Sir Alan Campbell
MP for Tynemouth · Labour · United Kingdom
“It is noticeable that when a number of very credible organisations talk about the state of the economy, not least the Office for Budget Responsibility, the International Monetary Fund and the Institute for Fiscal Studies, one of the things they pick out is not a lack of political stability, but the fact that the Government have a majority…”
House of Commons29 October 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“Let me turn to the comments of the shadow Leader of the House. The Chancellor set out a very clear plan yesterday in the Budget that gives families and businesses some breathing space from rising costs and supports Britain’s economic growth, not least in the £100 payment to 20 million households in council tax bands A to D in England.”
House of Commons29 October 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“As ever, I thank the hon. Gentleman for the hard work he does as Chair of the Backbench Business Committee, and indeed the rest of the Committee for the work they do. I join him in paying tribute to Sir John Hannam, who was a distinguished Member of this House. We send our condolences to his friends and family. I thank the hon.”
House of Commons29 October 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“On an entirely different matter, I congratulate Harry Kane, who this week became the first English player to win the Ballon d’Or since Michael Owen in 2001.”
House of Commons29 October 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“On the question of pre-briefing, in the light of what we have said over a period of time, I was struck and pleased by how little pre-briefing there was about the Budget and how disciplined the Chancellor, his team and everybody else was in ensuring that this House was first to hear the contents of the Budget. The right hon.”
House of Commons29 October 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“The business for the week commencing 2 November is as follows: Monday 2 November—Continuation of the Budget debate. Tuesday 3 November—Conclusion of the Budget debate.”
House of Commons29 October 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
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“In short, yes, I do. I pay tribute to my hon. Friend, who has run a very effective campaign on this issue. I note that Reform-led East Sussex county council has received £21 million from this Labour Government to fill potholes, which is a record amount. Put bluntly, we are doing our bit; it is time that the council matched that ambition. I hope my hon. Friend’s council has heard the concerns she has raised today, and that it gets on and fixes this issue without any further delay.”
House of Commons22 October 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“I am aware of the Children’s Commissioner’s report; it is significant, and the Government believe that these matters are important and are doing everything we can to address some of them. The hon. Gentleman asks why there has not been a statement; there has been a great deal of demand for statements over the past 10 days, and it has been a question of prioritisation. However, I will raise this matter with the relevant Minister to see whether they need to come forward with a statement. Alternatively, the hon. Gentleman may want to call for a debate on the subject, either in Westminster Hall or an Adjournment debate at the end of the day, so that other colleagues can join him in putting questions to the Minister.”
House of Commons22 October 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“My hon. Friend is a champion for his constituents on this matter, but as he acknowledges, it pertains not just to his constituency; it is a much wider issue. I pay tribute to him for his hard work. The point he raises is important. I will make sure that the Health Secretary hears his representations, and that he gets a full response. Following that, if he wishes for a meeting with the relevant Health Minister, I will help him to arrange one.”
House of Commons22 October 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“The right hon. Gentleman raises an important local matter, and he is right to do so. He is also right to express his opinion that something is happening locally, because as I listened to his question, I reflected on the fact that ambulance wait times are down, and admissions to A&E are up. However, that is cold comfort to people in the right hon. Gentleman’s local trust area facing the issues that he has outlined. An Adjournment debate, in which he can put questions directly to the relevant Minister and get answers, is one way forward; alternatively, if he wants to meet a Minister and make those points to them directly, I will help him to arrange a meeting.”
House of Commons22 October 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“As we can hear, my hon. Friend is a staunch advocate for her constituency, and she is absolutely right to highlight the transformational investments that the Government are making in her communities and many others. Every penny of this funding should work hard for our constituents, and I absolutely agree with her that local leaders must use opportunities to their full potential. It is important that all parties locally, and indeed in this House, talk up the local communities where that work is being done.”
House of Commons22 October 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“I have said before that sports clubs, local communities and volunteering are the heartbeat of our local communities. At the risk of offending supporters of the other team, I wish Bridlington Town the very best in the first round of the FA trophy. You never know, Mr Speaker: this may be one of those magical years when a non-league team manages to get to the FA cup final, which I will go to with the hon. Gentleman to watch Bridlington play against Sunderland.”
