Sir Alan Campbell
MP for Tynemouth · Labour · United Kingdom
“I am grateful to her Committee and to her for her work on that Committee as well as more widely. I absolutely agree with her about the importance of protecting Members’ rights. The measures proposed today are about enhancing those rights. As she said, it is about modernising and maintaining integrity.”
“The case was referred to the Committee to consider whether, in seeking to prevent the flow of information to Parliament, the Charity Commission’s action constituted a contempt of this House. As the report outlines, the obstruction of provision of information to Parliament is wholly unacceptable.”
“I have a feeling, but it is no more than that. I obviously hope that these changes will be successful and that when the time comes the House will want to carry them forward. In that case, it would be right for us to review them before that. Finally, I turn to the comments of my hon.”
“(10) The chair of the committee shall resume that function either at the end of the period of leave or after giving at least five sitting days’ notice of their intention to return from a specified date.”
“May I thank all hon. Members for their contributions to the debate? I will briefly respond to them. I am eternally grateful to the Chair of the Privileges Committee, the hon.”
“119 (European Committees) be amended in respect of European Committee C, by leaving out: (a) “Business and Trade” and inserting “Business, Innovation, Science and Trade”; (b) “Culture, Media and Sport” and inserting “Digital, Culture, Media and Sport”; and (c) “Science, Innovation and Technology”. E.”
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“My hon. Friend raises a very important point. I pay tribute to Alex Hay and everyone else who has campaigned on this issue—I understand how upsetting it will have been, particularly to parents in that area. I am pleased to hear that it will be resolved, but not about the timescale that is envisaged. I hope the Highways Agency has heard my hon. Friend’s question and that, if possible, it will do something more timely, but I will also draw the matter to the attention of Transport Ministers to ensure that the Highways Agency is held to account.”
“The hon. Gentleman raises understandable concerns, but as I have said before, the country needs houses. It is therefore a question of balance. Should he seek a Westminster Hall debate or an Adjournment debate, not only will other colleagues be able to raise their concerns about their areas, but he will hear directly from the Minister responsible.”
“My hon. Friend is absolutely right to raise this important matter with the House this morning. The Scottish Government have had the biggest single investment since devolution, so my hon. Friend and her constituents will rightly be scratching their heads as to why community facilities are being lost in the way that they are. I hope that the Scottish Government have heard her remarks today. She is a great champion for her constituents, and I hope that something can be done to save these community facilities, as they are so important.”
“The hon. Lady is right to pay tribute to carers. They are unsung heroes, and I assure her that this Government respect the contribution that they make. She raises an important point about carers and people being cared for being able to expect safety as they live their lives. I will therefore draw what she says to the attention of the Department responsible, but she might also want to raise this issue in a Westminster Hall or Adjournment debate and hear directly from the Minister.”
“My hon. Friend is right to raise this matter. Alongside our action this week on social media, we are also giving every child greater access to a range of opportunities, including in nature, through the “Every Child Can” programme. I encourage my hon. Friend to apply for a Westminster Hall debate to hear from the Minister about what more can be done.”
“The hon. Lady will know that the Government are seeking to balance the moneys that the Government need to renew public services while ensuring that businesses are treated fairly. I will raise her concerns directly with Treasury Ministers and get her an update on what further action the Government intend to take. We want community businesses and facilities to be retained wherever possible.”
“I certainly join my hon. Friend in celebrating the success of Souvlaki Corner; as I just said, small businesses are at the heart of our economy, and we are committed to supporting them. We will bring forward our high streets strategy later this year and build on our work to regenerate high streets across the country. I encourage him to apply for an Adjournment debate so that he and other hon. Members can raise ideas about how best to further support local businesses, which has been a theme of today’s deliberations.”
“I pay tribute to Councillor Sunderland’s work and send condolences to her friends and family. She and I may not have shared a political point of view, but we certainly respect people who serve their local communities. It sounds as if the Great Knaresborough bed race is something to behold. I will raise the matter with a Minister, and if the hon. Gentleman wants a meeting with the relevant Minister, I will help him to get one.”
