Lucy Rigby
MP for Northampton North · Labour · United Kingdom
“Border communities rely on strong transport links, and my hon. Friend is a strong advocate for the interests of his constituency and those in the surrounding area. The Government are delivering for people in all parts of the UK, including investments that will benefit those on both sides of the English-Welsh border.”
“Nothing was snuck out. A third runway at Heathrow means more than 60,000 good local jobs, and more than £40 billion for the British economy. The hon. Lady’s question rather highlights the Lib Dems’ curious approach to growth.”
“My right hon. Friend the Member for Makerfield (Andy Burnham) will speak for himself, but I am confident that his view is that growth extends far beyond the area that the hon. Gentleman referred to.”
“Effective transport links are vital to the prosperity and wellbeing of people across the country, including in our border communities. We have been working closely with the Welsh Government to deliver a plan for Welsh rail, and we continue to work with devolved Governments to ensure that border communities stay connected.”
“We have been clear that Heathrow expansion needs to benefit everyone, not just London. The Department for Transport has shown that expansion would deliver UK-wide support for trade, with 40% of the estimated GDP benefits from expansion being outside London and the south-east.”
“The Pride in Place programme provides £5.8 billion of support to 284 neighbourhoods right across the country, including five places in my hon. Friend’s constituency, which she does so much to advocate for. We will set out more details of further funding in the Budget.”
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“Effective transport links are vital to the prosperity and wellbeing of people across the country, including in our border communities. We have been working closely with the Welsh Government to deliver a plan for Welsh rail, and we continue to work with devolved Governments to ensure that border communities stay connected.”
“Border communities rely on strong transport links, and my hon. Friend is a strong advocate for the interests of his constituency and those in the surrounding area. The Government are delivering for people in all parts of the UK, including investments that will benefit those on both sides of the English-Welsh border. That includes the investment in places like Padeswood, on the Wrexham to Liverpool line, as part of the £445 million of investment allocated for rail enhancements in Wales at the 2025 spending review.”
“My right hon. Friend the Member for Makerfield (Andy Burnham) will speak for himself, but I am confident that his view is that growth extends far beyond the area that the hon. Gentleman referred to. Most importantly, this Government’s approach is to ensure that growth can be generated right across the country, rather than in just a few postcodes.”
“We have been clear that Heathrow expansion needs to benefit everyone, not just London. The Department for Transport has shown that expansion would deliver UK-wide support for trade, with 40% of the estimated GDP benefits from expansion being outside London and the south-east.”
“Nothing was snuck out. A third runway at Heathrow means more than 60,000 good local jobs, and more than £40 billion for the British economy. The hon. Lady’s question rather highlights the Lib Dems’ curious approach to growth. When they were in government, they decimated our economy with austerity, and now they oppose all the investment in infrastructure needed for growth. This Government are taking a wholly better approach.”
“The Pride in Place programme provides £5.8 billion of support to 284 neighbourhoods right across the country, including five places in my hon. Friend’s constituency, which she does so much to advocate for. We will set out more details of further funding in the Budget.”
“Mr Speaker, your comments have been fully noted, and I will ensure that they are fed back to the entire ministerial team. The Government are taking steps to support households and businesses with fuel costs in response to the conflict in the middle east. A rapid de-escalation in the middle east remains the best way to bring down fuel prices. The most impactful step, of course, would be to reopen the strait of Hormuz. That is exactly why the UK Government are playing a leading role in the international effort to get shipping flowing freely. Indeed, I contrast that with the position of the Leader of the Opposition, who would have rushed us to war. [ Interruption. ] Alongside this key step— [ Interruption. ] Mr Speaker, the boys’ club—”
“This will save a typical HGV over £600—up to £912 for some vehicles—on top of the savings that I have just described for fuel duty. To conclude, this change is one part of our support for households and businesses. It combines universal support for motorists with targeted support for those most affected by higher fuel prices. My right hon. Friend the Chancellor will update the House later today on further support measures for households and businesses.”
