Jonathan Davies
MP for Mid Derbyshire · Labour · United Kingdom
“The Minister was right when she said that climate change drives nature loss, and nature loss drives climate change. We are seeing the effects of that on people’s health, the economy and global security, so I welcome the work that the Government are doing to address that.”
“One in five people experience domestic violence in their lifetime—around one in four women, and one in six or seven men—but it is thought that only 20% of it is reported. It is also thought that there is significant under-reporting of the domestic violence experienced by men, due to social stigma.”
“I am grateful to His Majesty’s Opposition for calling this debate today, as it gives me an opportunity to talk about a survey of young people that I did last year.”
“I really hope that it is a success. I know that in Cornwall—my hon. Friend’s part of the world—there will be a great many businesses and visitors benefiting from the scheme. Alan Milburn’s report, which highlighted that a million young people are out of work, is something that I am struggling to comprehend.”
“On summer jobs, it is particularly important to highlight our support for hospitality, including cutting business rates for pubs and live music venues by 15%, which will be followed by a two-year freeze. We are also increasing the hospitality support fund to £10 million, which will really help those sectors.”
“I thank the hon. Member for her intervention. My focus is on the people of Mid Derbyshire, but I am sure that the people of Clacton will hold their representative to account in the appropriate way.”
The complete record
Every one of 272 lines we hold for Jonathan Davies, in date order, each linked to its source. Free to read, in full, without an account. Page 1 of 6.
“One in five people experience domestic violence in their lifetime—around one in four women, and one in six or seven men—but it is thought that only 20% of it is reported. It is also thought that there is significant under-reporting of the domestic violence experienced by men, due to social stigma. What steps is the Department taking to understand the scale of the problem and to drive action?”
“The Minister was right when she said that climate change drives nature loss, and nature loss drives climate change. We are seeing the effects of that on people’s health, the economy and global security, so I welcome the work that the Government are doing to address that. There has been a national security assessment on global biodiversity loss. May I encourage the Minister to put as many as possible of its findings into the public domain, so that people understand the threats to our security? May I also invite her to give us some information about the relationship between the report’s findings and the new climate security taskforce?”
“The warm home discount is a great initiative to help households cut their bills, but one thing we could expand to do more in this space is our heat network programme, and we may be getting a heat network in Derby. However, there is often a lack of awareness, particularly in some public sector organisations and businesses, of the opportunities that heat networks offer. It may be that winding down the public sector decarbonisation scheme is not enabling as many as we would like to sign up. Could I ask the Minister to look at our engagement with business, the public sector and housing providers to make sure that as many people as possible can benefit from heat networks?”
“The hon. Lady called out the record of the previous Government, and she was right to do so. However, I remember that in 2012 youth unemployment stood at 22%, 4% higher than it is now. Of course, her party was in government at that time. I am keen to work collaboratively, but it is worth just noting that.”
“When I receive applications from people who want to work with me, I always think it is welcome if they spent their early career in hospitality, because workers can learn a great many skills in that industry that will serve them well in a great many jobs across the labour market. I also spent some time as a grave-digger, during the holidays when I was in the sixth form and at university—it perhaps serves as a metaphor for one or two things I have done subsequently. I understand that this summer there may be some jobs going with the new occupant of Downing Street. If the Minister could have a word on my behalf, I shall be waiting by the phone.”
“I am grateful to His Majesty’s Opposition for calling this debate today, as it gives me an opportunity to talk about a survey of young people that I did last year. It was a broad survey and statistically significant, with more than 500 young people in Mid Derbyshire engaging on their work and education opportunities and sharing their views on their futures. Before I come to that, I will offer some reflections of my own experience of summer jobs, as that is the title of today’s debate. One such job was pulling out weeds for very low pay, which really taught me the value of hard work. I would go home from that job every day absolutely exhausted. I also spent some time during the university holidays pulling pints, which taught me how to deal with difficult people—a skill that I find myself using quite regularly in my current role.”
“My independence seems—and I imagine it does for a lot of young people—like it will never fully arrive.” That was mirrored in the fact that a great many of the young people who engaged with my survey were not optimistic about their futures. That is a moral and political tragedy.”
“I thank the hon. Member for her intervention. My focus is on the people of Mid Derbyshire, but I am sure that the people of Clacton will hold their representative to account in the appropriate way. Of the young people who responded to my survey, 44% said that the cost of living was the biggest issue they faced, followed by housing and renting costs at 34% and employment and jobs at 33%. I want to read just one contribution from a constituent, which I found to be particularly profound. They said: “Life for young people especially isn’t just unaffordable—it feels completely unattainable. I’ve had a job for nearly 5 years and am on the minimum wage. There is no way, with the state of the housing market and general cost to live that I’d be able to sustain moving out, renting or even learning to drive/buying a car.”
