Katie White
MP for Leeds North West · Labour · United Kingdom
“I would like to highlight three things that this Government have done to tackle climate change. First, we have brought forward carbon budget 7. I pay tribute to many Members of this House for the excellent discussion we had, with contributions from Members from Darlington to Devon, via Derby.”
“I agree with my hon. Friend’s comments on public support. Ultimately, pretty much everybody in this House cares about the people and places that we love.”
“I thank my hon. Friend for her contributions on climate change in the debate last week on carbon budget 7. The recent heatwave showed us for the first time the implications that we face across our country.”
“I will absolutely congratulate Winchester city council on leading on this. Councils play a hugely important role, and I am looking forward to meeting many of them to discuss this issue when I visit the Local Government Association later this week.”
“I thank my hon. Friend—another fantastic speaker in the carbon budget debate the week before last—and Ranelagh school students for presenting their ideas.”
“As I am the one answering the hon. Member’s question, I cannot comment on those decisions. The OBR has put forward various reports to look at the impacts of climate change on our economy, and the value of investment versus the cost of inaction.”
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“We are working closely with the Scottish Government, the Office for Investment and Scottish Enterprise to attract future investment and transform the area into a clean energy and sustainable technology hub. This effort is already delivering results. We have received over 100 inquiries to date, and the investment pipeline is supported by the £14.5 million in funding announced at the Budget, alongside the National Wealth Fund’s £200 million for co-investment opportunities at Grangemouth. Today, I can confirm that, along with the Scottish Government, we have made £3 million available for MiAlgae, an innovative biotechnology company that produces sustainable omega-3 rich products, which will create over 130 direct jobs at the site and 310 jobs across Scotland over five years.”
“The refining sector has faced long-standing challenges, and recent closures underline the scale of change. Petroineos’s decision to end refining at Grangemouth was disappointing. As my hon. Friend said, while the difficulties there were well known, there was no Government plan in place before we took office. Within weeks of doing so, we worked with the Scottish Government to put together a £100 million package to support the community and invest in the local workforce, along with tailored support to secure good alternative jobs. When we came into government, there was no overall plan for Grangemouth from either the SNP or the Tories. We have put one in place. We are committed to securing Grangemouth’s long-term industrial future.”
“Thank you, Mr Western. That is why, in June, we convened the first ministerial roundtable with the refining industry in more than a decade, providing a clear signal of our commitment to partnership and dialogue. As announced in the autumn Budget, we will shortly launch a call for evidence to inform the UK’s long-term strategy for the downstream oil sector. That will seek industry views on the opportunities and barriers to transition, the risks facing the sector and the types of support needed to deliver and manage a competitive transition. These actions underline our determination to work hand in hand with industry. I thank the Scottish Affairs Committee for its recent report, and my hon. Friend the Member for West Dunbartonshire (Douglas McAllister) for sharing it.”
“This includes £300 million from Great British Energy to provide upfront public investment, £400 million from the Crown Estate to support new infrastructure, including ports, manufacturing, and research and testing facilities, and £300 million from the offshore wind industry to deliver new investment into supply chains such as advanced turbine technologies and foundations.”
“We have fundamentally reformed the offshore wind system to get better value for money. Under the old system, the Government set a budget and had no further control over quantity and price. We recognise the importance of robust domestic supply chains both in supporting the continued growth of this industry and in ensuring that British workers and communities benefit from the jobs that are created. The Government have therefore set out a package of support, worth up to £1 billion, for offshore wind supply chains.”
“The Government are determined to do everything we can to help our offshore wind sector to thrive and to deliver for the British people. The contract for difference scheme is vital to our mission to make the UK a clean energy superpower. Allocation rounds 7 to 9 are crucial for the delivery of our goal of clean power by 2030 and for protecting households from volatile fossil fuel prices. On Monday, we confirmed that a total budget of £900 million is available for fixed-bottom offshore wind in allocation round 7—an increase on the previous allocation round’s initial budget when comparing on a like-for-like basis. That is the initial budget for fixed-bottom offshore wind, but we have the ability to view unsuccessful bids and adjust the budget later if we deem that doing so is good value for consumers.”