“My hon. Friend raises a distressing case. I am not surprised that she does so, because she has an outstanding record of working hard on behalf of her constituents. If she provides me with the details of the case in writing, I will ensure that the Home Office receives them and that she gets a response from the relevant Minister.”
“I cannot give the hon. Gentleman an answer off the top of my head, but I will draw that matter to the attention of Health Ministers and get him the update he seeks.”
“I join my hon. Friend in congratulating her local team and club on an outstanding achievement. Local football clubs—indeed, local sporting clubs—play such an important part in our local communities. On this occasion, not only will they celebrate their success, but I am sure they will be watching the television, looking at the performance of their national team and maybe even dreaming that they may be part of that in the future.”
“As ever, the hon. Gentleman raises a serious matter. I pay tribute to his tireless work in this regard. He knows that the UK is committed to defending freedom of religion or belief for all. We have regularly raised concerns in that regard in Vietnam with the Vietnamese Government, including through the work of our special envoy for freedom of religion or belief, my hon. Friend the Member for North Northumberland (David Smith), and we will continue to do so. I will ensure that the hon. Gentleman gets a response from the relevant Minister.”
“I thank my hon. Friend for raising this matter, which has caused some concern after the reporting on it. Dartmoor ponies are an important part of Dartmoor’s heritage and are important in supporting its habitats. Natural England is not recommending a cull—I do not believe it is in its power to do anything about that anyway—and let me put it quite clearly on the record that the Government would not allow one.”
“It is good to see the right hon. Gentleman in his place; I would have thought that No. 10 was a rough place to be, but it sounds as though he has been in the wars more recently, although perhaps of a different nature. He is right to raise this matter on behalf of his constituency. I know his area well; it is a very beautiful part of the world, and I understand the concern that people there have. I offer my congratulations to Councillor Thompson and the local people on raising their concerns. Whatever the outcome, it is important that local people have their voices heard, because it is very much part of their heritage.”
“I pay tribute to my hon. Friend for her diligent campaigning on this matter. The Government are absolutely committed to ensuring that workplaces are safe in the modern world, and we have committed to look at how to modernise health and safety guidance for extreme temperatures as part of that. The Health and Safety Executive is reviewing the approved code of practice for workplace regulations to ensure that it is fit for purpose. At the appropriate time, I am sure that the relevant Minister will want to update the House.”
“We certainly recognise the impact of closures on communities and their access to essential services. I hope that even at this late stage, an alternative site is found. This week, we opened a call for evidence as part of the access to banking services review, and I urge my hon. Friend and other Members across the House to contribute to that and to make their voices heard. Should she wish to follow up on the specific local example in her constituency, I would encourage her to apply for an Adjournment debate.”
“I am sorry to hear of my hon. Friend’s constituent’s distressing situation. If he writes to me with the details, I am sure that the relevant Minister will get a response to him. If he wishes to speak to the Minister directly instead, I will help him to arrange that meeting.”
“My hon. Friend raises a concerning matter. The law is clear that workers should receive the payments to which they are entitled. We are committed to strengthening enforcement options and, as she alludes to, the Department for Business and Trade and the Ministry of Justice have set up the dispute resolution system taskforce to provide insights and to feed back on longer-term system reform proposals. I will ensure that she receives an update on that work.”
“My hon. Friend is right to raise this important matter, and we recognise the difficult financial situation that many hospices are facing. We have supported the hospice sector in England with a £125 million capital funding boost, but I encourage him to apply for a Westminster Hall debate to raise his concerns, which I know are shared by colleagues from across the House, and to hear from the Minister directly.”
“However, the Government are absolutely determined to shift power out of Westminster, with more local decision making, better services and a stronger voice for local people, which means that this debate will rumble on. My hon. Friend may want to find forums in which the House can debate these matters going forward.”
“My hon. Friend raises a fascinating issue, and I agree that the role of MPs has evolved but is of no less importance than it was. As he says, there is no job description for MPs, and each MP will have a different interpretation of their role, both as a constituency representative and in scrutinising the Government and legislation. My hon. Friend raises this issue in the context of metro mayors. In my experience, it often comes down to personal relationships, the way in which metro mayors regard their powers and their job, and how MPs might work more closely with them. At the end of the day, it matters not what party people come from, but what we are prepared to do collectively to serve the constituencies and regions that metro mayors and MPs represent.”
