Maya Ellis
MP for Ribble Valley · Labour · United Kingdom
“I thank my hon. Friend the Member for Isle of Wight West (Richard Quigley) for securing the debate. I am particularly fond of this discussion because, in a slightly tenuous link, my late grandad Bill Dibley was born and raised on the Isle of Wight and went on to become an electrical engineer.”
House of Commons20 October 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“Continuity of care in maternity services is based on women building relationships with maternity practitioners who meet them where they are. I would like to echo the comments of the hon.”
House of Commons20 October 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“Under the EU, areas such as mine in Lancashire were among the biggest beneficiaries of skills support and funding, but now, as schemes such as the apprenticeship brokerage service go only to mayoral areas, which Lancashire is not, we risk losing so much of our progress.”
House of Commons20 October 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“We must address skills shortages, not just by encouraging more young people into manufacturing, but by ensuring that businesses have the means to invest in them.”
House of Commons20 October 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“The petition states: “The petitioners therefore request that the House of Commons urge the Government to direct NHS Lancashire and South Cumbria Integrated Care Board to commit to a full reopening of the hospital to provide health services to benefit the community, and to promptly address fire safety concerns, providing a timeline to reas…”
House of Commons7 July 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“I am proud to present this petition on behalf of residents in Longridge in my constituency of Ribble Valley regarding the future of Longridge community hospital, which serves patients across a large semi-rural area, many of whom need health services within easy reach of their homes and families.”
House of Commons7 July 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
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“Economic growth requires people to be able to get to work. This morning, yet another road traffic accident happened on the stretch of M6 motorway that goes through my constituency and yours, Mr Speaker. This has a hugely disruptive impact on the mainly small roads around it in my constituency. Yet again, my residents in Longridge, Grimsargh and all the surrounding areas woke up to the prospect of another journey to work that takes two hours instead of 20 minutes, and that is becoming a monthly—if not weekly—occurrence. Will the Minister meet me to discuss what can be done?”
House of Commons15 May 2025Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“HARP—Haweswater aqueduct resilience programme—is a 10-year project about to commence for United Utilities to tunnel water through my constituency from the Lake district to Manchester. I recently met residents of the communities that this work will disrupt for a decade. Will the Leader of the House assure my residents that this Labour Government strongly expect big infrastructure stakeholders such as United Utilities to be proactive in providing regular communications and engaging with the communities they have active projects in? Would she consider allowing time for the House to debate how community impacts should be mitigated in areas disproportionately affected by new water infrastructure projects?”
House of Commons15 May 2025Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“I highlight to the Government how powerful investment can be when it follows existing infrastructure and good practice. Many organisations, such as guides and scouts, have existed for over a century, but they are reliant on volunteering, and modern lifestyles cannot sustain that. The frameworks that those organisations have developed are cutting-edge, however, so I welcome building on those provisions. One young woman I spoke to recently said that the private stage school she had enjoyed proved too expensive for her in the long run. I would love it if we subsidised great local youth offers where possible, rather than reinventing the wheel. Doing so would also support local businesses. We must ensure that youth provision is extended to our rural communities and can be accessed across the country. I would echo my—”
House of Commons15 May 2025Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“I was taken aback by the number of students who discussed the stress, worry and pressure that they felt, particularly in relation to their exams—I wish all those starting their GCSEs this week good luck. That emphasised the need for youth services to support young people through these big life stages. They also discussed the lack of places to go where they could feel truly safe. Youth provision is personal for me. I have been a member and volunteer of Girlguiding since I started Brownies when I was seven, and I served on the Girlguiding national board for six years, so I have seen at first hand the impact that such youth movements can have on young people. I would like to think that my confidence and self-belief as I stand in this House today come from that provision. That is the power that good youth services have.”
