Gagan Mohindra MP: speeches

Speeches

• 14 May 2025 · Future of Public Libraries · Hansard source

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  It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Mr Dowd. I congratulate the hon. Member for Mid Derbyshire (Jonathan Davies) on securing this debate. The Chamber is very well attended, and rightly so; libraries remain at the heart of our communities. Libraries are more than just books. They offer computer and internet access, host local community groups and provide safe spaces for those who need it. Library staff, supported by volunteers, are pillars of the community. They help those who are most vulnerable, such as the elderly, children and jobseekers. Even throughout the pandemic, libraries adapted to lockdown, and began to provide online services and activities, including e-books. Those services will have supported many families throughout those difficult times, and many would have struggled without them. I am passionate about all children having access to a quality education, and libraries help to provide that. They provide the environment for children to be curious and have imagination. I am lucky enough to have Harry Potter world in my constituency. JK Rowling’s ability to read previous authors, like the Enid Blytons of the world, would have driven the imagination that allowed her to create the vision that we all enjoy today. Statistics show that about two thirds of children aged 15 visit the library each year in London. They use them in multiple ways by borrowing books, or using computers, printing facilities or study spaces. Nowhere else can offer all those things. I am lucky enough to have six libraries in my constituency of South West Hertfordshire: Abbots Langley, Chorleywood Community, Croxley Green, Kings Langley Community, Oxhey and Rickmansworth. I am a regular user of those libraries, hiring meetings rooms at Croxley Green to meet constituents and to discuss a library link scheme. Croxley Green is a tier 2 library, meaning it is a community-focused, small library. Its library link scheme allows residents to request specialised research from a librarian. It also ran a slipper project, encouraging elderly people to bring in their old slippers to be replaced with new ones to keep them warm in the winter. Rickmansworth library has unfortunately been closed for a number of months due to a refurbishment following a fire. Understandably, locals are concerned because they do not have access to the library services. I know that the county council is providing some of those services off site, but I will continue to work with Hertfordshire county council, whoever the new leader is, to ensure that my community keeps the services that it has had over many years. I do not want Rickmansworth library to be one of the 2,276 libraries that have closed since 2016. Instead of seeing libraries close, we should be seeking plans to open new ones—for example, in Leavesden in my constituency, which does not have a local library. In England and Wales, only 78% of the population are within a 30-minute walk of a public library. We should be investing to increase that percentage. The Conservative Government committed to publishing a public library strategy, which the election unfortunately prevented.

• 13 May 2025 · Flooding: Planning and Developer Responsibilities · Hansard source

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  It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Mrs Hobhouse. I thank my hon. Friend the Member for Mid Norfolk (George Freeman) for securing this important debate. I wish to speak about the effect on the residents of South West Hertfordshire. In the five and half years I have been a Member of Parliament, I have been distressed by how many residents come to me about this issue. A problem that starts as a trickle very quickly has a massive impact on their life. Flooding now has real, lived effects; it is not just a remote risk. Residents face home damage, traffic disruption, economic loss and, increasingly, mental health impacts. Rickmansworth lies at the confluence of three rivers: the Colne, the Chess and the Gade. It has a historic canal network, including the Grand Union and Batchworth canals, and surrounding waterways. In recent years, we have increasingly seen the overtopping of canals and a fast-rising water table during heavy rainfall. Problem hotspots include Church Street, the aquadrome and Ebury Road in Rickmansworth. Surface water flooding is worsened by urban development, inadequate historical infrastructure and bad planning. Unfortunately, we do not have an up-to-date local plan, so design guidance is not yet being adhered to by developers, because there is no requirement to do so. Planning must begin with flood resilience. Bad planning does not just affect us; some of the structures we build today will last for decades, if not hundreds of years. If we get it wrong now, it is very difficult to retrofit and correct with a developer, who typically makes a profit and leaves.

• 13 May 2025 · Flooding: Planning and Developer Responsibilities · Hansard source

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  I agree 100%. I commend my parish councillors, the volunteer flood wardens and the residents of Croxley Green, Rickmansworth and Batchworth who step up during these difficult times. Flooding is now a structural challenge, not an anomaly. We must act now by embedding resilience in planning, forcing developer responsibilities and investing in essential infrastructure.

