Gurinder Singh Josan
MP for Smethwick · Labour · United Kingdom
“I welcome the Minister’s statement and the ministerial team’s engagement with Members to understand the concerns of our businesses. I have previously raised the challenges faced by downstream producers in my Black Country constituency.”
“This issue has raised a great many concerns in my constituency and across the Black Country. I have been working closely with my colleagues in Sandwell in particular, and we have had many meetings with local companies and communication with my hon.”
“In the King’s Speech, the Labour Government made it clear that our key priorities are national security, economic security and energy security. Those three priorities have one thing in common: the promise of jobs for communities across the whole UK.”
“At the beginning of the month, I attended the NATO Parliamentary Assembly spring session in Lithuania with representatives of NATO and other allies, including Ukraine.”
“I, too, thank the Home Secretary for her statement. As an Amritdhari Sikh, I wear the five Ks every day as part of my religious observance, including the kirpan, and as a Sikh, I really struggle to express the feelings of sheer horror that this case has generated within me, my family and my friends. It absolutely has been a horror.”
“I am relieved that our criminal justice system and the courts came to the same conclusion, and that sentiment is shared universally across the Sikh community. This case has raised many aspects of concern for my constituents—Sikh and non-Sikh—including issues of safety and knife crime, and the freedom to practise one’s faith.”
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“I thank the Minister for her responses, and I absolutely agree that it is crucial to get this right, so can she be absolutely clear that the inquiry will not be watered down, particularly in its focus on grooming gangs and ethnicity, including on models of grooming where groomers focused on the ethnicity of victims, whether that be young white girls or even Sikh girls?”
“Does he agree that the British values of democracy, respect, internationalism and perseverance are going to be key to the ongoing work required to deliver a two-state solution, but also further economic progress and trade deals that will benefit the people of the UK?”
“I thank the Prime Minister for updating the House on the three points. I join him in his condemnation of the antisemitic terrorist attack in Manchester and the arson attack on the Peacehaven mosque, and I welcome his commitment to fight hatred in all its forms and the support provided for security at synagogues and mosques. I ask the Prime Minister to ensure that security at all our places of worship remains a priority. On the approach taken by the Prime Minister on the middle east and the ongoing engagement with India, pragmatic engagement had been shown to be the correct approach.”
“I warmly welcome the Home Secretary and her team to their places. The Home Secretary will be aware of the recent horrific attack and rape of a Sikh woman in Oldbury, in my constituency, who reportedly had racist abuse directed at her. The case is being treated as a hate crime and a suspect is under arrest. What steps is the Home Secretary taking to support West Midlands police in securing justice in the case, and to address the wider concerns of the Sikh and other ethnic minority communities regarding the increase of racism in the public discourse, which can lead to targeted violence and damage community safety?”
“My hon. Friend talks about health inequalities; we know that people of some ethnicities are more predisposed to diabetes, so as well as sports organisations focusing on improving information and support for people with diabetes, does he agree that they should also support people from different ethnicities to ensure that health inequalities are ironed out at every level?”
“8. What discussions he has had with the Northern Ireland Executive on the adequacy of the level of funding for Northern Ireland in the spending review 2025.”
“Local growth funding has provided vital investment for many communities across Northern Ireland in recent years. Will the Secretary of State confirm that the new local growth fund will give sectors across Northern Ireland the long-awaited security they need?”
“We recently agreed the successful UK-India trade deal, but FCDO co-ordination with India on crisis diplomacy has never been more important, particularly following the recent terrorist attack, the Air India plane crash and human rights concerns, including about the case of Jagtar Singh Johal. Can the Secretary of State explain how security co-operation and consular support are being pursued in the light of the trade deal?”
“I welcome this statement, particularly the attempt to renew and refresh our key alliances and develop new partnerships in strategic locations across the world. Clearly, the United States remains our most important defence and security ally, but we also have historic relationships with countries such as India, where we have recently agreed a very successful trade deal. In addition, the Royal Navy’s Carrier Strike Group arrived in Singapore yesterday on a visit. In view of those relationships, will the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster outline how the Government are strengthening our defence security relationships with key allies, such as India and Singapore, in the strategically important location of the Indo-Pacific?”