House of Commons15 May 2025Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“I thank my hon. Friend the Member for Croydon East (Natasha Irons) for securing this critical debate. Youth services are integral to enabling young people to live safe, healthy and happy lives, but we cannot deny that issues and policy relating to children and young people often get pushed aside. We must recognise the contribution that they make and will make to our society by ensuring that they have access to youth services. I was so pleased to hear the Government’s announcement earlier this year on developing a new national youth strategy. Just last week, I held a strategy session in my Ribble Valley constituency and heard from the fantastic Bowland high school council about what young people in my area need and want. It was a chance to hear them talk openly about their concerns.”
House of Commons15 May 2025Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“Too often, when I am trying to get to the bottom of problems for my constituents in Ribble Valley, I get responses to written questions saying that Ministers just do not have the data available. I applaud the Government for putting data at the heart of their plans, but I worry that we could get too carried away with looking at AI solutions before we get to solutions for actually collecting data in the first place. Could the Minister reassure me on how we are working with local government to make sure we are collecting data from all possible sources in one place to start with, before we get to how we can make that more efficient?”
House of Commons24 April 2025Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“Girlguiding and its volunteers provide endless opportunities for girls and young women in my constituency of Ribble Valley. Will the Leader of the House join me in congratulating the Waddow Hall Trust group of Girlguiding members on successfully campaigning to secure Waddow Hall, which provides adventure and outdoor education for future generations of young people? Will she make time for this House to discuss the importance of outdoor education within the Government’s national youth strategy?”
House of Commons24 April 2025Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“Will the Minister confirm whether the Government plan to follow up on the previous Government’s consultation on non-surgical cosmetic procedures? The Government must listen to women’s stories and work to act and legislate on aesthetic medicine to ensure that people’s safety is secured. Meanwhile, the NHS shoulders the burden. A&E departments are seeing increasing complications from fillers, botox and laser treatments that should have been managed in a clinical setting. The industry must not be overlooked. We need to support trained practitioners and advocate for women seeking treatments by prioritising the raising of standards across this dynamic sector.”
House of Commons23 April 2025Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“We must look into training standards to rectify the situation. Across the UK, invasive procedures such as fillers, liposuction and facelifts are being performed in unregulated salons. These are overwhelmingly carried out on women, reflecting a systemic failure to take the risks seriously—often dismissed as a women’s issue or vanity. In a society where our beauty standards are shaped by social media and celebrity culture, there is no doubt that aesthetics treatments will continue to grow. In 2024 alone, the UK aesthetics industry grew by a considerable 8.4%. Unregulated actors in this space lower the reputation of the whole industry, which in turn impacts the success of safe and legitimate services like those provided by my constituent, Natalie. We must therefore work to tackle the rise of unregulated cosmetic procedures.”
House of Commons23 April 2025Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“However, it was promising to hear that last December, Save Face, a Government-approved register of trusted practitioners, met with the Government to share Alice’s story and discuss potential solutions to stop untrained individuals from performing such procedures. One of my constituents, Dr Natalie Haworth, has said that as a medical professional with her own aesthetic clinic, The Doctor & Company, she has to routinely manage complications previously caused by poorly trained practitioners. Legitimate, medically-trained professionals such as Dr Natalie undergo training built on years of foundational medical education, ethical standards and regulatory oversight. A three to seven-day course cannot replicate that. The increase in unreputable training providers across social media is increasingly worrying.”
House of Commons23 April 2025Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“It is deeply concerning that aesthetic medicine, a medical speciality recognised by the Royal Society of Medicine, is often considered just another part of the hair and beauty sector. If it were cardiology or dermatology, there would rightly be huge concern over non-medical professionals performing high-risk procedures. Aesthetic treatments are not cosmetic extras; they can be invasive medical procedures with serious risks, including blindness, tissue necrosis and death. I have recently read several tragic news stories of individuals—such as Alice Webb, a mother of five—who have died after undergoing non- surgical treatments, including the increasingly popular Brazilian butt lift, known as the BBL procedure. No charges have been brought because it is still not illegal.”
