Helen Maguire
MP for Epsom and Ewell · Liberal Democrat · United Kingdom
“Green & Bean coffee shop in Epsom told me that it did not have any hope for this Budget, and quite frankly it was right. Hospitality is not just about pubs, cafés and restaurants; it is a vital entry point into the world of work, giving young people, including NEETs, a chance to gain skills, earn a wage and build a future.”
House of Commons28 October 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“We must restore train services in Epsom and Ewell to at least four an hour—an investment that would pay dividends back to the Treasury. I have been in Parliament for just over two years, and in that time I have seen three Health Secretaries come through.”
House of Commons28 October 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“No one should have to worry about the cost of energy because of the whims of Westminster or geopolitical instability. I welcome the £100 cash payment for homes in council tax bands A to D, but if energy bills keep rising, it will only offset the escalation in price.”
House of Commons28 October 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“I welcome much of what the Chancellor has shared today, but I believe that the Budget falls short in several areas. In Epsom and Ewell, hard-working people are being stretched in all directions.”
House of Commons28 October 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“Her business is a microbusiness; it has a turnover of less than £1 million, a balance sheet of less than £500,000 and fewer than 10 staff, but her current business rates are more than £6,000. To pay that, she must sell around 1,300 books a year.”
House of Commons28 October 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“The Government have announced that electricity bills will be cut by up to 25% for more than 10,000 businesses through the British industrial competitiveness scheme, but will the Chancellor confirm whether high street businesses are included in that scheme? Small businesses need a cut in their energy bills, not a trim around the edges.”
House of Commons28 October 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
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“With the general public being told to stockpile, it appears that Britain’s kitchens are going to be better resourced than our armed forces. As such, although I welcome much of what has been announced today, for many of my constituents this Budget has not been bold enough. We need real guarantees that support constituents and businesses, because life should not be this hard.”
House of Commons28 October 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“It will not take effect for four years, and it will act as a 100% tax rate for working carers. The Chancellor did not acknowledge the crisis in primary care—GP waiting times are through the roof, while dental deserts are the default. It is not good enough. There was also no mention of funding for the national cancer plan. We need action to save lives and increase cancer survival rates. Treatment must begin within 62 days of diagnosis. The Chancellor resigned as Defence Secretary because, in his own words, the plan fell “well short of what is required for defence”. That was an honourable decision, but now that he holds the purse strings, he has failed to set out a clear route for defence spending with the urgency that is needed.”
House of Commons28 October 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“We must restore train services in Epsom and Ewell to at least four an hour—an investment that would pay dividends back to the Treasury. I have been in Parliament for just over two years, and in that time I have seen three Health Secretaries come through. What I have not seen is the Government deliver on fully funding the new hospital programme. St Helier is being held together by patchwork repairs, and now we are seeing the result of that chronic under-investment—pipework so old that Legionella and Pseudomonas have been found in the water in St Helier’s maternity ward. My constituents deserve better. The Government must stop dragging their feet and speed up the construction of the new specialist emergency care hospital. I welcome today’s abolition of the cliff edge on carer’s allowance, but the details are less welcome.”
House of Commons28 October 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“The Government have announced that electricity bills will be cut by up to 25% for more than 10,000 businesses through the British industrial competitiveness scheme, but will the Chancellor confirm whether high street businesses are included in that scheme? Small businesses need a cut in their energy bills, not a trim around the edges. Epsom and Ewell is a strong net contributor to the Exchequer and is home to major businesses such as Aviva, Wates and Slitherine, but that success depends on strong rail infrastructure, and I did not hear anything about that in the Budget today. Cuts to train frequency post-covid are having a huge impact on local businesses. Growth relies on people being able to get to work and contribute to the economy.”
