Janet Daby
MP for Lewisham East · Labour · United Kingdom
“A constituent’s 11-year-old autistic daughter attempted suicide last year, and she continues to experience severe anxiety and autistic burnout. The family still have no clarity about her education provision for this new term.”
“Surprisingly, I will not try to persuade hon. Members how to vote today, because I think they know by now how they will vote and why. However, I feel I need to share my thoughts and views with my constituents, and to set out why I am voting the way I am. I say this because there is a significant change from how I voted previously.”
“Alongside that are the additional pressures on the broader health service and the legal sector resulting from this Bill; they reinforce my decision to vote against it. I implore the Government to invest in hospices and palliative care across the country, to make them the best they can be for all postcodes.”
“When I previously voted for assisted dying, the way I voted on the amendments to the Bill varied, as I was trying to navigate my way through this issue while ensuring that I was considered in my approach, but the question of inequality was always on my mind, and how this would impact poorer communities, isolated individuals, people with m…”
“The impact assessment states that as a result of those pressures, ethnic minority people could disproportionately choose “to have an assisted death to avoid financial hardship or escape abuse.” This relates to broader concerns regarding the availability and quality of social and palliative care, particularly for already disadvantaged comm…”
“As chair of the APPG on sickle cell and thalassaemia, I am constantly reminded of the health inequalities and suffering that people with this disorder continue to experience. They are constantly undermined and ignored, and their disorder is grossly lacking in research funding.”
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“I cannot begin to imagine what the victims of the recent disorder felt and experienced, and the devastation that it has brought upon their communities. My Labour values are about respect for others, and about treating people fairly and justly. This act demonstrated none of them. Will my right hon. Friend please say what is being done to rebuild and restore every aspect of these communities, from dealing with their trauma to ensuring their protection and restoring the loss of possessions?”
“The Minister will recall that in evidence, Dr Rosie Benneyworth, interim chief executive officer of HSSIB, spoke about the vital work of the organisation, especially with regard to investigations where vulnerable staff and workers do not feel confident about coming forward for fear of reprisal. HSSIB did great work in that area, and I am wondering whether the CQC will carry it on and take on board that learning.”
“I recognise that the police data on that, and on those issues, is poor and that improved police leadership is very much needed, so how will the Government strategy address that?”
“I thank those in the police service for their work; their job is not easy and indeed can be very challenging. I also welcome the Minister’s response to the report published by the police leadership commission. However, it grieves me to say that it remains a shocking and disturbing fact that many children of my ethnic descent experience being over-policed and under-protected. A report released earlier this year by the Children’s Commissioner showed that black children are more likely than white children to be strip-searched. I do not want any child in my constituency or this country to experience unnecessary strip-searches, and I do not want black children to experience strip-searches disproportionately. We need only mention Child Q to be reminded of that awful situation.”
“The Government have shown a clear commitment to addressing many of the issues facing leaseholders, but may I ask them to go further? I say that because many of my constituents who are leaseholders in a particular building that is under 11 metres tall are facing a bill of £70,000—in fact, the managing agent is asking for £3,000 a month. This is not due to any fault on the part of the leaseholders. Will the Leader of the House ask the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government to make an oral or written statement on the support available to leaseholders in buildings that are under 11 metres tall?”
“We lack those, and we will need them more and more as days go by. The Prime Minister mentioned therapy and new support for clinicians. That therapy and support will need to be there for adoptive families, extended families and, of course, the adopted adults. Will he say more about what the new support for clinicians will be? If he cannot say that now, will he agree for written statements to be made to the House? Adopted children need specialist therapy, in particular dyadic developmental psychotherapy. I press him again to look at that.”