“At the end of June, the UK was generating 16.7 GW from offshore wind. That is the highest amount in Europe, and worldwide we are second only to China—a country with a population roughly 20 times the size of ours. We have consented 4.2 GW since we came into office, and we have 75 GW of capacity in the pipeline, which equates to a 450% increase on our current, world-leading amount. We also have the second most installed floating offshore wind capacity—after Norway—and, at over 25 GW, the largest pipeline of floating offshore wind projects in the world. And yet we are confident that the best is yet to come. From north-east England to Scotland and the Celtic sea, incredible things are happening across the country in this industry.”
“It certainly is! I congratulate my hon. Friend the Member for Newcastle upon Tyne East and Wallsend (Mary Glindon) on securing a debate on this important issue, and on her passion, authenticity and representation of her area. I do not think that any of us are in doubt of those qualities tonight. I know that this matter is close to the hearts of many Members and their constituents, particularly in our industrial heartlands. This Government are on a mission to make Britain a clean energy superpower, delivering clean power by 2030 and accelerating to net zero. Offshore wind is the beating heart of that mission. The sector is already providing secure clean energy, as well as thousands of skilled jobs, bringing growth and opportunities to communities such as those in Tyneside. The sector is also an international success story.”
“But this Government are not content with simply winning the race for clean power; we want to build the industries of the future here in Britain and, in so doing, we want to create a new generation of good, skilled jobs for the communities we depend on and to ensure that the economic benefits of the clean power transition are felt in Tyneside and in every corner of our country. I know that the Minister for Energy had a fantastic visit to the Smulders UK yard in Wallsend in the summer, and he will be happy to meet my hon. Friend the Member for Newcastle upon Tyne East and Wallsend. Question put and agreed to.”
“On the transmission cable over the River Tyne, I confirm that the Government are open to discussing the progress of the proposals to underground the cable with National Grid. The decision for approving the project lies with Ofgem as the independent regulator, which must demonstrate that there are benefits to consumers when approving network projects. To sum up, our offshore wind sector is a British success story of which we should all be proud. Thanks to the perfect conditions provided by the North sea, as well as our legendary offshore workforce and supply chains, we are perfectly placed to keep leading the way.”
“In 2023, the UK Infrastructure Bank invested £50 million in the Port of Tyne as part of a debt refinancing package of up to £100 million. That finance was provided to regenerate and redevelop land, building a base for a growing number of clean energy industries in the area, including offshore wind, advanced manufacturing and other renewable activities. In September, the Port of Tyne announced that it is investing £150 million to transform 23 acres into the Tyne clean energy park, adding 400 metres of deep-water quayside to support offshore renewables, clean energy and advanced manufacturing. According to the Port of Tyne, the redevelopment could create up to 12,000 jobs and deliver £5.6 billion to the economy. I look forward to working with my hon. Friend to help us realise that potential.”
“On 19 October, we published our clean energy jobs plan, which sets out how the Government will work in partnership with industry and trade unions to help workers in all parts of the country to benefit from these opportunities, supporting our existing workforce to find new opportunities, training up the next generation, and supporting our young people to get good, unionised jobs. Let me turn to our support for the north-east. Tyneside is ideally placed to service the offshore energy sector, including one of the world’s largest offshore wind markets. The Tyne has the capacity to become a major hub for the installation and maintenance of offshore wind farms, and to service the supply chain that will grow from it.”
“We also know that we will need even more skilled workers to achieve our mission in the years ahead, and with our analysis suggesting that the offshore wind sector alone could support up to 100,000 jobs by 2030, we are determined to ensure that our industrial communities benefit. That is why we have set up the Office for Clean Energy Jobs, which will provide training and support to the workforce in the clean energy and net zero sectors. Our priority is creating good jobs in Britain’s industrial heartlands, including a just transition for the industries based in the North sea.”
