Amanda Martin
MP for Portsmouth North · Labour · United Kingdom
“Last week, the all-party parliamentary group for tradespeople hosted a roundtable to discuss the barriers to young people taking up a career in the trades. Travel was raised as a particular issue.”
“As we celebrate 100 years, I want to encourage residents to follow the lion trail, which takes them to so many gems in my city, and to make their own memories. What next for year 101, and what will I strive to change?”
“I draw Members’ attention to my entry in the Register of Members’ Financial Interests. As chair of the all-party parliamentary group on Gibraltar, I warmly congratulate the Government on successfully securing this historic, landmark agreement.”
“It is where so many of my own memories were made: the street parties on Mousehole Road; rolling down Portsdown hill, which I must confess I have done rather more recently than perhaps I should have; spending long summer days sitting on the concrete steps at Hilsea lido, and how wonderful to see this much-loved landmark restored for future…”
“Sir David Amess understood what every Member of this House should remember: our greatest privilege is representing the people and places who send us here. He never missed an opportunity to celebrate Southend, and today I want to do the same for Portsmouth.”
“I am proud to represent Portsmouth, whose local people want their pride reflected in the name of the reorganised local council. Both Portsmouth MPs and, I believe, councils representing over 75% of residents, support including Portsmouth in the name.”
The complete record
Every one of 601 lines we hold for Amanda Martin, in date order, each linked to its source. Free to read, in full, without an account. Page 2 of 13.
“If we are serious about tackling the growing challenges facing all our young people, we must recognise that youth services are not a luxury but an essential part of the solution. For too long, youth provision has been viewed as an optional extra, but youth clubs, sports teams, arts programmes and enrichment activities give young people confidence, skills and—perhaps most importantly—somewhere they feel they belong. Many of us in the Chamber look back fondly on our childhoods and remember the school discos, riding our bikes from sun-up until the streetlights came on, youth clubs on a Friday night, community centres full of activity, and summers packed with sports and activities.”
“We should continue to listen to clinicians, researchers and campaigners, and be prepared to strengthen and adapt programmes as the evidence develops. At the same time, we must ensure that every woman entitled to screening because of age, family history or symptoms is encouraged and supported to attend. The screening programme works only if people use it. Every invitation accepted is another chance to detect cancer early, another opportunity for less invasive treatment, and another family spared devastating news. If we continue to improve the science, widen access where the evidence supports it and ensure that more eligible women come forward, we will save more lives and spare many more families the heartbreak of Laura’s, Anne’s and Fiona’s.”
“More scanners and advances in diagnostic technology mean that we will have a real opportunity to diagnose cancers early and improve outcomes by shifting more healthcare into our communities and neighbourhoods. We can make screening more accessible and less daunting so that Portsmouth women will attend, whether through health hubs on the high street or having opening hours at weekends, in the early morning or evening, which would widen access. I would welcome working with the Minister on how we can get these diagnosis centres open in Portsmouth North, so that we can raise attendance from 70% to 100%. This debate is not about choosing between improving today’s screening programme and preparing for tomorrow —we must do both.”
“Unfortunately, after 14 years of Conservative mismanagement, the NHS has not met its cancer target since 2014. England’s cancer survival rates have slipped behind those of many comparable countries. That is not good enough. It is so important that, as we discuss expanding access to breast screening, we also recognise that the quickest way to undermine that principle would be to move towards an insurance-based healthcare system, as advocated by Reform UK, which could alienate even more people and stop them taking up that screening opportunity for fear of what it would cost. Labour has set out ambitious reforms to cancer diagnosis and treatment, which are expected to save more 320,000 lives over the plan’s lifetime.”
“Whatever changes may come in the future, we must also make sure that every woman who is currently eligible takes up the opportunity to be screened. Improving the uptake of screening among those already eligible must be an absolute priority, so I would like to ask the Minister how we are identifying barriers and what we are doing to break them down. Sadly, we know that levels of deprivation directly affect screening attendance. That is why I welcome the Government’s new cancer plan, which will include targeted campaigns to improve screening uptake in deprived and underserved communities, helping to ensure that where people live or what they earn does not determine their chance of cancer diagnosis. Can the Minister say more about that?”