House of Commons23 April 2025Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“It is a pleasure to serve under your chairship, Ms McVey. I thank the hon. Member for Hornchurch and Upminster (Julia Lopez) for securing this important debate on a sector that, as she rightly says, is often overlooked but is a critical part of many of our communities, including mine in Ribble Valley in Lancashire. As I am sure my colleagues will reference, the hair and beauty sector is a thriving economic powerhouse, contributing huge amounts to the UK economy while increasing visitors to high streets and promoting community wellbeing. Given its impact on not only the economy but our physical wellness, we must ensure that the whole sector is regulated effectively. I want to highlight my concerns and those of the Ribble Valley residents I have spoken to about the regulation of the beauty sector in particular.”
House of Commons23 April 2025Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“Like many of my colleagues today, I am truly exhausted by the cynicism of the culture wars around this topic. I hope we can focus on how we make any changes work practically. Does the Minister agree that all of us in this House should be mindful that human beings are affected by every comment we make on this matter, and that how we behave here will inform how the wider public behave, which I hope would be with kindness and compassion?”
House of Commons22 April 2025Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“Multiple organisations, including Brook, have highlighted the importance of including the student voice in RSHE curriculum design. In the 2009 guidance, schools were instructed to consult parents; however, for RSE to be relevant, the needs and preferences of pupils must also be reflected in the lessons taught in schools. I pay tribute to Chloe Combi and others such as Jo Davies at the WILD Young Parents Project, for being on the frontline of how we can instil great relationships among young people. Finally, as a society, the reality is that we are often not great at relationships as adults. Therefore, as we protect and extend relationship advice to young people, I hope that we have the humility to learn alongside them, too.”
House of Commons1 April 2025Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“The key asks were about focusing reforms on upstream prevention, rather than downstream crisis management. I would love to see more support for parents as their children receive relationship guidance in school. A huge number of young people will receive strong, progressive advice from schools about relationships, then go home to a place where those progressive relationships do not exist. If, via the information that a child brings home from school, a parent realises that they are in a relationship that is not okay—such as one that is financially abusive or controlling—so much the better. Chloe Combi recently wrote a powerful piece in T he Independent about the TV show “Adolescence”, in which she pointed out that very little commentary on the show has asked what young people themselves thought about it.”
House of Commons1 April 2025Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“I thank the hon. Member for Epsom and Ewell (Helen Maguire) for securing this debate. When I became a new parent, I was shocked to my core to see in my communities, both in person and online, the extent to which relationships between new parents can suddenly descend into coercive control, gaslighting, financial abuse and, in the worst cases—still far too many—physical abuse. The For Baby’s Sake Trust found that 40% of parents who experienced domestic abuse said that it occurred during their baby’s first 1,001 days—from pregnancy until the baby’s second birthday. It is critical that we embed healthy relationships early on. I am the vice-chair of the all-party parliamentary group on sexual and reproductive health in the UK, and I recently chaired a roundtable to celebrate 20 years since the teenage pregnancy prevention framework.”
House of Commons1 April 2025Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“May I first thank the Secretary of State for visiting Preston last week to attend this year’s convention of the north? It was a fantastic event and reinvigorated the case for northern investment to be a key determinant in Government decisions. In that vein, can the Minister outline what conversations are being held with departmental colleagues to ensure that the opportunity of investing in the north is fully realised and understood?”
House of Commons3 March 2025Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“BAE had the training infrastructure to provide the support much more efficiently than most SMEs would be able to do themselves. We should maximise our productivity in how we train people by making the most of the successful structures that we already have. I am delighted that almost half of people starting apprenticeships in Ribble Valley in the past year were aged over 25, showing that people in my constituency are ambitious and committed to lifelong learning. I fully support the Bill and I cannot wait to see Skills England established, to support those looking to improve their skills by bringing about a more data-driven and joined-up skills system for all of us.”
