Noah Law
MP for St Austell and Newquay · Labour · United Kingdom
“T5. Under our current system, food imported from abroad, often from countries with lower standards, can be packaged in the UK but labelled as British.”
“Q7. I am deeply grateful for what the Prime Minister has helped us deliver in Cornwall in the past couple of years, whether that is free breakfast clubs, urgent capital funding for GP surgeries or the Kernow industrial growth fund. [ Interruption.”
“I do share my hon. Friend’s concern. In a time of constrained resources, there is a bit of a knee-jerk reaction to move everything into the multilateral space to get more bang for our buck but, as we have seen, it is not as simple as that. One does have to be wary when trying to make that money go further.”
“I agree that alongside the shift to more risk capital, which will also support that goal, and more upstream project development with local partners, there needs to be a focus on the world’s very poorest, and on getting capital into markets that do not currently have the capacity to support it.”
“Friend the Member for Southgate and Wood Green (Bambos Charalambous), who is no longer in his place. It is incumbent on us to build not just a more sustainable debt system, but ultimately the financial capacity of these countries, and to take the agenda very seriously.”
“We can play a unique role in three areas: first, the global debt system; secondly, our influence on multilateral development banks and development finance more broadly; and thirdly, the mobilisation of private sector investment.”
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“Central Government must work hand in hand, ideally with a devolved Government in Cornwall, with floating offshore wind at the heart of their industrial strategy. They must work with the Crown Estate and developers and educational institutions to address the barriers that hold back the industry. Only through a unified strategic focus can floating offshore wind reach its potential. Floating offshore wind requires a new generation of skilled workers in maritime engineering, fabrication and supply chain logistics. That is why I will soon meet the Skills Minister to urge Skills England to adopt a long-term perspective on the industry and its development locally.”
“With the natural advantages of Falmouth harbour, which we have heard so much about, with its deep-water access and existing maritime infrastructure, Falmouth is truly a flagship location for our floating offshore wind Celtic sea cluster. Its impact will extend far beyond the Truro and Falmouth constituency because, for constituencies like mine—St Austell and Newquay—the ripple effects of job creation, skills development and supply chain growth can be significant. From the industrial engineering of components to logistical support, floating offshore wind can energise industries that in many cases already exist across the spine of Cornwall. To make the vision a reality we need political leadership and co-ordination.”
“The Celtic sea’s vast potential for renewable energy production can meet the challenges of deeper water, as my hon. Friend the Member for Mid and South Pembrokeshire (Henry Tufnell) rightly suggested, and those challenges cannot easily be met by our traditional fixed offshore wind industry. With 4.5 GW of flow capacity envisaged for the region, we can power millions of homes with clean energy while creating around 5,300 jobs and delivering £1.5 billion of gross value added to the local economy, with around a third of that expected to arise in Cornwall, which can play its role in championing the southern side of the Celtic sea. In Cornwall the opportunity is not abstract: it is very much tangible.”
“It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Mr Efford, and to follow my hon. Friend the Member for Camborne and Redruth (Perran Moon), who spoke so lucidly about the challenges we face in building a home-grown supply chain and heeding the lessons of history. I am grateful for the opportunity to speak in this important debate and congratulate my hon. Friend the Member for Truro and Falmouth (Jayne Kirkham) on securing it. Floating offshore wind represents a truly transformative opportunity for Cornwall and the broader UK—an opportunity to bring jobs to our region while turbocharging the UK’s energy transition. Cornwall’s deep maritime heritage and strategic location uniquely positions us to be at the forefront of the floating offshore wind industry.”
“Q4. In the last couple of months since I spoke to the Prime Minister here about the need for social and industrial investment in Cornwall, we have had a fresh tranche of shared prosperity funding, a huge boost to international interest in our cleanest energy industries, and a road map to greater political autonomy that reflects Cornwall’s unique national identity. Will the PM join his Minister on that visit in the spring to meet representatives of those industries at first hand, and spell out a road map for Cornwall, to help Britain become a clean energy superpower?”