“Her breast cancer also reached her before she was 50. These stories are powerful reminders that breast cancer does not only affect older women, and explain why so many people are asking what more can be done. That is why we should follow the science. As new evidence emerges, technology improves and we learn more about detecting breast cancer earlier and more accurately, our screening programme should continue to evolve to ensure that it delivers the very best benefits to our patients. Alongside that, we must not lose sight of the opportunity we already have. In 2025, only 70% of Portsmouth women aged 53 to 70 had attended a breast screening in the last 36 months. That is more than 4% behind the average of local authority districts in the south-east, and the gap has been widening in recent years.”
“As we have heard, the 2012 Marmot review found that our screening programmes prevent 1,300 deaths from breast cancer every year, so I understand where the petitioners are coming from. Even one misdiagnosis feels like one too many. That concern is real, and it deserves to be taken seriously. The stories of my friends Laura Turnbull, mum of Louis, Josh, Alfie and Zac and wife of Richard, and Anne Wise, mum of Louis and Lauren, have brought this home to me all too painfully. Both were under 50 and had reached remission at least once, but both sadly saw their cancer return in different forms, tragically cutting their lives short. I send love to their families—especially to Anne’s, because it is her funeral on Saturday. Sadly, Laura and Anne are not alone. More than a decade ago, I lost another friend, Fiona Bennett.”
“It is a pleasure to serve under your chairship, Mr Vickers. I thank my hon. Friend the Member for North Ayrshire and Arran (Irene Campbell) for introducing this debate. I also thank all those who signed the petition and who have campaigned to raise awareness of this issue. Breast cancer is one of the most common cancers in women in the UK. While there may be a lot of talk of statistics today, the impact of breast cancer is not a number on a chart or in a table; it is real life, and it is heartbreaking. It is a mother, daughter, sister, friend or colleague—almost every one of us knows someone whose life has been touched by this terrible disease. We know that the earlier breast cancer is detected, the greater the chance of successful treatment, and screening remains the route most likely to find breast cancer early.”
“I welcome the Green Paper’s focus on media literacy, so that people in Portsmouth have the skills they need to identify misinformation and disinformation. As viewing habits change and technology develops, can the Secretary of State reassure the House and residents in Portsmouth, particularly those who may be less confident online and have limited access to digital services, that any transition towards internet-based television will be carefully managed?”
“I also welcome the Secretary of State’s commitment to using the Hillsborough law to ensure that those who avoid scrutiny are compelled to give evidence and are held accountable in the future, but may I ask him two questions? First, can he confirm that he is working across Government to ensure swift implementation of this law, with clear and transparent timelines, so that these families, who have already waited far too long, can finally see justice? Secondly, what will happen to those who shockingly avoided giving evidence and avoided accountability in respect of this review?”
“I pay tribute to those families, whistleblowers and campaigners who simply kept going, and to Donna Ockenden for her report and her approach. The report is damning, and my heart goes out to all the families who are having to relive their awful experiences as they see, in black and white, that their suffering and that of their loved ones was not only horrific and harrowing, but entirely avoidable, if only the leaders had been responsible and accountable, and had just listened. As we heard from my brave hon. Friend the Member for Sherwood Forest (Michelle Welsh), this is a national disgrace that must not be repeated. I welcome Martha’s rule, which gives patients the right to an independent second opinion.”
“I urge the Minister to work with Ministers across Government to find a solution. Our port wants to contribute to net zero, but the current system is holding it back. If we do nothing, we do not keep things as they are, but lock in more flooding, more extreme weather and greater energy insecurity. In the words of our own national treasure, David Attenborough: “If working apart we are a force powerful to destabilise our planet, surely working together we are powerful enough to save it.””