“After the financial crisis in 2008, the previous Labour Government cut VAT to 15%—it was subsequently put up to 20% when the Conservatives came in—and that was a real shot in the arm for the economy. If the Great British summer savings scheme shows evidence of being a real driver for economic growth, particularly in the important visitor economy sector that employs a lot of young people, we should see whether we can harness that and offer a different rate of VAT for the visitor economy and hospitality sectors. I believe that that would be good for the economy. It would also be good for our high streets and people’s sense of place and wellbeing.”
“We stood by businesses in covid, and we are asking them to stand with us now as we rebuild public services. As the economy continues to grow, I hope that that option is on the table for the Government. There are a few things that I would like the Minister to bear in mind going forward. I very much welcome the Great British summer savings scheme, which offers VAT cuts to the visitor economy sector, which is a very important employer of young people, including in Derbyshire. Once that scheme ends, I would be grateful if a review could be undertaken to see how much economic growth and how many jobs it generated. My long-term aspiration is for us to be in a place where we can offer a VAT cut, particularly for the hospitality sector.”
“Young people should not be working as many hours as they can yet still not able to get by. The point about national insurance is quite interesting. The decision to increase employer national insurance was a difficult one. I would rather we had not had to do make that decision, but we did. Public services were failing so badly that that in itself was a brake on the economy. I note that the previous Government also effectively tried to increase national insurance by 1.25% in 2021. That was called the health and social care levy, but they did row back on it. The reality is that we have a long-term problem with public services, and it is holding back people’s lives and the economy. We have grasped the nettle on that, but I hope that sometime later in this Parliament we can revisit the issue.”
“On summer jobs, it is particularly important to highlight our support for hospitality, including cutting business rates for pubs and live music venues by 15%, which will be followed by a two-year freeze. We are also increasing the hospitality support fund to £10 million, which will really help those sectors. We have heard a little bit from the Opposition Benches today about wage increases and national insurance. On wage increases, when I go to food banks I often meet young people who are in work but tell me that they are still not making ends meet, and that point comes through from the survey that I did. That really is a tragedy. While I acknowledge the concerns that businesses have raised with me and that the Opposition have raised today, I do welcome the wage increases. We have to deal with this cost of living crisis.”
“I spent most of the hon. Gentleman’s intervention trying to find out what is going on in Clacton, but perhaps the Minister heard what he said and will furnish him with a response in his summing up. The Government are doing a great many good things to support young people. There is more to do, but I will touch on some of the things we are doing. We have an unemployment rate of 4.9%. That is far too high, but we are outperforming many other major economies, including Canada and the EU. I particularly welcome the youth guarantee, the growth and skills levy and the other levers that we are introducing to reduce business costs, including on energy. We are expanding access to finance through the British Business Bank, and we are reducing red tape and licensing costs.”
“We do have a great deal of work to do, but I think the foundations are there to do something for young people and work, particularly the summer savings scheme. I would be grateful if the Minister were to take that forward and see if we can expand it into the future.”
“I really hope that it is a success. I know that in Cornwall—my hon. Friend’s part of the world—there will be a great many businesses and visitors benefiting from the scheme. Alan Milburn’s report, which highlighted that a million young people are out of work, is something that I am struggling to comprehend. It is a moral scandal that has been brewing for a very long time, and the Government are taking steps to address it. It is worth noting that while youth unemployment is appallingly high—now at 16.2%—it is lower than it was under the previous Government in 2012. We have a great deal of work to do to give young people a sense of hope and opportunity for the future— [ Interruption. ] Well, 2012 was four years after the financial crisis. We also effectively had a financial crash of our own to deal with after the mini-Budget.”
“I welcome this record investment in defence, and I appreciate that it may lead to us making cuts elsewhere in public expenditure. One casualty may be the expansion of the A38 in Derby, which has been on and off under successive Governments for the past 40 years. Some local people would welcome the scheme’s not going ahead, particularly on environmental grounds, but others would see a cancellation as a brake on economic growth, and we need economic growth to fund our defence. Will the Secretary of State work with me to convince the Treasury and the Department for Transport that we need more investment in Derby, so that our economy can thrive, and we can contribute to defence through public expenditure in the future?”
“We are making some very positive changes in the NHS, but I want to push the Secretary of State briefly on changes we are making to the mechanisms that allow people to feed back on their care. We are winding down the National Guardian’s Office and Healthwatch; we are also removing NHS England, which has a regulatory function—and we know that regulators have failed in the case of this trust. What steps can my right hon. Friend take to ensure that those feedback mechanisms will enable people to be heard and action to be taken, so that we can prevent this kind of scandal from happening again?”
