Ms Julie Minns
MP for Carlisle · Labour · United Kingdom
“There is something powerful about the fact that primary school children have recognised a problem that we as lawmakers have yet to address. I would like to be clear: the issue is not e-bikes. It is illegal e-bikes.”
“Since then, with thanks to Maisie Stewart and Clark Becken in my team, I have had the privilege of meeting manufacturers, retailers, charities, the bicycle and motorcycle industries, and police and community groups, not just in Carlisle but well beyond.”
“On a positive note, I have been delighted to spend time visiting and speaking with some of the amazing legitimate cycle businesses and organisations in my constituency, including Rebike Cumbria, which refurbishes bikes, helping people on low incomes to enjoy the physical and mental health benefits of cycling.”
“I thank the Minister for her response; I know that she shares my concern about the increasing use of illegal e-bikes on our streets. When I visited Palace Cycles in Carlisle, the owner told me that he is increasingly under pressure from people who have illegally modified bikes to do repairs on them.”
“One of the things that Sir David understood well is that the best causes we take up as parliamentarians begin not in Westminster but in our constituencies. Like the hon. Member for Stockton West (Matt Vickers), I have had many constituents come to me worried about the growing presence of illegal e-bikes on our streets.”
“It is about public safety, crime, antisocial behaviour, consumer protection and business, and—most importantly for all of us—it is about our communities. Next year, the Tour de France comes not just to Britain but to my constituency of Carlisle.”
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“On the hon. Gentleman’s point about risk, I want to highlight another area that has been brought to my attention by the British sign language community, which is concerned that the design of AI BSL is not necessarily including BSL users. In a visual language that relies on expression, tone and gestures, the risk of mistranslation is considerable for that particular community. Has the hon. Gentleman considered how we best involve other communities in the use of AI when it is generating language translation specific to them?”
“The hon. Member makes a point about a modern solution. I have felt for some time that our supermarkets, with the installation of bi-directional chargers, could offer consumers the opportunity to bring their mobile energy source—their EV—as a power supply during peak times for supermarkets; in return, consumers could be offered a discount on their shopping for that hour. When the Minister makes his comments, I would welcome his thoughts on whether we need to go further with bi-directional chargers in supermarkets.”
“Tomorrow marks the 10-year anniversary of Storm Desmond and the flooding of the city of Carlisle that forced thousands of my constituents from their homes. As we remember the horror of 2015, we also celebrate the incredible people of Carlisle who came together to support their friends and neighbours at that time. One group, in particular, went on to form the North Cumbria Search and Rescue team, whose work continues to be funded entirely by donations to this day. I invite the Leader of the House to thank North Cumbria Search and Rescue for its continued work to keep communities across north Cumbria safe.”
“Q14. Over the summer, large quantities of illegal cigarettes were seized in shops in my constituency. However, many of those shops were reopened the very next day. Does the Prime Minister agree that we have to make it easier to shut these shops down permanently so that we put these criminal networks out of business forever?”
“My hon. Friend and I share not only Gilsland but Hadrian’s wall. Members may not be aware that it is only in the last eight years that Hadrian’s wall has yielded its long-kept secret that the largest structure is to be found at Carlisle cricket club, thanks to a fantastic dig that is going on there. Does my hon. Friend agree that, as we mark 80 years of UNESCO, we definitely need a further 80 years to understand what we can learn from our shared heritage?”
“My hon. Friend touches on an important point about early warning. My constituency experienced devastating flooding in 2005 and 2015. Last week, despite flood warnings, we mercifully escaped—though parts of the city were affected —when what had been forecast was not what transpired. The Environment Agency appears to lack access to accurate radar forecasting. Does she agree that we must equip the EA with exactly that type of early warning?”
“I thank the hon. Gentleman for securing this important debate. One of my constituents was ripped off to the tune of £19,000 when the builder walked off the job part-way through. However, when they went to trading standards and the police, they were told that, because the work had begun, it was a civil and not a criminal matter. Does the hon. Gentleman agree that more needs to be done to protect our constituents who are caught by that loophole?”