“The provisional business for the week commencing 22 June includes: Monday 22 June—Remaining stages of the Armed Forces Bill. Colleagues may also wish to be aware that on Monday 29 June and Tuesday 30 June the House is expected to debate estimates.”
“The business for the week commencing 15 June will include: Monday 15 June—The Chairman of Ways and Means is expected to name opposed private business for consideration, followed by a debate on a motion on NHS dentistry. The subject for this debate was determined by the Backbench Business Committee. Tuesday 16 June—Remaining stages of the Cyber Security and Resilience (Network and Information Systems) Bill. Wednesday 17 June—Consideration of an allocation of time motion, followed by all stages of the National Security (State Threats) Bill. Thursday 18 June—General debate on the infected blood compensation scheme, followed by a further debate, the subject of which has yet to be confirmed. The subjects for these debates are determined by the Backbench Business Committee. Friday 19 June—The House will not be sitting.”
“Not surprisingly, in the context of next week’s by-election, the hon. Gentleman talked about the important question of oil and gas. Let me point out two things. First, this Government are absolutely committed to new clean energy and to energy independence, and we will bring forward measures on the latter shortly, but oil and gas will continue to flow for many years ahead as we make the transition. The international situation has again underlined the importance of that transition. Finally, we should be concerned about what happens to jobs in the transition, but I gently point out to the hon. Gentleman that in 14 years of Conservative Government, 70,000 jobs were lost in oil and gas. I am sure that the voters of Aberdeen will want to bear that in mind.”
“I am pleased that he is able to attend and take part in such events, and join him in wishing all those taking part an enjoyable season. The hon. Gentleman says he will be at the Selkirk common ridings, which I believe takes place tomorrow. It commemorates the town’s last and only survivor of the battle of Flodden in 1513. I hope the weather is better tomorrow than it was on the day of the battle. The hon. Gentleman raised two substantive points, the first of which was on standards in public life. I absolutely agree with him that it is important that the public get the answers they deserve when there are scandals like the one we have seen north of the border. I encourage people to be open about what has happened. If the authorities need to carry out further investigations, it is right that they do so.”
“As the House will know, the world cup kicks off today, and I am sure the whole House will join me in wishing England and Scotland the very best of luck. Members will be pleased to know that pubs across the country are set to benefit from extensions to licensing hours and special screenings. As I have said before, England has only ever won a world cup under a Labour Government; I expect that theory to be tested in not just this world cup but the next one. Let me turn to the remarks of the deputy shadow Leader of the House. He talked about the importance of the common ridings and festivals, and he is absolutely right that events such as the Borders common ridings are a reminder and a display of local identity and community spirit that have endured for centuries.”
“Similarly, a constant theme in these sessions has been the state of our roads and the plague of potholes. This week, we have unveiled new rules to get potholes fixed. Councils will be required to reveal exactly how well they repair their roads, thereby letting the public hold them to account. Long-term preventive repairs will be prioritised over costly patch-up fixes, saving motorists hundreds of pounds a year on pothole-related repairs. Last week, the Modernisation Committee launched a new opportunity for Members to directly shape the work of the Committee by pitching ideas for what we should do next. More information is available on ParliNet, and I strongly encourage Members to take part and share ideas.”
“This Sunday will mark the ninth anniversary of 72 people losing their lives in the Grenfell tower fire. I know that the thoughts of the whole House remain with the families of those who died in the Grenfell tower fire, the survivors and the wider community. Let me turn to matters that have been raised with me previously during these sessions and report back on progress that has been made. An issue that has been raised frequently is driving tests, so Members will be pleased to see this week that further changes have been made to how and where driving tests can be booked. This is a final step in a series of changes that we are taking to make it easy to get a test and to stop the exploitation of learner drivers by online bots and reselling.”
