Anna McMorrin MP: speeches

Speeches

• 19 Nov 2025 · Flooding: Monmouthshire · Hansard source

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  Of course, when there are critical or major incidents, such as the flooding in Monmouthshire, we are ready to consider anything. Where we need that support, collaboration is important and that extends to all our Departments. In every way possible, we will ensure that people, businesses and infrastructure are looked after, and that can and would extend to Defence if necessary.

• 29 Oct 2025 · Asylum Seeker Accommodation · Hansard source

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  We offer sanctuary for those who desperately need it, and we are proud of that, but we inherited contracts and a broken system from the Conservatives. Hotel use has nearly halved since the last election, and we have removed 30,000 people who have no right to be here, ensuring that those who do need to be here have the welcome and support that they need. It is not job done, but work in progress. We can compare that with the 14 years of the Tory Government. [ Official Report , 20 November 2025; Vol. 775, c. 7WC.] (Correction)

• 29 Oct 2025 · Asylum Seeker Accommodation · Hansard source

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  It sounds like the hon. Member does not agree with welcoming the thousands of Ukrainian refugees that the UK Government’s nation of sanctuary has supported. The scheme has been used to welcome Ukrainian families fleeing from Russian aggression. That is a cause that I understood her party supported.

• 29 Oct 2025 · Asylum Seeker Accommodation · Hansard source

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  I fear that the Conservatives forget about the chaos that they created. We inherited a broken system after 14 years of chaos, and contracts that we have to honour, but in the past year we have halved the use of hotels. We have removed 30,000 people who have no right to be here. It is not job done, as I say, but it is a work in progress. We can compare that work in just one year with 14 years of chaos under the hon. Lady’s Government. [ Official Report , 20 November 2025; Vol. 775, c. 8WC.] (Correction)

• 29 Oct 2025 · Asylum Seeker Accommodation · Hansard source

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  We inherited a broken asylum system in absolute chaos from the Tories, with tens of thousands stuck in a system dependent on expensive asylum hotels. We are committed to ending the use of hotels as asylum accommodation as soon as possible and before the end of this Parliament, as part of a controlled, managed and orderly programme.

• 29 Oct 2025 · Cross-border Rail Connectivity · Hansard source

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  My hon. Friend has been a strong champion for this rail investment, which is the key to unlock Wales’s economic potential. It includes funds to progress the five Burns stations in Cardiff East, Newport West, Somerton, Llanwern and Magor and Undy. I will continue to work with the Wales Rail Board and the Welsh Government to ensure that the community my hon. Friend represents is given the infrastructure that it needs.

• 29 Oct 2025 · Cross-border Rail Connectivity · Hansard source

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  We are investing at least £445 million in Welsh rail in order to right years of underfunding by past Governments. That will mean new stations and more and faster trains along the key lines, and will improve cross-border connectivity, create jobs and boost economic growth.

• 29 Oct 2025 · Cross-border Rail Connectivity · Hansard source

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  That money just did not exist. We are investing a historic £445 million in Welsh rail to right years of underfunding by previous Governments, unleashing Wales’s economic potential. That will mean new stations, faster trains on key lines, and connecting people with well-paid and better jobs right across Wales. Two Governments are working in partnership to deliver for the people of Wales.

• 29 Oct 2025 · Farmers: Inheritance Tax · Hansard source

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  I thank my hon. Friend and pay tribute to her work in this role prior to my appointment. I completely agree: the Welsh Government published their outline draft budget earlier this month, and are working with Opposition parties to ensure that it has broad support. The question everyone in Wales wants the answer to is whether the Opposition parties will vote against billions of pounds for public services, including vital support for Welsh farmers, just like they did last year.

• 29 Oct 2025 · Farmers: Inheritance Tax · Hansard source

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  I reiterate that our reforms mean that the majority of those claiming the relief will not be affected. As confirmed by the Minister for Food Security and Rural Affairs, my hon. Friend the Member for Wallasey (Dame Angela Eagle), there will be no change and no U-turn on inheritance tax. This policy strikes a fair balance and is fixing our public finances, after the chaos that the Tories left, while protecting our rural communities.

• 29 Oct 2025 · Farmers: Inheritance Tax · Hansard source

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  This Government want to strike a fair balance between supporting farmers and fixing our public finances on which our communities, including those important agricultural communities, rely so heavily. The vast majority of farmers will not be affected by this change, and they will be able to pass the family farm down to their children. Welsh Conservatives voted to block the support reaching Welsh farms in March, which shows that the Conservative party just does not care for farmers and the agricultural community.

• 29 Oct 2025 · Farmers: Inheritance Tax · Hansard source

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  Thank you, Mr Speaker. As a proud Welsh MP I am honoured to be here for my first Welsh questions. We fully recognise the role of farmers and the agricultural community in Wales. That is why one of the first things that I did as Minister was meet members of the Farmers’ Union of Wales at the farm of one of its members just two weeks ago. I will be meeting with the National Farmers’ Union later today to discuss important matters for its members, including inheritance tax. This Government have also made sure to protect the farm budget for Wales, ensuring that the full £337 million has been allocated to the Welsh Government.