“Friend the Member for Newcastle upon Tyne East and Wallsend said, criteria 2 of the clean industry bonus rewards investments in cleaner supply chains, measured by sign-up to the science-based target initiative for decarbonisation. It so happens that the overwhelming majority of qualifying suppliers are in the UK or the European Union—very few suppliers outside the region qualify under criteria 2. It was great to see the clean industry bonus auction smash bid expectations earlier this year, and we look forward to seeing the investments come in after auction round 7, showing that when the Government lead with ambition, industry is ready to match it.”
“I will ensure that the Minister for Energy is aware of his issues and feeds them in. I am sure he will—I believe he is a friend of the hon. Gentleman. This is a genuinely transformative package of investment, and by providing that support, as well as clarity in our plans, we are giving investors and developers the confidence to invest in the future. It is expected that the £1 billion package of investment will directly and indirectly mobilise billions more, as well as supporting thousands of jobs in our industrial heartlands. We have also introduced a clean industry bonus to reward projects that invest in coastal communities, industrial heartlands and cleaner supply chains. As my hon.”
“Thank you, Mr Speaker. I thank the hon. Lady for her continued advocacy on this agenda. I have enjoyed working with her from the Back Benches and hope to continue to do so in this new post. I am excited to share with her and the whole House the carbon budget growth and delivery plan later this month. What I can say now is that ensuring that low and middle-income families can benefit from the energy transition is absolutely central to our mission. It is why we are rolling out the biggest home upgrade scheme in a generation and why we are moving away from expensive fossil fuels towards cheap, clean British power in homes and communities across our country.”
“It is slightly above my pay grade to determine the Prime Minister’s diary, but I can assure the hon. Lady that we will proudly launch the carbon budget growth and delivery plan later this month.”
“I thank my hon. Friend for repeatedly raising these issues in the House—I know that climate change is of huge concern to her and her constituents. I am proud that Britain has led the way with our independent Committee on Climate Change, established under the Climate Change Act 2008, which has worked effectively for nearly two decades, under leadership from Labour and the Conservatives—I sincerely hope that we can re-establish that consensus. We are grateful to the Committee for its scientific recommendations to the Department. Obviously, it is for the Department now to consider them, and we will report back on our decisions at the end of the month.”
“Homes and home standards are absolutely key to decarbonisation for a variety of reasons, including the health benefits for residents. We will consult on the warm homes plan, and the Under-Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, my hon. Friend the Member for Inverclyde and Renfrewshire West (Martin McCluskey), spoke about the warm home discount earlier. We are working with MHCLG on bringing forward the future home standard.”
“In this role, there are a lot of acronyms. I have to say that I did not know P441 until I sat on this Bench, but I understand from my colleagues that we are looking into that. We support local community projects, and we will be looking at that project and will come back to the hon. Member on P441.”
“I share my hon. Friend’s concern regarding those reports. This Government are focused on making transport greener, including by cutting air pollution to improve health and the environment. We also need to ensure that people are abiding by the rules. The responsible body, the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency, is pursuing the potential diesel emissions non-compliance using its procedures and the tools available. Officials at the DFT have assured me that the findings from these investigations will be published in a timely and appropriate manner; as an impatient politician, I can assure her that I will continue to press for a prompt and thorough interpretation of “timely”.”
“With Yorkshire honesty, I will say it plainly: if we want strong communities, we have to back hospitality. Under Labour, that is what we are doing, and will continue to do.”
“It is breathing life back into the high streets, backing community pubs and supporting the cafés and restaurants that make places like Otley, Yeadon, Adel and Horsforth such brilliant places to live. We in Leeds North West can already see what success looks like. Bavette in Horsforth took over a vacant high street unit, and within a year it was awarded a Bib Gourmand. In Otley, a wave of female-led businesses is driving a revival, from Belle beauty salon and Mollie & Mauve florists to the Secret Garden café and the Bookshop on the Square. Vacancy rates in our town are now well below the national average, and footfall is hitting record highs. That is the strength and spirit of our local entrepreneurs, and with Labour backing hospitality, I know that we will hear many more stories like those.”