House of Commons22 October 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“I certainly will. That is a fantastic way of marking what was a tragedy. The community has come together to raise resources and make sure that these matters are tackled. I pay tribute to every one of my hon. Friend’s constituents who had anything to do with this fantastic project.”
House of Commons22 October 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“The Government are very keen to make sure that house owners and people purchasing houses have the information and power that they need to hold developers to account. It is a piece of work that is central to what the Government are doing. I hope that the developer has heard the hon. Lady’s concerns and will put things right, but if she wishes to meet the Housing Minister, I can help her to arrange that.”
House of Commons22 October 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“My hon. Friend raises a very concerning matter. I urge the council to look into this as a matter of urgency, because everyone deserves to live in a decent home and have complaints responded to in a timely manner. This month, we have launched a consultation seeking views on extending Awaab’s law to include temporary accommodation, in order to protect tenants, and I wish that consultation well. I encourage my hon. Friend to apply for an Adjournment debate, so that he can speak to the Minister directly and further send the message to the council that it needs to get on with resolving this.”
House of Commons22 October 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“On the wider issue, the Government are very clear that we stand four-square with the Falklands. Indeed, the Prime Minister raised that matter with President Trump when he met him recently. On that, there is a very clear position. I do not know about the matter involving those businesses, but I will raise it with ministerial colleagues; if the right hon. Gentleman wants to raise it with them directly, I will, if necessary, help him to arrange a meeting.”
House of Commons22 October 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“I am sure that the whole House will join me in sending our most heartfelt condolences to the family and friends of the young girl, because what has happened is simply a tragedy. We are taking steps through our road safety strategy to make roads safer for everyone, including children around schools. I will make sure that my hon. Friend gets a response from a Minister about what we are doing and what we plan to do in the future. This is an issue that comes up for Members across the House from time to time, so I will give some thought to whether we can have such a debate.”
House of Commons22 October 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“Playgrounds are very important for local communities and children. It is important that children have somewhere safe to play, and it is distressing to hear about the state of the playgrounds in the hon. Gentleman’s area. It is very much for the local authority, whatever disputes it may have with the water authority or anybody else, to get on and improve that. This would probably be a useful topic for a Westminster Hall or Adjournment debate, because I am sure others in the House would want to air similar concerns.”
House of Commons22 October 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“I thank my hon. Friend for raising this matter. She has done so before, and she is an avid campaigner on this matter. The Government still believe that the current daylight saving arrangements represent the optimal use of the available daylight across the United Kingdom, so we do not have plans to introduce double summer time or make any other such changes. However, I do understand and appreciate my hon. Friend’s desire to help farmers and tourists by turning the clocks back two hours, in contrast to some on the other side of the House, who want to turn the clocks back to 1979.”
House of Commons22 October 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“I think we all claim to have the greatest constituency in the land, but I pay genuine tribute to the hon. Gentleman’s constituency because it is a beautiful place. I hope that VisitBritain has heard what he has said today. Let me give it some thought. If he could let me have details of what he intends to do to heighten interest, I will see what we can do to get it to engage more.”
House of Commons22 October 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“I certainly join my hon. Friend in congratulating Janice Hendry and everyone at yipworld on winning the charity of the year and community awards. I am sure they are well deserved and it is a considerable achievement. Charities are the golden thread that run through our communities and it is right that we celebrate their success in this place.”
House of Commons22 October 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“I will certainly raise the hon. Lady’s concerns with the relevant Minister and make sure that she gets an update on improving the service, which, of course, the Government are committed to doing.”
House of Commons22 October 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“My hon. Friend raises a very important matter which will echo the concerns of families in many constituencies. Delays arise in particular where applications are incomplete or require further information, but to improve waiting times His Majesty’s Courts and Tribunals Service has invested in additional staff, in system and process improvements and in an upskilling programme, but I will undertake to give the Lord Chancellor sight of my hon. Friend’s words on this issue and see what more can be done.”