“Let me join the deputy shadow Leader of the House in sending our best wishes to the man who was injured in the Belfast attack; we wish him and his family well. Let me also place on the record our thanks to and support for the brave police officers and the wider community, who have shown incredible bravery in the face of such intimidation. I want to start by mentioning some of the anniversaries that will take place before the next scheduled business question. Next Tuesday marks 10 years since the murder of Jo Cox. Jo was a relentless campaigner for equality, human rights and social justice, and a powerful champion for the world’s most vulnerable and marginalised. Members will have the opportunity to pay tribute to Jo and her long-lasting legacy in this afternoon’s debate, and I hope they will take the opportunity to do so.”
“My hon. Friend is a doughty fighter for her community and the wider region, and she raises serious matters. There are opportunities for her to apply for a debate to hear directly from a Minister—perhaps in a Westminster Hall or Adjournment debate—but I will certainly take up her request that a Minister considers visiting to see the issue for themselves.”
“There is also extra support, particularly £53 million for heating oil for rural communities. However, we keep these matters under review. The Chancellor takes a keen interest in them, and where we can further support people, I am sure the Government will want to do so.”
“I certainly join the hon. Lady in wishing Scotland well in the world cup. On the cost of attending for fans, the Prime Minister—himself a keen football fan—has already raised his concerns. The hon. Lady raises an interesting question about international action on the matter, and she may wish to do so again at Culture, Media and Sport questions on 18 June. On the important question on energy bills, I should point out that the Government are taking action. We have frozen fuel duty for the rest of the year. We are delinking the price of electricity from the price of gas, which will protect many households and businesses from gas price spikes, and we are extending and expanding our scheme to recoup excess profits made during periods of high gas prices.”
“I echo my hon. Friend’s sentiment regarding the work that the Government have done on this important matter, but as he suggests, there is much more to do. We look forward to responding to the Milburn review once its full recommendations are published, and I am sure that my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions will want to keep the House updated once that process concludes.”
“I am grateful to the hon. Gentleman for the work of his Committee and for the strong leadership that he shows. He has announced an impressive list of debates, underlining the importance of his Committee’s work. He mentions—as I did when outlining the business—the fact that there is a topic yet to be decided on 18 June. We will obviously publicise that in the usual way as soon as possible. On the hon. Gentleman’s substantive question about Kashmir, India and Pakistan are both long-standing important partners of this country, and our long-standing position is that India and Pakistan should find a lasting political resolution on this issue, while respecting the wishes of the Kashmiri people. The Government encourage both nations to engage in dialogue and to pursue lasting political solutions to support regional stability.”
“The situation in my hon. Friend’s constituency sounds untenable. The police and local authorities have legal powers to deal with dangerous, abandoned and obstructive vehicles, and they work closely with the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency to target untaxed vehicles. Should my hon. Friend wish to apply for a Westminster Hall debate or an Adjournment debate, I am sure that it would be well attended. She could then hear directly from the Minister what the Government could do further.”
“The hon. Lady talks about the matters that Ofcom is looking into, such as nudity and social media, and I am sure she shares the view that those are important. They are the first step that the Government are taking to address a wider issue. On the success of Ofcom, or lack thereof, she could seek an Adjournment or Westminster Hall debate, where she could make these points directly to the Government. It is important that Ofcom does a good job, and if it is being given important jobs to do, it must do so with the confidence of this House.”
“I thank my hon. Friend for his work campaigning on this issue. The safety of NHS staff is non-negotiable. There are clear legal duties on employers to ensure that healthcare workers handling hazardous medicinal products are properly protected at all times. I understand that the Health and Safety Executive is actively reviewing whether any further action or clearer guidance is needed, and I am sure that the Department will come forward with an update on that at some point.”
“The hon. Gentleman raises an important matter. I know that Royal Mail listens closely to these sessions, and I hope that it has heard what he has said this morning. The Business and Trade Committee has previously called Royal Mail into Parliament over its performance, and I know that the Secretary of State takes these matters very seriously. I hope that Royal Mail is listening, and if the hon. Gentleman seeks a meeting with the relevant Minister to make his points, I will help him to arrange it.”