“She came to see me as part of Donna Ockenden’s inquiry, and sadly she had engaged with the trust on a number of occasions because she felt that she was experiencing complications with her pregnancy. She was told to lie down and have a fizzy drink and then have an early night, and, despite repeated calls, she was repeatedly fobbed off. Sadly, her baby died. Behind that is a culture of a failure to engage. There was a very poor culture at the trust—so poor that “FOH” was written in patients’ medical notes and on whiteboards, standing for “F*** Off Home”. How could leaders not be more curious about the practices that were taking place on their watch, and where were the regulators? It is absolutely staggering.”
“Nottingham University hospitals NHS trust is one of the trusts that serves my constituents. For those who have been patients there, or who have had babies who have come to harm—I have met some of them—Donna Ockenden’s report is difficult reading indeed. In respect of the staff at that trust, many of them, often junior and low-paid, are on the frontline providing kind, compassionate, person-centred care, and they will be feeling raw today. We value what they do. We have heard a great deal about the appalling practices in the mortuary. They are subject to a criminal investigation, but I want to reflect on the experience of one of the several constituents I have met who have been affected by what we are discussing today.”
“Does the right hon. Lady not accept that the investment her Government made in offshore wind power has insulated British consumers against the fossil fuel price hikes we have seen as a consequence of the Iran war? That is evidence that investment in renewable energy is good for consumers and businesses.”
“The warm homes plan will help to deal with the cost of living crisis, but it also means that people who heat their homes using gas, for example, will use less of that product. I want to impress on the Minister the importance of nature-based solutions, especially in relation to flooding, which imposes a huge economic burden on businesses and homes. I should also like her to bear in mind green hydrogen, which presents a huge opportunity for the economy. Some great work is being done in Sweden. However, a huge amount of electricity is required for the electrolysis that is needed to produce green hydrogen. If we can do more with the SMRs, I believe that we have a viable opportunity to deliver with green hydrogen. It is a shame that time is so tight in such an important debate, but I shall have to leave it there for today.”
“It is important to bear in mind that the suggestions made by the independent Climate Change Committee are just suggestions, and that it is up to the Government of the day to pursue them. For example, we have heard some talk of banning meat and dairy products. I happen to know that the Secretary of State for Energy is very fond of a bacon sandwich, as is the chairman of the Environmental Audit Committee, so I do not think we will find ourselves in circumstances in which meat is banned. Let me refer to some of the opportunities that we have. The Government’s progress with the Rolls-Royce small modular reactors is fantastic news. I understand that they will be able to power nearly a million homes, and this is good news for jobs in the sector as well.”
“We have made good progress, cutting greenhouse gas emissions by about 50% since 1990, but the scale of the challenge is great, and it is having a massive impact on the economy. We are on a fossil fuel rollercoaster as we pay more to support people with health problems. We may see such problems today—and perhaps I should declare an interest, as someone who would get sunburnt under a 40-watt lightbulb. We are also seeing threats to our national security as access to natural resources is challenged, and that will be a driver of conflict. While we have a moral obligation to adapt, we are also presented with a huge opportunity for our economy. The green industries of the future are already creating growth here, and creating some fantastic jobs.”
“Owing to the three-minute speaking limit, I will do my best to summarise my speech. I also apologise to the constituents whom I told that I would raise specific issues on their behalf, because I may not be able to cover all the points that I had hoped to make. The last Labour Government made huge strides in respect of climate change, introducing the first legislation in the form of the Climate Change Act 2008 and the first carbon budget. That was taken up by other countries across the world. I also pay tribute to past Conservative Governments—David Cameron and Theresa May took that work forward—and I hope we can find a consensus across the House on the way ahead. Climate change affects so many aspects of our lives in the United Kingdom.”
“The St Ralph Sherwin Catholic Multi Academy Trust, which runs a number of schools in Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire, is facing extreme financial difficulties despite the considerable extra support that it has received from the Department for Education. We east midlands MPs have written to the Department, but perhaps Ministers could find out whether there is anything else that we can do, and also look at the academy funding model more generally, because the built-in financial risk undermines the education of our children at times.”
“I would be grateful if the Secretary of State could keep the situation on the neighbouring lines under review to ensure that there is capacity and that there is support for the staff working on those other operators, if they need it.”