“We should reject the false choice between restoring nature and reaching net zero, because we need both. Nature recovery and climate action are not competing objectives; they are mutually reinforcing. One area of concern I would like to highlight is the role of the shipping industry. Portsmouth international port’s shore power infrastructure, supported by Government funding, allows ships to connect to the electricity grid while berthed rather than running on diesel, making the air cleaner around the city and meaning that the income received from the municipal port is not costing local people their health. However, this port now faces serious challenges. The cost of electricity makes using the infrastructure more expensive than marine diesel, which is threatening to undermine the investment.”
“Despite heat pumps being available in my city, only 4% of households in Portsmouth North have taken them up, making us 483rd out of 650 constituencies for adoption. For some residents, the offer may simply sound too good to be true. Previous scams in the clean energy sector have damaged trust. In summing up, can the Minister consider how we rebuild confidence so that more residents can benefit from what one constituent has described as “kinder energy”? As a proud naval city, Portsmouth understands how global events can affect the cost of fuel, energy and food. That is why we must continue to invest in renewables and nuclear energy to free Britain from the rollercoaster of fuel prices. As my hon. Friend the Member for Glasgow North (Martin Rhodes) noted, we must bring the country with us, and people must see it, hear it and feel it.”
“They told me that these improvements have transformed their lives by keeping them warm through the winter, reducing their energy bills and, indeed, giving them money back. The Conservatives say that the public do not support the transition to net zero, but I do not know who they have been talking to, because 77 people surveyed by the Government’s public attitudes tracker said that they were concerned about climate change and its impact, and seven out of 10 voters say that they want to support Government action to reduce climate change. However, they know there is an issue that we must address. At a recent community event, it was evident that many people were afraid to discuss climate change and net zero for fear of attack and a pile-on following the misinformation spread online by some politicians.”
“The effects of climate change cannot be ignored in my city of Portsmouth. We are an island city, and rising sea levels will pose a growing threat if we do not get a grip on the climate crisis. The climate crisis affects my constituency every day. It is fitting that we are debating this motion during a record heatwave, in which people are struggling to cope in homes that are poorly equipped for increasingly frequent extreme weather. This is not just about reducing emissions; it is about rewiring our economy for a more sustainable future. Climate action is driving jobs, growth and investment across the UK, and we are already seeing that in Portsmouth. Earlier this year, I visited four constituents with Aura Retrofit. They had all received heat pumps through the Government’s warm homes plan, at no cost to themselves.”
“There are consequences for your time and your money.” It is not just about individuals. We are targeting the organised criminal gangs behind illegal waste sites through £45 million of new investment for the Environment Agency. This job of cleaning up and taking pride in our streets has started, but there is much more to be done. I am proud that this Government are taking it seriously and are leading by example and using every available power to crack down on waste crime. I hope that Portsmouth city council takes notes and gives this daily nuisance the attention it deserves, so that residents can once again value and have pride in their neighbourhoods.”
“The council must remove waste more quickly so that sites do not attract further dumping, and it must properly investigate and penalise offenders. It must also look to support initiatives that enable people to dump their larger items swiftly and cheaply. I am proud to be part of a Labour Government who have launched the toughest ever crackdown on waste crime, and I am pleased to see that Labour’s waste crime action plan will require fly-tippers to join clean-up squads on the streets they have trashed, because they should take responsibility. The Government will also look to put penalty points on driving licences, and repeat offenders could lose their vehicles. That sends a clear message to the people doing this: “You mess up our streets and you will clean up our streets.”
“One constituent, Tracey, outlined to me her frustrations: “I often wonder why I pay my council tax when all I walk past is rubbish, fly tipping and dirty toiletries on my dog walks.” That is not what anyone wants to see when they leave their home. Every pile of rubbish sends a message that nobody cares and leaves residents feeling angry, frustrated and disheartened. I join my hon. Friends in thanking those volunteers and groups who help to clear up our streets: the litter pickers, the shoreline cleaners and the generally brilliant, hard-working people across my city. I hope that Portsmouth city council listens to this debate and understands the impact that failing to tackle fly-tipping is having on ordinary residents. It is time to raise the game.”