“Does the Minister agree that this Government’s decision to raise stamp duty in such a manner is vital for tackling the plague of second homes that we have seen in communities such as Cornwall?”
“Does the hon. Gentleman agree that reducing the prevalence of second homes is a crucial part of ensuring that people can afford to live and work in the communities they are from?”
“Community pharmacies are becoming an increasingly important part of our place-based healthcare provision, so I am pleased that our Government are committing to more localised delivery. None the less, numerous pharmacies in the St Austell and Newquay constituency have closed in recent years, thanks to a shocking contract under the last Government. What discussions has the Leader of the House had with Department of Health and Social Care colleagues regarding pharmacies to ensure that they are properly remunerated for the services they provide and that the sustainability of the operating model is secure?”
“With its rich mineral resources, skilled workforce and the support of the Government, Cornwall is uniquely placed to succeed in the sector and to be at the epicentre of the critical minerals revolution. By seizing that opportunity, we can not only transform Cornwall into a global hub for sustainable critical mineral production, but inspire a model of regional regeneration that places communities and climate action at its heart. Let us ensure that the rewards of the industry are shared as widely as possible, secure a thriving future for Cornwall and set the standard for the rest of the United Kingdom.”
“It is a great shame that we have some of the world’s finest overseas development export and offtake finance institutions but our ability to support home-grown mining companies with offtake and other specialised financing agreements that support the UK’s energy security is not good enough. By providing tailored financial support, we can unlock the sector’s potential, ensure that domestic supply chains are robust and self-sustaining, and bring prosperity to our proud clay country villages in Cornwall, and to the country more widely. In leading the debate, my hon. Friend the Member for Camborne and Redruth underscored how vital it is for our national security, energy resilience and climate goals that we secure the domestic production of critical minerals.”
“Finally, funding remains a significant hurdle for critical minerals exploration in Cornwall. The current funding landscape presents a huge challenge, and the schemes available for smaller projects are far too limited. The gap must be addressed if we are to enable early-stage mineral production projects, for example, and to progress the commercial viability of the small and medium-sized enterprises that will form the backbone of the Cornish mining supply chain. I therefore urge the Minister to consider reforms to the funding structures. The EIS has been mentioned in the context of supporting critical mineral exploration.”
“The Government’s drive to build social and affordable homes must therefore be accelerated in Cornwall to ensure that our local talent pool, which the industry is so keen to unlock, is not driven out of the region, as so many have been before. Similarly, transport links must be drastically improved. The woeful state of the road connecting St Austell and Newquay offers a prime example of the difficulties of getting goods, services and people to flow around our county. It is essential that efficient, sustainable transport for workers, businesses and supply chains functions correctly. The current state of our infrastructure is dire. It is a critical component of creating the conditions for success in the sector, so I welcome the Minister’s visit in the spring, when we can go further into the specifics of an investment plan for Cornwall.”
“Further education deserves parity of funding and esteem, given its vital role in growing this vital industry. It is crucial that we align Skills England’s methodology with the reality of emerging industries to capture the nascent but fast-growing demand for skills. A forward-thinking industrial strategy, informed by the business-level and project-level data, is essential to anticipate and meet the needs of the sector. On our infrastructure challenges—there are many in Cornwall in particular—Cornwall’s potential to lead in the production of critical minerals will be realised only if we address the intertwined challenges of housing, transport and, of course, the grid. Cornwall suffers from a protracted housing crisis, with the proliferation of second homes resulting in a severe lack of affordable housing for local people.”
“Each major player in the critical minerals industry forecasts the need to train around 300 staff just in terms of direct employees, not to speak of the vast supply chain required. That makes it ever more crucial that we harness local talent to plug into the supply chain. To achieve all that, we must provide the necessary resources for the teaching institutions, including incentives to attract and retain skilled teaching staff who may work in very lucrative industries and find it difficult to justify coming back to teach the next generation. The Government should consider additional measures in terms of funding or salary enhancements to ensure that educators are not drawn away by the competitive salaries offered overseas in the industry itself.”
