James MacCleary MP: speeches

Speeches

• 30 Oct 2024 · Children’s Hospices: Funding · Hansard source

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  I thank the hon. Member for Liverpool West Derby (Ian Byrne) for securing the debate. As a parent myself, with two young children, I live in awe of the strength shown by parents of children with life-limiting conditions. It is incumbent on all of us to ensure that funding and support is there, so that those parents can enjoy those precious years that they will have with their children, those moments of joy that sometimes, perhaps, some of us take for granted with our own children. Such families face immense challenges, yet the support they receive varies drastically, depending on where they live. The postcode lottery they face is simply unacceptable. Sussex, where my constituency is located, with its population of nearly 442,500 children, has an estimated 2,980 children living with life-limiting conditions. That means that approximately 67 out of every 10,000 children in Sussex require specialist palliative care. Those children and families deserve consistent, high-quality care but, sadly, that is not always the reality. A report from the campaign, Together for Short Lives, has revealed that Sussex is failing to meet its required standard for 24/7 end of life care at home. That means that families in Sussex are less likely to have access to around the clock nursing care and specialist advice when their child needs it most. It is hard to imagine the additional stress and heartbreak that that inflicts on families already coping with the unimaginable. This situation is sadly not unique to Sussex. The report highlights the fact that only a third of local areas in England meet the required standards for 24/7 end of life care. That points to a systemic problem: a lack of funding, workforce shortages and a lack of accountability for delivering equitable care across the UK. I want to see a roadmap for change. Increased funding is essential to close the gap in NHS spending on children’s palliative care. We need more specialised nurses and paediatricians trained in this field. Most importantly, we need to hold our local NHS and local councils accountable for implementing existing policies, as mentioned by other Members, and ensuring that every child in Sussex and in the rest of the country, regardless of their postcode, has access to the care they need. I hope we will see some good news in the Chancellor’s Budget statement later this morning to close the funding gap for children’s palliative care. This is not just about statistics; it is about real families facing real challenges. We must act now to end this postcode lottery. Children with life-limiting conditions deserve the best palliative care.

• 28 Oct 2024 · Topical Questions · Hansard source

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  T8. Talland Parade is an abandoned and dilapidated row of shops in Seaford, in my constituency. It has stood empty for 12 years, despite having planning permission in place for much-needed flats. The council had to take the developer to the High Court just to get some scaffolding removed at the site. Will the Minister meet me to discuss the site, and will the Government consider expanding compulsory purchase powers for councils to allow them to acquire such key sites?

• 28 Oct 2024 · Local Authority Funding · Hansard source

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  16. What assessment she has made of trends in the costs of delivering statutory local government services in rural areas.

• 28 Oct 2024 · Local Authority Funding · Hansard source

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  My constituency is largely rural and, as in many rural constituencies, parish councils play an important role in local government service delivery. Does the Minister agree about the importance of parish councils to rural communities, and what role does he see for parish councils as part of the Government’s devolution agenda?

• 23 Oct 2024 · Paternity Leave and Pay · Hansard source

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  I thank my hon. Friend for raising that critical point for the self-employed, who often find themselves excluded. A lot of parents, including very good friends of mine, run their own businesses and have found it very hard to access paternity pay. This is a critical equality and fairness issue, and I am really pleased that we are talking about it because it is very important to me. I am happy to work collaboratively with Members from across the House to improve paternity pay.

• 23 Oct 2024 · Paternity Leave and Pay · Hansard source

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  I am the father of two young children, and I would not have missed their first months for anything in the whole world. I am proud to have been recently appointed chair of the all-party parliamentary group for childcare and early education, so I have a big interest in this issue and am keen to work with all parties on it. I thank the hon. Member for Telford (Shaun Davies) for bringing forward this important issue. I hope the lack of turnout of Opposition Members is not a reflection of their lack of interest in this very interesting subject. When I speak to other parents at the school gates and elsewhere, I am often told of their difficulties accessing paternity leave and therefore sharing parenting equally. With nursery costs spiralling and the wider cost of living crisis, it is time for better paternity pay, and it should be increased to 90% of a father’s salary as soon as possible, so fathers and parents have options. Development in early years is irreplaceable for children. They say it takes a village to raise a child, but in this country, we do not even seem to support two people raising one. Let us increase paternity pay, introduce a dad’s month and widen eligibility for paternity pay. I hope the Government will work on a cross-party basis—I think they have already outlined that they will—to take action.