House of Commons22 October 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“First, let me join the hon. Gentleman in commending hospices across the country, which do a fantastic job. This issue has been raised previously in light of changes that took place at a previous Budget. I do not know what will be in the Budget next Wednesday, but it sounds to me like the sort of issue that he might want to raise directly in the four days of debate.”
House of Commons22 October 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“My hon. Friend is right to raise that important matter, which I recall was also raised by the hon. Member for Wells and Mendip Hills (Tessa Munt) last week. I committed then to facilitate a meeting with the relevant Minister, so I extend the same courtesy and offer to my hon. Friend.”
House of Commons22 October 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“I will get an update for the hon. Gentleman on where we are with counties of sanctuary from the relevant Department. However, I think he is being a bit harsh, given the success story that counties of sanctuary—and, in my area, schools of sanctuary—can be. He is right to raise concerns if he is worried, but we need to treat the subject in a responsible way.”
House of Commons22 October 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“I join my hon. Friend in congratulating Blackpool and all those involved on being shortlisted for the UK city of culture. I praise the fantastic work that my hon. Friend does to support the whole community in Blackpool and highlight what a fantastic place it is. City of culture is a great opportunity for our constituents to showcase pride in their cities, and I wish all the shortlisted cities the best of luck. I have to be careful and will not be tempted to pick one from the list. I congratulate all of them for having got that far, and I wish Blackpool well.”
House of Commons22 October 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“There should be no barriers to people coming forward to report or continuing with complaints about what is an extraordinarily serious matter, which the hon. Member is right to raise. She might want to seek an Adjournment or Westminster Hall debate to hear directly from Ministers, because it is important that she is reassured that the matter is being dealt with properly.”
House of Commons22 October 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“I join my hon. Friend in congratulating everyone involved in opening the Forge youth centre in Dudley, particularly Adam Bradley and James Bragg. Everyone will be pleased to see Pride in Place funding being used to support young people. It is a significant amount of resource, but just as important is the fact that local people are able to make those decisions. I am delighted that they have chosen to do so in this case, and I join my hon. Friend in congratulating everyone concerned.”
House of Commons22 October 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“The hon. Gentleman sounds very exercised by this matter; so am I, I have to say, as I am sure are many Members across the House, not least those of us who were somewhat delayed this morning trying to cross Westminster bridge, where, again, the road is being dug up—for very good reason, I am sure. I think that an Adjournment debate is the way forward to allow the hon. Gentleman to make the local case that he is talking about, as well as a general point about what could be done across all roads, wherever they happen to be.”
House of Commons22 October 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“I join my hon. Friend in congratulating all those behind the Southport Music Board and the Southport Creatives collective on their work, as well as everyone involved in making local arts events a success. The Government are very much committed to supporting local communities in this regard. I encourage him to apply for a Westminster Hall debate so that he can make his point in more detail for his constituents to hear, which would be a cause for greater pride in their fantastic community.”
House of Commons22 October 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“The Government recognise that parents’ experiences of the Child Maintenance Service do not meet the standards that should be expected. There are sometimes difficult issues to address, but the expected standards are simply not being met, and that is why we have committed to reforming the system. I will ensure that the relevant Minister has heard what the hon. Lady has said today.”
House of Commons22 October 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“My hon. Friend raises important matters, and I pay tribute to her for that. Prevention is an important part of tackling skin cancer. Sun cream is already VAT zero-rated when prescribed by a registered health professional, but I will ensure that the Chancellor hears her words. As I said at the beginning, there will be four days of debate on the Budget beginning next week, and my hon. Friend might want to raise these matters then.”
House of Commons22 October 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“The Government want to ensure that carers get the help and support that they need, and we are committed to doing something not just for carers but across the wider social care situation, because when we improve, reform and change social care, it will have the effect that the hon. Gentleman is seeking. I have heard what he has said, and I will draw it to the attention of the relevant Minister.”