“We are also able to spread the wealth that will come from a production epicentre in Cornwall across the whole of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. For the industry to flourish, we must address the skills gap. Institutions such as the Camborne School of Mines, which we have already heard about, and the Truro STEM centre are at the forefront of educating the next generation of workers for the industry. I look forward to the forthcoming investment in Cornwall college in the next year or so, as historically it has been an excellent source of talent for further education. The potential is immense: more than 100 degree-level apprenticeships could be offered at Camborne alone, and a similar number of mineral processing apprenticeships are available in Truro.”
“Many of the countries in the supply chain sit squarely within either the Chinese or Russian spheres of influence. That dependence exposes us to significant risks, including geopolitical instability, ethical concerns surrounding the supply chains, and the potential for resource monopolies. I suggest that if we are to go globetrotting for our critical minerals, we should trot very carefully indeed and prioritise our domestic powerhouse of production. Investing in domestic production, especially of lithium, will strengthen our energy security, reduce vulnerabilities and ensure that the transition to renewable energy is underpinned by a resilient and ethical supply chain. Cornwall is uniquely positioned to contribute to this national ambition.”
“It is therefore imperative that the Government support the development of this burgeoning sector and work with cutting-edge businesses like Cornish Lithium, which is pursuing environmentally responsible lithium extraction from geothermal waters and hard rock with pioneering technology. By doing so, Cornwall can emerge as a leader in critical mineral production globally, with benefits cascading across local and national economies. On a broader scale, securing the domestic supply of critical minerals is not just a matter of economic opportunity for local people in my constituency, in Cornwall and beyond; it is a matter of national security. Currently, the UK is over-reliant on imports from nations such as the Democratic Republic of the Congo.”
“For those not familiar with the properties of lithium, it is a key component in batteries that power electric vehicles, as well as being essential for the renewable energy storage that we need. It is key for many other crucial technologies that will be part of our low-carbon future. The distillation of raw materials in Cornwall, with our unique geology, present an unparalleled economic opportunity not seen since the 19th century when we dominated the global mining market in tin and copper. Let me stress the magnitude of that opportunity and what it potentially means for Cornwall. Lithium mining offers the chance to revitalise that legacy in a way that stimulates Cornwall’s economy and turbocharges our country’s clean energy mission.”
“I thank my hon. Friend the Member for Bournemouth East (Tom Hayes) for his speech and my hon. Friend the Member for Camborne and Redruth (Perran Moon) for securing this vital debate and for his thorough introduction to critical minerals. I must begin by declaring an interest as chair of the all-party parliamentary group on critical minerals. In my capacity as chair, I hope to champion the UK’s critical minerals sector and encourage the Government to use all economic and educational levers available to support UK domestic production, stimulate growth and ensure that we exploit the sector’s vast untapped potential. In my constituency of St Austell and Newquay, we are privileged to sit atop the heart of the largest lithium resource in Europe. It is a vital mineral for the green energy transition, as we have heard.”
“T2. Given that the mayoral council and leaders’ councils are being contemplated as part of the English devolution Bill, what steps is the Deputy Prime Minister taking to ensure that Cornwall’s voice is heard in Westminster, after being subsumed for far too long?”
“On consultation, too many meetings are held in the middle of the day in the middle of the week. That creates a huge burden for some of the fishers that want to attend them. They are often held in Newlyn or Brixham, the main centres, which can create logistical challenges for those wanting to voice their views on the formation of fisheries management plans. Will the Minister consider that when trying to reach a more hand-in-glove consultation with our fishing communities?”
“Thank you, Madam Deputy Speaker. Many members of the Select Committee, myself included, have heard of the role that online disinformation and hatred have played in some of the atrocities in Sudan. What leadership can the UK demonstrate in helping to quell some of this digital fuel on the fire in the war against Sudanese civilians?”