House of Commons28 October 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“Green & Bean coffee shop in Epsom told me that it did not have any hope for this Budget, and quite frankly it was right. Hospitality is not just about pubs, cafés and restaurants; it is a vital entry point into the world of work, giving young people, including NEETs, a chance to gain skills, earn a wage and build a future. When hospitality businesses close, we lose jobs, local growth and the heart of our high streets. We cannot let that happen. High energy costs put real pressure on small businesses. It seems that big industry gets a discount today, but the high streets get the bill, and Fatima’s Hair Boutique in Epsom is no exception. Hairdressing is energy intensive, and Fatima needs hot water, salon machines and heating. In summer, her salon’s energy bills are around £390 a month; in the winter, they average a staggering £600 a month.”
House of Commons28 October 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“Her business is a microbusiness; it has a turnover of less than £1 million, a balance sheet of less than £500,000 and fewer than 10 staff, but her current business rates are more than £6,000. To pay that, she must sell around 1,300 books a year. The current system continues to punish high street businesses and, due to the high rateable value in Surrey, businesses will not benefit from the new exemption. The Government must overhaul business rates now. Hospitality is on its knees, and the Government have failed to throw businesses a lifeline. Every week, I am told that the cost of doing business is suffocating. Fiona, the landlady at the Marquis of Granby, was forced to increase the price of a pint from £6.50 to £7.15 just in the last year, and now there is a rise in beer duty.”
House of Commons28 October 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“Only one in six small businesses anticipate growth in the next 12 months. That is a dire assessment, and Labour has only added pressure with its previous jobs tax and national insurance hikes. I welcome the slashing of the endless form filling and pointless paperwork and the introduction of founders’ relief, and I am glad that the Chancellor has finally listened to Liberal Democrat calls to support business and reward entrepreneurial ambition, but more must be done. Businesses deserve a fair deal. I welcome the efforts to ease business rates, but they do not go far enough. Dawn, the director of Word on the Street bookshop in Ashtead, told me that she fears the changes will not help.”
House of Commons28 October 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“No one should have to worry about the cost of energy because of the whims of Westminster or geopolitical instability. I welcome the £100 cash payment for homes in council tax bands A to D, but if energy bills keep rising, it will only offset the escalation in price. Today, the Government’s tax band checker crashed as people checked to see if they were eligible. That just shows how desperate people are. Instead of offering a one-off reprieve, why not offer a sustainable solution, such as an essential energy guarantee that would save the average family £100 a year, every year? Epsom and Ewell is home to many hard-working businesses—independent restaurants such as Bamboo Basket and family-run shops such as Fudge & Sons. When I speak to local businesses, one word repeatedly comes up again and again: uncertainty.”
House of Commons28 October 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“I welcome much of what the Chancellor has shared today, but I believe that the Budget falls short in several areas. In Epsom and Ewell, hard-working people are being stretched in all directions. One constituent has shared how, even though she is earning more than ever before, she just cannot keep up with the increasing costs of everyday life. That is not a unique experience. Rising costs are making essentials feel like luxuries, and working hard simply is not enough. Food prices are mounting, and energy bills are spiralling. The Chancellor offers a few pennies off a jar of marmalade, which will save households only £21 a year. While Paddington Bear will appreciate the cost of sandwiches going down, that marmalade relief will not help my constituents. We need to bring costs down.”
House of Commons28 October 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“I very much welcome the Be Ready campaign today. This Government have been pushing for devolved responsibilities, particularly at the mayoral level, but in his statement today, the Minister made no mention of the vital role that local authorities can play. Could the Minister expand on the role of local authorities in community resilience and preparedness?”
House of Commons27 October 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“I therefore urge the Minister to reflect on all the contributions and the calls made by me and my colleagues for the 540,000 men who live with or after prostate cancer, for their loved ones, and for the two men who will have lost their lives to prostate cancer in the short 90 minutes of this debate.”
House of Commons26 October 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“Global talent visas for top researchers currently cost £6,000 per person for a five-year visa—that is £18,000 for a family of three. That is significantly more expensive than most of our competitor countries, where a similar visa is typically £200 or £300 per person. The cost of visas for Cancer Research UK alone is £900,000 a year, which is the equivalent of setting up two new research labs every year. The fellowship scheme would also deliver more funding for salary and research costs for researchers by expanding the share of GDP being spent on research and development to 3.5%. That would unlock hundreds of millions of pounds per year for cancer research and billions more for our life sciences sector generally. We would deliver that through a decade-long programme of public investment into R&D.”