“I welcome this statement, particularly as it has become clearer that the Conservatives badly mismanaged not just their policies towards China but our relationship with it over successive years. China offers economic opportunities, but also poses threats, as we have been hearing. We also heard earlier in the statement on the national security strategy about the importance of partnership and alliances, including with key allies in the Indo-Pacific. Does the Foreign Secretary agree that Boris Johnson’s 2019 embracing of China’s belt and road initiative was a serious diversion from the position of many of our democratic allies, many of whom saw the belt and road initiative as a threat?”
“Just 40% of MPs have been called to speak in this Chamber on the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill ahead of Third Reading tomorrow. Many colleagues on both sides of the House have tabled amendments to the Bill, but have not had the opportunity to speak to them. The Bill is hugely significant and many vulnerable people are looking to us to give them the safeguards they need. Will the Government give more time to the Bill to ensure that the public have full confidence in the process?”
“T7. Does the Minister agree that plans to make all children in households in receipt of universal credit eligible for free school meals will build on the Government’s brilliant work to tackle pupil absence? The incredible numbers I have heard mentioned about this academic year are 140,000 fewer children persistently absent and 3 million extra days in school.”
“I welcome the Casey report and the new actions outlined by the Secretary of State today. I specifically welcome the requirement for the collection of ethnicity and nationality data. The report refers to different and changing models and patterns of abuse. The Secretary of State will be aware that there have been historical allegations involving the grooming and sexual abuse of Sikh girls. Will she ensure that the requirement to collect ethnicity and nationality data extends to victims, so that we can see the evidence for any such model once and for all?”
“This is an incredibly tragic occurrence, and my heartfelt condolences go to the bereaved. Considering the involvement of the UK Air Accidents Investigation Branch, can the Minister give further information about the UK’s role in the ongoing investigation? How will he ensure that the questions of families and relatives are answered and that there is transparency and accountability in the process?”
“Last week I had the privilege of visiting A&M Pure Precision, a long-established local firm in my Smethwick constituency that specialises in designing, developing, testing and machining complex precision components in a range of materials for sectors including aerospace, automotive, motorsport, space and unmanned aerial vehicle engine systems. Given the importance of advanced manufacturing to the local economy, what assessment has the Secretary of State made of how the UK-India free trade agreement—and indeed other agreements—could create new opportunity for such firms and support wider economic growth in the west midlands?”
“I congratulate the Secretary of State and the Labour Government on this incredibly important investment announcement. As a physicist by training, I particularly welcome the investment in fusion technology, as well as traditional fission. I am sure that this investment will bring closer the final outcome that we want. Will he ensure that the benefit of this investment is felt across all our communities by using a predominantly UK supply chain, and will he ensure that all aspects of the nuclear jigsaw receive Government support, including the provision of nuclear fuel, the decommissioning and safe disposal of nuclear waste, and even the reuse of currently stockpiled nuclear waste products in future generations of reactors?”
“Statistics show that well over 80% of the meat that is butchered in the UK is stunned prior to slaughter, so we are talking about a minority of the animals slaughtered. It seems to me wholly un-British, and entirely out of keeping with our role in this place, to be talking about things that would adversely affect the religious practices of any of our citizens, particularly when the supposed problem is relatively small. Although it is important to debate such issues, the current situation, in which the vast majority of animals are pre-stunned and we can accommodate the religious requirements of fellow citizens, is an excellent, British solution.”
“That process is called jhatka, and I recently met representatives of the Jhatka Council, who would like to explore with the Government how that method of slaughter, perhaps using guillotines, could be accommodated in abattoirs in the UK. If people were struggling with the concept of religions getting involved in meat, there is another thing to struggle with. Laws are seldom perfect and without fault. Clearly, this area is one where our thinking, science and understanding has evolved over time, and will continue to do so. We may get better at identifying pain thresholds and the methods to use for stunning, but I suspect that we will never know for sure exactly where they sit. At our very best, we are a country that not only tolerates but respects differences, including religious differences.”
“We are an incredibly diverse country and although we have our challenges, I, as a practising Sikh, strongly believe we have probably the best model of integration in the world, and that that is something we should be proud of. I just wanted to touch on the Sikh aspect of this, partly because some of my constituents have asked me to raise it. I have said where I sit on this, but the Sikhs have the Sikh Rehat Maryada, the code of conduct put together by the central Sikh authorities based at the Golden Temple. That states that eating ritually slaughtered meat is not allowed—that is something that we believe—and that meat, when it is eaten, should be from an animal slaughtered by a single strike that instantly beheads the animal. That is thought to be quick, humane, and the most compassionate way.”
