Steve Yemm
MP for Mansfield · Labour · United Kingdom
“I occasionally meet Jewish students at the University of Nottingham for dinner on a Friday evening, hosted by Chabad. Those students talk about being proud of their faith, but they frequently question whether they can be openly Jewish on campus. Does the hon.”
“I am encouraged to hear about the experience that my hon. Friend has recounted, but does he share my concern that Jewish students often have limited confidence in universities’ complaints procedures? Quite frequently, reports of antisemitism are dealt with rather slowly or without any form of consequence.”
“Today’s publication of Donna Ockenden’s report has laid bare absolutely appalling and systemic failures in maternity services in Nottinghamshire, with thousands of families suffering avoidable harm, and in many cases feeling ignored, dismissed or let down by the very institutions that were put in place to protect them.”
“When I talk to those workers, they are not opposed to change; they are asking a very reasonable question: what are the equivalent jobs, with equivalent pay, conditions and security, that are supposed to replace those that are being lost?”
“That is why projects such as Rosebank and Jackdaw should be considered in the contexts of jobs, industrial capacity and energy resilience alongside our climate commitments. The choice should not be between net zero and good jobs; the challenge for Government is to deliver on both of those things.”
“It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Ms Furniss. I welcome this debate because it goes to the heart of two vital national priorities: tackling climate change and maintaining secure and affordable energy supplies. I support the transition to a low-carbon economy.”
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“That experience was echoed by the family of 11-year-old Joel from Mansfield, who in 2024 sadly passed away after a nine-month battle with acute myeloid leukaemia. He made four initial GP visits and presented with a range of symptoms, which were dismissed as simply bruising from football or as a laundry detergent allergy. After the symptoms worsened, it took a second opinion from another GP and an emergency A&E visit before the cancer was diagnosed correctly. It is important to recognise that such delays are not just clinical; they are often psychological. Evidence shows that waiting two months or more for a diagnosis significantly increases the likelihood of anxiety and depression.”
“Blood cancer, which is the most common cancer for young people, does not have the same focus or understanding as other types of cancers. That means early diagnosis is absolutely crucial, yet too many young people face delays. Awareness of cancer symptoms among young people remains worryingly low. Fewer than half of 18 to 24-year-olds can identify key warning signs—things like unexplained lumps, pain, tiredness or significant weight changes. In Mansfield, I have heard directly from families about the consequences of that lack of awareness: multiple GP visits, uncertainty and delays before being referred for diagnosis. Indeed, nearly half of young people with cancer report attending three or more GP appointments before being referred.”
“Today, 28 units across the UK help young people to receive care, alongside others their own age, in environments that protect their independence, dignity and mental health. At that age, cancer is not just a medical condition; it disrupts young people’s education, relationships, identity and plans for the future. We know that when young people receive age-appropriate care, their experiences and outcomes improve significantly, but only around half of young people with cancer currently benefit from this type of specialist support. One of the most critical issues facing young people with cancer is the speed of diagnosis. Unlike many adult cancers, those affecting young people are often rare and cannot be prevented.”
“I thank the hon. Member for his intervention. This is Teenage and Young Adult Cancer Awareness Month, and it is right that we use this moment to shine a light on a group that is too often overlooked: young people who fall between children’s and adult services, and whose needs are too often not fully recognised. Before 1990, young people with cancer were treated either on children’s wards or alongside much older adults, with very little recognition of their distinct needs. The Teenage Cancer Trust changed that. It pioneered specialist care for 13 to 24-year-olds, creating dedicated units within the NHS that are staffed by expert nurses and youth workers, and which are designed to support not just treatment but the whole person.”
“We need to improve awareness, we need to remove barriers and we must ensure that young people are no longer overlooked or underserved. I will close with a simple request to the Minister: will she commit, alongside the Secretary of State who promised me personally that he would do so, to visit a Teenage Cancer Trust unit to hear directly from young people to understand their experiences and to see at first hand the difference that specialist age-appropriate care can make? If we truly listen to those young people, we will know exactly what needs to change.”