“This Government stepped in with a 40% discount for retail, hospitality and leisure properties, up to a cash cap of £110,000, and a freeze in the small business multiplier. Together, that support package was worth over £1.6 billion in 2025-26, saving the average pub more than £3,300 in 2025. I know that Ministers are looking closely at business rates over the next few months to ensure long-term certainty, and small businesses across my constituency would certainly welcome that. This Government have done what every pub-goer can cheer: they have cut duty on draught beer and taken a penny off a pint. Through the hospitality support scheme, I am proud that this Government are backing Pub is The Hub, giving community pubs the support that they need to keep delivering for their communities.”
“I am proud to be part of a Labour party that is revitalising our high streets. The new high street rental auctions are absolutely brilliant. In Otley, I am working with local businesses on the “Take Back Fultons” campaign. For many years, there has been a huge empty building on the high street, which has been an eyesore. We are looking to bring it back into use, through initiatives introduced by this Labour Government. Ministers from across Government are meeting me next week to talk about the campaign, because these are cross-Government initiatives. We are on the side of hospitality. Earlier this year, businesses were staring at a cliff edge, with temporary business rates reliefs due to expire.”
“Member for Meriden and Solihull East (Saqib Bhatti) said about humility, but let us be clear that the pressures that we are talking about did not come out of nowhere, and they did not start in July last year. Under the Conservatives, more than 6,000 pubs and bars closed. The legacy of a decade of neglect is shuttered shopfronts, struggling high streets and local people losing the places that hold communities together. I know that things are tough and how hard businesses are working, and I applaud and appreciate all that they are doing. I commit to being a champion for them. I am proud to be part of a Labour Government who are beginning to address the challenges by cutting red tape and providing for new hospitality and night-time economy zones to simplify licensing, boost footfall and support al fresco dining.”
“Anyone who knows my constituency of Leeds North West will know how much our pubs, cafés and restaurants mean to people. Do not get me started on the coffee from Woodlawn, the cakes from the Bramble Bakehouse, the croissants from the Underground Bakery and the curry from Daastan. We have nearly 300 places to eat, 72 pubs and three fantastic breweries. They are where people meet, celebrate birthdays and meet their friends, and they help to keep our high streets alive. I am in them most weekends, and with typical Yorkshire honesty, the owners never sugar-coat it—they tell me straight about the pressures that they face. I listened to what the hon.”
“I work closely with fantastic local businesses across Leeds North West, and I know they already have a lot to contend with, so I am concerned to see a pattern of crime on our high streets, from burglaries to other forms of vandalism, that leaves owners in Horsforth and Adel feeling unsafe. At the same time, like most hon. Members, I am very aware that the Government have inherited a significant backlog that undermines the sense that justice will be served. How does the Minister plan to address that so the individuals responsible are dealt with and small business owners know that we are on their side?”
“Friend the Member for Leeds Central and Headingley (Alex Sobel), Leeds has so much to offer, thanks to our vibrant community. In my constituency of Leeds North West, many local businesses are celebrating and showing their support with vibrant rainbow flags and Pride-themed window displays, such as Courtyard Creativities in Horsforth. There is so much to celebrate, but there is still work to be done. The community, as we have discussed already— I am sure more will come—still faces discrimination and last year, sadly, 10,000 hate crimes were reported to West Yorkshire police. I am proud that we are leading the charge, committing to strengthening our hate crimes legislation until everyone is free to live and express themselves without fear.”