• 12 May 2025 · Topical Questions · Hansard source

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  T6. The Government claim to be the party of business, but speak to businesses today and they are hurting. Reduced opportunities for wealth creation and entrepreneurship, employee national insurance contributions and the Employment Rights Bill are destroying opportunity. What are the Government doing to incentivise our wealth creators and encourage job creation?

• 7 May 2025 · United States Film Tariff · Hansard source

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  Warner Brothers Studios Leavesden is in my constituency and a genuinely world-class film and TV production centre. It provides thousands of jobs, generates significant wealth for the UK economy, and earns South West Hertfordshire the reputation of Hollywood in Hertfordshire. Major international blockbusters, including “Barbie”, “Mission: Impossible”, “Paddington” and the Harry Potter franchise have been filmed there, and the recently confirmed HBO Harry Potter TV series is set to be filmed there this summer. Leaving aside the decisions that the Chancellor has made and the impact that they have had on the economy, can the Minister reassure us that he will continue to update the House and the industry more widely about how the Government will mitigate these tariffs if they come to fruition?

• 3 Apr 2025 · Grassroots Sports · Hansard source

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  13. What steps she is taking to support grassroots sports venues.

• 3 Apr 2025 · Grassroots Sports · Hansard source

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  Certain sports often remain inaccessible to women and girls early on, making it harder for them to join later. Will the Minister confirm how her Department is supporting clubs like Chess Valley rugby football club, in my constituency of South West Hertfordshire, that promote women’s participation at all levels?

• 1 Apr 2025 · Royal British Legion · Hansard source

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  Does the hon. Lady agree that all councils must follow the lead of Hertfordshire county council, which was one of the first to launch an armed forces covenant?

• 27 Mar 2025 · Local Bus Services · Hansard source

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  Local bus services are part of the integrated travel plans for my constituency, but my constituents also rely on Transport for London to commute into London. One frustration of my community is that concession fares are offered to London residents who live very close to the Hertfordshire border but not to my constituents. As accessibility to public transport remains one of my top priorities, will the Minister push Transport for London to extend those concessions to every TFL user regardless of their address?

• 27 Mar 2025 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  Outside Asia.

• 25 Mar 2025 · Topical Questions · Hansard source

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  My constituents in South West Hertfordshire remain concerned about the significant delay to the redevelopment of Watford general. With the Chancellor already bringing a second emergency Budget before the House tomorrow, and with care homes, hospices and charities facing unsustainable pressure from this Government’s national insurance increases, what reassurances can the Minister give my constituents that the Labour party truly care about healthcare, rather than scoring political points?

• 20 Mar 2025 · Topical Questions · Hansard source

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  May I first congratulate the new councillor, Ian Campbell, on his by-election win yesterday? The team got a great result in my part of the world. Many in my constituency are concerned about the newly coined grey belt, which will be used as an excuse to destroy our land irreversibly. What calculations have the Minister and his Cabinet colleagues made about the impact on the environment of over-development on unspoiled green-belt land?

• 13 Mar 2025 · Small Business Support · Hansard source

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  A constituent in Chorleywood recently contacted me after needing an emergency locksmith due to a broken key. Initially quoted £40 over the phone, she was later charged £1,460, and was only given the new key after making that payment. While I applaud this Government’s ambition to reduce regulation, can we ensure that there is appropriate regulation so that consumers are not unfairly overcharged, as in this instance?

• 10 Mar 2025 · Topical Questions · Hansard source

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  I start by wishing you, Mr Speaker, and the House a happy Commonwealth Day. Conservative-led Hertfordshire county council has done excellent work in supporting children with SEND, in my constituency and across the county, while seeing a 27% increase in requests for EHCPs in 2024. How is the Education Secretary directing her Department to provide further assistance to councils such as Hertfordshire, which is having to find more and more money from its budget to support students with SEND?

