in England. England’s largest councils are expected to receive just 2p in Government funding for every £1 of their rising costs over the next three years. This comes as funding is increasingly being directed towards urban areas, leaving local rural authorities facing an estimated £11 billion funding gap. The consequences could be significant, with rural councils in particular likely to have to reduce and make cuts to everyday services such as libraries and community social care. Other hon. Members have spoken about those issues, as will others after me. Analysis by the County Councils Network shows that county and large rural councils will face an additional £7 billion a year in service costs by 2029.”
House of Commons2 September 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“It is a real pleasure to serve under your chairship, Mrs Barker. I thank the hon. Member for North Shropshire (Helen Morgan) for setting the scene incredibly well. It is good to see another supreme example of her fighting for her constituents, as she always does. As the Member of Parliament for Strangford, a largely rural constituency, I am acutely aware of the challenges that face those in our rural communities. I know the Minister is not responsible for that, but I am here to support the hon. Lady as she puts forward the case on behalf of her constituents, and I look forward to the Minister’s response. It is nice to see him back in his position again—he was a Minister before and then an active Back Bencher, and he is back again as a Minister. Well done to him for all his efforts.”
House of Commons2 September 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“Lady’s opinion, the Federation of Small Businesses Northern Ireland has explicitly warned that these surging costs are forcing independent retailers to slash staff hours, cut back opening times and put growth on ice. Does she agree that this issue lies on the shoulders of Government and of the Minister in particular, and that this anti-business policy must stop before it pushes vital high street traders to the wall?”
House of Commons2 September 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“I commend the hon. Lady for securing this debate and I will echo both what she has said and what the hon. Member for Winchester (Dr Chambers) said in his intervention, because the situation is the same in Northern Ireland. According to the Northern Ireland inter-departmental business register, small businesses and microbusinesses make up the vast majority—about 90%—of Northern Ireland’s local economy, with almost 83,000 registered businesses employing fewer than 10 people. These businesses are not faceless conglomerates; they are the family-run corner shops, local butchers and small builders across my constituency and the constituency of the hon. Member for North East Hampshire (Alex Brewer). Echoing the hon.”
House of Commons2 September 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“The Secretary of State is right to recognise the reduction of child poverty in Wales, but of course the Government here took the decision to reduce child poverty not just in Wales but in Scotland, England and Northern Ireland as well. Does he agree that when it comes to recognising the good work the Government have done in reducing child poverty, the whole House should come together and say thank you to the Labour party for doing that, taking 60,000 families out of poverty in Northern Ireland?”
House of Commons2 September 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“Businesses in Northern Ireland also face additional complex regulatory requirements to ensure that tin is not linked to conflict or illegal mining. We in Northern Ireland want to add our support to Cornish Metals’ plans to establish production at the South Crofty mine in Cornwall, which could support the securing of a supply for the west and ensure that Northern Ireland has accessible tin at an affordable price, with no EU interference in the trade. I again commend the hon. Member for Camborne and Redruth and I look to the Minister to support him. We certainly support him in Northern Ireland.”
House of Commons2 September 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“I commend the hon. Member for Camborne and Redruth (Perran Moon) for securing this debate. I am sponsoring an event next door at which I had to speak, so I could not be in the Chamber, although I intended to be here. I spoke to you earlier, Mrs Barker, for permission to ask a question instead. The hon. Gentleman is a fantastic spokesman for Cornwall. He is present whenever we debate a subject that has to do with Cornwall, and I congratulate him on that. This issue is of particular significance for us in Northern Ireland, and we want to add our support for what the hon. Gentleman is doing, because we have no major domestic source of tin and rely on imported supplies, making businesses vulnerable to international supply chain disruption.”
House of Commons2 September 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“I welcome the First Secretary to her new role and wish her well. The hon. Lady’s appointment comes at a critical time for the United Kingdom. She will know that the fundamental pillar of our Union is fairness, and right now the funding model for Northern Ireland is anything but fair. The current Barnett consequential framework is fundamentally broken. It fails to account for the unique, severe and acute objective needs of our public services, health sector and infrastructure in Northern Ireland. Does the hon. Lady, as the Minister for the Cabinet Office and co-ordinator of Government policy, agree that rewiring the funding formula must be treated as a priority cross-Cabinet issue, and will she commit to working across the Treasury and the Northern Ireland Office to replace the outdated mechanism with a needs-based funding floor?”
House of Commons2 September 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“It is not all doom and gloom: I thank the Nationwide Building Society, which has pledged to maintain all branches until 2030. My own local branch is an example of consumer-led safe banking, and I believe that we must hold main street banks to a higher standard. The banks must do better. Rural constituents deserve the same service as city dwellers, and the rural inequality must be addressed from this house down. For my constituents in Strangford, we need to do more.”