“Nevertheless, the vast majority of my constituents do eat meat, and I fully support their right to do so. We also have a thriving agricultural farming industry in this country. We export meat to other countries and we have had trade deals recently that will further improve those opportunities, and others have set out why they are so important. Essentially, where I think the issue sits concerns our great British values. British people have strong beliefs about the humane treatment of animals. We see that in our postbags and when we go around our constituencies; we see it all the time. British people also have strong beliefs about freedom of choice and respect for other religions.”
“It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Mr Dowd. I want to speak about some of the aspects already referred to, but I just wanted to say that I am slightly conflicted on this, as I speak as a vegetarian. I am a vegetarian because of my religious beliefs: as a practising, Amritdhari, initiated Sikh, I do not eat any meat, egg, fish or any product that derives from them. It is a bit conflicting, as the prevention of cruelty to any being is a key belief that I hold. My own personal belief is that God is omnipresent and within every being, and, therefore, to hurt any being is to hurt God, and that simply will not do. The other conflict that I have in my mind is that I struggle with the concept of the compassion involved in breeding and rearing animals, but for the sole purpose of killing and eating them.”
“The Government have outlined a clear ambition to make the UK a global hub for the crypto industry, to support our growth mission. Many of our constituents are already regularly engaging with crypto. What assessment has the Minister made of the crypto sector, and particularly of the steps required to protect consumers and investors while ensuring that we allow the industry to develop?”
“Does the Minister agree that this deal is a total vindication of the Prime Minister’s approach to work in the spirit of co-operation with our partners in the USA and Europe to deliver a deal that would benefit the whole of the UK?”
“Thank you for making this statement possible, Mr Speaker. I welcome this statement and congratulate the Minister, the Labour Government and all our officials in the UK and US who have worked incredibly hard on this, as he says, over several months. I said in the statement on the India free trade deal earlier this week that this is in contrast to the abject failure of the Conservatives, who did not deliver any deal at all. Yesterday, the Mayor of the West Midlands, Richard Parker, published a report prepared by Steve Rigby of the Rigby Group, which detailed a hit of £6.2 billion to the west midlands GDP from US automotive tariffs. The report also said that a deal within 45 days is absolutely essential, and that an imperfect deal is better than a delayed deal.”
“I welcome the Minister’s statement and I congratulate him, this Labour Government and officials on negotiating the trade deal, particularly given the Conservative party’s abject failure in this regard. When it comes to our business communities in the UK, we have strong values in relation to workers’ rights, human rights, consumer protections and environmental sustainability, so can the Minister outline how this deal will respect and enhance those values?”
“(Urgent Question): Will the Minister make a statement on the killing of 26 people in Pahalgam in Kashmir and the increasing tension between India and Pakistan?”
“Those protests have been characterised by provocative language and gestures, including what appears to be a throat-slitting motion by an alleged Pakistan official. Windows have been smashed at Pakistan’s high commission in London, and an individual has been arrested and charged. Does the Minister recognise the importance of proactive work with communities across the UK to ensure that we do not see a downturn in community relations here?”
“What support can the UK provide to ensure that the terrorists are found and brought to justice, and to ensure that their networks of support are dismantled? Secondly, there has been a significant escalation of tensions between India and Pakistan, including the measures that the Minister has outlined. India and Pakistan have engaged in large-scale military hostilities in the past in the region, and there is a real risk that the nations could revert to a military conflict again. What can the UK do to encourage a de-escalation of tensions, while ensuring the eradication of the terrorist organisations and their support networks wherever they exist? Finally, the Minister will be aware that there have been protests in the UK outside India and Pakistan’s high commissions.”
“I thank you, Mr Speaker, for allowing this question, and I thank the Minister for his statement. I have three further points. First, this is a terrorist attack of the utmost barbarity, and it deserves to be condemned by all. My thoughts are with the families of those killed. The killing took place in a popular tourist location, and most victims were tourists. Among the victims was a man married only the week before, who was honeymooning with his wife. The manner of the selection of the victims was particularly horrific, with the killers actively seeking out non-Muslims before killing them in cold blood. The Minister will be aware that the Kashmir region has been the scene of previous terrorist attacks that have claimed many innocent lives, including in Chittisinghpura, where 35 Sikhs were killed in 2000.”