• 3 Mar 2025 · Topical Questions · Hansard source

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  On 8 February, the Court—a grade II listed landmark in Chorleywood in my constituency—burned down in mysterious circumstances. I met the three local councillors—Councillors Cooper, Hearn and Reed—on Friday to discuss the matter. I am not asking the Secretary of State to comment on this specific case, but will she confirm that where listed buildings are destroyed without permission, there should be a presumption that they are rebuilt brick by brick to how they were before the destruction?

• 3 Mar 2025 · Independent Schools: VAT and Business Rates Relief · Hansard source

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  What does the hon. Lady expect her Government to do if they will not give way on this point?

• 3 Mar 2025 · Independent Schools: VAT and Business Rates Relief · Hansard source

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  It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Mr Vickers. I thank my hon. Friend the Member for Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk (John Lamont) for presenting the petition. Out of the nearly 115,000 petitioners, 500 were from my constituency. Education has always been an important part of my purpose in coming to this place and in all my 21 years of elected office, because I know that education can change people’s potential. I am lucky enough to have been brought up in this country, and educated well at school and university. As others in the House will be aware, I am dyslexic. My dyslexia was not diagnosed until my mid to late 20s, and I take that as a reflection of the excellent education that I was able to benefit from. My concern is that the new Labour Government have come in with a strong mandate from the electorate, but I think that they are rewriting the terms of how they got that mandate. Comments have been made about previous manifestos talking about reform of the independent school sector, but I would argue that given the turnout figures, the Labour party having 411 MPs is probably the fault of my own party, rather than to the credit of the Labour party. I look forward to the next general election for those roles to be reversed. My concern specifically with the proposal on independent schools is one that others have mentioned: the policy of taxing education. For me, that is a dangerous policy; others have described it as a policy of envy. We have spoken about VAT, but there is also the reform of the charity status of independent schools and the knock-on consequences for business rates. It is a pleasure to see the Treasury Minister in his place, because this is more a financial question than an education policy one. The issue is about the potential revenue generation of the policy, but for me, it is also about the wider conversation on supporting wealth creators and driving economic growth. As with any business plan, assumptions are made, and the proposed £1.8 billion in revenue is probably a bit ambitious. I say that based on two things. First, the policy was introduced mid-term, at the beginning of this calendar year, and that did not allow families to adjust—there was no element of transition. I have spoken to parents who benefit from being able to send their children to independent schools, and they feel aggrieved because, in their view, they are paying twice. They are subsidising the state sector because their child is not using their place, and the parents are instead paying for a place at an independent school. My biggest concern is about SEND provision in the state sector. Hertfordshire has had failings over many years that I know the county council is working hard to resolve. Part of that work has been subsidised and supported by the excellent private schools in my constituency, Merchant Taylors’ and the Royal Masonic School for Girls being two of them. Where parents are able, they can send their children to independent schools to make sure that their children get the support they need in, typically, a smaller class. If those parents were reliant on the state and not able to afford an independent school, they would not necessarily get that provision; the timeframe to get an EHCP can be years. The Government are fundamentally destroying the life chances of children in the position I was in 35 years ago, and that worries me. The Government’s impact assessment admits that the education tax will impact girls more than boys because there are more single-sex private schools for girls than for boys, and those schools have less of a financial background and have not been around for as long. Given the pressure that this tax would place on single-sex schools like the Masonic School for Girls in my constituency, I am concerned about its impact on the excellent work that has been done by the private sector to lead the way in ensuring a high quality of education for girls, particularly in science, technology, engineering and maths and other fields where they are under-represented. Not only will the tax impact children who are educated in the private sector and children who will feel the impact of increased pressure on the state sector, but it will greatly impact the industry and those employed in it. With over 100 independent schools allegedly expected to close over the next three years as a direct result of the tax, many who work in the sector face unemployment, and there is a risk of highly skilled teachers leaving the profession or the country. We live in a global world. One of the main drivers for communities and successful families to stay in this country is family links, but another is educational standards. Middle-class parents—who are typically those generating economic growth and employing people—are now considering leaving the country and home-schooling or privately educating their children in schools in other parts of the world. In the modern world, especially with the Government’s drive for increased airport capacity, moving back and forth between here and the middle east or other parts of Europe will be less burdensome than the increase in the cost of private schools associated with the tax that this Government have suggested. If children are forced to move to a new school within the school year, or at a key stage of their education, it will greatly disrupt their education and could cause long-term damage to their prospects. These are the same children who, not many years ago, were directly impacted by the pandemic. I do not think we have seen a lot of the harms associated with that come through yet. My concern is about not just finances, but the educational outcomes and life chances of those children if we force disruption on them during an academic year based on financials that may not stack up to the ambition of the Treasury. The Government’s own impact assessment admits that disruption will be caused to the education of SEND pupils, hurting progress in their education and the opportunities and resources available to pupils in the state sector. That will put more pressure on local authorities, which are already stretched to their capacity—I referred to Hertfordshire county council earlier. My right hon. Friend the Member for East Hampshire (Damian Hinds) mentioned faith schools and art schools. In my old constituency of South West Hertfordshire, we had world-leading schools of both types. I am not their representative any more—others in the House have that honour—but I am sure they will be having meetings with their MPs to say that their ability to attract world-class pupils, who will go on to become world-class artists and be successful in the years ahead, will be greatly diminished by the Government’s decision. I am glad that a Treasury Minister will respond to this debate rather than a Department for Education one, because we have all been in education debates before. If he were being brave, at what point would the Minister look to reverse this decision? There was talk of a review in two years. I ask him to go further and put a sunset clause on the policy, because one of the greatest attractions of our great country has been its educational standards. I applaud my right hon. Friend the Member for East Hampshire for the great work he did over many years. For us to remain a global leader, both in the economy and in education, we need to give pupils the best opportunities possible, but we also need to attract the best educators in the world. Historically, we have done that with pay scales. My party has suggested that, given some of this Government’s policies, teachers may end up taking a pay cut. I will be interested to hear what the Minister says on those points.