“I thank the Prime Minister for his sincere and moving apology, and I stand with him on it, as I am sure everyone does, across this Chamber. There is possibly no dry eye in the Chamber. That demonstrates the effect this will have had on all of us, as a society. The Prime Minister will know that when I was the children and families Minister, I met campaigners on this subject, and victims of the abhorrent abuse that is historical forced adoption. It feels to me, as I hope it feels to them and to everyone from across the Chamber, as though the tide is beginning to turn. I am overjoyed about this apology, but we have already heard that it has been a long time coming. That needs to be recognised. I hope that what comes out of this situation is more caring and more compassion coming through in our society.”
“I thank my hon. Friend for his response on Israel breaking international law, and for opposing and denouncing illegal settlements on the west bank. Recently, the International Development Committee heard about some of the atrocities that are taking place; in one instance, gunshot was fired through a car, killing a 7-month-old baby and their parents. The community has no legal protections; they are not safe. What more are the Government doing, or considering, to give legal protections to this desperate community?”
“I know the Minister is committed to supporting civil servants during relocation. I also know she is aware that there are employment inequalities in the civil service, in particular around promotion and pay. Will she say what more she is doing about this issue, and will she agree to meet me?”
“The situation in Sudan is outrageous. The atrocities are unbearable to hear about. On the international Development Committee we have heard about the most vile attacks on women and girls, and sexual violence. It must stop; we must do as much as we can as a Government to end it. What steps is the UK taking with its international partners to protect women and girls from the current offensive?”
“I congratulate the Government on their acceptance of the carbon budget and the emissions reduction target, and I look forward to continuing to support the work that is taking place in the UK and globally to tackle the climate crisis. However, I ask the Government to look further at the stripping of minerals from the seabed. As the Minister will know, deep sea mining puts at risk genuinely irreplaceable biomes, and may lead to the remobilisation of carbon emissions that have long been dormant on the seabed.”
“It has affected my constituency directly with the tragic death of Ella Adoo-Kissi-Debrah in 2013, following which, for the first time in the UK, air pollution was listed as a cause of death. I applaud her mother, Rosamund, who campaigns relentlessly for clean air. For far too long, Governments in Westminster have failed to take the dangers of air pollution seriously, and I am glad that that is no longer the case. Thanks to vital work on the part of the Mayor of London, enormous progress has been made to clean up our air. The implementation of ultra low emission zones—which are popular with some and unpopular with others—has removed high-emission vehicles from our streets, which, again, is to be applauded. This progress shows a Labour movement working together at local and national level to change lives.”
“Those achievements have not only worked to decrease our dependence on fossil fuels and build our national energy independence, but brought with them further private investment, training opportunities and high-skilled sustainable employment, reinvigorating our communities and building the foundations for a greener and more sustainable economy. The Government’s focus on environmental policy is demonstrated by the carbon budget, which will improve people’s lives now and for years to come. It will rebuild our natural environment, and it will save lives. In previous years, 4,000 premature deaths were linked to poor air quality in London alone. That is not acceptable.”
“Since the last election, great strides have been made by this Government in confronting the ongoing climate crisis. There should be no doubt at all about us being in a climate crisis—we only need to step outside to feel it. We have heard from many Members already that this is one of the hottest days on record. I welcome the Government’s clear acceptance of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s recommended reduction of carbon emissions. That is an issue that my constituents care deeply about. After all, it is about their children’s future, and when I say this, I mean that all children deserve the right to breathe clean air. This Labour Government have made historic investments in clean energy and rewilding projects across the country.”
“I also echo the Deputy Prime Minister’s remarks about the Prime Minister and his service to our country. Does my right hon. Friend agree that Israel must allow aid into Gaza, stop settlement expansion in the E1 area of East Jerusalem and tackle settlement violence, and that the G7 must use this moment to ensure that Palestinian people have the resources they need to rebuild their country?”
“On the back of that, we made a recommendation to the National Guardian’s Office, and it has done a lot of work with temporary workers, looking at how we can improve their ability to speak up. We still have a huge way to go on culture generally, but particularly on discrimination and the inequalities that we see in every one of our investigations.”