House of Commons25 February 2025Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“Because of the multitude of inclusive routes that BAE provides young people to end up on one of its apprenticeships, he eventually found a route that allowed his strengths and potential to shine, enabling him to secure a role. I know from having worked in economic development in Lancashire that many local SMEs have benefited from BAE Systems over-training on its apprenticeship programmes, so that there is a supply of apprentices who can flow into the surrounding SME chain. As many Members have noted, a big challenge is how we encourage SMEs to support apprenticeships when they may need only one or two apprentices. The route that BAE went down came from targeted Government funding. I would welcome the Government’s considering something similar.”
House of Commons25 February 2025Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“It felt inspiring, modern and a place to really grow. I heard from students who had had negative experiences elsewhere but felt truly at home there. That is what Government investment can do for the wellbeing of areas in need of growth. That is the opportunity we have with this Bill. BAE Systems is another business operating in my constituency that offers fantastic training and skills opportunities, particularly through apprenticeships. I was moved on a recent visit, on which I was delighted to be joined by the Minister for Skills, Baroness Smith, by a young person who had tried a few times to get a role at BAE Systems.”
House of Commons25 February 2025Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“For colleges that have little adult work or that have struggled to deliver against contract, that might be less of a problem, but Preston college gets around 20% of its income from adult provision and has been able to over-deliver for the past few years. Any reduction applied across the board would hit Preston college’s delivery, particularly in key areas such as construction and English for speakers of other languages, and is likely to add to cost pressures already felt. Undoubtedly, we are under severe financial pressure at the moment, but we need to be careful that short-term savings do not impact the long-term skills development that we desperately need to lead us to a better financial outlook. I welcome the Minister’s comments on that. What really blew me away at Preston college was the feel of the place.”
House of Commons25 February 2025Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“It is working with around 950 employers who help design the curriculum, support assessments and offer mentoring and industry placements for its IoT students. A great example of that is its work with Leyland Trucks, which reported a need for electric vehicle training for its apprentices. The college embedded a new module into its institute of technology course. A key need that Preston college meets is providing increased adult education opportunities. The upcoming devolution deal in Lancashire will undoubtedly allow organisations to have an increased say in adult education budgets, to boost local productivity and foster the right opportunities for the north-west. However, the college is concerned about the reported 2% to 3% reduction in adult skills budgets.”
House of Commons25 February 2025Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“I would like to put on record my thanks to Michele Lawty-Jones and Kerry Harrison, who lead those services, piloting programmes such as the skills bootcamps, which they made such a success of in Lancashire that the previous Government rolled them out nationally. Their hard work also secured the Lancashire and Cumbria institute of technology, which I was delighted to visit last week at the Preston college base in my constituency. Its principal, Simon Nixon, and many students spoke to me about the technical training that they receive in health and social care, construction, counselling and engineering. Vitally, Preston college collaborates closely with industry experts and businesses to ensure that its curriculum is up to date and reflects the needs of the economy.”
House of Commons25 February 2025Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“In general, we are far too familiar with pressing skills gaps negatively affecting our economy. Some 20% of our UK workforce may be significantly under-skilled for their jobs by 2030, and 1.5 million jobs in England are at risk of at least some of their tasks being automated in future. There are businesses and organisations leading the charge in tackling this. In my previous life away from this place, I was privileged to work alongside the Lancashire skills and employment hub and the Lancashire digital skills partnership, which have long been pioneers for developing our skills landscape in this country.”
House of Commons25 February 2025Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“Skills England will work closely with the Migration Advisory Committee and Industrial Strategy Council to develop an evidence-based approach to the labour market, with the committee set to monitor sectors where skill shortages are leading to increases in overseas recruitment. Importantly, this will mean that there will be a focus on sectors reliant on overseas workers to ensure that they are addressing their failure to invest in skills in the UK. To support British workers as best we can, it is promising to hear that international recruitment will not be the standard choice for employers filling skill shortages. Although migration can play a strategic role in supporting our economy, it must not be utilised as a means to address skills or training shortages in the UK over supporting British workers here.”