“The council puts up notices saying it is aware of the problem and will remove the waste as soon as possible, yet fines are rarely enforced and offenders rarely identified. It is little surprise that people continue to use this site as their own personal tip, because there are no consequences. I have also dealt with cases where mattresses have been dumped beside the motorway, where responsibility is shared between National Highways and the council. Even when number plates have been captured on camera, enforcement action has not followed. This is not good enough. Near my office in Copnor, forecourts are regularly used as dumping grounds. The council often acts only after repeated reports, even when the waste presents a real fire hazard.”
“This is not just a low-level or cosmetic issue; it is serious because fly-tipping puts my constituents at risk. These piles of rubbish create environmental hazards, increase fire risks and endanger public health. Unfortunately, the problem has been made worse by the failure of Liberal Democrat-run Portsmouth city council to act effectively and use all the levers available to it, be that swifter collections, the use of CCTV or drones, number plate recognition or the crushing of vehicles. They must take some ownership and some accountability, instead of sloping their shoulders and saying it is “not on our land”. I will give some examples. Outside the charity bins near Cosham high street, piles of rubbish bags and mattresses regularly accumulate.”
“It is a pleasure to serve under your chairship, Mr Stringer. I thank my hon. Friend the Member for Great Grimsby and Cleethorpes (Melanie Onn) for securing the debate and for her excellent speech outlining all the issues our residents face with fly-tipping. Nothing makes me more fed up and deflated than walking round the community where I raise my kids and seeing litter and piles of rubbish everywhere. Fly-tipping is a blight on my city. Portsmouth is a beautiful place, yet a few lazy and selfish criminals can cause enormous damage and make my city look a mess. I have been contacted by countless residents about illegal waste dumping across my constituency. Commercial waste has been dumped behind businesses in North End, attracting rats and harming legitimate local shops and the work they do to serve the community.”
“Thank you, Mr Mundell, for your chairmanship. I, too, pay tribute to the determination of Jesy Nelson and all the parents and young people who have been campaigning for this. I was alarmed to discover from parents this weekend that Portsmouth will not be included in the roll-out of the SMA screening this October. That means that babies born in my city will miss that early diagnosis and will face potentially devastating conditions that early treatment might well have saved them from. My hon. Friend the Member for Portsmouth South (Stephen Morgan) and I have written to our integrated care board to find out why Portsmouth is not included and whether it will change its mind.”
“Does my hon. Friend agree that we need to ask the Government why babies born in Portsmouth matter less than babies born in other parts of the country? If we are one of the six areas that will not have testing or screening, the babies born in my city have less chance and are therefore less valued.”
“I thank the Minister, who I respect her massively, for her comments. Portsmouth hospital is part of the generation study, so it is already able to test for the condition and could have rolled out the evaluation had it been included in the trials. It seems very strange that we are able to test babies in the generation study but not across the board.”
“I thank my hon. Friend and neighbour for securing this debate, and I strongly support him on this issue. People living with dementia and their families deserve care close to home, and should not have to cross oceans or seas and get trains to get the support that they need. I want to recognise the dedicated workers across Portsmouth North who support those people’s families. In my constituency, cuts to dementia nursing have led to some of my constituents—and my team—visiting the Isle of Wight, where we saw the Parklands Dementia Resource Centre, which is an excellent example of what can be done. Will my hon. Friend expand on Parklands’ work, and join me in urging the Minister to consider more dementia hubs in under-served communities?”
“I welcome the Secretary of State to his place. Operations such as this demonstrate an incredible level of planning, co-ordination and professionalism across our armed forces, police, Border Force, and wider Government, so I pay tribute to and thank all those involved. For a city like Portsmouth, which has supported generations of those who serve, this is a reminder of the importance of expertise. Will the Secretary of State confirm that all Departments work closely together and will continue to do so, in a safe, legal and effective operation? Will he also confirm that the operation was conducted in a way that ensured the safety of UK citizens and our military personnel?”
“Portsmouth international port has invested significantly in shore power infrastructure, supported by Government funding, to enable ships to connect to grid electricity while berthed, rather than run diesel engines. However, the high cost of electricity is threatening to render the entire investment worthless. What steps is the Secretary of State taking to ensure that shore power infrastructure at UK ports is economically viable, given that grid transmission standing charges make shore power significantly more expensive than marine diesel and transmission costs nearly doubled in April?”