House of Commons22 October 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“My hon. Friend has been a tireless campaigner on this matter, and I pay tribute to her for that. Since PIP breast implants were withdrawn, two independent reviews have identified lessons learned, and the Medicine and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency has strengthened post-market surveillance requirements. The Backbench Business Committee proposal that she raises is a matter for the Committee. I am sure that the Chair, the hon. Member for Harrow East (Bob Blackman), who is in his place today, will have heard what she said.”
House of Commons22 October 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“As ever, the hon. Gentleman raises a serious issue, and I pay tribute to him for that. The UK Government are committed to defending freedom of religion or belief for all, and I am happy to reassert our steadfast support for the people of Ukraine. I will raise his specific concerns with the Foreign Secretary, but at the end of the day, the way we can resolve this for the Ukrainian people and the faith groups is to end this war. We can then ensure that Ukraine survives as a vibrant country and that Russia does not get any advantage from an illegal war.”
House of Commons22 October 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“My hon. Friend raises an important issue. It is good to raise awareness of Get Online Week. We are committed to tackling connectivity issues across the country. Some 88% of UK premises already have gigabit broadband, and we are committed to delivering full nationwide gigabit broadband connectivity by 2030. I understand the frustration of households and communities that cannot benefit from that. I will make sure that the relevant Minister hears his concerns.”
House of Commons22 October 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“My hon. Friend, as ever, raises an important matter. As I set out at the beginning of these business questions, parking is an issue that matters to our constituents. It is disappointing, frankly, to hear of discussions and decisions that may well be taken or confirmed by his Conservative-run council. It is a matter for local authorities, but my hon. Friend has put his concerns on behalf of his residents on the record today, and I hope that Hillingdon council will have heard him loud and clear.”
House of Commons22 October 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“As the shadow Leader of the House said earlier, it is fitting that he is so well practised at improvisation; it has meant that he has been so successful in keeping the business of this House running smoothly. From November, Tom will take up an appointment as a commissioner as part of the Civil Service Commission. He will undoubtedly bring a huge amount of skill and expertise to helping to maintain a civil service appointed on merit with the skills that it needs to deliver public services across our country. On behalf of the Government, I wish Tom all the very best for the next chapter in his life, and I wish his successor Eve Samson well as she takes up her role as Clerk of the House next month. I commend this motion to the House.”
House of Commons22 October 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“He regularly welcomes schoolchildren to Parliament, including from his secondary school Ilford County high school. Beyond his work in the Chamber, Tom is widely respected as the co-author of the eighth and ninth editions of “How Parliament Works”, which has done so much to demystify this House and help make it a more accessible place to the wider world. Outside Parliament, he is an accomplished jazz pianist. In my exchanges at business questions I have been forced to admit my enjoyment of musical theatre and country and western. I have to admit, however, that my music taste does not quite stretch to jazz. Nevertheless, he is an accomplished jazz pianist.”
House of Commons22 October 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“For so many newer Members, and, indeed, for those of us who have been here a little longer, Tom’s calm and courteous approach has been deeply reassuring. I know that Members right across the House will have greatly valued his guidance when navigating the complexities of our procedures and traditions. On a personal level, I have very much valued his advice and guidance, whether in opposition or since getting into government. The grandeur of the role has not changed Tom. As you said, Mr Speaker, as a young man he grew up in the east end and was the first in his family to go to university. He has opened up opportunities and access to this place. He introduced a system of direct recruitment for Clerks, which ensured that they are a more diverse and representative group.”
House of Commons22 October 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“In his three years as Clerk of the House, he has been a public servant of the highest calibre. Whether for Members in government or opposition, on the Front Benches or the Back Benches, he is a source of wisdom and invaluable assistance and has always, always put the interests of this House first—even, as you said, Mr Speaker, at the expense of not always agreeing with those who proposed a different view. Tom has seen an extraordinary amount of change during his tenure. Following the 2024 general election, we sit in a Chamber where over half of all MPs have less than five years of parliamentary experience. That required Tom to lead the House service through its largest induction programme for new Members.”