“Yesterday the Prime Minister made it clear that we will not increase fuel duty this year. The temporary 5p cut will be extended until the end of the year. Taken together, the Government’s decisions will save the average motorist over £120 this year, compared with the plans we inherited from the previous Government. We also recognise that farmers face substantially increased costs for fertiliser and fuel. That is why we are going further and cutting the duty rate on red diesel by over a third per litre, to the lowest rate in over 20 years. That will help other users of red diesel too. The road haulage sector is vital for transporting goods across the country. Recognising the sector’s key role and the increased costs that it is facing, we are introducing a 12-month holiday from vehicle excise duty for the majority of heavy goods vehicles.”
“Alongside this key step, the Government’s priority will continue to be helping families with the cost of living, including through protecting the public finances. The Government are taking action to bear down on prices at the pump, and in November we extended the 5p per litre cut in fuel duty for a further five months. Right now, petrol and diesel are 11p per litre cheaper than they would have been under the plans we inherited from the previous Government. Some fuels have been more impacted than others by the conflict, and we recognise that. The Government also recognise the pressures being faced by drivers and other fuel users. That is why we are introducing a package worth over £400 million that combines broad support for motorists with targeted support for the sectors most exposed to and affected by higher fuel prices.”
“Put simply, as I said, the shadow Chancellor’s party would have had motorists hurtling full speed towards higher fuel costs. It is only because of the action that this Government have taken that we have applied the brake to the hikes that his party would have introduced. The Conservatives would have introduced higher costs; we are keeping the freeze on fuel duty and protecting millions of motorists right across the country. Exactly as I said, we are taking further measures on red diesel and for HGV drivers. That is on top of additional action that we are taking on the cost of living. The shadow Chancellor and I saw each other in the studios earlier this morning when I was out there talking about the free, unlimited bus travel for children that the Chancellor will update us on—”
“I will address the point on HMRC mileage rates: as I said, the Chancellor will come to the House later and talk about the full package.”
“My apologies, Mr Speaker. I had intended to say just then that the Chancellor will come to the House and give a full statement on everything, including the matters that we are discussing. I am sorry that the shadow Chancellor is so upset and appalled by the recent growth figures. I am in the business of talking this country up rather than down. Indeed, I am grateful to him for highlighting that growth has been revised up, interest rates are coming down, inflation is coming down and real wages are going up. As I said, that is because of the prudent decisions that the Government have taken, all of which are allowing us to take further action on the cost of living. The action that we are taking on fuel duty is very important. It will save millions of motorists across this country a lot of money.”
“My right hon. Friend makes an important point. I know how passionate he is about these issues. He refers to changes made at the Budget, which were made with the best of intentions and from the point of view of encouraging the use of electric vehicles. I believe that the Chancellor may say something on that later on.”
“The hon. Member makes a really important point about the cost that farmers are facing, but that is exactly why we are taking steps to cut the duty on red diesel by more than a third to its lowest rate in over 20 years. As I said, that will help not just farmers, but other sectors, too, including in relation to freight. I am afraid that, as so often, we hear suggestions from the Liberal Democrats, “Cut this”, “Cut that”, “Try to bring things down”— [ Interruption. ] —but they are never funded. We manage the public finances— [ Interruption. ]”
“Thank you, Mr Speaker. The point is that we have to manage the public finances responsibly. We cannot put in place measures that are not fully funded, and I wish that some of the proposals being put forward were adequately backed up and fully funded.”
“My hon. Friend raises a really important issue, and I thank him for all the work that he has done in this space to try to bring down the cost for people across the country. In my old role as Economic Secretary to the Treasury, I was closer to the work of the insurance sector and the work that the current Economic Secretary is now taking forward to try to ensure that prices are brought down, but I am more than happy to convene with the new Economic Secretary and take forward the work that my hon. Friend suggests.”
“I am afraid that the hon. Member has entirely missed the fact that the plans that his Government left in place would have seen fuel duty go up. It is only because of the action that this Government are taking that millions of motorists across the country will save money.”
“As I said in response to my right hon. Friend the Member for Birmingham Hodge Hill and Solihull North (Liam Byrne), I appreciate that this is a really important issue, and I know what an important issue it is to my hon. Friend and his constituency too. As I said, I am more than happy to take up the matter, and I will discuss it with the Exchequer Secretary.”
“I think that these suggestions are being made with the best of intentions, but with the deepest respect to the hon. Member, this is all motherhood and apple pie. If we want to do these nice things, we have to be able to say where the money will come from.”