“I thank my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for her statement. I associate myself with her condolences to the driver’s family and her remarks on those who were injured, and offer my thanks to those who responded from the emergency services, those in the NHS who continue to provide care and treatment and the railway staff. I welcome my right hon. Friend’s saying that she will heed the RAIB’s recommendations and consider them carefully. Many of my constituents use that stretch of railway. I note that there is a recommendation not to travel unless it is essential, but some, including key workers, may have to use the railway and travel on alternative lines. I am conscious that there may be extra pressure on those lines and that, particularly in this hot weather, tempers sometimes fray on the railway.”
“I thank the Secretary of State for the considered way in which he has delivered his statement. In December 2025, The BMJ reported that “the Pathways trial should wait for findings from former patients treated by GIDS between 2009 and 2020” and that “A data linkage study of 9000 patients, now adults, has full HRA approval, and NHS England has encouraged gender clinicians to cooperate, describing it as an opportunity to gather ‘high quality evidence.’” But T he BMJ reported that the clinicians “refused to share their data”. Hilary Cass said that was “extraordinary”. Can he tell us whether all the data that is out there is available and whether it is being shared appropriately?”
“T4. The National Centre for Arts and Music Education is due to be up and running this September. Can the Secretary of State tell us whether it will be ready in time and who will run it, and can she give us an overview of its remit?”
“The Labour Government’s summer of savings programme—cutting VAT on visitor attractions and children’s meals and providing free bus travel for under-16s this August—is welcome news for families in Derbyshire and those visiting the county, which is a much-loved holiday destination. It is also an important shot in the arm for a sector that is struggling. May I suggest to the Leader of the House that, once we have assessed how successful that scheme has been, we have a debate in Government time in the autumn to bring insights from constituencies across the country on what more we can do for the sector?”
“National parks and natural landscapes provide huge benefits to people’s health and wellbeing, and to biodiversity and the economy. Can the Minister tell me what steps we can take through the next iteration of the national planning policy framework to ensure that the aforementioned benefits are not undermined when infrastructure projects must be progressed?”
“I was interested in what the right hon. Gentleman said about the pooling of money following resale through the hall’s box office. Would it not be palatable for the members of the hall to have an agreed price by which those tickets are resold? Instead of the money being pooled, they could receive their portion of the contribution that they make.”
“However, the central question before us tonight is: do we block this legislation, or do we seek to improve it through parliamentary process? I choose the latter. There may be ways in which we can improve the Bill, and we can certainly improve its transparency and ensure that those with a decision-making or governance role in the running of the hall do not use it as an opportunity to make huge and excess profits.”
“The Royal Albert Hall is undoubtedly one of our premier cultural institutions, and it does a great deal of public good. It hosts a great many events that simply could not be hosted elsewhere, particularly large-scale choral and classical music. It is worth noting that the hall was an early adopter of the ticket levy scheme and has put over £300,000 back into grassroots music venues around the country, which have historically been underfunded. Undoubtedly, the hall’s governance arrangements and business model are peculiar. If this was normal across the arts, I think we would rightly take issue with it, but it is not normal. I note that among OECD countries, the UK is 22nd out of 25 on how it funds the arts; in fact, we have seen a one-third cut in the amount that we spend on the arts since 2010.”
“That is a risk that they take on behalf of a venue whose future they seek to secure. I encourage the proposers of the Bill to work with this House and the other place to make sure that we get it over the line, because I want to see the Albert Hall thrive.”
“People come to events like the Proms because they want to hear classical music, for which we do not currently have an adequate audience at the moment, but we need the venue to be there for them to come.”
“I am not my right hon. Friend’s diary secretary, but perhaps the hall can get something moving soon. We should probably bring this debate to a close, but it opens a great many questions about how we fund the arts in this country. This model would not be acceptable for the Barbican, the Bridgewater Hall or other venues. We make an exception for the Royal Albert Hall, but we should not let it be the norm. We should look more carefully at the kinds of audiences that we create for the future through the National Centre for Arts and Music Education, so that places such as the Royal Albert Hall have an audience and do not become dependent on people having to pay huge amounts of money to see huge names.”
“It continues to be the case that the royal medical colleges and many of the organisations representing disabled people take issue with the Bill as it stands. Does the hon. Gentleman agree that, while many among the general public would like to see assisted dying, or assisted suicide, introduced in principle, the detail of the legislation matters, and therefore the House of Lords was doing its job in providing that scrutiny?”
“Parents, teachers and young people in Mid Derbyshire have spoken to me extensively about the harm that young people are receiving from social media and smartphones, but it is worth noting that many young people get their legitimate news content online. They also have a lot of access to educational material on places such as YouTube, and we have to be careful not to push young people towards more harmful places on the internet through legislation. What steps will the Minister take to ensure that young people can still get their legitimate news online? They are not engaging with traditional broadcasters or buying newspapers, and they need to access their educational content. We do not want there to be any unintended consequences.”