“One was that the IT systems were set up such that you could not move past the front screen without ticking one of the risk assessment boxes, and the other reason was that people were fearful about being in front of a coroner and asked about risk assessment tools, so we took action on both those fronts. Another thing that we see is about speaking up. There are definite inequalities at play when people are speaking up. We have seen significant racial discrimination. We wrote a report about temporary workers. We find that people working as locums or agency staff often feel a lot less able to speak up if there are patient concerns. If you are black or from other global majority groups, to be able to speak up is even harder.”
“Q Dr Benneyworth, you mentioned protected disclosures, and you said that individuals or organisations may have a fear of reprisals. Would you like to say anything more on that? What would you like to see from the CQC or in the Bill? Dr Benneyworth: Yes, absolutely—we have seen that in so many of our investigations. It can often be exacerbated by different parts of the system working together. To give you an example, we looked at mental health in-patient settings. There is national guidance that says that people should not use risk assessment tools around self-harm, but when we looked we found that, on the ground, everyone was using these tools. We asked why that was, and we were given two reasons.”
“It is incumbent on us all to take those seriously, think them through and make sure that safeguards are appropriately implemented locally and in all the institutions that have access. That is probably a matter less for the Bill and more for the implementation and supporting regulations, but we and other partners will be keen to be a part of that process to make sure that the safeguards are appropriate.”
“Q Sally, you have said a bit on this already, but could you say a bit more about how the single patient record could change and improve day-to-day experiences of the health and social care system, and the safeguards that you might be concerned about? Sally Burlington: As I understand it, the safeguards around data sharing remain in place under the Bill—they do not change. The part of the single patient record that is really attractive to our world is that people will not have to repeat themselves to every professional they meet; they will not have to tell their story again and again or be retraumatised by explaining the detail of what they have been through. The potential advantages are there, but there are obviously concerns about data protection and how data is used.”
“The role of faith liaison officer is extremely important in Lewisham, but the post has been deleted. The officer is important with regard to preventing extremism and building community cohesion: they meet with faith leaders and have been integral to the inter-faith peace walk. I ask the Minister to look again at the role and see what more can be done. This is important not just for Lewisham but across the Met area and, indeed, across the country.”
“I am being contacted by so many transgender constituents, who say to me that the EHRC guidance is in conflict with the Equality Act. They feel that the guidance is absolutely making things worse for transgender people, who feel further stigmatised and isolated. What would the Minister say to my constituents regarding how they feel?”
“Q12. Littering and fly-tipping are a blight on our communities. This is not just an issue for Lewisham, but an issue for towns and cities across our country and, indeed, in rural areas. No one wants to see a dirty mattress, or cans or bottles, left beside roads or against gates. It is awful. I welcome the Government’s strategy and the plans to give councils more powers to manage fly-tipping, but I strongly believe that more needs to be done. Does the Prime Minister agree that it is time for a national conversation about how we manage and deal with littering?”
“I truly welcome the statement and the White Paper. I am pleased to see in the statement a consultation to end lifelong disclosure to ensure that a child or young person’s poor choices in their early life do not define their future prospects as an adult. My right hon. Friend will be aware of the work I have done with FairChecks and Penelope Gibbs. I suggest that he considers how tougher accountability for parents or carers could go on to further affect the stability of families, especially when they feel they have been failed by earlier interventions or intervention services. Will my right hon. Friend agree to meet me to discuss this matter further?”
“We want them to thrive, businesses to develop and be stronger, and people to be really happy and secure in their area. Like my constituents, I want to be prouder of, and to feel safer in, Catford town centre, which is in great need of regeneration. There are opportunities for new homes, more businesses and social spaces, building on the amazing initiatives and benefits already there, such as Catford House. Goldsmiths, University of London, will use some of the premises for its teaching, and there is a plan for a cinema to return to Catford. Will Ministers look again at Catford town centre, and will they meet me to discuss this further, so that progress happens in this area of my constituency?”