“I thank my hon. Friend the Minister for Creative Industries, Arts and Tourism for opening this important debate and giving us this opportunity, and for doing it in such a poignant yet joyful way. I am also honoured to be sharing the Chamber with both of my predecessors; I think that shows that this is an area where we do have more in common. From boxing champion and sporting legend Nicola Adams to beloved playwright Alan Bennett and award-winning composer Angela Morley, Leeds has produced countless trailblazers who are part of the LGBTQ+ community. In true Yorkshire fashion, we don’t do things by halves. Leeds boasts one of the biggest LGBTQ+ communities in the UK. From The Bookish Type, an independent bookshop, to the Leeds Queer Film Festival in our city centre, represented by my hon.”
“I declare that I am an ambassador for Leeds Women’s Aid. I welcome, as do my constituents in Leeds North West, the proposed changes to the victims’ right to review scheme that are being piloted, which will give victims a greater say in their cases. Will the Solicitor General outline the specific way in which those changes will help victims and what the impacts will be?”
“The UN ocean conference in Leeds last week marked a turning point, with countries coming together to accelerate action to protect and restore our seas, including the UK’s welcome commitment to end destructive bottom trawling in some of our most biodiverse waters. Will my right hon. Friend join me in celebrating that progress and support those international efforts by providing parliamentary time to ratify the high seas treaty?”
“That is why I support the moves by the Government and the combined authority to bring our buses back into public ownership, and I will back national and local efforts to make that happen.”
“Leeds Bradford airport is welcoming thousands of travellers this summer with a new terminal, offering a more comfortable start to their holidays, but it remains poorly served by public transport and has no proper rail link to the city centre and communities. As we embrace mass transit, we must seize the opportunities to connect the airport to the network, ensuring that the Weaver network is ready for take-off with no delays. Beyond those large-scale projects, our communities need reliable, affordable bus services, as my hon. Friend said. Towns and villages such as Otley and Pool-in-Wharfedale deserve fast, frequent connections, and those heading to Horsforth—recently and rightly voted one of the best places to live in the UK—should not have to rely on taxis for a night out.”
“It is a pleasure to serve under your chairwomanship, Ms Jardine. I thank my hon. Friend the Member for Leeds South West and Morley (Mark Sewards) for securing this important and timely debate. After years of waiting, we are finally getting a mass transit network worthy of a great world city, thanks to the Government’s support for West Yorkshire transport and the tireless efforts of our Labour Mayor, Tracy Brabin. This investment must benefit everyone, including my constituents in Leeds North West. Let us make sure there are no delays in moving from phase 1 to phase 2, establishing strong connections across our region.”
“Does the hon. Member agree that although those announcements were made, like many other announcements, such as those on hospitals, they were never funded, and so the Treasury never allocated the money to them. He is right that there was a similar intention, but we are fulfilling on the delivery of that intention.”
“If we want a prosperous and productive future, the most powerful investment that we can make is in the opportunities, wellbeing and potential of our young people today.”
“We should bring together young people, parents, schools and community groups to ensure that long-term funding is targeted at youth services where they are needed most. The investment should align with the Government’s goal of improving mental health support in schools, not as a stand-alone fix, but as a broader part of our strategy. My questions for the Minister are: how can we better support community-wide, wraparound services, ensure direct funding, and bring together schools, parents, youth workers and local organisations to meet that need? What further steps can we take to limit the negative impacts of smartphones and social media on young people’s mental health, beyond supporting the ban on phones in schools and raising the digital age of consent?”
“However, over the past decade, local services have been decimated; they have lost more than £1 billion since 2010. In my constituency, I recently met Tahlia, who attended one of my surgeries to talk about the lack of support for her children with special educational needs, and the lack of youth services in our community. Rather than wait for action, Tahlia took it upon herself to connect with organisations to explore how best to support the youth of Horsforth. She is working with others to transform a derelict building into a community hub for young people, with a focus on supporting neurodiverse needs. That is a powerful example not only of community leadership, but of unmet need. I would like us to do more to support meaningful local consultation.”