• 26 Feb 2025 · Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Act 2023 · Hansard source

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  11. What steps he plans to take to replace the Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Act 2023.

• 26 Feb 2025 · Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Act 2023 · Hansard source

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  Notwithstanding the Secretary of State’s response, may I ask why this Labour Government are continuing to undermine the tough action taken by the Conservative Government on individuals who have acted against our democracy and society, such as Gerry Adams, by considering repealing the Act, giving Adams and others the possibility of a six-figure payout?

• 26 Feb 2025 · British Indian Ocean Territory · Hansard source

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  I have not been to that part of the world but, as the new Member will learn the longer he is in this place, certain positions do not give us the ability to speak in the Chamber, and one of those is that of a Government Whip. I was also the Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Foreign Secretary, and again, we do not speak about our own Department. Going back to the substance of the debate, I have tried to approach this issue with a modicum of decency in order to get the reasonable answers that we all want to hear. One of the concerns we have on the Opposition Benches is the “bull in a china shop” way in which this Government are choosing to force through a deal that we will not have sight of until after it is signed. There are also continuing questions about money. I know that the Prime Minister’s redacted statement that was shared with those on my Front Bench yesterday was quickly amended. It did not allow those on our side enough time to scrutinise it properly. I would say to the hon. Member for Leyton and Wanstead (Mr Bailey), whom I thank for his gallant service, that we are in a democracy and the ability to debate and disagree is what makes us stronger. I hope the Minister for Development, or whoever is winding up on behalf of the Government, will be able to clarify some of the reasonable questions we have consistently asked. Given her former academic background, I hope she understands that if a student says that they do not understand something, she should find a different way of explaining it. If she could do that, we on this side would have a better rationale of what the Government are trying to achieve. The frustration we have heard from my right hon. Friend the shadow Foreign Secretary about information coming from the Mauritian Hansard reflects a discourtesy to this House. I know that if Mr Speaker were in the Chair, he would want the House to be informed of any details that were in the public domain, and he is rightly going to investigate why certain details were in the public domain yesterday before they were put forward to this House. I urge those on the Government Front Bench to share information that is in the public domain with us so that we can properly analyse and scrutinise it. The role of any parliamentarian is to be a critical friend of legislation and the future of our country. I think Mr Speaker and the Speaker’s Panel continue to allow debates on this issue because not only us on the Conservative Benches but the great people in the Chair are not satisfied. There will continue to be urgent questions and statements. I would prefer Foreign Office Ministers to be out in the world flying the British flag on our behalf, but I will continue to lobby for UQs on this topic, because I think that having basic details of what the Government are trying to achieve is perfectly reasonable.