House of Commons26 October 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“We would recruit more cancer nurses so that every patient has a dedicated specialist supporting them throughout their treatment. We would expand the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency’s capacity in order to halve the time for new treatments to reach patients. The Liberal Democrats also want to make the UK a world leader in cancer research, and we are calling for a cancer survival research Act. That would require the Government to co-ordinate and ensure funding for research into cancers with the lowest survival rates, including brain cancer. We would also start a fellowship programme for US cancer scientists who have seen their funding slashed by President Trump. That would waive the burdensome fees and bureaucracy for international researchers on the whole.”
House of Commons26 October 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“Improved screening must go hand in hand with faster treatment and a guarantee: it must be written into law and backed by investment that every patient, including those with prostate cancer, is treated within 62 days. The Liberal Democrats recognise that speed and quality of treatment are central to increasing survival rates of prostate cancer. To achieve that, we would introduce a guarantee that 100% of patients will be able to start treatment within 62 days from urgent referral, and we would replace ageing radiotherapy machines and increase their number so that no one has to travel too far for treatment. Liberal Democrat research last year found that eight in 10 hospitals are using outdated medical equipment, such as MRI scanners. Those machines are essential to fully diagnosing prostate cancer.”
House of Commons26 October 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“The issue of prostate cancer testing has been handled, in many instances, very insensitively. Alongside the announcement of the screening programme, the NHS quietly tried to change the rules around a man’s right to request a PSA blood test. That is not right. It is shocking that it then told campaigners and NHS staff that that had been the case all along. It is simply not good enough. Patients and their families deserve honesty and transparency. Is it really the Minister’s position that we should change years of standard practice and prevent men from making an informed choice to request a test? What has changed in the past few months to cause such a backward step in access? Was there any new evidence that informed the decision?”
House of Commons26 October 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“The programme will save thousands of lives, and it is unacceptable that no screening programme existed previously. Screening programmes are standard across a range of cancers, but until recently there was no screening programme for prostate cancer at all—there is now only a targeted programme. The Government must urgently guarantee the delivery of the targeted screening programme across the country. That will lay the foundations and establish the infrastructure needed to further broaden screening as soon as possible. The Government must make improved testing for prostate cancer a priority; it is fundamental to saving lives. The Liberal Democrats will hold them to account on delivering better testing and ensuring that more men can be protected from this devastating illness.”
House of Commons26 October 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“Incidence rates of prostate cancer have risen by 54% since the early 1990s and are projected to rise a further 14% by 2038-40. That means around 85,100 new cases of prostate cancer each year. Part of the rise in diagnoses reflects much greater awareness, with more men coming forward for PSA tests. The issue of prostate cancer screening could not be more important. The Liberal Democrats applaud the tireless hard work of all cancer survivors, bereaved families and campaigners in securing a screening programme. However, we must do more to fight this devastating disease, and that is something the Liberal Democrats have continuously campaigned on. The Liberal Democrats are proud that our campaigning played a role in driving the Government to take action on this issue and ultimately deliver a prostate cancer screening programme.”
House of Commons26 October 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“Like with all cancers, the earlier the stage at diagnosis, the better the chances of survival: five-year survival rates are almost 100% at stages 1 and 2, around 95% at stage 3 and around 50% at stage 4. Who is diagnosed late also follows a pattern. In England, men in the most deprived areas have an 11% higher chance of a metastatic diagnosis. Men in the most deprived areas also have a 19% lower chance of receiving a prostate cancer diagnosis than men in the least deprived areas. Prostate cancer mortality rates in England mirror that diagnosis trend. Mortality rates are 14% higher for men in the most deprived areas than for men in the least deprived areas, and around 740 deaths from prostate cancer each year are linked with deprivation.”