“To conclude, the issues I have spoken about today matter deeply to my constituents in Mansfield and to the young people facing cancer today across the country. They also matter to the families supporting them, and they matter to all of us who believe that no young person should face this disease without the care and support they deserve. The evidence is clear: when young people receive timely diagnosis, age-appropriate care, access to psychological support and opportunities to participate in clinical trials, their outcomes improve. The Teenage Cancer Trust has shown what is possible, but it cannot do it alone. If we are serious about improving outcomes, the commitments in the national cancer plan must be delivered with urgency, funding and accountability.”
“No young person should miss out on a potentially lifesaving opportunity simply because of their age, so I ask the Minister how the Government will measure and report progress on improving access to clinical trials for young people, and what accountability mechanisms are in place to ensure delivery. Finally, I want to address the issue of data. Too often, young people with cancer are effectively invisible in the system. Data is not consistently collected, not consistently reported and not always broken down in a way that allows us to understand their experiences. Without good data, it is hard to identify inequalities, we cannot target improvements and we cannot ensure accountability. What steps will the Minister take to improve the collection and publication of age-specific data on cancer outcomes for teenagers and young adults?”
“Clinical trials are essential to improving outcomes and developing new treatments, but teenagers and young adults are significantly less likely than other age groups to take part, not because they do not wish to but because the system does not work for them. They are often excluded because of age restrictions: they are too old for paediatric trials and too young for adult trials. They are more likely to have rare cancers, meaning that fewer trials are available. I refer again to Joel from Mansfield: his family asked his doctors about opportunities to participate in a clinical trial, but were told that there were none. Even where trials exist, information can be difficult to find, both for clinicians and for parents. The ambition has been clear—50% participation by 2025—but progress has been slow.”
“She underwent the removal of an entire lung, but what followed was a lack of clear aftercare and support, with no structured rehabilitation, limited guidance on recovery and ongoing difficulty in navigating care. Her experience highlights not just the physical impact of cancer treatment, but the confusion, anxiety and gaps in support that too many young people face once treatment ends. I ask the Minister what funding and timelines are in place to ensure that every young person with cancer can access specialist psychological support, and not just during treatment but for at least two years afterwards. The third issue is access to clinical trials.”
“In view of the time, I will continue, if my hon. Friend does not mind. These are not marginal figures. They represent the overwhelming majority, yet despite a clear NHS commitment that every young person should have access to mental health support, provision remains inconsistent. In effect, it is a postcode lottery. Five years ago, the Teenage Cancer Trust warned of that in its “#NotOK” report, but today progress remains limited. In Mansfield, families have raised with me the difficulty of accessing timely mental health support during and after treatment. The family of Eilidh, a 23-year-old from Mansfield who was diagnosed with a rare lung cancer at the age of 20 after initially being reassured that nothing was wrong, made that point to me.”
“Fourteen years of Conservative economic decline saw jobs and opportunity leave places such as my constituency of Mansfield, and AI now presents a chance to turn that around. How will the Secretary of State ensure that the Government roll-out of AI growth zones, creating opportunity across the country, will translate into local jobs and skills in left-behind communities?”
“If we get this right, by combining public sector ambition with strategic private investment in infrastructure, transport and skills, places like my constituency of Mansfield, as well as other communities in north Nottinghamshire and right across the region, can play a central role in driving our future economic growth.”
“Transport is not a luxury, but the infrastructure that allows firms to move goods, people to reach jobs and businesses to operate efficiently. Investment in skills is also critical, and my constituency is fortunate to have great educational institutions. On a broader structural point, public investment in the UK follows behind private investment, in great contrast to other European countries, particularly Germany. We must recognise that economic growth should be spread across the country. Our national conversation too often focuses on a small number of already prosperous areas, such as Oxford, London and Cambridge. Those places are important, but economic growth has to go further.”