“Antisocial behaviour is sadly a blight on our town centre in St Austell, but also on many smaller clay country villages in my constituency. I therefore welcome the Minister’s announcement on respect orders, and invite the Government to pilot them in St Austell. What impact does the Minister expect these orders to have, when it comes to revitalising our once thriving town centres?”
“I declare an interest as a chair of the all-party parliamentary group for critical minerals. Domestic supplies of copper and, of course, Cornish tin are critical to the UK’s energy security. What consideration has the Minister given to ensuring that copper and tin are recognised as critical minerals?”
“As my hon. Friend the Member for Sheffield Central (Abtisam Mohamed) pointed out, legal aid is currently restricted to those on the lowest incomes. I have received correspondence from a constituent who, despite being a domestic abuse survivor, cannot access legal aid because her income is above the threshold. Will the Minister consider widening legal aid eligibility to all victims of domestic violence?”
“The father of my constituent, Eli Martyr, has been diagnosed with bowel cancer. Despite a difficult time, his father is being looked after amazingly well by NHS staff. If the Government commit to a national cancer strategy, will they ensure that the second biggest cancer killer, bowel cancer, is given sufficient attention? Can we address the staff and kit shortages and ensure that we improve the bowel cancer screening programme to improve the chances of survival?”
“I am delighted that the Chancellor’s Budget included a significant real-terms funding increase for local authorities, giving them more to invest in vital community services and infrastructure. I, too, express my condolences to the victims of flooding in Spain. One of my constituents has experienced significant flooding issues after the road outside her property was resurfaced in a way that directs water directly into her home, instead of towards the river. After raising this with Cornwall council, she was told that nothing could be done. Does the Leader of the House agree with me that it is incumbent on local authorities to ensure that every penny of taxpayers’ money is spent as effectively as possible to address serious issues such as the flooding experienced by my constituent?”
“Our investment in skills and infrastructure will empower local people and open up those opportunities for growth and innovation.”
“It is through the national wealth fund and GB Energy that we will be able to mobilise billions of pounds of private finance, de-risking investments to support critical infrastructure projects including in Cornwall, which will turbocharge the green economy and propel our country into the future. Our Labour Government will make sure we invest every penny of taxpayers’ money responsibly, prioritising our public services and ensuring that economic stability remains at the heart of decision making, and protecting working people from preventable economic shocks, such as those we have seen. We are driving forward the green industrial revolution at home in Cornwall and I am committed to ensuring that the spoils are spread among the community.”
“Friend the Member for Croydon West (Sarah Jones), to join a roundtable in the new year to meet the most promising industries in Cornwall. I am also delighted that our calls for structural funding, in the form of shared prosperity funding, have been honoured by the Government, particularly given the willingness of the previous Government to throw us under a bus, shipping young people on their not so merry way to a hare-brained national service scheme. I only wish that more Conservative Members from the previous Government were sat on the Opposition Benches to debate this landmark Budget with me this evening.”
“I very much welcome the Chancellor’s Budget. It is a landmark Budget not just because it is the first Labour Budget in 14 years and the first Budget from a woman Chancellor in over 800 years, but because, as the Father of the House, the right hon. Member for Gainsborough (Sir Edward Leigh) referenced, of the intellectual change it represents. In that change, we are looking to enact a significant shift in the mindset of Budgets, from a no-can-do Britain to a can-do Britain; a Britain where we believe that investing is not simply a waste, but an un-blocker for private sector dynamism and investment of the kind that we so desperately need in Cornwall. I welcome the commitment from the Minister for Industry, my hon.”
“This Government’s Budget— [Laughter.] I am actually making quite a brief speech, but I appreciate the eagerness of colleagues to lend their remarks to this landmark Budget debate. [Interruption.] I thank those sitting on the Front Bench. This Government’s Budget signals a clear departure from the short-termism and sticking-plaster politics of the last 14 years. They are committed to taking long-term decisions to fix the fragile foundations of this country and secure a prosperous future for all. For St Austell and Newquay and the clay country, that means not just recovery but a real chance to thrive, ensuring that our communities are at the forefront of this transformation and benefit from a brighter, more prosperous future.”