“I am sure that Members from across the House will want to thank volunteers and members of the Royal British Legion for their exemplary work in recent weeks. Will the Leader of the House join me in thanking Keith Richardson, and members of the Carlisle and Stanwix branch of the Royal British Legion, for organising an inspiring number of events in my Carlisle constituency, including, frankly, with respect to the Royal Albert Hall, the best festival of remembrance?”
“Does the Secretary of State agree that rather than obstructing and delaying the work of the Independent Football Regulator, the Opposition need to do right by the fans and let David Kogan get on with the job? May I also request—slightly selfishly, as a Carlisle United fan—that one of the first things he does is press the English Football League to lift the limit on the number of places for promotion from the national league?”
“Our constituents deserve a prison system that they can have confidence in, yet prisoner releases in error increased every year since 2021. Despite that, there was no call for an investigation and there were no reforms. Can the Justice Secretary therefore reassure my Carlisle constituents that it is this Government who will implement the findings of Dame Lynne Owens’s investigation and restore the confidence that was eroded under the previous Government?”
“Over the past year, my office and I have supported a depressing number of constituents who have been failed—failed by the police and social services for not listening to reports of coercive control; failed by the family court for not recognising who the victim is; and failed by the Crown Prosecution Service for not proceeding to prosecute cases of domestic abuse because it does not believe the victim to be credible. What steps is the Minister taking with colleagues from across Government to ensure that women are believed and listened to?”
“We must ensure that all relevant healthcare providers are equipped with clear, up-to-date information, because we all want the same thing: a system that works for patients, wherever they live. This is not a question of politics, as we can see from the cross-party presence at this debate—although the absence of the SNP is notable. I am pleased to see my constituency neighbour, the hon. Member for Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk (John Lamont), in his place. This is a question of practicality, compassion and, as the hon. Gentleman said, common sense. We must ensure that our healthcare system reflects the lived realities of our constituents, and not the lines on a map. I urge the Minister to take this issue forward with urgency. I stand ready to support any efforts to improve cross-border healthcare.”
“Thankfully, after the intervention of his GP and other dedicated health professionals, he was able to receive the treatment that he needed locally, but his case should not have required such extraordinary effort. It should never have required the negotiation it took and should not have required escalation. It should have been common sense. The English guidance does not adequately cover cross-border scenarios, and I am told the Scottish guidance predates the creation of the integrated care boards altogether. I am very grateful to the Minister for Care for giving me his time a few weeks ago to discuss this issue. I know he recognises that this needs to be urgently resolved. I would welcome any update that I can share from the Minister today on whether the guidance is now to be reviewed and improvements are under way.”
“One of my constituents, who lives in the northernmost part of the constituency, found himself facing a deeply troubling situation when he became very ill. He is geographically closer to Scotland and therefore registered with a Scottish GP. However, when he needed hospital care he was told he could not be treated at his local hospital in England—in Carlisle—because he was registered with a Scottish GP. Instead, he was advised to travel to Glasgow, a round trip of over 200 miles, rather than take the 40-mile trip to Carlisle. This is a man who lives in England, pays his taxes here and has his bins collected by an English local authority, and whose nearest hospital is in England, but he was told to travel to Glasgow for care—not because of clinical need or even capacity, but because of outdated guidance.”
“For some, their nearest GP might be in Scotland, but the nearest hospital is in England—in my case, the Cumberland infirmary. This can and does lead to issues. I acknowledge the Government’s excellent work to improve healthcare access across the UK and in my constituency. In Carlisle and north Cumbria we have seen real progress: waiting lists have been cut and the urgent dental centre that opened last year is beginning to address many of the challenges we experience with NHS dental care. Those meaningful steps forward were made possible by this Government, but progress must be matched by policy that works for everyone, and especially those who live on the edge of systems, maps and borders.”
“It is a pleasure to serve under your chairship Mr Dowd. I congratulate the hon. Member for Brecon, Radnor and Cwm Tawe (David Chadwick) on securing this important debate. As the Member of Parliament for Carlisle and north Cumbria, I represent a region where the realities of geography often challenge the neat lines that we find on maps, and those drawn by policy and practice. For example, earlier this year, during a prolonged power cut that affected the village of Kershopefoot, to the north-east of Carlisle, staff at ScottishPower Energy Networks were somewhat surprised to discover, after I contacted them, that they served customers in England who had a Scottish postcode. When it comes to health, my constituents quite often face more serious issues.”