“I am sure the Minister will agree that the diversity of those in positions of responsibility across all areas of UK Government and public institutions is key to maintaining confidence among the British public that the Government are working for all of us. Diversity is important across all the various equality strands as well as the various geographical areas of the UK’s nations and regions. Will he detail what work has been done to review the diversity of public appointments in the UK and to maintain and improve that diversity, particularly in view of the changes proposed to public bodies?”
“Over 14 years, Birmingham city council lost £736 million of funding under the previous Conservative Government. Does the Minister agree that that is a big recipe for the situation we are in now? Does he agree that both sides, the council leadership and the trade unions, need to put public rhetoric to one side, get around the table and sort this dispute out?”
“Aviation is a crucial part of the UK economy, with regional airports supporting jobs in communities across the UK, but with many more opportunities ahead. Will the Minister make representations in relation to the industrial strategy both to support the development of hydrogen fuel and to develop the associated infrastructure to make hydrogen-powered aviation a reality?”
“The Government’s commitment to use defence procurement to strengthen our industrial sector is welcome. Will the Secretary of State please outline how the Government are supporting local manufacturers across the UK and ensuring that defence contracts contribute to long-term industrial growth and job creation? In particular, how are they encouraging and supporting companies such as Pargat Housewares in my constituency, which is a private, ethnic minority-owned business and one of the UK’s largest producers of pots, pans and bakeware using advanced and extremely energy-efficient techniques?”
“T3. I welcome the Government’s commitment to nuclear energy. I recently met representatives of Newcleo, a company developing small modular reactors using lead-cooled fast reactor technology that uses depleted uranium and plutonium: waste materials of which we have an abundance from our existing nuclear programme. Will the Secretary of State detail what he is doing to ensure that the industrial strategy takes account of all aspects of the nuclear jigsaw, including the wide variety of technologies on offer?”
“It is a pleasure to serve under your chairship, Ms Hobhouse, and particularly your first chairship. The Government have said that the Bill has three core objectives: growing the economy, improving UK public services and making people’s lives easier. I believe that part 3 links to all three objectives, but I will focus on growing the economy.”
“Could the Minister also comment on other potential aspects of public policy that could be improved through this measure? If there is an accurate register of births online, that could also help with making the process of voter registration easier, for example, because if we know when people will turn 18, rather than having them fill in forms as they do now, having an automatic system of voter registration could be much simpler.”
“I have no hesitation in supporting this part of the Bill. Simplifying and removing duplication is a good thing, particularly at the time of a death or when people are in difficult circumstances, and to make that process simpler is obviously sensible. Having proof of records online can also help the Government to improve the planning of public policy in the future. Health records or ill-health records, for example, are really important. Demographic changes could be identified and better understood, which might be helpful. For the reasons we have heard, people being able to prove their identity without having to carry paper documents around is an important thing. We do a lot of things online now, and to be able to then improve those processes is also important.”
“For my entire working life I have been self-employed in the family business which was established by my dad and my uncle in 1975. Does the Minister agree with my experience that family businesses do not operate in isolation? Lots of things matter to family businesses. If someone is ill in the morning, they cannot join the 8 am merry-go-round for a GP appointment—the state that the Tories left this country in—because they have to get to work, open up and get people through the door. If the buses do not work, staff cannot get in. If potholes are not fixed—”
“That has allowed the West Midlands combined authority to receive nearly £3 million to support 176 small and medium-sized enterprises and 411 apprentices through fully funded apprenticeships. That is an indication of how the freedoms brought about by the Bill could be utilised. The two examples I have outlined show what can be achieved through a skills system that is more flexible and responsive, as well as being focused on excellence. That is incredibly important to my constituency and I therefore have no hesitation in supporting the Bill.”
“The story that was told to me was that some of their senior staff would not be in that position if they were required to have an English or maths qualification at age 16 or 18. I hope the Government can therefore look at that too to ensure that all our young people have access to the best quality apprenticeships. In an illustration of the flexibility and freedom that can be brought to bear, I congratulate Richard Parker, the Mayor of the West Midlands, and the West Midlands combined authority on launching a scheme last year to enable bigger businesses with an unspent apprenticeship levy to donate that to the West Midlands combined authority rather than returning it to His Majesty’s Revenue and Customs.”
