Clive Jones
MP for Wokingham · Liberal Democrat · United Kingdom
“Sir David was renowned for his tireless campaigning on issues ranging from animal welfare to tackling fuel poverty. He was also a passionate advocate for children with learning disabilities. He championed women with endometriosis by launching an all-party parliamentary group.”
“Social media has also transformed political debate; while it has created opportunities for engagement, it has also enabled anonymous abuse, threats against public representatives, and the rapid spread of misinformation. Such behaviour fuels hostility and weakens trust in our democratic institutions.”
“554.] The then Leader of the Opposition, the right hon. and learned Member for Holborn and St Pancras (Keir Starmer), echoed those sentiments, urging us to “use the memory of Sir David’s life…to recommit ourselves in standing for the things that he stood for…for decency in our disagreements, for kindness in our hearts, for our great democ…”
“Sir David’s killer targeted him because of his parliamentary record. This tragedy reminds us that extremism can take many forms, but its goal is always the same: to intimate, divide and undermine our democracy.”
“I want to raise a concern on behalf of my hon. Friend the Member for Oxford West and Abingdon (Layla Moran). I understand that a number of MPs were not invited to a call this morning outlining the impact of local government reorganisation. I hope that the Leader of the House agrees that that was unacceptable.”
“Nearly a thousand families of children with special educational needs and disabilities are supported by Camp Mohawk and its fantastic daycare centre in my constituency.”
The complete record
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“It is a pleasure to serve under your chairship, Mrs Hobhouse. I thank my hon. Friend the Member for Epsom and Ewell (Helen Maguire) for organising the debate. It is wholly unacceptable that the Conservative Government dragged their heels on this important issue. They dithered and delayed because they could not make up their mind what they needed to do. As a result, pedestrians are put at risk every day by inconsiderate parking and local councils incur significant costs repairing kerbs and verges damaged by drivers.”
“This Bill has missed the opportunity to introduce a fair voting system. The outdated first-past-the-post system distorts the will of the people while ignoring millions of voices across the country. It is no wonder that so many people feel disconnected from politics. This Bill could have been an opportunity to restore the disconnect, but it fails. Devolution must go hand in hand with reform that ensures that every vote counts and every community has a voice. The Bill will not result in that ambitious shift of power from Westminster and Whitehall to communities and individuals. Sadly, it is a missed opportunity for reform. Will the Minister ask the Deputy Prime Minister to commit to considering PR more carefully? You never know, Madam Deputy Speaker, it might help the Labour party to hold on to a few more seats at the next general election.”
“My hon. Friend the Member for Bicester and Woodstock (Calum Miller) was right to ask the Foreign Secretary to place sanctions on Prime Minister Netanyahu. Many of my constituents agree and ask me to urge the Government to take more steps to stop the famine in Gaza and stop the Israel Defence Forces killing many more innocent children, women and men in Gaza. Does the Foreign Secretary realise that many people in this country do not think that he is doing enough to stop the famine and end the killing? They are frustrated with him for what they see as his inaction.”
“Northern Ireland should be able to exploit dual access, but businesses are not being helped by the Northern Irish Executive, nor by the UK Government.”
“As ever, it is a pleasure to serve under your chairship, Dr Huq. I thank the right hon. Member for East Antrim (Sammy Wilson) for securing this debate. The majority of people in Northern Ireland voted to remain in the EU. The Conservatives’ botched withdrawal agreement has caused nothing but problems for the Northern Irish economy and has hit small businesses particularly badly. The Conservatives said that they had an “oven-ready” deal for leaving the EU, yet they left Northern Ireland in the deep freeze. The idea of dual market access under the Windsor framework was sold as a unique advantage for the people of Northern Ireland—businesses would be able to access both the EU single market and the UK internal market—but widespread dissatisfaction with the Windsor framework is becoming increasingly clear.”