“It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Dr Huq. We must confront honestly the challenge of productivity in the east midlands remaining well below the UK average, currently at around 85% of it. Our constituents’ wages reflect that gap entirely, and if we are serious about raising living standards in the region, we have to close it. Investment drives productivity, enabling businesses to purchase better equipment, adopt new technologies and expand production. Such investment is not an abstract concept for my constituents and their wages. Transport is a clear example. For too long, the east midlands has been under-invested in compared with other regions. Transport spending per head is shockingly now only around 54% of the UK average, which is the lowest of any region in the nation. That matters.”
“Does the hon. Member recognise the fact that, in 2010, productivity in the east midlands was at 92% of the national average, but by the time the previous Government left office it was at 85%? Actually, the region went steadily backwards under the Conservative Government. Does he recognise that?”
“I am pleased to serve under your chairmanship, Mr Stringer. People in my constituency and, I think, right across the country are clear: they want an immigration system that is fair, but one that is controlled and works in the national interest. That is exactly what this Labour Government, led by the Home Secretary, intend to deliver.”
“I have met many people living in my constituency—workers from west Africa and from Asia—who make that case to me. I have written to the Home Secretary to support that case, and I hope the Government will look at the results of the consultation and think carefully about transitional arrangements for people who have been in the UK, working quite properly, for some time. At the same time, as the Home Secretary has set out, it is important to recognise that the Government are restoring both control over the system and compassion. It is important not to choose one over the other, but to deliver both together. As a Government, we are taking decisive action to stop abuse of the system, and we will save taxpayers hundreds of millions of pounds as a result.”
“It is important to recognise that position, and it is important that transitional arrangements are put in place for people who entered the country absolutely legally. Crucially, I hope my hon. Friend will also recognise that we are shifting the system away from dangerous and illegal routes, towards safe and legal pathways, because no one should be risking their lives in the hands of criminal gangs. This is what good government looks like. It is about restoring trust in the system, it is about fairness, and it is about delivering for constituents like mine in Mansfield, who expect a system that is fair, controlled and in the national interest. This Labour Government are getting a grip, and I am proud to support them.”
“We have all received casework on this subject. I often find that what I can only term incompetence by the CMS enables non-resident parents to shirk financial responsibility—at the expense of the child, at the end of the day. Does my hon. Friend agree that we in Government must look into these issues and take decisive action to ensure that the CMS is fit for purpose, gets a grip and actually does the job we are asking it to do?”
“Responsibility for maintaining roads in my area sits with the Reform-led Notts county council. It is all talk and no action and, frankly, residents are tired of excuses, particularly when they centre on funding. The reality is this: funding is increasing significantly through the Labour Government and the mayor, Claire Ward, rising from £18 million to almost £50 million. When the county council says it cannot act due to lack of funds, it simply does not stack up because the money is coming in. Nottinghamshire residents deserve better. They deserve roads that are safe, properly maintained and fit for purpose, whether they live on a main road or a rural lane. The funding is there and the need is clear. It is time for Notts county council to deliver for them. I will continue to press it on behalf of my constituents until it does.”
“The task is to recognise them, back them and build a new national political economy that puts production, skills and regional industrial strength at the centre of Britain’s future.”
“For Nottinghamshire and my constituency, this is about linking university research directly to local production; strategic public investment in sectors such as advanced manufacturing, with a focus on export focused technologies in particular; encouraging pension funds and public investment programmes to support domestic capital, rather than sending wealth abroad; and restoring political and economic confidence in post-industrial communities in the midlands like my constituency. Technological sovereignty is not just a slogan; it is a matter of real practical capacity and of the technologies that will shape the future being designed and built in this country rather than elsewhere. The east midlands already contains many of the pieces needed to secure that sovereignty.”