House of Commons25 February 2025Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“I am really excited at the prospect of the Bill laying the groundwork for the new body, Skills England, to realise our ambitious missions for opportunity and growth. One of the best commitments in this Government’s manifesto was to link immigration and skills policy in an effort to tackle the UK’s reliance on international recruitment. Indeed, during the general election campaign, I was on a panel with fellow candidates in Lancashire and explained our commitment, and a fellow candidate standing for Reform remarked that he actually really liked that idea. I will be interested to see whether his colleagues agree today.”
House of Commons25 February 2025Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“Like many of my colleagues, I found that this year’s National Apprenticeship Week really brought to life the amazing work being done by businesses, organisations and students across my constituency. Listening to many of the comments from across the House about how we need to improve the culture and perception around technical education, I am minded to reflect on the experience that I had when I was in year 9 and getting quite high results in my electronics exams. I had an amazing teacher, Miss Robinson, who asked me one day whether I would consider doing a BTEC in engineering. I did not end up following that technical route, but I do wonder what our productivity would be today if, back then, our culture had promoted it more prominently, particularly for people who were very academic.”
House of Commons25 February 2025Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“Given that 70% of youth services investment has been slashed since 2010, does my hon. and learned Friend agree that we need to provide opportunities, aside from school, where children can interact before taking away one of the few places that they have to spend time with their peers?”
House of Commons24 February 2025Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“The national conviction rate for domestic abuse cases is woefully low, standing at 4.5%, but the picture is even worse in rural constituencies such as Ribble Valley, where the overall conviction rate is only 3%. What does the Solicitor General regard as the unique challenges in rural areas, and what steps is she taking to tackle them specifically?”
House of Commons6 February 2025Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“As the chair of the all-party parliamentary group on babies (pregnancy to age 2), I have had the privilege over the past few months to meet leaders from across society who have incredible passion and energy for Government policy that relates to babies from pregnancy to age two. Will the Leader of the House consider a debate on the impact of all angles of Government policy on babies from pregnancy to age two, given the significant impact of that time on long-term health and wellbeing outcomes?”
House of Commons6 February 2025Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“I thank my hon. Friend for bravely sharing the devastating story of her friend. I also have a wonderful friend, Sarah, whose daughter was a month old when the covid lockdown hit. She was so worried about breaking lockdown rules that she did not lean on friends and family and ended up having a mental breakdown. Does my hon. Friend agree that maternal mental health should be a high priority in any future emergency planning?”
House of Commons5 February 2025Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“We likewise know that the dignity offered to disabled people, those receiving palliative care and those in supported living is often far less than they deserve. One of the biggest flaws in the Bill, therefore, is the money resolution. I do not see how we can sign a blank cheque to guarantee dignity only in death when dignity in all parts of life is still so desperately in need of resources, and equally deserving.”
House of Commons22 January 2025Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“A major argument in the debate on assisted dying has been about making it accessible to all, rather than only those who can afford to travel to access it. The argument is made about dignity in dying. I struggle to see the fairness, however, in pursuing spend to allow dignity in dying when we struggle to fund dignity in other areas of the NHS. I am sure that many midwives and those who have been through pregnancy and birth in recent years will agree that severely underfunded maternity services can lead to experiences completely lacking in dignity for mothers. The impact can last throughout the life of a family. In September 2024, the Care Quality Commission found that almost two thirds of inspected maternity units were unsafe to birth in.”
House of Commons22 January 2025Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“Finally, let us make it clear what we are agreeing to today. I have asked a few times, and never really got a clear answer, why making assisted dying legal has to go hand in hand with a commitment to funding assisted dying on the NHS. Most of us, including me, fiercely protect the idea of an NHS that is free at the point of use, but we risk maternity services encouraging women to pursue induced births rather than planned caesareans, partly because of resource limitations in the NHS. I caution against an agreement to spend money on guaranteeing dignity in dying when we lag so far behind on guaranteeing dignity in birth, and in many other areas.”