House of Commons26 October 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Dr Murrison. I thank the hon. Member for Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk (John Lamont) for securing this important debate. Prostate cancer is now the most commonly diagnosed cancer in men in the UK. Around 540,000 men are living with or after prostate cancer. Each year, more than 64,000 men are diagnosed and over 12,000 will die from prostate cancer. One man dies of prostate cancer every 45 minutes—two lives will be lost in the short time of this debate. The estimated lifetime risk is one in eight for men overall, but that rises to one in four for black men. In England, black men are also twice as likely to die from prostate cancer as white men, with a lifetime risk of one in 12 compared with one in 24.”
House of Commons26 October 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“I welcome the new police powers to seize illegal e-scooters and e-bikes that, quite frankly, are out of control. In Epsom and Ewell, Operation Scramble seized 15 vehicles and made six arrests in two days, but some police are hesitant to engage in pursuits because of concerns for wider public safety. It is clear that the police cannot address this issue alone. With Christmas approaching, will the Minister commit to a national awareness campaign to ensure that the general public understand the law around e-scooters, and appreciate that they are legal only if they are part of a rental scheme or are being used on private land?”
House of Commons26 October 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“I am thankful to all those who attended and shared their insights and expertise with me and the other MPs who were there. The fact that so many individuals representing diverse groups and interests travelled across the UK to London to speak about this issue highlights the urgency and the need for action. How did this issue become so important to me? It all started when I was canvassing to become an MP, and I met so many constituents who raised the issue of e-scooters and e-bikes in my constituency of Epsom and Ewell. It became a top issue. One of my constituents, Ed Dark, told me that his little boy is now too scared to go to the beautiful park that is next to his house.”
House of Commons21 October 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“I beg to move, That this House has considered the regulation of e-scooters and e-bikes. It is a pleasure to serve under your chairship, Mr Stringer. I am pleased to have secured this debate and really grateful for the opportunity to raise this issue, which we urgently need to see progress on. This is a timely debate because I hosted a roundtable on this very topic last week. Twenty-five individuals attended. There were senior-ranking representatives from nine police forces across the country, five police and crime commissioners, one borough commander and one assistant chief constable. The officers who were present were from the Met, Derbyshire, Merseyside, Surrey, Lancashire, Gloucestershire, Warwickshire, Hertfordshire, and Devon and Cornwall. There were industry representatives, campaigners, policy experts, academics, doctors and MPs.”
House of Commons21 October 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“I agree with everything the hon. Member says, and I will talk about those points in my speech. Edward Dark’s son was walking home from school one day when he was nearly hit by an e-scooter. That could have been fatal. Thankfully, it was not. Another constituent told me they have even considered moving house—just consider that: moving house—because of the e-scooter misuse in their neighbourhood.”
House of Commons21 October 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“I am really sorry to hear about the hon. Member’s constituent; I hope she is okay now. I will indeed be raising those issues. One constituent told me that her car was hit by an illegally ridden e-bike on the wrong side of the road. She got the individual’s details and reported it to the police, but she was told that they would keep a lookout rather than seize the bike from the known address. This issue goes far beyond Epsom and Ewell, as Members have already demonstrated. Across the country, we are seeing young people on e-scooters riding at high speed through red lights, parks and pedestrianised areas.”
House of Commons21 October 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“I absolutely agree: this is one of the matters that the Minister needs to take forward. We have the issues of illegally modified e-scooters, which can now reach speeds of up to 70 mph; e-bikes, which are catching fire due to uncertified lithium-ion batteries; and the use of e-vehicles in criminal activity and antisocial behaviour, as the hon. Member for Shipley (Anna Dixon) alluded to. Pedestrians have the fundamental right to feel safe. They should not need to worry about being hit or knocked over when simply walking in the park or on the streets. That is particularly important for vulnerable groups, especially those with vision loss or mobility needs.”
House of Commons21 October 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“I absolutely agree. This is a critical issue for the high number of visually impaired people living in Swail House in Epsom in my constituency. There are flaws in the current collision data. In 2023, there were at least 1,299 collisions involving e-scooters, but those statistics do not show the full picture. How can they, when the data is not consistently collected or identified? Data on death and injuries in reported road collisions is reported to the Department for Transport by police forces in Great Britain via STATS19. A new powered personal transporter category was introduced to cover e-scooters, but not all forces currently use the new specification. I urge the Minister to enforce the use of the new STATS19 specification for all police forces, so that we can understand exactly what is going on.”