“My hon. Friend raises the important issue of hauliers and the road haulage sector. What we are discussing today is so critical to the costs that hauliers are paying, including vehicle excise duty, which of course is on top of the changes we are making to fuel duty to save hauliers money. This is one of the ways in which we are recognising the critical role that hauliers play in setting costs, including of consumer goods. All these things fit together, and I recognise how important the sector is to my hon. Friend’s constituency.”
“I am grateful to the hon. Member for her question, but if it would have been so mad to deal with fuel duty in that way, why was it her party’s intention to do exactly that? On oil and gas, we have been very clear that they will play a part in our fuel mix for years and years to come.”
“I am grateful to my hon. Friend for his question. It is because of the fiscally responsible choices that the Chancellor has made that growth and real wages have gone up, and inflation and interest rates have come down. [ Interruption. ] These things do not happen by accident; they are because of the fiscally responsible way that the Chancellor is managing our economy. That is fiscal responsibility for a purpose, that purpose being to support working people across this country.”
“I am very grateful to the right hon. Member for his kind comments. I appreciate where he is trying to go with his remarks, but what we are doing with this announcement is saving the average motorist over £120 this year, compared with the plans that we inherited. By saying—as the Prime Minister has—that we are going to extend the cut until 31 December, we are trying to give people a bit of certainty and reassurance. We recognise that family budgets are really stretched at the moment, which is why we are introducing this measure, and plenty of others, to try to help people with the cost of living.”
“My hon. Friend’s comments again highlight that the Conservative party would have raced to war. When I said that earlier—Conservative Members are doing it again; they are shaking their heads at me. The reality is—”
“Okay. One of two things is true: either the Leader of the Opposition said that she would have taken us into the conflict and she did not mean it, in which case she is really confused, frankly; or she said it and she meant it, which is demonstrative of catastrophic judgment. Neither of those things—catastrophically bad judgment or deep confusion—is an ideal quality for someone who wants to run the country.”
“We are supporting motorists in a meaningful way and it is really important. The hon. Member mentioned the Competition and Markets Authority’s fuel finder scheme. The intention of that is to save households that own a car up to £40 a year. She is right that the key principle behind that is competition. We know that competition is the way that we get to greater choice and lower prices for consumers.”
“I have to tell the right hon. Member that we are not attempting to cap the prices in supermarkets and nor were we intending to do so. The Chancellor is having discussions with supermarkets, as she is with other sectors, with a view to putting downwards pressure on prices and helping people with the cost of living. As I have said repeatedly, we on the Government Benches recognise that there is a cost of living crisis out there, not least because of the inheritance we received from the Conservatives, and we are seeking to help people with those costs.”
“I am glad to hear that the measures will help the Malcolm Group in my hon. Friend’s constituency, as indeed they will hauliers right across the country. She raises, as other hon. Members have, an important point around welfare. She also alludes to freight crime, which has been discussed at length in this House and is something in which I am particularly interested, given the nature of my constituency. The Government are taking forward action to seek to deal with freight crime, as well as taking action on welfare, but I would be more than happy to convene a meeting with other Ministers and my hon. Friend on the issue.”
“The best way to get to energy security is by doing exactly what the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero is doing at the moment with the push towards renewables. New licences in the North sea would not bring new oil and gas on stream for another 10 years, so they really are the wrong solution.”
“My hon. Friend raises an important point about the critical nature of bus services to the entire country. That is exactly why we are providing more than £3 billion for buses over the next three years, to cap fares at £3 and maintain and improve services. That includes funding for local authorities to put in place local fare initiatives if they wish to do so, as I believe the North East combined authority has done. We are also making reforms to bus franchising, which will allow for new and better services.”
“I wholeheartedly reject any accusation or idea whatsoever that we are somehow going soft on Russia and Putin. That is completely wrong. The new package of sanctions that we have introduced is stronger today— [ Interruption. ]”
“The package of sanctions in place today is stronger than the package of sanctions that was in place last week. We have a world-leading sanctions regime in this country: at the moment, we have more than 3,300 sanctions on Russian entities, businesses, individuals and ships—the list goes on and on. Why does it go on and on? It is because of our steadfast support for Ukraine.”