House of Commons1 September 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“Fewer bank services mean reduced footfall, as people have fewer reasons to visit town centres, and the impact of that on the high street is clear. Eleven banks have closed in my largely rural constituency, and as the MP for Strangford, I am deeply concerned about what this means for my constituents and particularly the older people in my constituency, a large proportion of whom rely on cash. The loss of local bank services will mean significantly longer journeys to access basic financial services. More must be done to ensure those in our rural communities are not left behind and continue to have unfettered access to essential banking services. Unfortunately, there is no longer a single permanent bank on the Ards peninsula where I live, and only very spotty internet services. The situation must be reversed.”
House of Commons1 September 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“It is a pleasure to serve under your chairship, Mr Wishart, and a big thanks to the hon. Member for South Devon (Caroline Voaden) for raising this debate. As the Member for Strangford, I am growing increasingly concerned about the effects of bank closures on vulnerable individuals in our rural communities, because face-to-face banking is about much more than simple convenience. Local bank branches have long been an important point of social contact, particularly for older people, those with disabilities and those who struggle with technology. It is a safe place for young people to get sound advice on savings and ISAs, and a place where people learn, get to know the staff and build protection for themselves. I stress that online banking is simply not a straightforward substitute for an in-person service.”
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“Does the hon. Lady agree that there is something immoral about banks that make such exorbitant profits money closing branches and penalising their customers?”
House of Commons1 September 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“I commend the hon. Lady on securing this debate. This is an immense issue: it is about providing the world-class science facilities and laboratories of tomorrow. Does she agree that, when it comes to spreading the moneys across the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Queen’s University Belfast and Ulster University in Belfast should be key places to ensure that money is available? The NHS, future science, apprenticeships and helping agri-tech—all those things come off the back of what she is saying.”
House of Commons1 September 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“The United Kingdom’s financial services sector has a bright future—I believe that with all my heart—but only if it remembers its core purpose, which is to serve the people. As we as MPs serve the people we are elected to serve, they should also serve the people that we represent. So let us ensure that as we innovate, we build a system that levels up every corner of our great nation, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and preserves our high streets, supports our small businesses, and protects the hard-earned money of the working-class families who are the backbone of this country.”
House of Commons1 September 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“Member for Buckingham and Bletchley referred to that in a previous debate in Westminster Hall—I remember it well. We need a financial system that acts as a springboard for entrepreneurship, providing firm, clear foundations of support rather than wrapping our local shopkeepers in suffocating red tape. The future must be defined by absolute transparency and a transformation of corporate culture. Trust in our financial institutions was severely damaged in the past. As the FCA continues its work on transforming the culture in financial services, we must demand that the big banks treat customers with the respect they deserve. Every pound looked after by a financial institution is a pound earned by hard work. There must be no question of dishonesty or systematic unfairness.”
House of Commons1 September 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“What about the young people trying to understand credit and mortgage products without an accessible high street presence? The future of banking cannot be one that locks out the vulnerable, the elderly or those without reliable internet. We must protect physical access to cash and also look after consumer support. There is a duty to protect our small and medium-sized enterprises, our small charities and family-run shops. In Newtownards we are privileged and honoured to have so many family-run shops. Whether they are agribusinesses or local hospitality venues, they are the backbone of our economy—certainly they are in my constituency. The future regulatory framework of the Financial Conduct Authority must be tailored to protect those businesses from hidden credit liabilities and predatory lending practices. The hon.”
House of Commons1 September 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“If financial services are to have a successful future across the whole of this United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, we must ensure that they are built on three fundamental pillars: financial inclusion, regulatory fairness for small businesses and unwavering integrity. As banks look to a digital future, they are shutting physical branches at an alarming rate, which we discussed this morning. It is all well and good to say that everything will be on a mobile phone app, but what about the elderly constituent in Portaferry in my constituency, who relies on the face-to-face chat to manage their life savings, and who has to travel some 22 or 23 miles up the road to Newtownards because there is no bank in the entire Ards peninsula?”
House of Commons1 September 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“Member for Peterborough (Andrew Pakes), who just left, referred to Nationwide in an earlier intervention. As I said this morning, the Nationwide branch in Newtownards has committed to working with the community and to staying in the town until 2030, and we hope that the commitment will go beyond that. I am not a member, stakeholder or customer, but I have noticed the large numbers of people who come in, and I understand that Nationwide is filling in where the banks sometimes fall short. My main concern—indeed, the common concern of the DUP—is what the future of financial services looks like for the working man and the working woman. That is what I want to focus on. It is about the squeeze on the middle class and the ordinary families who are trying to navigate volatile inflation and changing economic climates.”
House of Commons1 September 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“I thank her for all her answers this morning and this afternoon, in anticipation of the passion she has for the subject matter of this debate. I mean that sincerely, because I think we are all encouraged by her knowledge and helpfulness in trying to answer the questions we pose. When we talk about the future of financial services, the pundits and the media often look straight at the glass towers of London—they look at fintech, AI and the complex global trading systems. I am a proud Unionist; I want the City of London to remain the pre-eminent financial powerhouse of the world—as it is and as it should be—because that benefits us all. It brings billions to the Treasury, and a strong City means a strong United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. The hon.”