“There are important developments in this matter. The Met police are working with the mobile phone companies, because they are absolutely crucial in supporting the delivery of this endeavour, and I am sure they want to make it less worthwhile for people to steal phones. I will raise the matter with the relevant Minister and see if we can get an update for the House on what the plan is, and on what further measures we can introduce.”
“His area is still part of Greater London. If he wishes to campaign, that is a fair thing to do—I know he did so when he sat on the Conservative Benches. He has campaigned in order to get an independent voice, and I know that he will always be an independent voice for his area, but it is still part of the same set-up. The wider point is that it is very tempting to go down the route of the politics of division, but it is not very helpful. I would urge caution.”
“As the hon. Gentleman showed last week, he is very keen—I understand his keenness—to say what happened at the local elections in his patch and to mention the Reform victory. But as I pointed out to him, he should get his campaigning shoes out, because Reform councillors sometimes discover that they do not want to be councillors or that their local authority decides that they are ineligible to be councillors. Collectively across the country, they usually underperform and let people down. I congratulate Reform on its success in the local elections, but I advise the party to prepare for by-elections, as we are seeing elsewhere in the country, particularly when local residents find out what it has done. The hon. Gentleman made his point about Greater London last week, and nothing has changed between then and this week.”
“The Government agree with my hon. Friend that there must be a balance between planning rules and practicality, and we did consult on changes to the national planning policy framework to emphasise the need for proportionality in these matters. Through the nature restoration fund, we will also remove the need for site-by-site approaches to mitigation to support protected species at the strategic level. My hon. Friend may wish to raise this issue directly with Ministers at Housing, Communities and Local Government questions on Monday to get the latest thinking.”
“My hon. Friend is absolutely right to raise this matter—she is a champion for sports and inclusion—and I am sorry to hear of the experience of some girls in her constituency. The Government are committed to ensuring that everyone has access to high-quality grassroots sports facilities, which are such an important part of our local communities, and we are investing £85 million in those facilities to increase participation, particularly among women and girls. That includes providing funding for clubhouses and changing rooms, and I hope that clubs will pay attention to that and make it a success. I encourage my hon. Friend to raise this matter at Culture, Media and Sport questions next week.”
“This Government are absolutely committed to ensuring that, wherever possible, we use British businesses for our contracts. I am sorry to hear of the experiences of the hon. Lady’s constituent, and I will raise the matter with the Secretary of State, if she gives me the details later. Following that, should a meeting be necessary, I am sure I can help to arrange one.”
“Yes, I do. My hon. Friend raises an important matter, and I am concerned that she has not had the engagement from the councils that they should be offering. I hope they do respond with the seriousness that this warrants and take an active role in ensuring that such problems are sorted out on behalf of residents. Unfortunately, this is yet further evidence of Reform councils underperforming.”
“There has been no change in this Government’s position, and therefore there is no need for the statement that the hon. Gentleman is asking for.”
“I welcome the approach of my hon. Friend’s local council, because the Government share the ambition of wanting to see more empty homes brought back into use. Local authorities have access to a range of powers and incentives to bring empty homes back into use, including grant funding, and levers to take ownership of a property. We have also implemented high street rental auctions, bringing long-term vacant high street properties back into use. In the King’s Speech, we announced legislation to bring further reforms to housing, including the improvement of the stock of social housing. I look forward to the Government working with his local council and other local councils to take this issue forward.”
“If the hon. Lady gives me the details of that case, I will certainly raise it with Government colleagues. She is right to raise these matters, which will be of huge concern to the family. If she wishes to have a meeting with the relevant Minister to explain why such a pathway and change is necessary, I will help her to arrange one.”
“It is heartening to hear of the success of schemes to ensure local people have access to local services. I certainly pay tribute to everyone involved and thank them for making it a success in my hon. Friend’s constituency.”
“The hon. Gentleman will know that the Prime Minister was very clear at Prime Minister’s questions. We are putting more money into the health service. However, we are not always able to move with the speed the situation demands, not least because we inherited a whole series of plans from the previous Government that were simply not funded at all. We are making sure that where plans exist, the funding exists too. The Prime Minister was very clear that it is not a choice between funding the NHS or funding defence. We intend to fund both properly.”