“There is absolutely nothing humiliating about the action being taken by the Chancellor and the Prime Minister to protect millions of motorists across this country. Again, I have to remind the hon. Member that the plans we inherited from the previous Government would have seen motorists paying more.”
“I am grateful for the hon. Member highlighting the measures we are taking when it comes to red diesel. He mentions fertiliser costs. We know that substantially increased fertiliser costs, as well as fuel costs, are hurting farmers. That is exactly why we are taking these measures on red diesel, cutting the duty rate by over a third per litre from just over 10p to 6.5p, which, as I said, is the lowest rate for more than 20 years.”
“I am grateful to the hon. Member. I might ask that our meeting—when indeed we do meet, as I am happy to do so—is fully focused on the matters at hand.”
“I assume that the hon. Member is referring to the decision on licences in the sanctions regime. These licences are specific, targeted and will be reviewed on a very regular basis. Given that he understands the flows of oil so well, he will know that licences are a very common part of the sanctions regime. The reason these licences are being put in place is to stage the impact on the economy. Indeed, the European Union is going to achieve a full ban by the end of 2026—it, too, is staging the impact. This is a sensible measure when it comes to our economy. What is totally beyond doubt is our steadfast support for Ukraine and the pressure that we continue to put, with our international allies, on Vladimir Putin.”
“Member for St Albans (Daisy Cooper) about the overnight visitor levy, the levy is a key means by which we are delivering our manifesto commitment to devolve new revenue-raising powers. Revenues from the levy will support local economic growth and mayors will make decisions, informed by local consultation, about how revenues should best be invested in their region. Britain will work closely with those who share our values and interests, which means a closer and more constructive relationship with Europe. That is why we are bringing forward the European partnership Bill.”
“Labour has been saying for years that far too many parts of Britain lack basic and reliable transport connections, and all the many positive economic benefits that flow from that. Some of these points were echoed by Members, including the hon. Member for North Shropshire (Helen Morgan). Northern Powerhouse Rail will help to build a northern economy that reaches its full potential. Backed by up to £45 billion of Government support, the new route will drive jobs and investment across a single, well-connected northern growth corridor. We are also taking steps to protect and grow the freight industry. On the points raised by my hon. Friend the Member for Brent East (Dawn Butler) and by the hon.”
“Our nuclear regulation Bill will modernise the way new nuclear projects are regulated so that we can deliver safe, secure and affordable nuclear power and infrastructure sooner, while maintaining strong environmental protections. Unlike a number of the Opposition parties, including the Greens and the SNP, this Government recognise the importance of new nuclear for our energy security, our climate security and our economic security. My hon. Friend the Member for Bristol East (Kerry McCarthy) asked about the voluntary carbon consultation. The Government have published a summary of responses and a formal Government response will be published over the summer. As Members have noted, we must improve connectivity and boost trade to unlock growth.”
“Friend the Member for North West Leicestershire (Amanda Hack) wrote in her dissertation some years ago, cost the UK economy £11 billion each year and lead to the closure of 38 UK businesses every day. We must also build resilience to protect our critical infrastructure. Steel is strategically important to our economy, which is why we acted last year to avoid a sudden halt to production at Scunthorpe, protecting workers and the community that depends on the site. It is why we are now bringing forward legislation to give us options to protect Britain’s steelmaking capability. We have already announced major energy investments, including for the UK’s first ever small modular reactor in Anglesey and the next generation of nuclear submarines in Inverclyde.”
“That begins with legislation to reform and modernise regulation, to ensure that rules are proportionate to risk, and that businesses are able to expand and grow to the benefit of our economy as a whole. I am grateful to the right hon. Member for Salisbury (John Glen) for his constructive comments about our enhancing financial services Bill. I confirm that the Bill will maintain the UK’s competitive edge by enabling the sector to support businesses of all sizes to invest and grow, including credit unions, with reforms to the common bond. We will ensure that regulation ensures more lending to small businesses, and we will give Government the power to take action on in-person banking services. As many Members highlighted, the small business protections (late payments) Bill will tackle the scourge of late payments which, as my hon.”