• 26 Feb 2025 · British Indian Ocean Territory · Hansard source

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  I thank Nick Coombes from my office for helping me draft a long speech, most of which I will not be using, given the time constraints. May I try to lower the temperature in what has been a very passionate debate? I have immense respect for the Minister. She has had a very difficult outing today and she has held her head up high. Her former career as a lecturer will hopefully hold the House in good stead and perhaps she can educate us on some basic questions, because this is the second time this week I have asked questions about the Chagos islands and I am still confused. The Conservative Government entered into negotiations 11 times. [ Interruption. ] I know the junior Parliamentary Private Secretary is very eager, but please do let me say a few more words. My Government entered into negotiations 11 times. As anyone with any semblance of business experience will know, you enter negotiations but you do not always achieve an end result. The Labour Government won on 4 July. Within three months, they decided to do things differently from what my Government did 11 times, when Lord Cameron closed the negotiations. Can the Minister explain the rationale and what materially changed—we have heard about the advisory judgment by the ICJ; I am not a lawyer and have never claimed to be—to help us to understand, and to better educate me and my constituents, why they are giving our sovereign islands away when the world is becoming increasingly dangerous? Various media reports suggest that there will be increased lobbying from the Mauritius Government, and those they listen to, to revisit the terms of whatever deal we do to their benefit. The frustration heard from the Conservative Benches is about the lack of detail.

• 26 Feb 2025 · British Indian Ocean Territory · Hansard source

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  I am a bit confused, once again. I thought this debate was about the British Indian Ocean Territory, rather than about GP surgeries.

• 25 Feb 2025 · UK-Mauritius Treaty · Hansard source

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  6. What assessment he has made of the potential security implications of the proposed UK-Mauritius treaty on the sovereignty of the British Indian Ocean Territory.

• 25 Feb 2025 · UK-Mauritius Treaty · Hansard source

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  The Labour party’s determination to give away vital strategic territory in the Chagos islands, seemingly to satisfy one of the Prime Minister’s lawyer friends over our American allies, is baffling to my colleagues on the Conservative Benches. Does the Minister agree that it is far more important to maintain our special relationship with the US and the new Trump Administration than to pay billions of pounds in the face of the self-inflicted, worsening domestic economic situation, in order to give the Chinese Government access to that vital region?

• 25 Feb 2025 · SEND Education Support · Hansard source

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  It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Mr Twigg. I congratulate the hon. Member for Suffolk Coastal (Jenny Riddell-Carpenter) on securing this really important debate. Education is, and always will be, one of my top priorities. I am lucky enough to have visited many of my schools in South West Hertfordshire to see the excellent work that teachers are doing to ensure that every one of the children in my constituency has a good or excellent education. However, the statutory framework around parent choice should be working for schools, not against them. In my constituency, 17% of children have special educational needs, and I regularly receive correspondence and surgery requests from parents and constituents who are going through the process of trying to get an education, health and care plan for their child, or are dealing with the implementation of one. I am glad that Hertfordshire county council has made progress in this area and is continuing to do so. It is important that progress continues to be made. As someone who is dyslexic, I understand at first hand the frustrations posed by special educational needs and learning disabilities, and how important it is that those with SEND have the support they need to succeed in school. From conversations with schools in my area and officers at Hertfordshire county council, it is clear that the parent choice framework needs to change. Schools are gaining reputations for being good at educating children with special needs. That is something that all schools should strive for, but it has led to a higher concentration of children with EHCPs in some schools and very low numbers in others, placing a financial burden and additional pressure on the schools that provide such valuable support for children who need it. That should not be the case. All schools should be able to support children with special educational needs; it should not be left to a select few. Every parent wants the best education for their children, and that would allow all schools to continue to provide a top-quality education for all. I urge the Minister to consider changes to the statutory framework.