“A customs union with the EU would add up to £25 billion to the Government coffers. Labour say it wants growth, yet the Government shy away from a new deal with the EU that would cut the costly red tape that is holding so many small businesses back. I am running out of time, so I will move to the end of my speech. Growth is possible for the UK, and, whether that is through a new deal with the EU or a fairer deal for our SMEs and industries, Northern Ireland deserves economic prosperity after years of economic neglect. The Good Friday agreement brought peace, but it did not bring prosperity, and the Conservatives’ Brexit deal has clearly not brought prosperity either.”
“It is clear that Labour must take a more pragmatic approach with the EU and foster a closer relationship for the benefit of Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales and England. A closer relationship with the EU will also help solve the UK’s skills shortages, especially in Northern Ireland. According to a report by Ulster University’s economic policy centre, Northern Ireland needs more than 5,000 additional workers to grow its economy. Does the Minister not agree that a closer relationship with the EU and introducing a youth mobility scheme would be the perfect way to help solve that issue? Not only would a closer relationship with the EU benefit Northern Irish jobs and its economy, but a new trade deal would boost the entire UK economy and provide revenue for our public services.”
“According to the FSB, only 14% of Northern Ireland-based businesses responding to its survey said that they understand and are benefiting from dual market access. The rest either lack sufficient understanding to benefit from it or have not been able to leverage it. Some 51% of respondents believe this opportunity is not being adequately explained or promoted by Government authorities. We have to ask why. Does the Minister not agree that further clarity, communication and support from the Government would benefit businesses across the whole of the UK, and trade with Northern Ireland? We are right to ask why the Northern Irish Government is not doing more to help local businesses, especially small and medium-sized businesses.”
“I only have a few minutes, so I will not. Recent findings from the Federation of Small Businesses have highlighted severe challenges: despite Tory promises of “no more red tape”, many small businesses are finding trading between Great Britain and Northern Ireland laborious and costly. The Chartered Institute of Export and International Trade found that, between 2021 and 2023, since the Brexit deal, 2 billion additional pieces of paperwork had to be completed by exporters. That is nearly enough paperwork to wrap around the Earth 14.7 times. The FSB report also makes it clear that businesses are not aware of the benefits of the dual market access. It is the Government’s job to add some clarity here.”
“High-cost lenders—or worse, loan sharks—prey on that to target some of the most vulnerable. In 2022, an estimated 1 million people turned to illegal lenders. When people need help, there is usually a credit union they can turn to, but too many people do not realise that. With better legislation, they need not be put in that position in the first place. A fair banking Act could improve the lives of millions and could also help ethical lenders such as credit unions to deliver vital support. Will the Minister say whether the Government might consider introducing such an Act?”
“Over the same period, however, the number of credit unions feel by about the same proportion. That can partly be explained by smaller credit unions—in 2023, the average credit union employed only seven people—seeking to merge and become larger organisations, in order to streamline their operations, but it must be a cause for alarm whenever we see demand rise and supply fall at the same time. What are we doing wrong on a policy level, such that this vital industry is not growing, even though people clearly value it? I ask the Minister to ponder that question carefully. In bringing my remarks to a close, I make a plea to the Government: bring forward a fair banking Act, which is something we have been calling for for some time. Financial exclusion in the UK is worse than in most other comparable economies.”
“John’s monthly costs were more than halved and within three years he was debt-free. It is hard to imagine a version of John’s story that ends well without the support of a credit union and without its willingness to identify a person in genuine need, and to offer help, support and security. Traditional finance viewed John first as a target for high-profit, personally crushing credit and then as a risk—someone to be avoided, in case he could not swim in the choppy waters that it had stirred up for him. Instead, the credit union sector viewed him as a person. I do not know John, but I am certain that that was more valuable to him than just the money on offer. We know that membership of credit unions is rising, having increased by a third between 2014 and 2024.”
“Frankly, it is the kind of community support that we are sadly losing in our society as it becomes more distant from us as individuals over time. The people I have described cannot afford to lose the service of a credit union. One case study on Boom’s website refers to a man who was experiencing a debt crisis, with some of his loans imposing an eye-watering 1,295% annual interest burden. I am not sure how we as a society are supposed to read that as anything other than a profound failure. How did we ever allow that kind of exploitation to happen? The man that Boom refers to as John, although that is not his real name of course, could not refinance his debt on the traditional market; he was simply too high-risk. However, the credit union sector was there to help.”