“As well as immediate support with the cost of living, we must also create the conditions for shared prosperity. That means more jobs, businesses expanding and investing, and people in every community and part of our country having greater security and more of their own money to spend. That is what a Labour growth agenda means. The Chancellor has been clear that she wants to ensure that that growth is stable and resilient. Why? Because that means people secure in their jobs and households secure in their finances and, in our increasingly uncertain world, it means that families the length and breadth of Britain will be more confident and hopeful about what the future holds. All that is the basis on which the pro-growth legislation set out in the Gracious Speech is being delivered.”
“] Conservative Members are shaking their heads and saying it is not true, but one of two things must be true: either the Leader of the Opposition said that she wanted to take us into the conflict and she meant it, in which case she has catastrophically poor judgment, or she said that she wanted to take us into the conflict but did not mean it, in which case she is deeply confused and Conservative Members have more things to worry about than catastrophically poor judgment. By contrast, the Prime Minister made the right decision to keep us out of that conflict. Because of his decision, and because of the action we have taken to stabilise the economy over the past two years, Britain today is in a stronger position to withstand the uncertainty and insecurity in the global economy.”
“We have frozen prescription costs, and we have frozen rail fares for the first time in 30 years. We have scrapped the two-child benefit cap, lifting 450,000 children out of poverty. We are helping parents to save up to £8,000 a year with our expansion of Government-funded childcare, free breakfast clubs, and the new school uniform cap on branded items. Those things are helping millions of families across the country. The conflict in the middle east is putting pressure on energy markets and creating renewed fragility in trade and supply chains. The Conservative party and Reform would have raced into that costly war—the Leader of the Opposition was clear about that at the time—with damaging consequences for both our national security and our economy. [ Interruption.”
“Importantly, economic growth accelerated sharply in the first quarter of this year, rising to 0.6%, despite the Iran war. Of course, today we have had the IMF upgrade to growth this year as well. I am afraid I have to correct the shadow Chancellor, the right hon. Member for Central Devon (Sir Mel Stride), and the hon. Member for Rutland and Stamford (Alicia Kearns), because GDP per capita is up too. These things are the result of the fiscally responsible choices that this Government have made, and it is responsibility for a clear purpose. That same purpose will always be at the heart of who we are as a Labour party: improving the lives of working people right across the country. We increased the national living wage and the national minimum wage.”
“She committed to rejecting the failed economic approach of the 14 years prior and to charting a different economic course, reinvigorating our economy after years of chronic under-investment, austerity and poor productivity, and the only Parliament in recorded history when living standards actually got worse. The Chancellor committed to charting a different course so that our economy delivers for people right across this country. As a result of that approach, interest rates have been cut six times since the general election. In March, the spring forecast showed inflation coming down, as the right hon. Member for New Forest West (Sir Desmond Swayne) was good enough to highlight, and real wages continuing to rise. Last week, ONS data showed borrowing falling by around £20 billion compared with the year before.”
“It is a pleasure to close today’s King’s Speech debate on behalf of the Government. I am grateful to Members for their contributions, including the Business Secretary for his excellent opening speech and the shadow Business Minister, the hon. Member for West Worcestershire (Dame Harriett Baldwin), for her kind words—although I note that I did not qualify as a “beam of light”, nor others on the Government side. I speak on behalf of the whole House when I say that whichever part of that £5 million charitable donation the right hon. Member for Newark (Robert Jenrick)—he is not here, unfortunately —spent on his amateur dramatics course, he ought to ask for his money back. Two years ago, the Chancellor stood at this Dispatch Box following the first King’s Speech of this Labour Government.”
“The right hon. Gentleman’s wife, and potentially he himself, will be pleased to know that those two things are entirely compatible. We will have to cancel absolutely nothing at all. The key point is that where it is in our national interest to align with EU regulation, the Bill will enable us to do so. I want to address some specific points that were raised about Northern Ireland. The Government have worked closely with devolved Governments to design the Bill. The application of the agreements we are making alongside the Windsor framework will sweep away the majority of regulatory barriers for businesses moving agrifood goods.”
“The Bills in the King’s Speech are the path to a stronger and fairer future, and I commend the King’s Speech to the House. Ordered, That the debate be now adjourned .—(Jake Richards.) Debate to be resumed tomorrow.”