• 29 Oct 2025 · Farmers: Inheritance Tax · Hansard source

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  As I said, the Government want to strike that fair balance, and that is what they are doing. Our reforms mean that the majority of those claiming agricultural property relief will not be affected. That is a fair approach that balances fixing our public finances after the chaos of the Conservative party, and maintaining much needed support for families, farms and the wider rural agricultural community.

• 22 Jul 2025 · Sir David Amess Summer Adjournment · Hansard source

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  I am honoured to close this final debate of the term from the Government Dispatch Box. As a Government Whip, I do not often have the opportunity to speak in this Chamber, so it is a genuine privilege to be responding for the first time in this way. I am usually the one lurking just out of shot, muttering about speaking limits and timings, so standing here feels just a little risky. I promise I will not abuse that privilege—much, anyway. I am proud to be part of this Parliament, which contains the largest number of women ever elected. We still have a way to go; I am only the 479th female ever to be elected to this place, and it is striking to think that all those women who came before me would not even have filled this Parliament. This debate has been reflective, respectful, and united by shared values. We have come together to remember what truly matters in public life, and in doing so, we honour the memory of Sir David Amess, a man whose life of service embodied the spirit of this place. He was a parliamentarian whose good humour and deep commitment to his constituents won him respect from all sides of the House. We have heard some powerful speeches, and I would like to pay tribute to some of them. I commend the hon. Member for Harrow East (Bob Blackman) for bringing forward this debate, and in particular for the work that he has done to raise the issue of the plight of the hostages taken on 7 October 2023, and the horrific attacks on innocent civilians in Gaza. Those responsible must be held to account. He raised many other issues; I will not go through them, but I will ensure that the appropriate Ministers write to him to answer his questions. My hon. Friend the Member for Blaydon and Consett (Liz Twist) is a strong champion for her constituency. She rightly pointed out the importance of bus services to her constituents. Our buses Bill, which I know she is proud of, will allow leaders to take back control. The hon. Member for Brigg and Immingham (Martin Vickers) seeks better transport connections, which is something that the Transport Secretary also has high on her agenda. The Father of the House, the right hon. Member for Gainsborough (Sir Edward Leigh), paid an emotional tribute to Sir David Amess, as did the right hon. Member for Rayleigh and Wickford (Mr Francois), the hon. Member for Romford (Andrew Rosindell), and of course my hon. Friend the Member for Southend West and Leigh (David Burton-Sampson). They mentioned the huge impact that events have had on Sir David’s family, and I will make sure that all their comments and suggestions are taken up by the relevant Government Ministers. Our thoughts continue to be with Sir David’s family and friends. My hon. Friend the Member for Easington (Grahame Morris) spoke about World Hepatitis Day, which is on 28 July. I pay tribute to him for his campaign to raise awareness of that disease. My hon. Friend the Member for Newcastle upon Tyne East and Wallsend (Mary Glindon) championed jobs and opportunities in her constituency, especially the jobs of the future, and those in the offshore renewables sector. My hon. Friend the Member for Stoke-on-Trent North (David Williams) spoke about the real-life impact that a Labour Government are having on young people in his constituency, including through the roll-out of free breakfast clubs. He invited a Minister to visit his town centre, and I know that many would take him up on that offer, myself included. However, he is competing with the hon. Member for Eastbourne (Josh Babarinde), who invited us all to visit his wonderful constituency—he is a great advert for summer holidaying there. The right hon. Member for North East Cambridgeshire (Steve Barclay) raised the important matter of the restoration and renewal of this place. I will ensure that his comments reach the Leader of the House, but many of those issues are matters for the House, rather than the Government. My hon. Friend the Member for Harlow (Chris Vince) is a huge champion for his constituents, and I am sure that the phrase “Oxford-Cambridge-Harlow corridor” will catch on. I am impressed that my hon. Friend the Member for Luton North (Sarah Owen) has completed her 200th small business Saturday—I offer her congratulations on that mammoth commitment. Access to banking services and hubs formed a central part of the speech made by the hon. Member for Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk (John Lamont), and I know that is an interest shared by Members across the House. We are accelerating the roll-out of those banking hubs. My hon. Friend the Member for Warrington South (Sarah Hall) spoke about the importance of inclusive education, and I share her passion. She recognises that having a Labour Government brings that change to young people. My hon. Friend the Member for Reading Central (Matt Rodda) rightly praised the Football Governance Bill, which would have prevented Reading football club from suffering its fate. We look forward to a better season for them—but not too good when they play against Cardiff. The hon. Member for Henley and Thame (Freddie van Mierlo) raised the