“It comes from the continuous support that is on offer. Members of credit unions are often in more vulnerable positions than the average high street banking customer. That could mean that they are simply more financially vulnerable and consequently unable to access more traditional forms of credit. However, it can also mean they are vulnerable in other ways. For example, they might, for whatever reason, struggle to navigate technical language and complex arrays of products, or need extra help to create the structure in their lives that allows them to put money away regularly for a rainy day. Access to a friendly face who is on their side, and not looking to make a profit from them but willing to talk about their needs and goals, is invaluable for such people.”
“That speaks to Liberal Democrat values instinctively. I thank Beth, not only for helping me with this speech but more importantly for her long record of public service. In my constituency of Wokingham, we are lucky to be able to call upon the services of Boom community bank. When I was leader of the local council, we began a relationship with Boom. It provides non-profit finance and banking services to more than 12,000 members, not only across Berkshire but across west Sussex, Surrey, parts of Oxfordshire, Hampshire, London and Buckinghamshire. It is not traditional high street banking. For many of its 12,000 members, Boom provides a lifeline service. Credit unions certainly provide loans if people need one and a place to store savings safely, but their real value does not come from offering those financial basics.”
“It is a pleasure to serve under your chairship, Mr Twigg. I thank the hon. Member for Cumbernauld and Kirkintilloch East (Katrina Murray) for securing this very important debate. I must give some credit to my friend, Councillor Beth Rowland, at Wokingham borough council for helping with some of the detail for this speech. Beth has worked in the credit union sector in Berkshire for over 20 years, and it is unlike any other job in finance. People like Beth do not go to work for credit unions to make big money—not for any company, and certainly not for themselves. Instead, it is about dedication to the local community, a desire to help people, and an uncompromising desire to be a force for good in the world for those who need a bit of extra support. That is what drives people like Beth who make a career out of working in this industry.”
“As so often with the Conservatives, it was a break for big business, not for local businesses that really needed the support.”
“Like most MPs, I am happy to stand in this House and make the case for businesses local to me, but I am not just here to plug the record of Outhouse Brewery in Wokingham town centre, whose taproom is open five days a week, including Sundays, selling the feline-themed Apocalypse Meow pale ale. Brewers and publicans regularly tell me of the challenges that the industry is facing. We need to address those challenges head-on. When the previous Government tried to make hay out of a draught discount in 2023, they managed to apply it only to containers of over 40 litres. That excluded many producers of real cider or craft beer, like those produced by the companies in Wokingham that I have mentioned, who often ship product in smaller containers.”
“Wokingham is not just a place where beer is consumed, although I know my constituency team do their best in that department whenever they get the chance, but a place where beer is produced. I have spoken in the House before about some of the breweries that operate in Wokingham. Siren Craft Brew has grown from a small local producer to a significant competitor in the market, with beers such as Lumina being found in pubs across the country. Just across the road, Elusive Brewing produces Oregon Trail, which won best IPA at this year’s champion beer of Britain awards. There are also countless smaller producers across Wokingham and the Reading area, as there have been for many centuries.”
“It is a pleasure to serve under your chairship, Dr Murrison. I thank my hon. Friend the Member for Woking (Mr Forster) for securing this debate. I agree with him; I, too, love beer, and I have for some time—we will not go into how many years—been drinking it and thoroughly enjoying it. As my hon. Friend will know, back in February our party supported the beer duty cut to support our pubs. The Liberal Democrats have always supported the local pub, perhaps because of our heritage as a party grounded in community politics. Across our country, pubs and other hospitality businesses are the lifeblood of our communities. That is true of my constituency of Wokingham, where we are blessed with many excellent pubs, and I know that it is true of my hon. Friend’s constituency as well.”
“If he finds that it has been successful, with all the economic benefits that that will bring, will he consider reducing it further to help our struggling pubs across the country?”