“There appears to be some confusion among those on the Opposition Benches when talking about their track record and about the records they have broken on the relationship between the nominal and the real. On the point about being realistic, does the Minister agree that in our reform of the fiscal rules, we must, unlike the last Government, provide that realism and stability and ensure that wild unfunded commitments, such as the abolition of national insurance, do not occur?”
“If I may, Madam Deputy Speaker, I would like to take a moment to echo the calls from across the House this evening for the remembrance and appreciation of our veterans. I am glad to have this opportunity to present a petition on behalf of the residents of Grampound relating to the last remaining pub in the village. The petition states: The petition of the residents of Grampound, Declares that the Dolphin Inn is an Asset of Community Value. The petitioners therefore request that the House of Commons urge the Government to lend support the Dolphin Inn Grampound, acknowledging that it furthers the social wellbeing and cultural, recreational and sporting interests of the local community. And the petitioners remain, etc. [P003013]”
“Although we can all agree that the politics of envy need not play into this discussion, and that we need a proper licensing regime for holiday lets as the furnished holiday lets tax regime ends, does the Minister also agree that we ought to ensure that the homes coming out of that regime do not end up flying under the radar, and in some cases operating unsafely? We need also to look at mitigation or transitional arrangements for that industry to ensure that bona fide holiday businesses in the sector can continue to operate and we do not produce the opposite effect from what is intended with these reforms.”
“I thank the Minister for his statement. The contamination and destruction of our waterways, and even of our high streets, as we saw with sewage pollution in Newquay the other week, is an absolute disgrace that the previous Government failed to address. With Pennon Group, the owner of South West Water, paying £112 million in dividends and over £160 million in other finance costs, will the Secretary of State ensure that the independent commission, which I greatly welcome, addresses whether we have effective funding models for our water industry?”
“We know the Cornish economy to be more dependent on small and medium-sized enterprises than elsewhere in the UK; the same is true of the supply chain for our great, burgeoning renewable energy industry. Does my hon. Friend agree that the organs of industrial strategy must be attuned to the need for building a supply chain based on those SMEs and the very specific needs of those growth businesses?”
“Aviation at Cornwall airport, Newquay, is under threat from increasing regulatory burdens, leading its owner, Cornwall council, to explore costly funding options that could put this aviation business on an even less stable footing, despite its clear benefit to the public good and the local economy. Will the Minister outline the steps being taken to ensure that there is an adequate strategy in place to support airports in meeting these increasing regulatory burdens?”
“Does my hon. Friend agree that to achieve any of the outlined Skills England missions, we need a levelling of the playing field over time for further education, in particular for wages in the sector, and that we should work to rectify that, particularly in teaching sectors that are challenging to recruit for, such as critical minerals, as we see in Cornwall?”
“Q14. With shared prosperity funding drawing to a close, and Cornwall having some of the greatest potential in Europe in critical minerals and renewable energy, it is time for our aspiring Celtic tiger to identify much more strategic sources of investment funding, which take us away from the short-termist begging-bowl politics of the previous decade. Will the Prime Minister meet Cornish MPs to discuss the future of industrial and social funding in Cornwall?”
“I thank my hon. Friend for securing this debate, which is crucial to the Cornish hospitality industry and housing landscape. Does she agree that while there is a need to establish a truly level playing field, for different kinds of holiday accommodation, including furnished holiday lets, we need to ensure that we support those local bona fide holiday businesses to continue to operate, lest we risk them flooding on to the market as more institutionalised Airbnbs or, even worse, second homes that are not well utilised?”
“Does the hon. Member agree that for furnished holiday lets that are subject to planning restrictions, it should be possible to register a change of use given the impending legislative changes?”