“My hon. Friend makes a very powerful point about the obstruction that families and individuals still face. A family in my constituency have for the last 18 months methodically uncovered failings in the care of their father in hospital. He sadly died, yet the failings that they uncovered were ignored by the medical examiner and in the pathology report, and they were not adequately addressed by the hospital trust. As a result, the family have been unable to secure the accountability that they seek for their father’s death. Does my hon. Friend agree that the duty of candour that this Bill compels will begin to rebalance the relationship between individuals such as my constituents and public bodies?”
“We need enforceable standards for transparency. If a company charges for a service, they must be required to show that it was delivered and provide proof of what it cost. If the grass becomes overgrown, the litter piles up and the roads remain unlit, residents should not be expected to pay. We also need a clear route to redress. At the moment, too many people feel trapped by being tied to a management company that they did not choose, with no meaningful way to hold it to account. Asking for reform is not about undermining the sector; it is about fairness, restoring trust and ensuring that when people buy a home, they are not buying into a system that takes advantage of them. We have made a start, but if we are serious about protecting homeowners, we need to finish the job and to bring cowboy estate management companies to heel.”
“I was pleased to see swift action in the early months of this Government to implement key provisions of the Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024. I welcome the Government’s wider programme of reform, removing the threat of forfeiture, tackling abuse by managing agents and implementing the Law Commission’s recommendations on right to manage, but we must go further, especially as we build new homes. The Government’s house building agenda is ambitious, and rightly so. We need more homes and we need them quickly, but we also need to ensure that when people move into those homes, they are not being ripped off by management companies they did not choose. It is not enough just to get the bricks and mortar down; we need to ensure that the regulation around property charges is constructed properly too.”
“They are different companies, but there was the same problem with charges for things like grass cutting, street cleaning and lighting maintenance. One might say that those charges are to be expected, but too often they are levied while the grass becomes overgrown, the rubbish is not picked up and the roads remain unlit. Quite rightly, residents then ask for proof of where their money has been going and, quite consistently, they are given a list of costs, not invoices—no evidence and no accountability. In some cases, the same service appears more than once under different names. It is confusing, opaque and unfair. I acknowledge the work done by the last Government and continued by our Government.”
“I thank the hon. Member for Reigate (Rebecca Paul) for securing the debate and enabling Members across the House to give voice to our constituents, like mine in Carlisle, who are, quite frankly, fed up. They are fed up with being charged hundreds of pounds a year in estate management fees for services that are either not delivered or delivered poorly; they are fed up with asking for transparency and getting vague spreadsheets, instead of receipts for the services that they are told have been delivered; and they are fed up with being told that they have no choice, no voice and no way to challenge that. One of my first pieces of casework, after my election last year, concerned FirstPort, and one of the more recent cases concerned another estate management company, Gateway.”
“I spoke earlier to the hon. Gentleman to ask if he would take an intervention. When earlier this year my mum was placed on end-of-life care—she was put into the local hospital to receive that care—I had to repeatedly ask hospital staff to transfer her to our local, excellent Eden Valley hospice. It took three days for that request to be actioned. Does the hon. Gentleman agree that one change we could make is that, when someone in our hospitals is placed on end-of-life care, their families could be immediately apprised of the alternative provision that exists in our communities?”
“T2. Storm Benjamin is mercifully not forecast to affect my Carlisle constituency today. However, when storms do land, storm-related power cuts can last hours, and quite often days, in north Cumbria and can include the loss of power to mobile phone masts. Fixed telecoms operators are under a licence obligation to ensure that they have power back at their key infrastructure points, but no such obligation applies to the mobile operators. What assessment has been made of the resilience of mobile networks in the event of a prolonged power cut?”
“Today marks the start of the Carlisle beer and cider festival, a fantastic celebration of local independent brewers, including those just over the border in Scotland, who now benefit from the guest beer agreement, making it easier for them to get their product into local pubs. Will the Leader of the House join me in congratulating the organisers of the festival and will he arrange for a Business Minister to make a statement on the outcome of the Government’s market access review of the barriers faced by small brewers?”