issue of active travel and its importance to his constituents. I am pleased that the Government are prioritising that. My hon. Friend the Member for Nuneaton (Jodie Gosling) spoke passionately about her constituency, and was rightly proud that it was home to the first official Lionesses match. I congratulate my hon. Friend the Member for Cowdenbeath and Kirkcaldy (Melanie Ward) on her work locally and her campaigns, but also on her ability to speak from her depth of experience about the horrors unfolding in Gaza. Those horrors must stop. The hon. Member for Ceredigion Preseli (Ben Lake) spoke with his usual eloquence, and I know his constituency well and understand the challenges his constituents face, as do this Government. I was fascinated to learn of the history of the constituency of my hon. Friend the Member for Carlisle (Ms Minns) and, through the Roman dig, of its place as a strategic stronghold. I also pay tribute to my hon. Friend the Member for Newcastle-under-Lyme (Adam Jogee) and his father-in-law, and I offer my hon. Friend condolences on behalf of the Government. My hon. Friend the Member for Blackpool South (Chris Webb) rightly mentioned tackling antisocial behaviour, which will continue to be a priority for this Government. My hon. Friend the Member for Erewash (Adam Thompson) told us about cutting his teeth in a hard rock/punk band and being in a mosh pit. I am sure that there are similarities we could draw with this place, but I will not even go there. My hon. Friends the Members for Truro and Falmouth (Jayne Kirkham), and for Camborne and Redruth (Perran Moon), rightly boasted of the riches of Cornwall, and my hon. Friend the Member for Penrith and Solway (Markus Campbell-Savours) spoke of his pride in all his towns and villages, and the struggle to meet and talk to everyone there. Equally passionate was my hon. Friend the Member for Sunderland Central (Lewis Atkinson); I wish Sunderland AFC well for next season. Unless Cardiff seriously up their game, I do not see them in play-offs any time soon. My hon. Friend the Member for Bury St Edmunds and Stowmarket (Peter Prinsley) said that free breakfast clubs are a game changer for his constituents, and my hon. Friend the Member for Dunstable and Leighton Buzzard (Alex Mayer) demonstrated that she is a huge champion for her constituency by ensuring that every book printed by Amazon in Dunstable says that it was printed there. That is commitment, and it is impressive. I could go on. We have had fantastic contributions. The hon. Member for Harpenden and Berkhamsted (Victoria Collins), my hon. Friend the Member for Norwich North (Alice Macdonald), the hon. Member for Lewes (James MacCleary), and my hon. Friends the Members for Rugby (John Slinger), for Ashford (Sojan Joseph) and for Cannock Chase (Josh Newbury) all paid huge tribute to the work of their constituents and organisations in their constituencies. I will be brief as I am conscious of time, but if you will indulge me, Madam Deputy Speaker, there is only one way for a Welsh Member of Parliament to close this debate, and that is by talking about Wales. For the first time in a generation, Wales has two Labour Governments, in Cardiff and Westminster, pulling in the same direction. I can tell Members that it is making a difference. Together we are rebuilding our economy, creating good jobs, driving down NHS waiting lists, and delivering the biggest investment in Welsh rail—£445 million to connect our communities and open up opportunities, including in my constituency of Cardiff North. When Labour governs at both ends of the M4, the priorities of the Welsh people are not just heard, but delivered. That is the power of partnership. I did say I would not get too partisan, but the contrast is clear; the Tories and Reform are fighting for the next clickbait headlines. I wonder what surprises we will hear over the summer recess. Perhaps it will be the publication of Reform’s first fantasy novel, because that is the only place its funding calculations belong. Perhaps we will have a Tory leadership contest, because we have not had one of those yet this year. Meanwhile, we are getting on with the job. We have delivered 4 million extra NHS appointments, recruited 3,000 extra police officers, established Great British Energy, recruited nearly 2,000 GPs, stepped in to save British Steel, secured a better deal for the workers of Port Talbot, brought forward a Bill on employment rights, opened free breakfast clubs and banned bonuses for water bosses. Wages have grown more in the first 10 months than in the last 10 years of the Tory Government. There is a lot done and a whole lot more still to do. That is the change we were elected on last year. As President Obama once said: “Change will not come if we wait for some other person or some other time…We are the change that we seek.” We know that in this place nothing would happen without the myriad people behind the scenes. I express my gratitude to the House staff, including the Doorkeepers, the cleaners, the Clerks, catering, security, broadcasting, Hansard and those in visitor experience, as well as our staff and constituency teams. Mine are sat up in the Gallery today, so I thank them, as well as my mother, who is with them. I also thank the civil servants. All these people come together to help make this place function. I congratulate two of our wonderful Doorkeepers, Holly and Vanessa, on their upcoming wedding. On behalf of the whole House, I wish them a long and happy marriage. Of course, our thanks also go to you, Madam Deputy Speaker, and to Mr Speaker and the other Deputy Speakers. As we rise for the summer recess, I offer my best wishes to all, and I hope that everyone will enjoy the best possible summer break.