“Our party welcomes the Government’s intention to make packaging more sustainable, but it cannot be at the expense of uncertainty and financial turmoil for local businesses, with all the economic consequences that that brings. The assumption that local authorities will recycle the packaging from drinks bought in the pub is flawed, and the proposal means that pubs may pay for waste disposal twice: once for private recycling, and then again through EPR-related charges from producers. I urge the Minister to consider our call to exempt pubs from EPR, and to review the scope and timeline of that policy to avoid further harm to our hospitality sector. Will he today commit to a review of how successful the extended draught duty cut has been in supporting hospitality?”
“The Liberal Democrats have been calling for years for it to be reformed and replaced with a commercial landowner levy based on the value of landlords’ land, which would remove the responsibility for this tax from local businesses. This fair reform has one core goal: supporting our local economies to thrive and grow. I am led to believe that the Government place a very high value on growth. They are right to do so, but they will not get it while small local businesses choke under the weight of the outdated business system and increases in employer national insurance contributions. My hon. Friend the Member for Woking spoke eloquently about the impact of extended producer responsibility on the industry. He is not wrong. It is a cause for huge concern among those I talk to across the drinks and hospitality sector.”
“I will carry on, if the hon. Gentleman does not mind. To add insult to injury, the Prime Minister at the time managed to launch the policy with a photo opportunity in which he lifted up a beer keg for all to see. The keg was a 30-litre container, which did not qualify for the discount he was launching. If I were him, I might have drowned my sorrows in a couple of pints of Apocalypse Meow after that one. The industry knows which parties in this place have its back. After pressure from the Liberal Democrats, the Government applied the draught discount to containers of 20 litres or more. I do not believe that the former Prime Minister returned to lift more kegs to mark his U-turn. A key challenge that comes up time and again, especially when I talk to local independent pubs, is the crushing impact of the broken business rates system.”
“The Liberal Democrats welcome the Government’s 10-year health plan, and I am sure Members across the House will agree that supporting access to innovative treatments for patients is a crucial part of that. Industry figures tell me that the current approach is a barrier when it comes to medicines that are useful in the treatment of more than one condition. Will the Leader of the House allow a debate in Government time on access to innovative treatments as part of the 10-year plan and the national cancer plan?”
“I welcome the Secretary of State’s 10-year plan. In October, in response to my Westminster Hall debate on the national cancer plan, the Government committed to publishing one later this year. I am confident that that will happen in the autumn, and the wider cancer community is equally enthusiastic. However, the 10-year plan announced today makes only a brief mention of the national cancer plan. Can the Secretary of State confirm that improved diagnosis, improved screening for at-risk groups, improved treatment outcomes, concentration on rare cancers and cancers in young people, better and continued workforce planning, more support and funding for research, better relationships with drug companies and much more will be part of the national cancer plan?”
“When the national cancer strategy is published, I hope that part of it will focus on boosting the survival rates for rare cancers. Will the Minister confirm that that will be an important part of the strategy?”
“I think all Members present will have heard from desperate parents whose children cannot get the ADHD medication that they need. Does my hon. Friend agree that the scandalous failure to provide care sets those children up to fail and that, tragically, the consequences are that some end up as the offenders we are discussing, instead of fulfilling their full potential?”
“However, the journey to introduce the new trains has encountered unacceptable delays, setbacks and uncertainty that go unresolved to this very day, despite the fact that they were promised nearly eight years ago.”
“For starters, on a day like today, when we have 34 degrees of heat, if they step inside the train, they will be treated to a delightful 45°C sauna, courtesy of no air conditioning and poor ventilation. Despite the journey from Wokingham to Waterloo taking an hour and 12 minutes, there are no toilet facilities on board. Speed restrictions apply exclusively to the 455 on the Waterloo to Reading route, which means slower journeys and greater delays. That is why the class 455 is being replaced by the new, sleek class 701, also known as the Arterio. The Arterio train will mean air conditioning, real-time passenger information, more seating and actual toilets.”