“In 1835, John Kent became the first black police officer not just in the Carlisle constabulary, but in any police force in Britain. I recently approached Historic England to ask that John Kent be commemorated with a blue plaque in Carlisle. Does the Minister agree that John Kent’s plaque should be just one of hundreds that Historic England should add to commemorate and celebrate the contribution of black Britons?”
“Q14. December will mark the 10th anniversary of the Storm Desmond floods that devastated my constituency and forced thousands of people from their homes. Despite promising us new flood defences, previous Conservative Governments left them unfinished. With climate-related rainfall forecast to increase in the north-west over the next decade, does the Prime Minister agree that the climate change-sceptic policies peddled by some Opposition parties are both reckless and dangerous, and will he assure the people of Carlisle that this Labour Government will defend our great border city?”
“In 2012, a Bangladeshi national was sentenced in my Carlisle constituency for attempting to recruit four girls, aged 12 to 16, into prostitution. In his summing up, the judge described how the man’s conduct had corroded “the foundations of decency and respect by which all right-thinking people live their lives whatever their ethnic or religious background.” Will the Minister take the opportunity to again reassure all right-thinking people that this inquiry will look at everything to find answers, including the role of ethnicity?”
“Of reoffending rates, he said: “The fact is that more than 50% of people who leave prison after serving less than 12 months go on to commit further crimes…However, the figure for those who are on suspended sentence orders with conditions is 22%.” —[ Official Report , 16 October 2023; Vol. 738, c. 60.] It is important that we understand what we are talking about when we are talking about suspended sentences. That point is relevant to the hon. Member for Wimbledon (Mr Kohler) as well.”
“I am going to speak in favour of Government new clause 1, but I first want to take the opportunity to mention the Conservatives party’s record in government. A lot has been made during this debate about the prisons that were built during the last Government, so let us place it on record that, between 2010 and 2024, there was a net addition of 482 prison places. If that is a record that the Conservatives are proud to stand on, I will happily give it to them. Secondly, a lot has been said about lefty lawyers. I would like to draw to the Chamber’s attention that, almost two years ago to the day, the then Conservative Lord Chancellor—presumably a well-known lefty lawyer—spoke about suspended sentences.”
“I think the hon. Gentleman is making a correction to the former Lord Chancellor, because those were his words. I am sorry that the Conservative party has moved so far in two years that you wish to disown the work of a Lord Chancellor who stood in this Chamber just two years ago.”
“I have met the Minister for Border Security and Asylum to discuss the deportation of foreign criminals with suspended sentences, and I very much welcome the closure of this loophole. It is not an abstract policy change; it is a necessary correction to a real and pressing issue. New clause 1 ensures that suspended sentences of 12 months or more are treated with the gravity they deserve when considering deportation. It sends a clear message that serious criminal behaviour will not be overlooked simply because the sentence was suspended, and it strengthens our ability to protect communities, uphold justice and maintain public confidence in our immigration system. Let us be clear: a suspended sentence is still a sentence of imprisonment. It is imposed by a judge who has determined that the offence is serious enough to warrant custody.”
“I really do apologise, Ms Ghani. Moving on, I support new clause 1. It would strengthen our approach to the deportation of foreign criminals by amending the definition of “period of imprisonment” in two key pieces of legislation: the UK Borders Act 2007 and the Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002. The amendment is about ensuring that the law reflects the seriousness of the sentence handed down by the courts, whether it is immediate or suspended. Currently, a suspended sentence of 12 months or more does not count towards the definition of a foreign criminal for deportation purposes. This creates a loophole that risks undermining confidence in our immigration and justice systems.”
“It is nevertheless a suspended sentence. By passing new clause 1, we are saying that serious offences—whether the sentence is served behind bars or under conditions in the community—carry consequences, including the possibility of removal from the UK.”