“In Cornwall, apprenticeships in the critical minerals industry are so important, creating great work for the next generation, fostering innovation and supercharging our mission for clean energy. Will the Secretary of State outline what steps are being taken to expand our investment in these apprenticeships and meet the growing skills demand in that industry?”
“Will the Minister give consideration to the hypothesis to which the hon. Member for St Ives (Andrew George) alluded, which was that building the wrong kind of housing in Cornwall can beget demand for the kind of housing that we have so struggled to build—namely, truly affordable and social homes?”
“But our political culture remains consistent: in people’s rightful expectation of our service; in our egalitarianism; and in our healthy scepticism towards established politics and the centralisation of power, whether that be in Westminster, in single individuals or in out-of-touch bureaucracies that fail to deliver for working people. In that spirit, I pledge to serve with integrity, to listen to all voices within our community and to champion the values that make Cornwall so special, ensuring that our future is as bright and prosperous as our history is rich and storied. No more shifting the deckchairs: we are going to get Cornwall building again—to a blueprint built of the voices of those who put me here.”
“It is also important to ensure that the right kind of homes are built, and that local people can afford to live and work in Cornwall—a reality that has long been impossible because of the vicious cycle of low wages and housing unaffordability. I will work tirelessly to ensure that Cornwall’s interests are represented and the voices of my constituents are heard at the highest levels of Government, and I will advocate policies that will bring tangible benefits to our people. I am entering Parliament alongside three other Cornish Labour MPs, who reflect a sea change in the political landscape there. With Cornish Labour MPs in a Labour Government, I am thrilled to provide the strong voice in Westminster that we have so seldom had.”
“Cornwall’s heritage is not just a relic of the past but a living, breathing part of our identity, shaping our values and aspirations as a community. It is therefore vital that we preserve and promote that heritage for future generations, ensuring that it remains a cornerstone of our cultural and social fabric. This new parliamentary Session under the Labour Government offers real promise, and I am particularly pleased that they will deliver the largest increase in social homes in a generation. That will change lives, particularly the lives of my generation and the next, and give hope to those who never had it.”
“Our constituency stands as a testament to Cornwall’s resilience and ingenuity, blending traditional industries with modern innovation, and I am committed to ensuring that this balance continues to flourish, so we can ensure that this once powerhouse of the Cornish economy is restored. Beyond our unique economic challenges and opportunities, which demand a right to local decision making, we have a distinct Celtic heritage, language and national minority status, and a national pride: a pride that is inclusive, whether of families resident here for generations, those of proud northern stock or Windrush stock—or all of the above, like my own family—or those who have chosen to make their home in Cornwall more recently.”
“In the west, we have St Stephen-in-Brannel, Grampound, Creed, St Ewe, Sticker, Polgooth, Trewoon, Lanjeth, Foxhole, Nanpean, Treviscoe, St Dennis and Whitemoor—to name a few. With such a patchwork of ancient settlements across this powerhouse of the Cornish economy, the House will forgive me for seldom referring to the constituency as rural, despite our wealth of prime farmland that feeds our Cornish nation, Britain and beyond. Not only does St Austell and Newquay feature well-known agrifood, beverage and tourism industries; it is also the industrial heartland of Cornwall, boasting many of the industries we need to build a greener future, including renewables, critical minerals and the supply chain that sits behind them.”
“Steve was a hard-working MP who championed, among many other things, the Cornish railways and Cornwall’s pioneering model of tri-service safety officers, both of which I look forward to taking up with vigour. St Austell bay, Newquay and the clay country that lies in between mean that we are perhaps the most diverse and therefore representative of Cornish seats. From the tributaries of the White river that shipped our clay to the world, down on the eastern side from Roche, Bugle, Stenalees, Penwithick, Trethurgy and Tregrehan, down past St Blazey and Tywardreath to the great harbours of Par, Charlestown, Mevagissey, Fowey and its peninsula, and to the numerous namesakes of St Columba and her parish, Quintrell Downs, St Colan and the village and parish of St Enoder, with Summercourt, Fraddon and Indian Queens.”