“I beg to move, That this House has considered the introduction of Class 701 trains on the Waterloo-Reading line. It is a pleasure to serve under your chairship, Ms Butler. I am honoured to have secured this debate on a matter close to the hearts and frayed nerves of many in my Wokingham constituency. Imagine, Ms Butler, that you are one of my constituents commuting to London or Reading. You spot your train on the horizon—the all-too-familiar blue face and red shell of the class 455 train, built in 1983 and rattling along for 42 years. That sight will produce an inevitable sigh of despair from all at the train station: it will not be a comfortable journey. Hon. Members might wonder what is so bad about that rolling relic.”
“On 9 June 2025, in response to a written parliamentary question tabled on 30 May 2025, the Minister stated: “The new Managing Director of SWR is now developing a detailed plan” for introducing the Arterio fleet. Did such a plan not exist under the previous, privatised version of SWR? When can we expect the plan to be completed, and will it be available for scrutiny by Members of this House? Finally, will the Minister extend an invitation from me to meet the Minister of State for Rail to discuss these issues in more detail?”
“With SWR nationalised, the Department for Transport must scrutinise the project relentlessly until it is properly delivered. I ask the Minister: when will the Arterio trains be in service on the Waterloo to Reading line? I would also be grateful if he would set out in detail what steps are being taken to ensure that the Department for Transport does not allow the delays to be extended any further. I remind Members that the previous Conservative Government were completely complacent on this matter. No contractual penalties were imposed on the owning company of SWR, despite its failure to deliver with taxpayers’ cash. Did the Department for Transport consider imposing penalties when Labour was elected in July 2024? If not, why not?”
“In 2020, the Arterio was destined to be first rolled out on the Waterloo to Reading line. In 2022, the South Western Railway business plan stated that SWR would “introduce the new Arterio fleet as soon as possible”. Two years ago, the Department for Transport stated that the trains would be in service as soon as possible in 2023. Last year, SWR stated that the roll-out of the full fleet would take up to 18 months from January 2024, and I was informed that the trains would be ready for me to travel in to Parliament by June 2025. Now, in 2025, SWR still does not have a final timeline for when my constituents will get to benefit from the new trains. Every year promises have been made, and every year promises have been broken.”
“I completely agree with my hon. Friend; we do need to improve rolling stock. Part of our problem on the South Western Railway line, Wokingham to Waterloo, is that it is old rolling stock, which is what this debate is about. He also mentioned better access for disabled people, and I 100% agree that that is absolutely needed. Although I am aware of a few Arterio trains running on the South Western Railway network, that is still not the case on the Waterloo to Reading line, which my constituents use every day. Numerous promises have been made by South Western Railway and the Department for Transport, but almost all of them have been broken. In 2019, the Department for Transport claimed that in the coming months new trains would be introduced on the South Western Railway network, but what has happened? Nothing.”
“Bus usage and services in rural and semi-rural areas such as Wokingham were particularly hard hit during the pandemic. Will the Minister confirm that councils such as Wokingham will not see funding for local bus services reduced, and will he recognise that rebuilding bus usage in rural areas is a unique challenge that requires extra resources?”
“My constituents constantly tell me that Thames Water is failing in its duties and has no financial future. In spite of its failings, we are reliant on it for the most basic human needs of water and sanitation. Will the Leader of the House allow us Government time to scrutinise in detail the merits of turning Thames Water into a public benefit company?”
“Elusive Brewing, a fantastic independent brewery in my constituency of Wokingham, brews Oregon Trail, which won best IPA at the Champion Beer of Britain awards. Can we have a debate in Government time on the steps that Ministers are taking to support the people of Wokingham in enjoying great local products, such as those from Elusive Brewing and Siren Craft Brew, in their local pubs? Perhaps the Leader of the House, and you, Mr Speaker, would like to join me for a pint from one of those excellent breweries.”
“The Government’s additional roles reimbursement scheme led to just three new GPs for my constituents in Wokingham, which is a drop in the ocean. More needs to be done to deliver GP practices in new developments such as Arborfield in south Wokingham. Why did Ministers not support the Liberal Democrat amendment to the Planning and Infrastructure Bill that would have made commitments to build GP surgeries in all new housing developments legally binding?”