“According to the Government’s “Keep Britain Working” report, young people with mental health conditions are nearly five times more likely to be economically inactive. Since 2015, there has been a surge in the number of young people with work-limiting health conditions to 1.2 million, and more than half a million of those cases come down to poor mental health. Although there has been welcome progress from this Government—they have launched the national youth strategy, committed to ensuring more mental health support teams in schools, and increased investment in early intervention—the pressures on young people continue to grow. Young people face challenges that were never encountered by previous generations, including the impact of smartphones and social media, which bring increased social pressures.”
“I thank my hon. Friend the Member for Croydon East (Natasha Irons) for securing this important debate. The long-term funding of youth services is not just an issue of public spending; we are talking about an investment in the next generation, and in building a future in which all young people can thrive. As colleagues have said, we face a mental health crisis. According to recent NHS data, one in five children now has a probable mental health condition. I was really saddened to read the latest UNICEF data, which places the UK near the bottom of the league table of high-income countries for the wellbeing of children and the happiness of teenagers. The UK ranked 27th out of 36 on child mental health, and British teenagers were joint second from last for overall happiness. The economic consequences are stark, too.”
“Last week marked the 99th birthday of Sir David Attenborough and the release of his powerful new film, “Ocean”. I encourage all Members to watch it. It makes a compelling case for ocean protection as essential to tackling climate change and restoring nature. With the 2025 UN ocean conference in France fast approaching, will my hon. Friend ensure the UK arrives in the strongest position for that conference by ratifying the high seas treaty and delivering our domestic nature restoration goals through measures, including ending bottom trawling in marine protected areas?”
“In its first six months, the National Wealth Fund, based in Leeds, has fuelled almost 10,000 jobs and unlocked £1.8 billion of private investment. Can the Minister confirm that this deal will equal more investment in British businesses?”
“Leeds is leading the way in health tech, with Leeds teaching hospitals, the city council, NHS Digital and firms like EMIS, headquartered in Rawdon in my constituency, driving real innovation. How will the Secretary of State and his team ensure that Leeds is at the heart of the NHS 10-year plan, so that we can shift to prevention and spread the benefits to every corner of the UK?”
“I warmly welcome the refocusing on early years by this Government, and I also welcome the school-based nursery announcements today; I am particularly excited about the one at Tranmere Park primary school in Guiseley in my constituency. How many children do we think will be affected by this announcement, and how many parents will benefit from it?”
“I welcome the Minister’s statement and his trademark constructive and authoritative tone. Often it is frontline police officers who deal with the consequences of aggressive action by hostile states on Britain’s streets. I specifically welcome the Minister’s announcement that training on state threats activity will be offered by counter-terrorism police to all 45 territorial police forces. Can he provide a further update on the roll-out of that training?”
“I think the vast majority of people in the room and, certainly, across my constituency have their eyes open to the challenges of Brexit and the obstacles we faced. Does my hon. Friend agree that the world has changed and that, in the new world order, what is possible for Europe, including our own country, will change too? As he says, we need pragmatic and creative solutions to strengthen and protect our place in an increasingly uncertain world. Does he agree that a new bargain, in which we have access to the single market in exchange for security assurances and a mechanism for reasonable, but not legally required, regulatory alignment, where the benefits outweigh the costs—not with free movement—could be a route forward?”
“I am sure that the thoughts of the whole House are with the Minister’s constituent Joanne, and I am sorry for that loss. The scale of violence against women and girls in my constituency of Leeds North West and across the country is intolerable. Our manifesto commitment to halve violence against women and girls by the end of the decade, which the Minister mentioned, is much needed and ambitious. How will her Department contribute to delivering this critical commitment? Specifically, what steps does her Department plan to take to reduce the backlog of domestic violence cases, and to support victims of domestic abuse?”
“T7. I welcome the progress that the Secretary of State and her team have made. It is clear that she is moving at pace to increase opportunities for all. Will she update the House on what progress she has made on our commitment to deliver mental health support in schools?”
“This is a crucial moment, and while I appreciate that this process will take place over a 12-month period, an update by the summer would be very helpful. Taking any opportunity we can to increase the length of childhood for all our children would be beneficial to all of our constituents and to the country.”