“It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Ms Vaz. I want to speak about technological sovereignty from an east midlands perspective. Too often, Westminster debates are focused on venture capital or high-level digital strategy and so forth while the real foundations of our tech capability lie in specific industrial regions. The east midlands already has the capabilities to anchor British technological sovereignty. Derbyshire, and particularly Derby, is one of Europe’s most important aerospace hubs. Nottingham is home to two world-class universities, driving innovation in materials science, data science and advanced manufacturing.”
“Many former mineworkers in my constituency are entitled to receive a set amount of solid fuel per year. As few homes now rely on coal, some have requested a payment in lieu from the National Concessionary Fuel Office, as they are entitled to. Those requests have often been refused, yet following intervention from my office, payments have subsequently been awarded. Will the Leader of the House ask Ministers to review the work of the National Concessionary Fuel Office to ensure that former mine- workers in my constituency and across the country receive the payments to which they are entitled?”
“A grieving family in my constituency contacted me last year. They said that their deceased father, who had been left in the care of a local funeral home, had been stored in such a way that his body had decomposed to the extent that it was “covered in maggots” by the time it was sent to the coroner. That was reported to the family by the coroner. I understand that the funeral home was not regulated. Does my hon. Friend agree that the case in my constituency highlights the case for further regulation and a more rigorous inspection regime for those who work in this industry?”
“On Robin Hood, would my hon. Friend join me in celebrating the legacy of former Mansfield Woodhouse resident Major Hayman Rooke, who discovered and is associated with the Major Oak tree in Sherwood Forest? I am sure my hon. Friend is also aware that the tree, which was named in Major Hayman Rooke’s honour, is believed to have been the legendary hiding place of Robin Hood and his merry men.”
“They have also mentioned that staff retention is difficult because newer recruits are paid less than their colleagues, and that management are not hiring enough people to get the job done. That is the credible reason for the problems we are witnessing, and it is not good enough. Royal Mail has to step up. If it does not, the regulator, Ofcom, should get involved to guarantee that Royal Mail meets the universal service obligation. Communities in Mansfield and across our country are sick and tired of the excuses. They just want their mail delivered on time. That is not too much to ask. My message to Royal Mail is therefore very clear: get this mess sorted out, get your house in order and get your act together, or we will make you do so.”
“Whether it is a birthday card from a loved one or a bill, everyone needs their mail. Government agencies such as the Department for Work and Pensions, banks, hospitals, the police, courts and many other organisations communicate only by post. The consequence of getting one of those letters late can be hugely damaging in many ways. Having spoken to postal staff in Mansfield, I know that they are under huge pressure. I pay tribute to them, because they all work incredibly hard in all weathers to deliver our mail. It saddens me that Royal Mail has, in correspondence to me, blamed the issues on staff sickness. I am meeting Royal Mail bosses in the very near future, but postal workers have already told me, on the condition of anonymity, that they have been instructed to prioritise parcels over letters.”
“It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Mr Stringer. My constituency is part of the rural county of Nottinghamshire. Many of my communities are feeling the impact of poor service by Royal Mail and facing unacceptable inconsistencies with delivery. I have received correspondence from constituents across Mansfield who say that their post and letters are going undelivered, and they are rightly angry about that. My constituent Jim says that his grandson missed out on an invitation to a job interview because the letter did not arrive. Another constituent, Gail, said that several pieces of her mail have gone missing, including letters for local hospital appointments. It is becoming all too familiar, and I think many Members will recount similar issues.”
“Q3. Sadly, on Christmas day my constituent Beryl Barrett passed away after tragically falling into an unrepaired pothole. I am sure that the whole House will join me in sending my condolences to the family. In my constituency there are literally thousands of potholes in our roads, which Nottinghamshire county council is failing to repair. Does the Prime Minister agree that it is time that the council took action, and will he meet Beryl’s family so that we can work together to ensure that there are no more accidents like that?”
“At West Notts college in my constituency of Mansfield, a significant number of learners requested that their English papers be remarked, because an unusually high number of students missed their expected grades. In fact, more than 50% of the papers that were remarked were given a higher grade, with some improving by two grades. The exam board, Pearson Edexcel, told the college that this was due to human error and the marking of one examiner, but later said that it was more widespread. The exam board has now refused to carry out a wider remark of the papers. Will the Minister join me in urging it to ensure that all students receive the grades that they deserve?”