“I appreciate the clarity that the Minister has provided, telling us that the overall effect of this country’s package of sanctions will mean that Russia is much more under the screw than it was. One of the effects of Trump’s war in Iran is that the cost of Russian oil has been inflated, and that is perpetuating the war in Ukraine. Does the Minister agree that we need to redouble our efforts to enhance our domestic renewable and new nuclear production of energy so that we are less dependent on fossil fuel markets and less likely to be contributing to perpetuating conflicts around the world?”
“Many of these problems have been put in the “too difficult” box for too long; they are long term and difficult to fix. Does the hon. Member at least acknowledge that the Government’s investment through the national wealth fund of £600 million into small modular reactors is a real step forward and will bring people’s bills down in the long term?”
“I was also pleased with the £600 million for small modular reactors. That is excellent news for people in Derby, who have the skills to bring those forward. There is so much more to do. Many businesses in my constituency or nearby, such as Denby, are struggling. Denby lacks the grid connections to export the excess renewables produced at the weekend back into the grid. For ceramics producers, the cost of energy is a massive issue that holds the economy back.”
“Looking ahead, I would be keen to see the Government recognise the value of our UNESCO world heritage sites, as the chair of the all-party parliamentary group on that matter. The Government have opportunities to make offers on education, the economy and the environment. I am also keen that the Government look at the issue of VAT on hospitality, which is a sector that is struggling at the moment. We must also go further and faster with our business rates reform. I was pleased with some of the steps that the Government took in the first Session of this Parliament on energy, including rolling out the community energy scheme; that will make a massive difference to community institutions such as sports clubs, churches and parish councils, which will be able to generate more of their energy and export it to the grid.”
“It is a pleasure to contribute to this debate following His Majesty’s Gracious Speech, because it is an opportunity both to reflect on things that the Government have done and to look to the future. Progress is being made in so many areas, including in the NHS—I was pleased last week to see the biggest in-month fall in waiting times since 2008—action on cost of living issues and the economy. According to the young people who contributed to a survey I undertook towards the end of last year, the cost of living is the biggest issue holding them back. Measures such as freezing rail fares and ensuring the economy can deliver continued interest rates cuts put extra money in people’s pockets, but there is a huge amount still to do.”
“That is why many of the Government’s measures on driving forward energy security are so important. They will take time to deliver, but they will make a difference.”
“If the Government’s assessment had had the attention it needed, it would have had an impact on the strategic defence review, which talks about climate change, particularly in the High North. This is an issue that we are only beginning to get to grips with. If the Minister could take that away and raise it with his colleagues, I would be most grateful. As we look forward, I have some reflections about the Government’s first Session of Parliament. We have made significant progress in improving people’s lives in this country, but it is clear that there is a great deal more to do and that people are not feeling the change we promised so profoundly. It seems that so often our frame of reference for the challenges we face is the moment that we are in, not the long-term future of the country.”
“Ministers may be aware that the Government’s national security assessment states: “Global ecosystem degradation and collapse threaten UK national security and prosperity.” We therefore need to deal with our carbon emissions and our impact on the environment not just for the economy, but to prevent drivers of global conflict in the future. We know that our access to natural resources such as water, the way that we grow our food and extreme weather events will be drivers of conflict. We need to do more on energy for our economy and for domestic customers, but if we do not get a grip on climate change and the threats it poses to people in this country and around the world, we will see more conflict.”
“I absolutely would. These are their jobs, and they very much value the products produced at Denby. I put it to the Minister that if ceramics cannot go into the supercharger scheme, we need a different package to help the sector. The war in Iran has brought energy into sharp focus again. We have seen shocks to the economy and a risk that domestic customers and businesses will be paying much more. That is why we must go further and faster in our efforts to produce more home-grown energy through renewables and nuclear. However, another side to this issue is the environment, which I am somewhat disappointed has not featured more prominently in this debate.”
“I very much welcome what the Minister has said about the principles behind how we will use £400 billion of Government procurement to back companies up and down this country, and the workers behind them, by buying British. However, of course, many billions of pounds more are spent across the wider public sector, including by local authorities, the NHS and the police. Can the Minister tell me more about what he will be doing to bring those other bits of the public sector on board as he develops this process, especially to back the automotive trade?”
“T6. I have previously raised the case of the Ada Belfield care centre in Belper with my hon. Friend the Minister. At the moment, it has an uncertain future, because the Reform-led Derbyshire county council may sell the home. May I ask her to take an interest in this case to make sure that we have adequate adult social care provision in Derbyshire? She might like to raise that with the council’s leadership.”