• 23 Oct 2024 · Engagements · Hansard source

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  Q13. Last month, a widely reported study from Aston Business School showed that UK goods exports to the EU are 27% down, and imports are 32% lower than they would otherwise have been, thanks to the Conservatives’ failed Brexit deal. Will the Deputy Prime Minister tell me what steps the Government are taking as part of their reset with the EU to cut Brexit red tape for small businesses, to help our economy get growing again?

• 21 Oct 2024 · St Helena: UK Immigration · Hansard source

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  The Liberal Democrats have already put on the record our concerns about the deal that was struck with Mauritius and how it excluded the voices of Chagossians. We also have concerns about the terms of the agreement. What will happen to the individuals who have been moved to St Helena after 18 months elapse? We cannot just abandon them. Will the Minister update the House on what will happen if an agreement with Mauritius has not been reached by the end of the 18-month period? Can the Minister also update the House on the asylum seekers who have been detained on Diego Garcia, such as the 60 Sri Lankan Tamils? They are not in the scope of the agreement. Will the Government support those individuals in claiming asylum where they need it? Finally, it has been reported today that there is an investigation under way into a major hack of the British high commission’s phones during the Chagos islands talks. What action are the Government taking to address this potentially major security breach?

• 14 Oct 2024 · Gibraltar-Spain Border Checks · Hansard source

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  First, I associate myself with the comments in the Chamber about the untimely passing of Alex Salmond. My thoughts are with his family at this terrible time. The Liberal Democrats believe in the right of self-determination for the people of Gibraltar. Nothing should happen to diminish that. It was over 20 years ago, as previously mentioned, that Gibraltarians overwhelmingly rejected the idea that Spain should have joint sovereignty. Another idea that Gibraltarians overwhelmingly rejected was, of course, leaving the European Union. They have had to live with the consequences of the decisions that were imposed upon them and the botched Brexit deal negotiated by the previous Government. I commend the Government of Gibraltar for their principled and pragmatic approach to the future border arrangements with Spain. Does the Minister agree that nothing should be decided for the people of Gibraltar without the consent of the people of Gibraltar? Given the extension of the talks, it is important that they conclude in a spirit of co-operation, so has he received any assurances from Spain that while the Gibraltar treaty negotiations continue, there will be no repeat of the actions last week?

• 10 Oct 2024 · Cost of Rail Fares · Hansard source

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  Rail fares from my constituency of Lewes to London have increased by 20% since 2020, meaning that if increases go ahead this year, a commuter from Lewes will incur £5,500 of cost for a season ticket. For many people whose salaries have not increased in recent years while the cost of living has gone up, that is a major cost. We have seen quite a lot of success capping bus fares in recent years. For some of our local users that has been an improvement. Will the Minister support a similar cap on rail fares?

• 11 Sept 2024 · Patrick Finucane Murder · Hansard source

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  The murder of Patrick Finucane remains a shocking crime even now, 35 years on, and even in the context of so many tragedies that took place during the troubles in Northern Ireland. I am sure that the thoughts of everyone in the House are with the family of Patrick Finucane, as mine are. They have suffered for so long waiting for answers after that terrible day, and I hope that the independent inquiry announced by the Secretary of State will go some way towards bringing at least some closure for the family after all these decades. The Liberal Democrats welcome the Secretary of State’s statement and his announcement of the independent inquiry, but does he agree that there is a need to acknowledge the wider need for truth and justice in Northern Ireland? In contrast to the shadow Secretary of State, the hon. Member for Brentwood and Ongar (Alex Burghart), I ask him whether he will come to the House with a wider statement on repealing the legacy and reconciliation Act, which of course the Liberal Democrats opposed in the last Parliament, and talk more widely about the role of legacy in Northern Ireland, which of course is so important. Can I also ask the Secretary of State to clarify the ability of this inquiry to compel documents and witnesses, and like others, can I ask about the timescales of the inquiry? I am sure he agrees that Patrick Finucane’s family have waited long enough already.