“I am not going to pretend to be an expert in the judiciary or the actions of individual judges. Nevertheless, it is important that we recognise that a suspended sentence and a sentence that places an individual in prison are both sentences of punishment. We are talking, in our discussion on new clause 1, about how that relates to whether a foreign criminal should be removed from the country. The new clause is a targeted, proportionate and principled amendment. It does not expand the scope of deportation arbitrarily. It simply ensures that those who commit serious crimes are not shielded from deportation by technicalities. I urge colleagues from across the House to support it.”
“I recently held two events, with professionals and with families, on the subject of SEND in my Carlisle constituency. Their concerns are very much backed up by figures that show that Cumberland is spending less per pupil on those with education, health and care plans, and that there are fewer specialist education places in and around Carlisle and north Cumbria than the rest of the country. Can the Minister tell me how I can work with the Department for Education to increase the number of specialist education places in my constituency?”
“The response from a senior director not only was brutal, but showed a complete lack of awareness, let alone understanding: “I used to think you were really good at your job, but you have changed.” I had changed—but I did not realise the change that my body was going through. Menopause is a natural phase of our lives, yet for many it comes with symptoms that can be physically and emotionally challenging: hot flushes, fatigue, brain fog, anxiety and more. Those are not just personal health issues; they can, as I found, impact performance, confidence and wellbeing at work.”
“It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Mr Betts. I thank my hon. Friend the Member for Neath and Swansea East (Carolyn Harris) for securing this incredibly important debate and speaking with the passion and verve that we have come to expect of her. Menopause, as I am sure we will hear time and again this afternoon, affects millions of women, but is still too often overlooked in the workplace. My menopause workplace story is sadly similar to that experienced by far too many women. While working a stressful job and juggling family and the care needs of elderly relatives, I failed to recognise that my burnout was not a sudden inability to do my job, but my body going through a profound and overwhelming change.”
“I agree entirely. Menopause remains an area where many employers are still failing to support their staff in the way that they need. As my hon. Friend the Member for Neath and Swansea East said, one in 10 women who works during the menopause will leave their job due to their symptoms, and nearly a quarter more will have considered quitting because of its impact on their working lives. That is hundreds of thousands of experienced professionals walking away not because they want to, but because they have not been properly supported or have been made to feel that the workplace is no longer somewhere that they can function.”
“Those are not idealistic goals; for decades they have been the standard for women going through pregnancy. I therefore invite the Minister to consider how we can protect women experiencing menopause in the workplace in the same way that our colleagues who are pregnant are supported by not only the Equality Act 2010 but health and safety regulation. We can and must normalise talking about menopause. That is why debates such as today’s are so important. Let us listen, learn and lead with empathy. When we support women through every stage of life, we build stronger, more resilient workplaces for everyone.”
“Absolutely. I am a single parent, and the impact of my menopause was quite severe for my family, and for my financial situation at the time, because it forced me to make some unfortunate decisions about my work. We are lucky in Carlisle to have excellent community groups such as Cumbria Radical Birds, where women can come together to support each other. However, not every community is so lucky. It is my profound belief that women should be able to find some of that support in their workplace, not just in their community. Supporting employees through menopause is not just the right thing to do; it makes business sense. When we create environments where people feel safe, respected and supported, we unlock their potential. That means flexible working, access to information, open conversations and policies that reflect real-life experiences.”
“Will the Leader of the House join me in congratulating Teresa Mulholland, who earlier this week was named Cumbrian woman of the year? Teresa is director of Carlisle United’s community sports trust and was recognised for her leadership, empathy, courage and determination to help others. In congratulating Teresa, will the Leader of the House take the opportunity to put on the record our thanks to all community sports trusts across the UK, which do so much for our local communities?”
“I warmly welcome the Government’s investment of £20 million in the Raffles and Morton neighbourhoods of my Carlisle constituency. As I am very fond of reminding Members, Carlisle is the most northerly city in England—120 miles north of Manchester, and a very long way from this place. Does the Minister agree with me that what is truly transformative about this programme is not simply the money, but the fact that decisions about how it will be spent are put in the hands of local people, not politicians and civil servants in what we in Carlisle call “that London”?”