“As Portsmouth is home to one of the largest concentrations of Royal Navy personnel, I regularly hear from service families and the charities supporting them that two weeks’ paternity leave is simply not enough, particularly when deployments can mean missing the birth of a child or losing the chance to take leave meaningfully. With allies such as the United States now offering significantly more generous paid parental leave arrangements, will the Leader of the House grant time for a debate on reforming parental leave for service personnel and addressing the impacts of deployment on family life?”
“Will we all build a politics that is kinder, more inclusive and rooted in our shared humanity? Will we all build bridges of community, connection and common causes? For me, that is how we carry with us her life and her love, not just in what we say but in how we lead and in what we all do. We all need to proudly be more Jo Cox.”
“The 100 Pompey Belles award is about celebrating the breadth of women’s contribution, from carers and campaigners to entrepreneurs and volunteers, and it is about showing the next generation that leadership takes many forms. It is about seeing and believing that there is a place for them too. It is everything that Jo Cox embodied. In the awards, I hope we can not only celebrate those giants who walk among us, but inspire the next wave of Pompey Belles to devote their lives to bettering our communities, and to be more Jo. The question for us all today is simple: do we honour Jo Cox with words alone, or do we honour her with action? If we are serious about honouring her legacy with more than words, 10 years on we must ask ourselves: will we all call out abuse when we see it? Will we all support women to step forward and stay in public life?”
“That is why in Portsmouth’s 100th year as a city, I am launching the 100 Pompey Belles award to celebrate community and actively show that we have more in common than that which divides in my city. People can nominate their Pompey Belle: the woman in their family, workplace or community who is the glue and the foundation—the queen. They are ones who quietly, sometimes loudly but always passionately, just get things done. We must recognise the incredible work that so many inspiring women are doing across my city and this country. It is work that often goes unnoticed, yet without it much of what makes our communities thrive simply would not happen.”
“Jo was determined to restore civility in public life. I commend the work of the Jo Cox Foundation in carrying on her legacy and working with the Government to bring in important changes to defend our democracy. Like my hon. Friend the Member for Brent East (Dawn Butler), I ask the Government to uphold those recommendations. The changes cannot be left to the Jo Cox Foundation alone: it is on all of us—every MP, party and platform that carries political debate—because we set the tone for our country. Jo believed in lifting as we climb, and as a teacher, daughter, sister, auntie, friend and an MP, that is a responsibility that I take seriously. We cannot abandon future female leaders and let those seeking to divide and discourage win. I have been taking encouragement from Jo.”
“It is not surprising that the Girlguiding survey found that a third of girls and young women are deterred from pursuing careers in politics because of the hostility that high-profile women face online. That should concern every single one of us, because these are not abstract statistics: they are our sisters, mothers, daughters, nieces, aunties, nans and friends. When women are targeted, abused or driven out of public life, that affects us all. Perhaps the greatest danger of a politics built on hostility is that people begin to think they are disagreeing not with human beings, who have families, hopes and fears, but with people they see as targets. We should all ask ourselves: would we speak this way if it was someone we loved on the receiving end? When women are driven out, democracy is weaker.”
“The tragedy of Jo’s murder remains a devastating reminder that the words we use, the campaigns we run and the atmosphere we create in public life and on our streets matters. The Electoral Commission report on the 2024 general election found that 70% of candidates experienced at least one form of abuse, but women and ethnic minority candidates faced the most serious forms of abuse. It is not just MPs who face threats and abuse. The leader of my local Labour group on Portsmouth city council, Councillor Charlotte Gerada, who is also a graduate of the Jo Cox Women in Leadership programme, was recently verbally abused during the election campaign while visibly pregnant. This is far from okay. Women in public life are being made to feel unsafe for serving their local community, and their families are often made to feel unsafe too.”