“The Bill will stabilise our trading relationship and set the stage for agreements on emissions trading and electricity trading, benefiting the environment, advancing our net zero goals, and securing our long-term energy future. I very much welcome the youth experience scheme and our rejoining Erasmus. I wish to speak about cladding remediation. In my constituency, many freeholders in buildings such as Park View in Lee Green have felt trapped in their home because of the delay in correcting dangerous cladding, which is causing them such distress. I ask the Government to please look again at those in buildings of under 11 metres who have been caught up in the cladding crisis from no fault of their own. Finally, I turn my attention to high streets. Of course, we all want to have pride in our towns and cities.”
“It will protect businesses from being mistreated in any way. Construction firms are the largest sector in the constituency, accounting for 16% of registered businesses. The Government’s plans to ban the deduction and withholding of retention payments under construction contracts will protect supporting industries, safeguard construction workers and help get Britain building again. Turning to Europe, which so many in this Chamber have mentioned, I welcome the closer ties with the European Union that will be delivered through the Government’s European partnership Bill. It will benefit many businesses across my constituency. Indeed, when I was first elected in 2018, it was on a promise to repair the relationship between the UK and the EU, and I am pleased to note that the Government are progressing that commitment.”
“Bellingham and Downham in my constituency are some of the most deprived areas in London and, indeed, the country. These areas need the radical change that Labour promised in 2024, and I believe that the action to achieve this must be rooted in a foundation of economic stability. That is why I welcome the Government’s approach to the economy. It may have been missed, but just last week, it was reported that the UK had the fastest growth in the G7, despite the backdrop of conflict in the strait of Hormuz and eastern Europe. There are over 3,000 thriving businesses based in Lewisham East, and many of them are small and medium-sized enterprises. A missed or delayed payment can have a deep effect on those businesses’ sustainability, which is why the Government’s small business protections Bill, on late payments, is relevant.”
“I thank the Prime Minister for his statement. I know he is aware that public confidence in politicians needs to drastically improve to retain the public’s trust. With that in mind, Reform has been accepting donations from millionaires in cryptocurrency, making it difficult to trace who actually funds it. Does the Prime Minister agree that Reform relying on millionaires’ dodgy cryptocurrency is a security risk?”
“I regularly meet lead stakeholders in my constituency who work passionately to keep children safe and reduce knife crime. What work are the Government doing with grassroots organisations to support them in their work to prevent knife crime?”
“Alongside many inside the House and outside it, I condemn the attack on the Jewish-run ambulance service in Golders Green. The attack was clearly antisemitic, and it is right that the authorities treat it as such. My constituency is a diverse and inclusive place where many people of all ages and faiths live side by side peacefully. The Minister has spoken about community cohesion, but will he outline what immediate steps are being taken to reassure communities like mine?”
“I thank the Minister for his detailed responses. He will know, as many of us in the Chamber do, that many residents across our country are really concerned about the conflict in the Persian gulf. Can he reassure me and the House that discussions are ongoing with the Department and Cabinet colleagues in assessing the different scenarios of the conflict?”
“Peter Mandelson’s behaviour was disgraceful, and his continued relationship with Jeffrey Epstein is difficult to comprehend. It is an insult to the victims and survivors of Epstein’s horrific crimes. Clearly, the Government are putting in place standards and tightening their appointments and vetting process, but could the Chief Secretary to the Prime Minister tell the House what work Baroness Anderson will undertake in the Cabinet Office and when we can expect a further update on her progress?”
“The Secretary of State is correct in everything he has said so far about the memorial. Is he willing to meet me? He has spoken about safety, and many of my residents are concerned about their safety with unsafe cladding. They are also worried about the cost of that. Will he or one of his Ministers meet me to discuss that issue further?”