House of Commons1 September 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“It is always a pleasure to serve under your chairship, Mr Twigg. I thank the hon. Member for Buckingham and Bletchley (Callum Anderson) for setting the scene incredibly well, and for highlighting a vital debate around the future of our financial services sector. I thank him for bringing this matter to the Floor of the House; if there is one thing that affects every single household, from the City of London right across to the beautiful shores of Strangford lough, it is the stability, accessibility and integrity of our financial systems. It is also a joy to see the Minister in her place again. I think we are level pegging for how many times we can speak in Westminster Hall today. We are both at the touchline, and if she manages to stay for the third debate, she will find herself equal with me.”
House of Commons1 September 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“In Northern Ireland some 10 years ago, we had local government reorganisation that promised significant savings and more efficiency. Unfortunately, on neither of those two occasions were they delivered. Does the hon. Gentleman agree that when looking at what others have done, as he has outlined, perhaps it is time to see where things went wrong and learn lessons from what we did and did not do right?”
House of Commons1 September 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“Let us give Northern Ireland’s councils the tools, freight backing and infrastructure support to ensure that a can thrown into a recycling bin in Newtownards in my constituency has the exact same value and future as a can thrown away in London, the midlands or across this great United Kingdom.”
House of Commons1 September 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“We cannot expect Northern Ireland’s ratepayers to foot the bill for structural market disadvantages. Respectfully, I say to the Minister that if the Government are serious about a UK-wide green transition, there also has to be targeted support. We need the Government to work with the Northern Ireland Executive to invest in local reprocessing infrastructure. It is time to focus on this issue. Let us be clear: the people of my constituency of Strangford and across Northern Ireland want to do their bit for the planet, and our local government stands ready to deliver, but they cannot do it if they are economically stranded by a lack of market access.”
House of Commons1 September 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“To get our high-value aluminium to the main UK or European markets, our authorities must contend with the tyranny—I use this word on purpose—of distance and the shipping costs. Every single tonne of recycled metal must cross the Irish sea. That means that our local authorities are at the mercy of volatile sea freight charges, supply chain disruptions and—let us not mince words—the lingering regulatory frictions of the Windsor framework. If a local council faces bloated logistical costs just to export its aluminium scrap to a mainland smelter, the economic incentive to invest in advanced sorting facilities begins to collapse. For us in Northern Ireland, this is chaos. It just does not work at all. I thank the hon. Member for Wells and Mendip Hills again for highlighting this issue.”
House of Commons1 September 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“The Minister is always helpful in answering my questions. I appreciate that very much, and I know that she will come back to me with some indication of a way forward. Unlike a council in the English midlands, which can simply chuck its baled aluminium on to a lorry and drive it down a motorway to a domestic smelting plant, a council in Northern Ireland faces severe market isolation. We have a smaller domestic market, fewer local reprocessors and a distinct lack of heavy infrastructure for secondary metal refining. The hon. Member for Wells and Mendip Hills referred to Novelis, and the indication was that it would be able to recycle all aluminium here in the United Kingdom. Northern Ireland needs a methodology for getting into that process. We do not have that at the moment.”
House of Commons1 September 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“The 11 councils in Northern Ireland, including my own superb Ards and North Down council, are different animals compared with local authorities across Great Britain. They do not control schools or roads; their responsibilities are different. Instead, waste management and environmental health sits at the absolute pinnacle of their frontline responsibilities. It is one of the largest items on their balance sheets. When waste policy fluctuates, our local councils feel the shockwaves immediately. Our councils have worked hard. According to the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs in Northern Ireland, our municipal recycling rates sit proudly at some 50%, but they are hitting a brick wall—a wall that is built out of unique geographical and market restrictions that I want to ask the Minister about.”
House of Commons1 September 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“I thank the hon. Member for Wells and Mendip Hills (Tessa Munt) for setting the scene. The hon. Lady has done the House a favour in highlighting an issue that maybe not many of us were totally aware of—I know that I was not, until I did some research in Northern Ireland. I will have a specific request for the Minister, as I always do. The hon. Member for Wells and Mendip Hills spoke directly about our environmental responsibilities, our industrial potential and the unique challenges faced by local authorities, and I wish to speak about the situation in Northern Ireland. I thank the hon. Lady for securing this debate, because when we talk about a circular economy, as she did, we must ensure that no part of this United Kingdom is left spinning its wheels in isolation. I must remind the House of a fundamental structural difference.”
House of Commons1 September 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“I thank the Minister for her answer. There are 67 wars across the world—countries in conflict with other countries. What can she do to ensure that sworn enemies come together to tackle climate change, which is the real enemy of every country in this world?”
House of Commons1 September 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“Will the Minister acknowledge that that demonstrates a clear commitment from the palace to be transparent and to tighten its belt alongside the public, and that it will ensure that the continuous maintenance of our historic national heritage can continue?”
House of Commons1 September 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