“Will the hon. Member reiterate a question that I have for the Minister? Specifically, given that abiraterone is already approved for use in Scotland and Wales, what action is the Minister taking to ensure that men in England are not disadvantaged in accessing lifesaving cancer treatments?”
“The Windrush generation made a huge contribution to the life and the economy of the UK, but I want to pay tribute to the Hong Kong community in my constituency of Wokingham and across the United Kingdom, who I am sure will make the same contribution to the UK. I am deeply concerned that the Government are piling uncertainty and worry on British Hongkongers through their reforms to indefinite leave to remain. These people, who are living here in Britain, already fear retribution from China. Does my hon. Friend agree that the Government should have their back and maintain the five-year pathway for British national overseas status holders?”
“Yesterday the Chancellor championed the Government’s supposed trade deal with the United States, but that trade deal is not yet complete. We know that because no impact assessment has been published. Why are the Government popping the champagne prematurely, and have they done an impact assessment on any of the ongoing negotiations?”
“I declare my interest as a governor of the Royal Berkshire hospital. There is a chronic shortfall of staff in radiology and oncology. Those shortages mean that people find out they have cancer later and treatments are delayed, worsening survival rates. Is the Leader of the House aware that 2,910 more clinical radiologists could be recruited if money spent outsourcing demand was spent within the NHS? Can we have a debate in Government time to scrutinise those shortfalls?”
“I was really saddened that there was no mention of cancer in the Minister’s statement, so I will give her the opportunity to correct that omission. Will this new money for our NHS ensure that all cancer waiting time targets are met by the end of this Parliament, and can the Minister confirm that those targets will be included in the 10-year health plan? Finally, have Ministers had a chance to read my 11-page letter and accompanying submission on what should be in the national cancer plan?”
“Will she detail the level of consultation that was undertaken with service providers and adoptive and kinship families before the cuts were announced? Finally, I pay tribute to all the families who will be affected by the cuts, and ask them to continue their incredible work in fighting against them. I also thank my constituent, Clare Solomons, who has worked so hard in organising petitions, speaking in the media and being an invaluable source of advice on this issue. I hope the Minister will listen to the experience of families and reverse the cuts as soon as possible.”
“It is a pleasure to serve under your chairship, Mrs Harris. I thank the hon. Member for South West Devon (Rebecca Smith) for securing this important debate. The Government’s cuts to the adoption and special guardianship support fund are going to harm vulnerable children in my constituency of Wokingham and across England. Those children and their families will see vital therapies suspended, and they do not know when, or even if, they will resume. Prior to the cuts, one family received 264 hours of therapy, but that will now fall to just 32 hours. Will the Minister meet me and my constituents to discuss the cuts to the ASGSF, so that she can hear directly from those affected? Will she publish the analysis on which the changes to the ASGSF were made?”
“In the UK-EU summit, co-operation on access to medicines was noticeably scarce. That is an area where we are falling massively behind compared with our European allies. Can the Prime Minister ask the Minister for Secondary Care to meet me, so that we can discuss why only 25% of new cancer medicines approved by the EU are fully available in the UK?”
“T2. Will the Minister tell the House how much of the European Union’s €150 billion rearmament fund he anticipates will be available to our defence companies, who provide high quality jobs, and to our armed forces?”
“It is a pleasure to serve under your chairship, Ms Vaz. As somebody who has imported and exported products to and from Europe and the rest of the world for much of the last 40 years, and seen the regulations change much over the last 40 years, I believe it is sensible that we are aligned to our major markets. The hon. Member for West Worcestershire talked about that, and she is absolutely right. One of our major markets is right on our doorstep. We need to be aligned to it because it is much better for our businesses if our regulations—”
“I will only talk for a moment. I will carry on and the hon. Lady can come in later if she wishes. In my experience, it is important that regulations are clear for UK manufacturers. They should have one set of product regulations, rather than one set for the UK, one for the USA and another for Europe. If the Bill allows us the possibility to align with Europe, that is extremely good.”