“Political disagreement is essential to democracy, but Jo’s legacy asks us to reflect on the tone that we set, the language we use and the responsibility we carry when we seek to persuade and disagree with others. We must challenge any politics that relies on blame, hostility or creating an us-and-them situation. A democracy cannot thrive when people are encouraged to see their neighbours as opponents rather than fellow neighbours and citizens. As a teacher, I often sorted out playground squabbles, which are often really difficult for children whose worlds are so tiny. I was always looking to find solutions that were respectful, because our young people are often much better at forgiveness and finding what they have in common than we are as adults.”
“We can and should have passionate political discussion, because that is our democracy, but without resorting to personal attacks, threats or attempts to intimidate others. Jo’s words feel especially important in a political climate where some seek to turn disagreement into division, and where fear and anger can be used as tools to win support. The day Jo was murdered, our country was in the middle of a deeply divisive political campaign. A poster carrying the words “Take Back Control” was part of the wider political landscape, and that phrase has become associated with period of intense national debate and intense hatred. As my hon. Friend the Member for Oldham West, Chadderton and Royton (Jim McMahon) so eloquently said, 10 years later we are sadly in a world that is even more divided and has even more hate.”
“At the heart of everything that Jo did was a simple but powerful belief that we have more in common than that which divides us. That is a phrase we repeat often, but it is much more—and it must be much more—than words. It must guide how we conduct politics and how we treat one another, and it should remain a challenge to us all. It is unfortunately not shocking but now an accepted fact of political office that opponents will spread falsehoods and misleading information online and beyond in an attempt to create outrage, whip up hostility and score political points. As has been said, although robust debate is absolutely part of our democracy, targeted abuse and intimidation should never become normalised in public life.”
“Through her work with the Labour Women’s Network and beyond, she backed women to step forward, to find their voice and to lead. Many of us stand here in this House because women like Jo believed that we belong here. I am proud to be a graduate of the Jo Cox Women in Leadership programme, which some may say is her girls’ club. Like so many others, I gained not just skills but confidence, solidarity and a network of women who supported one another, and still do. That is Jo’s transformative legacy in action. Like Jo, before coming to this place I was not a politician. I was a teacher. Although this place can be very lonely for those who have little connection to it, I felt the love of her legacy—the cups of tea, the hugs and the smiles—so to her, I want to say thank you.”
“I thank my hon. Friend the Member for Spen Valley (Kim Leadbeater) not only for securing this debate, but for her tribute to her sister. I feel extremely humbled and incredibly honoured, yet also deeply sad to be speaking in this debate, and I wish to take the opportunity to reflect on the life and legacy of a woman who I never had the privilege of meeting, but whose impact continues to shape so many of us. Jo Cox’s legacy is not simply something we remember; it is something that demands action from all of us today. Jo was in every sense a Labour woman, and a fiercely compassionate internationalist, utterly determined to open the doors of public life to those who had often been shut out, and to ensure that nobody was lonely. She did not just talk about women’s leadership—she built it.”
“As a Navy mum, I associate myself with the Minister’s condolences on the three tragic deaths of our Navy personnel. While I understand the frustration with the DIP delay, 14 years of Tory under-investment left our armed forces short of people, resources and morale. Does the Minister agree that the defence investment plan must now deliver for the long term and continue to invest in our personnel and bases, including Portsmouth Royal Navy base?”
“It is about getting to work, getting kids to school and college, and staying connected with communities. I look forward to working with Great British Railways to ensure that those stations have full accessibility, full safety and extended facilities. The Bill is about bringing the railways back together and simplifying a system that has become too complex, fragmented and difficult to navigate. Amendment 92 secures this system into the future. I am proud to support the Government’s mission to keep Great British Railways in public ownership and ensure that the mistakes of privatisation are not repeated.”
“It will also provide information and connections to local bus, ferry and transport services to join up the systems locally. Southern Rail’s new publicly owned operator has committed to practical improvements too, including giving passengers direct access. That is welcome, but we must make sure that those promises are properly challenged and scrutinised. Passengers need improvements that they can feel every day, including value-for-money tickets, reliable information, better customer service and better access. People also expect the basics, such as decent wi-fi and connectivity on their journey. Those improvements matter locally. In Portsmouth North, for passengers using stations such as Hilsea and Cosham, the railway is not abstract; it is a part of everyday life.”