“She has since met my constituent to discuss them, and kindly agreed to meet her again to explore what further support can be provided to all riders who face this risk. Baroness Hayman’s willingness to consider solutions to help people like Katie is very welcome and constructive. It demonstrates the kind of collaboration that is needed to resolve these issues. Horse riders should be able to use roads, pavements and shared paths without risk or fear of injury. This is about protecting lives, preventing collisions and keeping our communities safe.”
“It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Mr Dowd. Much of today’s discussion has focused, rightly, on vehicles, but I want to highlight another hazard that affects riders on roads, pavements and paths: uncontrolled dogs. My constituent Katie Smart tragically lost her horse, George, after he was chased on to the road by an out-of-control dog. The dangers that led to this tragedy are present when horses are ridden on roads, on pavements and in many other areas; riders are frequently confronted by dogs off the lead, which can cause horses to bolt, very often into roads, creating a real risk of collision. I raised those concerns with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, and I am grateful to Baroness Hayman for her engagement on the issues.”
“My message to airport management is very simple: stop the excessive charges, end the punitive enforcement and ensure that systems for payment work for everyone, not just for those with smartphones and digital confidence. I say to them: act now, or MPs like me will look to compel them to do so.”
“Working people feel it the most, including parents dropping off their children and families trying to save money by giving lifts, as well as disabled passengers and older travellers who need to be dropped off close to the terminal entrance. For many of those people, being dropped off is not a convenience but a necessity. We should be honest about the market: airports are effectively local monopolies. Someone living in Mansfield cannot shop around for somewhere else to drop off at East Midlands airport. There is no cheaper accessible drop-off option. They either pay the charge or do not use it. That is why this debate is important, and I thank my hon. Friend the Member for Bolton South and Walkden for securing it. We need to consider regulation, because if airport management is not prepared to act, we should be prepared to do so.”
“Crucially for many of my constituents, the payment has to be made by midnight the following day. If drivers miss that deadline, they will be hit with a parking charge of £100. Many of my constituents have pointed out that the system penalises people who do not have a smartphone or access to the internet—particularly older people, as we have seen with automatic number plate recognition systems and cashless systems in some car parks in my Mansfield constituency. Some people do not use apps, and others might not feel confident about paying online. Some people might not even realise that they have to pay, or that they have been charged, until a penalty notice arrives through the post. This is not modernisation—at least, it is not a modernity of which I would approve—but exclusion.”
“It is a fee for stopping a car long enough for someone to get out, unload their suitcase and say goodbye. Two of my constituents who wrote to me on this topic, Emma and Keith, commented on what this looks like at East Midlands airport, which is close to Mansfield—many of my constituents fly from there. At East Midlands airport, drivers are charged £5 for up to 15 minutes in a drop-off zone, with a number of extra charges for additional minutes. As Emma and Keith made clear, the problem is not just the price, but the whole system under which they are charged. At East Midlands airport, there are no barriers or ticket machines. There is no way to pay by cash or card, and one might not realise that one has incurred a charge. Drivers are recorded by automatic cameras and required to pay later, either online or by phone.”
“It is a pleasure to serve under your chairship, Ms Vaz. I congratulate my hon. Friend the Member for Bolton South and Walkden (Yasmin Qureshi) on securing this important debate. I have heard much about this issue from many of my constituents in Mansfield, and they all make the same point again and again: people feel as if they are being unfairly charged for simply dropping someone off at the airport. They are not asking for special treatment or favour; they are simply trying to drop off a partner, parent or child. That often takes no more than a few minutes, yet this basic act now comes with a significant charge at many airports, particularly for those on lower incomes. Let us be clear: this is not about parking, and it is not a premium service.”