“Fly-tipping is a blight on our communities. It should not happen and it is wrong. It spoils and damages communities, and I see far too much fly-tipping up and down my constituency. Lewisham council is doing an excellent job—a fantastic job, even—in doing all it can to manage this, but would the Leader of the House agree with me that we need a wider Government strategy on how to manage and deal with fly-tipping across our country?”
“Finally, it goes without saying that negotiations are needed to end conflict and that that must remain a top objective. As conflict erupts in the middle east, we must not forget the devastation beyond our comprehension that Gaza has faced, particularly in the last three years, and a Palestinian state must of course be rebuilt without the influence of Hamas.”
“In December, the Foreign Secretary announced an additional £21 million for food, shelter, health and services, on top of the £146 million already committed. According to the FCDO, that will support over 800,000 people. On the effects of the conflict on children, according to an IPC—Integrated Food Security Phase Classification —alert published last month, 30% of children aged six to 59 months are suffering from acute malnutrition. That means that the funding is but a drop in the ocean, covering barely 2.5% of the people who need assistance. With ODA cuts across the world, the risk of vulnerable people losing access to lifesaving assistance is increasing. The Government must do all they can to work towards reinstating ODA spend to 0.7%, and to work for international grassroots organisations as well as Governments internationally.”
“South Sudan has faced an influx of 2 million Sudanese refugees, putting pressure on schools; many have more than 100 children in a classroom. The UK’s participation in the girls’ education for South Sudan programme has helped many girls to get into school, but the project is facing a 90% cut. That is a worrying concern for Sudanese families and Government leaders. As the Foreign Secretary said last month, Sudan represents “the worst humanitarian crisis of the 21st century.” In January, the conflict between the Sudanese armed forces and the Rapid Support Forces passed 1,000 days, and 30 million people need lifesaving assistance. Although Britain is making cuts to ODA spending, it is welcome that Sudan remains a focus of British spending.”
“The UK has a programme that assists women’s peacebuilding organisations, enabling them to participate in negotiations and other diplomatic activities, which allows women’s voices to be included. However, it is estimated that up to 50 women’s groups will be disadvantaged because of ODA cuts. In 2023, UN statistics show that just 9.6% of negotiators, 13.7% of mediators and 26.6% of signatories to peace and ceasefire agreements were women. Some delegations in conflicts, such as those of Libya and Yemen, contain no women at all. The UK has an important role to play in supporting women into these vital roles, allowing women affected by conflict to speak for themselves rather than depend on the voices of men or external powers. Before I move on to Sudan, I want to talk about the girls’ education for South Sudan programme.”
“This is welcome, but it is concerning that an FCDO equality impact assessment published last September confirmed a 25% reduction in WPS projects. There is continued support in full for Ukraine, Sudan and Syria, but that means women outside those conflict zones will be at risk. As Lord Ahmad told the International Development Committee, this will have “devastating consequences” for programmes under the preventing sexual violence in conflict initiative. Sexual violence in conflict or war is disturbing and, indeed, abhorrent, and everything must be done to prevent these types of perverse and evil acts of war. The UK’s financial support for WPS is about preventing sexual violence, but it goes further.”
“I thank the Chair of the International Development Committee, my hon. Friend the Member for Rotherham (Sarah Champion), for securing this timely debate. I also thank the Clerks of the Committee, on which I serve. It goes without saying that we live in unprecedented times. Internal conflicts are driving insecurity worldwide, and the effects of the climate crisis and other global conflicts overshadow us. The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office has as complex a job today as it has at any time in the past century. In this debate, I wish to focus primarily on official development assistance spend for women, peace and security, and in the latter part of my speech on Sudan. Last year marked the 25th anniversary of the women, peace and security agenda, which the Government recognised by refreshing their approach to WPS.”
“I share the sentiments expressed by many Members, and my thoughts are with the hundreds of survivors—most of them children—of that horrific sexual abuse. The public rightly expect holders of high office to maintain a high standard of conduct, and the Prime Minister rightly called for the removal of peerages from disgraced peers. Will the Chief Secretary to the Prime Minister confirm that the Government are providing the police with the support that they need to progress the criminal investigation?”