“Strong infrastructure is not just about trains; it is about jobs, housing, businesses and opportunity. We are beginning to see what a different approach can achieve. Last year, South Western Railway became the first railway company under public ownership. At the end of last month, Southern Rail followed. Public ownership operators are performing better on average on punctuality and cancellations compared with those still in private ownership. Avanti, which was referred to by the hon. Member for Broadland and Fakenham (Jerome Mayhew), has cut services and remains owned by the private companies FirstGroup and Trenitalia, which are owned by the Italian state railway. Under public ownership, South Western Railway has accelerated its plans for new trains and improved driver training, increased capacity and more space on routes into London.”
“Every pound generated by our railways should be focused on improving our railway network and supporting development here in the UK. It should not flow out to private interests or be used to support railways elsewhere. Under privatisation, some of the companies operating our rail services have been owned by overseas interests, including state-linked rail companies from other countries. That means that money from UK passengers has at times helped to support transport systems and priorities outside our own country. Our railways should be an asset that strengthens the UK economy. The fares that passengers pay and the value created by our network should help to fund better services, infrastructure and connections for communities in Britain. We can see from across Europe that a more co-ordinated approach can deliver better infrastructure.”
“My gramps was a train driver, and my amazing auntie Michelle—Michelle Nolan McSweeny—has dedicated her career to the railways, so for me this Bill is personal. I know the pride that hard-working railway workers take in what they do. They want to deliver a quality service for their passengers, but they have been failed by a system that puts profit above people. For too long, our railways have been broken up into pieces—pieces of track, trains and operation—all working under different initiatives. That fragmentation has made it harder to plan properly, invest and deliver the railways that passengers deserve. A railway works best when it is treated as one. We need the people who run the trains, manage the infrastructure and make investment decisions all to be working together, not pulling in different directions.”
“I would like to draw the House’s attention to my entry in the Register of Members’ Financial Interests. For decades, my constituents have been dealing with the consequences of the failed experiment of the privatisation of our railways. This Bill begins to put that right. At its heart is the creation of Great British Railways—a single, publicly owned body focused not on shareholders, but on the people who use the railways day in, day out. Government amendment 92 will ensure that the benefits of nationalisation are felt by passengers for decades to come. It prevents future Ministers from undoing this progress and dragging our railways back into the chaos and fragmentation of the past.”
“Continuity of care is critical for those managing post-traumatic stress disorder, depression and other service-related conditions. Losing that thread every time a file fails to transfer or a referral gets lost between trusts could cost lives, and the single patient record can hold that thread together. Military personnel already sacrifice an enormous amount in service to this country. The least we can do is ensure that their health service keeps pace with their demands and those of their families. I am proud to say that this Labour Government are delivering a Bill for our armed forces, and I am proud to say to those people: we see you and we see your family, and your health matters to us.”
“Veterans in Portsmouth have also described to me the exhaustion of having to re-explain their medical history every time they register with a practice, including mental health histories that are deeply personal and difficult to revisit. That is not good enough, and this Bill will help to put it right. The single patient record will mean that when a family moves from Norfolk or Plymouth to somewhere near Portsmouth, their medical records will move too. However, it will not work for those who move from Scotland to Portsmouth, so I urge the Government to work cross-border to rectify that situation. I also want to acknowledge what the single patient record means for mental health. The mental health needs of veterans are well documented and often unmet.”
“Serving men and women move regularly at short notice, sometimes across the country and sometimes overseas and back again, and often their families move too. Every new posting means a new GP practice—starting from scratch with a folder of letters and a bag of medication boxes, hoping that the new surgery can piece together a medical history from scraps of paper or that the patient themselves can remember every diagnosis, allergy and procedure. For young families, those expecting a baby or those waiting for a diagnosis or tests, it is stressful, but for someone managing complex or chronic conditions, it is dangerous.”