“Might my hon. Friend agree that the very idea of calling a general election would undermine the whole principle of representative democracy, particularly in communities like mine and his that voted for long-term political change rather than a short-term set of solutions and political churn?”
“7. What assessment he has made of the potential impact of the autumn Budget 2025 on members of the British Coal staff superannuation scheme.”
“On behalf of many former mineworkers in my constituency who have had that pension reserve fund returned, I thank the Minister and his colleagues for supporting coalfield communities like mine. He will also be aware of my letter last month asking about the future sharing arrangements for scheme surpluses for both the mineworkers’ pension scheme and the BCSSS. Will he provide some clarity on how the Government intend to proceed to resolve this final outstanding injustice?”
“I welcome the Secretary of State’s answers today and his ongoing support for the Cass review. From his previous answers, it is clear that he has seen public opinion. Is he prepared to call an independent clinical review, given the high degree of public concern about the trial?”
“I wonder what reassurance the Secretary of State could give my constituents that foreign national offenders who commit serious crimes will be removed promptly after sentencing, rather than allowing their appeal process to drag on. Does he agree that a deport first, appeal later approach would be most appropriate?”
“I am sure the whole House will agree that one homeless veteran is one too many. Will the Minister outline how the landmark new veterans strategy will boost support to prevent any veteran falling into homelessness?”
“Ahead of the Budget, will the Leader of the House allow a debate during Government time to discuss the potential economic benefits of releasing the British Coal staff superannuation scheme investment reserve in order to increase the pensions of members of the BCSSS?”
“That is why reform is needed—not to abandon our commitments, but to ensure that they reflect common sense, justice and the values of the British people in 2025. I welcome the recent comments by the president of the European Court of Human Rights suggesting that the Court is open to discussion and reform. That openness offers the UK a chance to engage and lead constructively, to modernise the convention, to clarify its boundaries, and to ensure that human rights protections continue to serve individual dignity, public safety, and what is more, public confidence. Let the UK remain a proud and leading member of the Council of Europe and the convention. That is the right and responsible way forward.”
“I believe that the time has come for taking a serious and constructive view on its reform, not to weaken human rights, but to strengthen credibility and public confidence in the convention. In particular, I believe that the interpretation of articles 3 and 8 has in a very small number of cases prevented the removal of foreign nationals with serious criminal convictions, even where their presence poses a clear risk to public safety. I hear that frustration again and again from my constituents in Mansfield. People who play by the rules expect those who break them to face the consequences, and when that does not happen, faith in the law and our institutions is undermined. The status quo cannot remain, and my constituents in Mansfield are demanding action.”
“It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Mr Mundell. I congratulate my hon. Friend the Member for Stourbridge (Cat Eccles). Let me begin by reaffirming my strong support for the United Kingdom’s continued commitment to the European convention on human rights. For more than 70 years, the ECHR has been a cornerstone of liberty and justice across Europe, defending free speech, safeguarding human rights and upholding the dignity of every individual. Those principles are as vital today as they have ever been, but supporting the ECHR does not mean turning a blind eye to where its application may have become unbalanced or detached from public understanding or support.”
“I beg to move, That this House has considered planning consent for houses in multiple occupation. It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Mr Dowd. I speak today about an issue that is deeply personal for people across my constituency: the rapid spread of houses in multiple occupation, or HMOs, and the growing frustration local communities feel at being powerless to manage their impact. Let me be clear at the outset that HMOs have a place. They can provide flexible, affordable housing for students, young workers and those getting started in the housing market. For example, a constituent recently told me that, after moving out of her parents’ home, she found an affordable room in a well-kept, clean and safe HMO, which enabled her to save a deposit to buy her own property. It is important to recognise that HMOs have a place.”
“I have spoken to lifelong residents—people like myself who have raised their children and grandchildren in Mansfield—who remember when every family on their street knew every other family by name. In some areas, they now see bins overflowing, cars blocking their pavements and transient visitors who stay for a short while and are not invested in the area.”