House of Commons21 October 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“I thank my hon. Friend. I am sure he can put that point to the Minister. E-bikes are not currently distinguished from pedal cycle or electric motorcycle categories depending on their power rating. The Government have stated that there are no plans to change STATS19 data to introduce specific categories for e-bikes. I urge the Minister to reassess introducing a specific category for e-bikes within STATS19.”
House of Commons21 October 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“How many more children need to die for the Government to take this issue seriously? There was no mention of e-scooter and e-bike legislation in the King’s Speech, and the DFT said that the earliest that legislation could be considered is May 2027. That is unacceptable. The lack of time in the parliamentary calendar is not an excuse for failing to act to save our children’s lives.”
House of Commons21 October 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“The Calland family tragically lost their son, Jacob, in an e-scooter incident. On 19 March 2025, Jacob left home and met up with a friend. He decided to ride as passenger on the back of that boy’s e-scooter, without any protective gear. That decision cost him his life. At 3.59 pm, the e-scooter collided with a car. Jacob was thrown to the other side of the road and landed in front of oncoming traffic. He suffered a catastrophic head injury, and was brought into the intensive care unit and put in a coma. He underwent multiple surgeries to try to control the bleeding and swelling on the brain, but his condition began to deteriorate, and there was nothing more that could be done to save his life. Jacob Calland passed away at 5.18 am on Thursday 27 March 2025. He was just 14 years and nine months old.”
House of Commons21 October 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“She found that 447 children attended hospital following an e-scooter-related injury; one in 10 had serious head injuries requiring hospital admission and surgery; and 95% of injuries involved the rider. She also found that the average age of an injured child was 12, with half aged between 10 and 13; that annual cases rose from fewer than 10 in 2019 to almost 150 by 2024; that as many as 74% of the injured children live in areas with the greatest socioeconomic deprivation; and that under 2% of riders were wearing a helmet. I want to tell you about Jacob’s journey, because behind each of the statistics is a child with possible life-ending injuries, and permanently changed families. One of those is the Calland family. I was fortunate to meet Carly Calland for the second time at my roundtable.”
House of Commons21 October 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“I absolutely agree and will talk more about the human cost. The changes would provide an accurate oversight of the scale and distribution of the issue. That would lead to more effective enforcement and legislation. How can we begin to address the issue if we do not understand the full picture? Behind the limited statistics is an unacceptable price of injury and death, particularly for children. At my roundtable, I spoke to Dr Durand, a consultant in paediatric emergency medicine. Her research in the Emergency Medicine Journal analysed e-scooter injury data over six years, from three major children’s trauma centres, in Manchester, Liverpool and Sheffield.”
House of Commons21 October 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“They were then extended again until November 2022 due to the DFT issuing guidance to enhance safety measures. They were then extended again to May 2025 to allow the DFT to reflect on further analysis, and they have now been extended again until May 2028 to help fill evidence gaps to inform legislation. That will be eight years of trials with no action. Why are the trials unending? What are we trying to achieve with that period of time? Ireland had a six-month trial, Germany had a 180-day trial and France and Spain did not even have trials, and those countries were able to implement legislation and improve road safety in a fraction of the time. My question to the Minister is: why can’t we?”
House of Commons21 October 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“Absolutely, and I will come to the police powers and the Acts available to them. I have three children myself, and Jacob could have been one of mine. He could have been the child of anyone in the Chamber. As MPs, we have a duty to keep our children safe. Jacob Calland lived in Wythenshawe, Manchester, close to Makerfield, so if the Prime Minister is listening, I urge him to act now. That brings me to the unending rental e-scooter trials. The trials began in July 2020, and were intended to run until November 2021. They were launched to review whether e-scooters reduce pressure on public transport and motor traffic, and to look at their safety impacts. They were extended until March 2022 to allow for more time for evidence to be gathered due to covid.”