House of Commons22 October 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“I have seen some of his work at first hand as Chair of the Modernisation Committee; Tom has demonstrated a great commitment to improving the accessibility of this place for all its Members, staff and visitors. As you said, Mr Speaker, Tom was head of the Committee Office during the pandemic and led the successful work to quickly set up hybrid and virtual Committees, enabling Select Committees to continue performing their critical roles on behalf of this House. We remember those days as very difficult, but looking back I think that that is an understatement. Having people like Tom in charge of making the necessary changes meant that this place could continue to function. Tom was appointed the 52nd Clerk of the House of Commons in March 2023, taking over the role in October from Sir John Benger.”
House of Commons22 October 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“He has been a Clerk to a number of the busiest and most high-profile Select Committees, including the Foreign Affairs Committee, the Justice Committee and the Energy and Climate Change Committee. He has also worked in a number of procedural roles including Clerk of Committees and Principal Clerk of the Table Office as well as stints in the Public Bill Office and the Table Office earlier in his career. Tom has been committed to making the House and the services that support all of us work. That has been a common focus of his roles, including as Clerk of the Administration Committee, heading up what was then the Office of the Chief Executive, as Secretary to the House of Commons Commission and Head of the Governance Office, and, over the last few years, as Clerk of the House.”
House of Commons22 October 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“I beg to move, That Mr Speaker be requested to convey to Mr Thomas Goldsmith, on his retirement from the office of Clerk of the House, this House’s gratitude for his long and distinguished service, for his wise contribution to the development of the procedure of the House, for his continuing focus on the interests of the House as a whole and of Members individually, his professionalism and courageous and inclusive leadership in the discharge of his duties as head of the House Administration, and for the courteous and helpful advice always given to individual honourable Members. It is a pleasure to move the motion to give the House the opportunity to pay tribute to Tom Goldsmith, who leaves the House at the end of this month after, as you said, Mr Speaker, 30 years of outstanding service to this place. He has held a large variety of posts.”
House of Commons22 October 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“The provisional business for the week commencing 26 October will include: Monday 26 October—General debate on the performance of Royal Mail, followed by general debate on the emerging risks of advanced AI. The subjects for these debates were determined by the Backbench Business Committee. Tuesday 27 October—Second Reading of the Building Safety (Remediation of Unsafe Cladding etc) Bill. Wednesday 28 October—My right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer will deliver his Budget statement. Thursday 29 October—Continuation of the Budget debate. Friday 30 October—The House will not be sitting.”
House of Commons15 October 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“The business for the week commencing 19 October will include: Monday 19 October—Committee of the whole House of the Northern Ireland Troubles Bill, day one. Tuesday 20 October—Conclusion of Committee and remaining stages of the Northern Ireland Troubles Bill. Wednesday 21 October—Consideration of an allocation of time motion, followed by all stages of the Church Appointments (Repeal of Discriminatory Provision) Bill, followed by Opposition day, 4th allotted day, first half, followed by a debate on a motion in the name of the Liberal Democrats, subject to be announced. Thursday 22 October—Tributes to the Clerk of the House, followed by general debate on Black History Month. Friday 23 October—The House will not be sitting.”
House of Commons15 October 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“As long as they correct the record, which he has done, that should be put into perspective. The right hon. Gentleman also raises the issue of Manchester City, and the Prime Minister again has been characteristically clear. He has made it clear that the initial judgment on the club is very serious and that no one is suggesting that anybody is above the rules. There is an ongoing independent process. It is important that it is allowed to run its course as quickly and as fairly as possible. At the end of that, if the Sport Minister needs to come to make a statement to this House, I am quite sure that she will do so.”
House of Commons15 October 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“Secondly, on making representations to the Chancellor, I will ensure that the Chancellor hears what he has said, although I will not say—because I do not know—what is in the Budget. On the other points the right hon. Member made, I am not sure that he is being characteristically fair, as he normally is, because the Prime Minister has acknowledged that he misspoke. The right hon. Gentleman was out quite quickly, and rightly, to make his case yesterday, and the Prime Minister did respond. He said that he misspoke, he has apologised and he has corrected the record. There is no excuse for misspeaking in the House and I am not trying to explain that away, but this Prime Minister is characterised by an authenticity and a passion in the way that he responds. It is not unusual for Prime Ministers or anybody else to misspeak in the House.”