“The hon. Member touches on an important point about culture, which is borne out by my own experience as the parent of a neurodivergent child whose secondary school education was made all the more traumatic by a profound lack of understanding and training among the teachers in the school. It was also borne out on Saturday when I held an event in my constituency: sadly, too many comments from parents were about the responses that they had received from staff in schools. Does the hon. Member agree that we absolutely must take the opportunity to get the culture right in our mainstream schools?”
“I welcome the new Leader of the House to his place and thank him for all the help and support he gave those of us who were newly elected to this place 12 months ago in his previous role. Last Friday, Cumbria’s first community county flag was unveiled at a special service at Carlisle cathedral. Cumbria county flag is the result of a county-wide competition and public vote, won by Cumbrian artist Ben Walker and presented to the lord lieutenant by the 1st Wetheral Brownies. Will the Leader of the House join me in congratulating Mr Walker on his excellent design and thank Cumbria’s lord lieutenant for organising such a fantastic initiative that celebrates community cohesion and pride?”
“I welcome the steps that the Government are taking to overhaul the Mental Health Act through the Mental Health Bill, and to invest in mental health in schools, with nearly 1 million young people gaining access to support this year. Those are important reforms, and I hope that they will be matched by continued investment in the community-based services that I have touched on. On occasions like this, I feel that our House and this Chamber are at their best. It is incumbent on us all to unite to ensure that, no matter where someone lives—be it in a community that is prospering or one facing hardship, or in a city, in a village or on a farm—they are able to access the support that they need, when they need it.”
“I recognise the work of Mal Craghill in Brampton, to the north-east of the city of Carlisle. Until merging his Brampton Mentalk group with Andy’s Man Club last month, Mal ran the club for over two years. His leadership and honesty have helped so many men to feel less alone. I thank him for his work. Carlisle Happy Mums offers peer support for women experiencing post-natal depression, anxiety and other mental health challenges. Its work is compassionate, community driven and essential. Those are just a few of the excellent organisations that help our communities and the people in them to access the support that they need. We owe them all our sincere thanks. Suicide prevention must be a whole-of-society effort. That message was carried by the Baton of Hope when it came to my constituency last Sunday.”
“My constituency is home to a large rural and farming population, and we know that rural isolation is a major contributor to poor mental health and suicide risk. I pay particular tribute to the work of the Royal Agricultural Benevolent Organisation, which provides tailored mental health support to our farming communities. I also highlight the work of field nurses across the rural north—specialist nurses who visit auction marts to support farmers, their staff andtheir families with their physical and mental health. Support groups are also making a huge difference. Andy’s Man Club, which has been mentioned, opened in Carlisle earlier this year, and has already welcomed more than 2,000 men who are seeking support and find the meetings a safe place to talk and share their experiences.”
“I thank my hon. Friend the Member for Doncaster East and the Isle of Axholme (Lee Pitcher) for securing this very important debate. May 1997 is etched on my memory for two very different reasons: first, the elation of 1 May and the election of the first Labour Government in 18 years, and then, just a few weeks later, the death by suicide of a good friend. This debate is not just personal to me but is of great importance for far too many of my constituents. According to Department of Health and Social Care statistics, Cumberland has the second highest suicide rate in England. Over one in five adults in Carlisle have been diagnosed with depression, placing us sixth highest in England and Wales.”
“I cannot claim that the Stockton and Darlington railway went anywhere near my Carlisle constituency, but I cannot let this moment pass without celebrating Carlisle and north Cumbria’s role in the heritage of that line. Indeed, the engine that was first used on that marvellous line was Locomotion No. 1, created—as my hon. Friend says—by the Stephenson company. The company went on to create the iconic Stephenson’s Rocket, which, hon. Members might wish to know, finished its days in service on Lord Carlisle’s line in my constituency. I invite my hon. Friend to celebrate not only the glorious Stockton and Darlington line, but the inventiveness of our heritage in our railway industry.”
“I thank the hon. Member for agreeing to take an intervention when I spoke with her before the debate. She speaks very eloquently about the frustrations that we see in our constituency surgeries. I had a constituent’s mother come to see me; it had taken six months for Access to Work to be put in place for him to take up a position that he had been offered. Does the hon. Member agree that the new Connect to Work scheme needs to work a lot better for these people than Access to Work has?”