House of Commons21 October 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“Derbyshire police have a “see it, seize it” system, where they are empowering police community support officers under section 165A of the Road Traffic Act 1988 to seize and remove e-scooters within 24 hours, but the situation is not consistent across the country. Every police force does it differently.”
House of Commons21 October 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“I absolutely agree, and I congratulate Derbyshire police on doing an outstanding job in seizing e-scooters and e-bikes. Between the start of the trials in 2020 and December 2025, there were 7,591 reported casualties in collisions involving e-scooters. In 2025 alone, there were 1,477 reported collisions and 10 deaths. The time for data collection has long passed. Legislation is now needed to save lives on roads. The lack of Government action is forcing police forces to deal with this issue on their own. There is no centralised guidance on operational tactics, so the police are adapting seizing powers.”
House of Commons21 October 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“Will the Minister commit today to ending the ongoing trials, outline the next steps for legislation, and commit to the safety of our children and young people in the UK, so that no parent has to spend this Christmas without their child?”
House of Commons21 October 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“But they must be properly regulated and legislated for, and the rules must be enforced to protect all members of the public. There is currently no practical legislation on the use of e-scooters and e-bikes; no co-ordinated guidance for police forces; no effective regulation on import or sale; no control of the online or grey marketplace, and no public understanding of what is and is not legal. Failure to act is not just about lives; it is about lost revenue to His Majesty’s Revenue and Customs, further strain and costs on our hospitals and the NHS, increased pressure on police forces, and confusion among retailers, consumers and parents.”
House of Commons21 October 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“The strategy is effective, as there has been a 40% reduction in e-scooter crime and an 11% reduction in e-bike crime. Surrey police recently announced Operation Scramble, in which illegal e-bikes and e-scooters will be seized and destroyed. The Government must support police forces; they are calling for workable legislation, which is why there were so many representatives from police forces around the country at my roundtable the other day. To be clear, I am not against e-scooters or e-bikes because their benefits are clear. They are affordable transport alternatives; they make difficult routes accessible; they have less impact than cars on the environment; they improve public health, local air quality and cut congestion; and they support the hard workers in the gig economy.”
House of Commons21 October 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“I agree. When police forces use different tactics, there is a cross-boundary border issue. Derbyshire police implemented a huge public awareness campaign with the fire brigade, housing providers, schools and retailers. It is important that we inform the public more about this, because they are incredibly confused about e-scooters that can be bought legally, but cannot be used on our public roads or in parks; only the trial e-scooters can be used legally. As we enter the Christmas season, many parents might be thinking about an e-scooter or e-bike as a gift, so I urge the Government to put safety first and reconsider the policy. Since implementing the scheme in Derbyshire, 30 e-scooters a month—a total of 1,060—have been seized.”
House of Commons21 October 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“I hope the Minister will take away all the contributions been made today. Question put and agreed to. Resolved , That this House has considered the regulation of e-scooters and e-bikes.”
House of Commons21 October 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“We need stronger powers for the police, as many Members said, so that they can not only enforce on the streets and roads but identify what is legal and what is not. We need there to be point-of-sale responsibility, which is not happening at the moment. We also need a decision about the trials. I welcome the Minister saying that he will bring people together and that there will be legislation at some point, but we need a timeframe; we cannot have this trial going on for another two years. We need action and we need decisions. We need to end the current confusion about what is legal and what is not, because retailers do not have to provide information about that when people make a purchase. Fundamentally, we need to make our streets and parks safe again for our constituents.”
House of Commons21 October 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“Friend the Member for Eastbourne (Josh Babarinde) spoke about some interesting measures in New South Wales and New York. It is really important that we look at what is being done abroad and what has been successful in other places. The hon. Member for Carlisle (Ms Minns) said that the popularity of e-bikes is depressing the sale of legal motorbikes. That has a consequence for the Treasury, because there is less income as a result, which is incredibly important. My hon. Friend the Member for Yeovil (Adam Dance) spoke about the blatant ignorance of individuals who are not paying road tax and are flouting the rules. Again, that has an impact on the Treasury. The hon. Member for Reading Central (Matt Rodda) spoke about intimidating behaviour, which I am sure many Members across the House have seen.”