• 3 Sept 2024 · Sudan · Hansard source

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  What efforts are being made to gather testimony and evidence of the war crimes, breaches of international humanitarian law and ethnic cleansing that we all know are taking place in Sudan at the moment?

• 26 Jul 2024 · Making Britain a Clean Energy Superpower · Hansard source

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  Thank you, Madam Deputy Speaker, and I thank the hon. Member for West Dunbartonshire (Douglas McAllister) for his excellent speech. He is clearly very knowledgeable about his area and I think he will be a hugely positive addition to this House. It is a huge privilege for me to represent the Lewes constituency. It is my home and it is where I am raising, with my partner, our young family. I want to start there, with my family—my partner, Donna, and our two young children, Amelia and Elliott. I want to thank them for their support. In fact, Elliott asked me to bring you guys a message today: he says that if anyone is in the market for trading any Pokémon cards, he is open to a discussion. It has been a really long road, but they have been there every single step of the way and I genuinely could not have done this without their help. I also want to thank the voters in my community for putting their trust in me. That includes those who lent me their support tactically in this election. I will always campaign for electoral reform so that everybody’s vote really counts. I pay tribute to my predecessor, Maria Caulfield, who was the MP for Lewes for nine years. Lewes is a very old constituency that can be traced back hundreds of years, and Maria was the first woman to represent the seat. She served in the last Government as a Health Minister and Women’s Minister. Among other achievements, she was instrumental in introducing baby loss certificates for parents who have suffered the death of a baby—an important and welcome initiative. We certainly had our differences, but they were political rather than personal, and I sincerely wish Maria and her husband, Steve, all the very best for the future. Let me tell the House a little bit about my constituency. I will start in our historic county town. Every year, on 5 November, the town of Lewes hosts one of the largest and most anarchic bonfire celebrations. It is an annual manifestation of the town’s fiercely independent spirit. The streets are packed with tens of thousands of visitors to see the magnificent effigies that are paraded through the town to the various fire sites. Often, they include prominent political figures, so please remember—I say this in particular to the new Government Front Benchers —that if you are sent an image or a video of an effigy of yourself being blown up in Lewes in November, it really is a great honour. Members will just have to trust me on that. Down the road on the coast are Newhaven and Seaford, the latter being the largest town in my constituency. It is in desperate need of a new health centre, and I will continue to press for the redevelopment of the existing town centre site. It is also a former Cinque port, with a magnificent sweeping beach that retains the most complete example of a Martello tower on the south coast. Built in the early 19th century to defend the country against a Napoleonic invasion that never came, it is now home to the town’s fantastic museum, which I really recommend that Members visit if they are ever there. The town has been represented in its time as a separate borough by not one but two former Prime Ministers, George Canning and William Pitt the Younger. Seaford ceased to be a port when the River Ouse changed course after a violent storm broke through at Newhaven. Ever since then, Newhaven has been an important port town with a proud industrial heritage and varied history. It also happens to be where I live. Every day, visitors come through Newhaven to use the excellent ferry link to Dieppe and to visit our historic Palmerston fort—or, at least, they will when it completes its £5 million renovation. It is a town experiencing a renaissance after years of neglect, and it will see a new health hub in the town centre and investment in our outdoor spaces and our fishing industry. It is also a town with some pretty unique claims to fame. Newhaven is the last known whereabouts of Lord Lucan, has a plaque dedicated to Ho Chi Minh, who is said to have worked on the ferry, and has a bench dedicated to the American rapper Eazy-E, for reasons unknown. At the eastern end of the constituency are Polegate, Willingdon and Stone Cross. Known for their historic windmills, these communities have been at the sharp end of house building, without the necessary infrastructure to support it. I will work with the NHS and local councils to secure the funding needed for the promised new health hub in Willingdon and improvement to health facilities in Polegate. I will also be keeping a very close eye on the Government’s proposals