House of Commons22 January 2025Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“I will not, if that is all right. Sorry. At the other end of the spectrum, we need to be acutely aware that we are not today expanding overall budgets in the NHS, so what we agree to in this money resolution will put further strain on our already stretched NHS. That means that, for example, St Catherine’s hospice in my constituency, which already requires private fundraising for almost 80% of its income, will have further NHS funding pulled away to accommodate publicly funded assisted dying. It is prudent for us to make clear what we put at risk if we vote through the Bill, having agreed this money resolution. The resolution means that money for palliative care will likely be diminished. The House should consider that in the next stages of the Bill, given what it is supposedly designed to alleviate.”
House of Commons22 January 2025Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“The hon. Member has rightly highlighted the intricate and technical knowledge required to understand some of the mitigations, so I welcome our Government’s commitment to a floods resilience taskforce. Does he agree that it is integral that farmers are involved every step of the way in the development of solutions, particularly because of the changing nature of flooding?”
House of Commons15 January 2025Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“T8. As chair of the all-party parliamentary group on babies, I am delighted that the announcements on Thursday included a one-year continuation of the Start for Life programme, which provides funding for 75 local authorities. We would, however, very much like all authorities to be able to access this funding in future so that every child is guaranteed the best start. Is the Secretary of State willing to meet the APPG in the new year to outline her long-term vision for supporting child development at the youngest ages?”
House of Commons9 December 2024Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“These are the kinds of farms we are supporting, and we must ensure that our strategies work for them in the long term. Butlers is a fourth-generation farm that would not be back on its feet today without the relationships and trust that are so embedded in our rural communities. I am excited for what Westminster can do, and is doing, for farmers. We can provide clarity on the mission. One of the best things about this new Labour Government is our focus on overall missions for this country, to be able to be clear to farmers and farming communities about exactly what this Labour Government plan to achieve over this decade of national renewal, with a clear ask for farmers on how they can contribute to that mission and how they can benefit. I heard about the need for such clarity time and again while campaigning.”
House of Commons4 December 2024Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“There are endless examples of how farmers are the best examples of the community spirit that we are rightly so proud of in this country. I will share a quick story about a farm company in my constituency called Butlers farmhouse cheeses. Butlers produces the famous Blacksticks blue cheese and, I believe, is the second largest producer of cheese in the UK. Last year it suffered a devastating fire that completely destroyed its packing and logistics hub. Remarkably, the company rebuilt a whole building in a few weeks by using all of its supplier networks, and that was based on the faith and goodwill that farming communities engender. Butlers was able to retain the 95 staff it had, as well as supporting jobs in 20 to 30 local suppliers.”
House of Commons4 December 2024Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“I represent Ribble Valley in Lancashire, one of the most beautiful constituencies in the country and one of the most rural. There are 820 farms on my patch, including 121 dairy farms. I single out dairy farmers as probably the most passionate and dedicated farmers I have encountered. The problem with this motion is that it ignores the wider context of what is happening in our rural economies, and I will briefly talk about how remarkable those rural communities are. Not only are our farmers vital to our food security, but they often do the intangible work that we do not see on a local authority balance sheet, including gritting and clearing smaller roads that councils cannot get to in winter, and maintaining all those beautiful countryside walking routes that we all enjoy for much-needed rest.”
House of Commons4 December 2024Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“I came to Westminster as someone who is passionate about local leadership and devolution, and there is much that this Government can do to help farmers by taking decisions.”
House of Commons4 December 2024Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“Indeed, it is that knowledge, passed down through generations and trained into children from the time they can walk, that ensures some of the efficiencies that keep our farms going. I am a huge advocate for devolution, especially for areas such as Lancashire, where Ribble Valley is located, that include vast rural areas, because it brings democracy and understanding closer to communities. That is a huge issue that the Government are progressing at pace in order to do right by rural communities. I am grateful to all the farmers who have been having open conversations with me about how past and future policy has and could affect them. Any new Government will take some time to unpick how relationships have worked in the past, and how they might want to change them.”