House of Commons21 October 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“I thank everyone who has attended this incredibly important debate for their contributions, and I want to highlight a few of them. The hon. Member for Mitcham and Morden (Dame Siobhain McDonagh) spoke about her constituent Sofia Duarte, who sadly died following a fire; my heart goes out to her and her family. The right hon. Member for Oxford East (Anneliese Dodds) talked about bringing Departments together. That is critical, because this is a cross-departmental issue and Governments are usually not very good at working across Departments. I hope the Minister takes that on board so that we can find some solutions. My hon. Friend the Member for Sutton and Cheam (Luke Taylor) talked about impunity for employers in the gig economy. It is vital that we resolve that. My hon.”
House of Commons21 October 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“The unit of dental activity formula is broken, pushing dentists out of the NHS every single day. In Epsom and Ewell, there is a dentist who is restricted from providing NHS dentistry by the UDA quotas. Will the Minister reform the dental contract now, and incentivise NHS dentistry?”
House of Commons20 October 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“David feels guilty that his illness is placing such a burden on his family, while Sarah is exhausted, stressed and feeling trapped between needing to work to earn an income, caring for David and supporting their children. The Williams family might be hypothetical, but their experiences are far from uncommon. According to the 2021 census, there are 5.8 million Sarahs in the UK, providing unpaid care.”
House of Commons15 October 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“They are forced to grow up quickly, with less time for their homework, activities and friends. Financial pressures create further problems. The family falls behind on bills and they have to use their savings to cover everyday expenses, but eventually their savings run out. The family are then forced to move to cheaper accommodation, which is cramped and not fit for David’s care needs. As time passes, Sarah’s employment prospects deteriorate because of the time she has spent outside of work caring for David. She has lost opportunities for promotion, built up less pension entitlement and now has very limited financial means.”
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“She helps him to get out of bed, changes his clothes, helps him to shower, administers his medication, drives him to appointments, does the school run, cooks dinner, cleans the house, pays the bills, and looks after their children. As a result, the household income falls while expenses continue to rise. Over time, the situation begins to affect the whole family. Sarah is exhausted and stressed, and her own health begins to suffer. She is increasingly isolated, with little opportunity for respite or socialisation because of the all-encompassing nature of her responsibilities. She struggles to spend quality time with her children and misses important school and extracurricular events. The children also take on additional responsibilities at home, including helping their mother to care for their father.”
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“They are also tragically united by many worries: how long they, their health and bank accounts can keep going, and how they will overcome all the barriers, unnecessary hurdles and lack of Government support. Let us talk about the Williams family. It is made up of Sarah, David and their two young children. They are no exception to all of this. David, through no fault of his own, develops a serious health condition that leaves him needing substantial daily care. Sarah becomes his unpaid carer, because the family, like so many, cannot afford expensive professional care. To do so, Sarah reduces her working hours to manage David’s personal care, appointments, medication and domestic needs.”
House of Commons15 October 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“It is an absolute pleasure to serve under your chairship, Mrs Barker. I thank my hon. Friend the Member for Mid Sussex (Alison Bennett) for securing this important and timely debate. Unpaid carers are the unsung heroes of England’s health and social care system. Without their dedication and sacrifice, the whole health and social care system would have collapsed by now. There are so many different types of unpaid carers. Unpaid carers are young or old, working full time or part time, in school or further education, unemployed or retired. However, all unpaid carers are bound by their dedication to looking after a parent, a child, a sibling or a partner or loved one.”
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“Polling by Carers UK suggests that the number could actually be much higher, with one in five workers, or 6.7 million people, providing unpaid care. In addition, 69% of carers who are employees report not having focused on their career as much as they would have liked to, 61% said that caring has impacted the type of employment they have taken on and 21% said that they had taken on a lower paid or more junior role that better fitted with their caring responsibilities. This polling also found that in the past two years 1.1 million people have left employment to provide care. That is equivalent to around 1,500 people leaving the workforce every single day, which is an increase of 150% compared with polling in 2019 that showed the figure was 600 a day.”
House of Commons15 October 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