for planning. Running through the middle of the constituency is the South Downs national park. The town of Lewes is in fact the largest town in a national park anywhere in the country. We are also home to the Seven Sisters country park, with its famous cliffs. We have award-winning vineyards and breweries, and a thriving arts and cultural scene that boasts the world-famous Glyndebourne opera house and the Charleston festival. We are lucky to have some picture-perfect villages with their own uniqueness, among them Ditchling, with its art and craft museum showcasing the work that made the village a creative hub in the 20th century, and Plumpton with its racecourse. There is also the giant white outline of the Long Man, who stands guard over Wilmington. Some of our villages also have unique features. Alfriston is home to the Clergy House—the first property acquired by the National Trust, for £10 in 1896—while Jevington claims to be the birthplace of banoffee pie. We have two beautiful rivers, the Cuckmere and the Ouse, which flow into Seaford bay. Sadly, they have been used by Southern Water as a dumping ground for sewage, and have had sewage discharges in recent weeks. I look forward to seeing the proposals brought forward by this Government to take on sewage dumping. Moving on to today’s debate, it is encouraging to hear support from many Members for ramping up renewable energy. Our constituents, the business community and the UK’s international allies are carefully watching this new Government and Parliament to see if we are serious about once again making the UK a leader in the transition to a clean, safe and inclusive low-carbon economy. I hope we will work together in a constructive spirit to show that we are indeed serious and that fine words will be matched by bold action. Locally, we have seen the benefits of community energy and heat networks. We must ensure that communities that are taking on renewable energy facilities, such as for solar power, can directly benefit. That should include community ownership of smaller-scale schemes. It is not just about energy generation; it is about transmission. Other hon. Members have mentioned delays in renewable energy schemes getting off the ground because of connectivity issues to the grid. I congratulate the new Minister on his appointment, and I would be delighted to welcome him to my constituency at some stage to discuss the important role that community energy and microgeneration can play in our future energy mix, and introduce him to some of the people working hard on the ground in my community to make it happen. On a larger scale, we have the major offshore wind array, which is serviced from Newhaven port. The Rampion wind array generates enough energy to power 350,000 homes and was signed off by the then Secretary of State for Energy, my right hon. Friend the Member for Kingston and Surbiton (Ed Davey). Many hon. Members are parents like me. We all need to be able to look our children in the eye and say that we did everything we could to secure their future and that of all future generations. Doing the best for our children—for all children—is one of my personal political priorities, particularly through the early years. We need to start treating childcare less as a cost to the taxpayer and more as an investment in the future of our country. In a previous job, I worked in deprived communities across the country to support improving literacy for young children. The transformative effect of supportive learning in the first five years of a child’s life is immense. I am pleased to hear the Government talking more about free and subsidised childcare, but that must be matched with a real commitment to funding nurseries and other early years settings properly. Thousands of nurseries have closed down in recent years, and we have to think about supporting early years providers as well as parents. I am proud to represent my constituency, humbled to sit in this House and determined to make the most of every day that I have to be the best possible MP for the people of Lewes. The last Liberal Democrat to hold the title was the formidable Norman Baker, and I too intend to work hard for every corner of the constituency. In the five years since the last election the country has been through a lot. The highest public offices have, at times, been degraded, and trust in politics remains low. We have an opportunity and a responsibility to get our politics and our country on to a better, fairer, greener and more prosperous path. I look forward to working constructively with the Government and other Opposition parties to help deliver just that.

• 26 Jul 2024 · Pharmacy Provision: Hampton · Hansard source

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  Is my hon. Friend aware of the issue of overwhelmed surgeries referring increasing numbers of patients to local pharmacists? I have seen it in my Lewes constituency. Does she agree that this will only contribute further to closures?