“I was also informed that pretty much all the senior staff in the organisation have come up through the apprenticeship route—this is a business that really values apprenticeships. Many of its apprentices go on to great jobs in industry, for example, one went on to become chief mechanic at a top Formula 1 racing team. That is something to aspire to, and a story for somebody from Smethwick that is quite inspirational. Being more responsive means listening to businesses. While Keltruck welcomes the recent announcement that English and maths qualifications will not be a requirement for apprenticeships, it is concerned that this requirement still applies to 16 to 18-year-olds beginning an apprenticeship.”
“The lack of skills essential for work, the lack of specific skills required by employers in the place they are needed and the lack of options available to many for achieving these skills are just some of those issues. The Bill will help to streamline the skills system and ensure it is able to identify gaps, respond to changing circumstances and provide the skills needed for our businesses to flourish. Last week, I met Robert Powell, the head of resource development at Keltruck Limited, which is the largest independently owned Scania distributor globally involved in the sale of new and used trucks, and is based in my constituency. Keltruck is a significant business, with 461 employees, including 51 apprentices—that is more than 10% of its employees.”
“I think building in accountability is important, so that we know that this Parliament can come back to Ministers and hold them to account on that. All this, I think, will help to ensure that our skills system is truly responsive to the needs of users, employers and our economy. This matter is incredibly important to my constituents. Smethwick has a rich industrial heritage, and, while there have been significant changes over the years, the need for high-quality skills, education and training remains key. In Smethwick, significantly more people than the national average have no qualifications, significantly fewer have a level 4 qualification, and fewer than the national average take part in apprenticeships. Too often, structural inconsistencies hold back our businesses and our people from flourishing.”
“The missions driving this Government—the incredible plan for change, the drive to become self-sufficient as a nation on energy, defence and security, the need to increase growth in our economy, and the drive to improve the lives of all our citizens—all require a comprehensive plan for improving skills. The basic provisions of the Bill will abolish the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education and transfer its functions ultimately to Skills England; there are also proposed changes to the functions undertaken by Skills England. I believe these changes are important and will help to ensure a more simplified system with built-in flexibility, which will enable the skills system to take account of changing circumstances. Conservative Members have spoken about the powers being taken up by the Secretary of State and the Department.”
“I am pleased to speak on Second Reading of this Bill, which I welcome for its focus on overhauling the skills system in England, particularly in relation to apprenticeships and technical education. The creation of the Institute for Apprenticeships in 2017, with the subsequent addition of oversight for technical education, undoubtedly helped to create a system that increasingly includes higher-quality apprenticeships and increases the accessibility of these pathways to all. However, there are still too many in our country for whom unlocking their full potential remains a distant dream, which is fundamental to everything this Government have set out to achieve and to the future of our country.”
“Will the Leader of the House ensure that Ministers are aware that a reliable supply chain for the high-quality semiconductor industry is important for our drive to become more self-sufficient in green energy, defence and other sectors, and for our growth agenda?”
“As an officer of the all-party parliamentary group on semiconductors, it was a pleasure to join colleagues in welcoming academics, industrialists, researchers and manufacturers to a reception in the Palace this week to celebrate semiconductors. The UK has very real strength in this area. Our research base is the best in the world. Our manufacturing base, too, is world-beating, and we have semiconductor clusters across the UK, securing us high-quality employment in the compound semiconductor field. However, at the event, we were told that the industrial strategy mentions semiconductors only once.”
“I welcome the Prime Minister’s recent comments about supporting and enabling the expansion of nuclear power stations in the UK through small modular reactors. The science and technology is well proven but other aspects must be developed alongside, including the provision of appropriate grade nuclear fuel and a permanent solution for nuclear waste. In recent days, I have met representatives of Urenco, a specialist provider of uranium enrichment and fuel and Nuclear Waste Services, which is developing plans for the UK’s first geological disposal facility. Will the Leader of the House make time for a debate on all aspects of the nuclear jigsaw, to ensure a joined-up and sustainable energy future?”
“I have participated in many Ofsted inspections over the years as part of my voluntary governance roles and I can attest to the hard work of all staff across all our schools and academies, as well as the stress that often accompanies—”
“I welcome the Minister’s statement and refer the House to my entry in the Register of Members’ Financial Interests. I have had various roles in voluntary governance, including as chair of a multi-academy trust, as well as in maintained schools, pupil referral units, a faith school and a free school—the list is quite comprehensive—and I would just comment that the argument about pushing schools into one direction or another, whether wholly maintained or wholly academised, is bogus. I congratulate the Minister on focusing on the provisions of the statement about accountability and improvement and not getting diverted by that argument.”