House of Commons15 October 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“The Government have invested £4.2 billion in flood protection measures, and we have new targets to improve flood protection for 200,000 properties. On Monday, we also launched the flood action online portal, which brings together clear, actionable guidance for people to check their flood risk and find the latest weather alerts. On flooding, I thank Members on both sides of the House who have raised the issue regularly at business questions. To address the particular issue that the right hon. Gentleman rightly raised on behalf of his constituents, however, let me say two things further. First, if he wants to make his case to the Floods Minister, I will arrange for him to do so.”
House of Commons15 October 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“To that end, I draw to the House’s attention this week’s positive report from the International Monetary Fund, which upgraded our growth to 1.3% this year, joint second highest in the G7, and the comments of the IMF’s chief economist, who said that the UK “stands out”—his words, not mine—on deficit reduction, with our deficit falling significantly more than other G7 nations’. In other good news this morning, GDP has grown more than expected. We are not complacent, but the Chancellor is absolutely focused on priorities to boost business, help with the cost of living and support people in every postcode, all underpinned by the fiscal discipline that characterises this Government. Flood Action Week—this ties in with what the right hon. Gentleman said about the situation in his constituency —started on Monday.”
House of Commons15 October 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“I find that quite surprising, because in August 2021, the shadow Chancellor wrote a comment piece entitled “Unpick the triple lock”, and I understand that the view that it should be unpicked is shared by the current shadow Communities Secretary—the hon. Member for Weald of Kent (Katie Lam)—and at least one former Chancellor. It appears to me that the Conservative party is tying itself in knots on the matter. It would be very helpful if the Leader of the Opposition, or someone from her shadow Cabinet, came to the House to clear up the confusion. Let me turn to the Budget. I did announce, in the forthcoming business, the date of the Budget and the beginning of the debate that will follow. I hope that in that debate the House will be able to reflect on Britain’s economic outlook.”
House of Commons15 October 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“Member for Arundel and South Downs (Andrew Griffith), had actually finished his speech. It was a busy conference season. At the Labour conference, the Prime Minister made several important announcements, including plans for a national care service, which will provide the elderly with free personal care. The Government have also announced that the triple lock will remain until the end of this Parliament, following which it will be adjusted, not least to pay for the new national care service. I do not blame the official Opposition for doing this, because it is part of their job, but they did jump in very quickly to oppose any change to the triple lock.”
House of Commons15 October 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“May I associate myself absolutely with the comments of the shadow Leader of the House about Sir David Amess? As he said, today is the fifth anniversary of his tragic murder, and I know that the thoughts of the whole House remain with his loved ones. He was well regarded on both sides of the House. He was a mentor to lots of new Members and a fantastic constituency MP. What happened was an absolute tragedy. I welcome Members back to the House after the conference recess, and congratulate my hon. Friend the Member for Holborn and St Pancras (Sagal Abdi-Wali), who joined us on Monday. It is also good to see the shadow Leader of the House in his place. We missed him earlier in the week, and I was concerned that he was still in the half-empty conference hall in Birmingham, wondering whether the shadow Chancellor, the hon.”
House of Commons15 October 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“I certainly join my hon. Friend in everything he said about Sir David Amess and in recognising the importance that he gave to involving young people in our parliamentary process. To that end, I welcome the child MPs to the House today. I wish them well in everything they do, and it is important that we support not just their learning about the political process but exploring how they can contribute more to it.”
House of Commons15 October 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“We remain committed to supporting Hong Kong residents and welcoming eligible applications under the scheme. Every application involving a prior conviction is assessed individually on its merits. We are ensuring that actions that are not considered criminal offences under UK law do not bar applicants from safety, but I give him my word that I will go back to the Home Office, and if that needs to be clarified, I will draw that to its attention”
House of Commons15 October 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