House of Commons4 December 2024Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“I will come on to opportunities to increase the prosperity of farmers, which should be our mission. The second opportunity for farmers is around procurement and trade, and using the Government’s own purchasing power to back British produce, so that 50% of food brought into hospitals, Army bases and prisons is locally produced. We can protect farmers from being undercut by low welfare and low standards in trade deals, and we are seeking a new veterinary agreement with the EU to get our exports moving. I want to touch on devolution and its ability to empower local understanding. Anyone who lives in a rural community knows that part of its strength is a deep generational knowledge of the land and local area. Nowhere is that more evident than in generational farming.”
House of Commons4 December 2024Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“If the hon. Lady will allow me, I will come to how we can help the farmers who will be affected by the measures. To finish my point about devolution, as an MP in an area with huge extents of rural economy, it is critical to me that devolution reflects our rural areas as much as our metropolitan ones. I look forward to seeing how the upcoming devolution White Paper addresses that challenge. Town and parish councils really understand our rural communities and can play a bigger role in local democracy.”
House of Commons4 December 2024Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“However, if we are able to increase that farmer’s profits by £20,000 a year, by reducing energy prices, increasing British-supplied procurement so that 50% of public sector food comes from those farms, and providing a better health service that ensures all members of the family can be strong and well to work, that is the opportunity. Yes, we need to make our tax structures work better—that is fixing the foundations—but the real aim and prize is increasing the opportunity for farmers, so that they have the stability, investment and real sense of purpose and mission that allows them not just to survive, but to thrive.”
House of Commons4 December 2024Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“As the Minister pointed out, many farms will not be affected by the measure and it will not have the impact that Opposition Members are leading people to believe. We have an opportunity to support our farmers, as I touched on in my response to the hon. Member for Upper Bann (Carla Lockhart). I have sat down with farmers in my community and worked through the issues. They have taken their own tax advice. For example, there is a farm in my constituency that is worth around £3.6 million, so it will be liable for around £12,000 a year in inheritance tax over 10 years.”
House of Commons4 December 2024Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“I am sorry, but I will not. I spoke earlier about the strength and efficiencies in family farming. From everything that I have seen and heard from farmers so far, it is clear that while valuing embedded ways of working and learning is important, there is also much appetite for innovation and doing things better.”
House of Commons4 December 2024Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“We, as a Government, are meeting that energy and have a similar level of ambition, vision and commitment. We are looking at how these pillars of our community can work with us to achieve what we all strive for: greater prosperity for every person in this country.”
House of Commons4 December 2024Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“I will not, as I want to make progress. Just look at how farmers have led the way in restoring biodiversity and are diversifying into all sorts of new business ventures. The industry is not scared of change or opportunity, but much of it relies on and is driven by what Government determine is important through subsidies and trade agreements. After 14 years of uncertainty about what Government want from farmers, we must and will do better. Our farms are the lifeblood of this country, along with nurses, teachers, and, yes, train drivers. I know that farmers in my constituency of Ribble Valley are ready to do their bit to tackle the dire situation in which we find this country. I do not know a group more ready to pull up their sleeves and muck in than that lot.”
House of Commons4 December 2024Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“We will respect them and make the most of them by providing long-term stability and a clear route for farmers to contribute to our national missions, and to benefit from them. Anyone who has waited 14 years for a Labour Government to come in and start to tackle the fact that a quarter of our children are living in poverty knows that getting the result they want takes time and hard work. We have been in desperate need of grown-ups to tackle what is coming down the line. I trust this Labour Government to do that and I will work hard with them to get it right. Finally, I pay tribute to all the incredible farmers across Ribble Valley for continuing the conversation with me, so that we can build the strongest possible vision for farming and the rural economy in the UK.”
House of Commons4 December 2024Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