“I thank the Secretary of State for her statement, for the White Paper and for all the hard work she and her team have put into it. In my previous profession as a children and families fostering social worker, I saw that one of the difficulties that foster carers had was the assessment of children with special educational needs. It often made the placement and their home very vulnerable, and sometimes caused a placement to break down. It would be really helpful if the Secretary of State said how she will measure success in this area for SEND children.”
“The previous Conservative Government were despicable in their actions and what they launched at children. The two-child limit cap and universal credit payment deductions at 25% were wrong. The Joseph Rowntree Foundation has said that, as well removing the two-child limit cap, a protected minimum floor to universal credit is also needed. That will reverse declining living standards for families with children and get children out of poverty.”
“Increases to the national living wage, strengthening workers’ rights through the Employment Rights Act 2025, expanded free childcare for working parents, reducing the cost of school uniforms, and building more council homes—these measures and more work together to ensure that work pays, and that parents and carers can provide for their families with dignity. Teachers and school staff are also purchasing lunch for children whose parents cannot afford it, not because they want to but because the free school meals system put in place by this Government, including to all those on universal credit, still leaves some families behind. This Government’s fair repayment rate policy also supports households with debts, by reducing the maximum amount that can be deducted from universal credit from 25% to 15%.”
“In Lewisham, we have a shop called the Bank of Things, where secondary school children can receive free essential items such as toiletry products, pens, paper and even school uniform. At the heart of this issue, I know parents wish to provide for children, but some just do not have the means to do so. In fact, in my constituency, 65% of children living in poverty have at least one parent in work, so this is absolutely not about parents who do not want to work. It is why the broader child poverty strategy is so vital.”
“It is miserable when you are cold, poor and uncomfortable, and anything and everything the Government do to make life easier for communities is the right thing to do. I recently spoke to a headteacher at a local school in my constituency that serves one of the most deprived areas. I found out that teachers are using their own money to buy children essential items, such as sanitary products, underwear and tights. Of course, they need to do that because the children need them. We on the Labour Benches are right: we are compassionate about children, compared with Members opposite. I love and applaud the teachers and the school for their kindness and for the discreet way in which they help children. I applaud all schools that do this for children, but children should not be in that situation in the first place.”
“It is a pleasure to follow the hon. Member for Torbay (Steve Darling). I appreciate the Liberal Democrats’ support for lifting the two-child limit. I cannot express enough how delighted I am to speak in this debate, as these changes will make a real tangible difference to the lives of children and families across our country. The cost of living, standards of living and striving to live above the poverty line are a concern, and such a struggle for so many people and families. I campaigned to lift the two-child limit prior to being a Member, and I have done so since becoming a Member. I hear of families with a roof over their head, but no carpet under their feet; a window to look out of, but no thick curtains to keep out the draft.”
“As I come to an end, I must mention the remarkable football player Marcus Rashford, who knew what it was like to go hungry as a child and is now dedicated to ensuring that it does not happen to other children. I respect his efforts to reduce child poverty. I ask this Government to make the necessary effort to keep children out of poverty and to support them to ensure they have a full stomach and reach their full potential in life.”
“I am sure that many other children also share food with their friends because they have compassion and do not want their friends to go hungry. I welcome the Government’s decision to lift the two-child benefit cap, which will provide crucial support to an estimated 3,530 children across my constituency. It is a significant step and I commend the Government for taking it. Breakfast clubs are absolutely fantastic, but they are limited to primary schools, meaning that secondary school children miss out. There could be three children from the same household where two children receive breakfast at primary school but the other goes hungry at secondary school. That is not right. Parents should not have to worry about their ability to feed their children and teachers should not have to subsidise parents or the state by feeding their pupils.”