Lucy Powell MP: speeches

Speeches

• 3 Jul 2025 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  I will absolutely join the hon. Gentleman in supporting Amy and all those involved in Freedom Performing Arts. My daughter is heavily involved in her local dance group, but we want all children to have access to performing arts, music and the arts more generally. That is what our curriculum review will do and what the work of the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport is doing in supporting grassroots communities. We want to see this access for all, not just for a few who can afford it.

• 3 Jul 2025 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  I join my hon. Friend in thanking those at the Bread and Butter Thing for all the work that they do in tackling food poverty in his constituency. I am sorry that food poverty is still such a blight on many of our communities, but the work that supermarkets and others do—donating food so that it does not go to waste and can help to tackle these issues—is really important.

• 3 Jul 2025 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  Well, my hon. Friend is certainly one of my favourite MPs, even if he is not one of yours, Madam Deputy Speaker—last but certainly not least. He is absolutely right: youth services are critical to our communities. We are producing a bold, new national youth strategy, which will be coming to this House soon. I look forward to him contributing to it.

• 3 Jul 2025 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  I agree absolutely. I have seen at first hand as a constituency MP what happens when we lose a Crown post office and have instead a franchised service that does not match the one it is replacing. It is vital that MPs are able to play their role as champions of their local communities and the services they receive, including post offices. Post Office Ltd should pay more heed to them.

• 26 Jun 2025 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  That case in my hon. Friend’s constituency sounds really difficult. As she will be aware, the Secretary of State recently came to the House to explain more deeply the shocking mismanagement of HS2. We are determined to get a grip of that and get delivery back under control. We are reviewing the position on HS2 phase 2 and will set out more plans shortly, including about the safeguarding of land.

• 26 Jun 2025 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  I thank the Chair of the Backbench Business Committee for once again highlighting to the House all the forthcoming Backbench Business debates, and look forward to receiving from him and colleagues representations on how we hold estimates day debates. I am sure we can all agree that that probably does need to be looked at. I join the hon. Gentleman in wishing everybody who is celebrating this weekend in his constituency and beyond a happy chariot festival, as I think it is also known. I hope that he and others keep cool, wear suncream and drink lots of water on their downhill walk.

• 26 Jun 2025 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  It is wonderful news that the Black Country Living Museum won that award—it pulled a real peaky blinder. My hon. Friend is absolutely right that these kind of visitor attractions are critical to bringing people into our communities and ensuring that our high streets and town centres thrive.

• 26 Jun 2025 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  That sounds like a deeply worrying development in the case, and I am sure the whole House will be shocked to hear it. My hon. Friend has long campaigned for justice and answers to what happened at Orgreave, 41 years ago. He raised the issue with me last week and I will continue to raise it with Ministers on his behalf. I join him in telling anyone involved that they must retain their records, and when questions are asked, they must come forward with every bit of information they have on what happened, as they would be expected to.

• 26 Jun 2025 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  I join my hon. Friend in congratulating all those small charities in his constituency. We recognise that the last few years have not been the easiest for charities. We are taking a number of steps to keep them going, including with the charitable tax reliefs and exemptions. We are also ensuring that local government, on which many charities rely, has the long-term secure funding to support them.

• 26 Jun 2025 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  I am really sorry to hear that Neil Stewart took his own life, with the impact that must have had, and is still having, on his family and friends. To hear of their extraordinary fundraising efforts for RSABI is heartwarming. Mental health and mental health support, whether in rural communities, young people and other aspects, are a priority for the Government, and more will be announced shortly in the 10-year plan.

• 26 Jun 2025 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  Once again, the hon. Gentleman raises a serious issue. We strongly condemn the horrific terrorist attack in Damascus and continue to monitor the situation closely. We do note on this occasion that the Syrian Government’s response was swift and robust, but we will of course keep monitoring it.

• 26 Jun 2025 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  Really badly delivered roadworks, which are often unco-ordinated, can be a huge blight on local businesses, town centres and others. I hear what the hon. Member is saying. These are the responsibilities of local councils and we are putting more money into making sure that roads can be put right, but I will definitely ensure that he gets a reply.

• 26 Jun 2025 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  I join the hon. Member in taking the opportunity to thank Alex Baxter and all those in the hon. Member’s constituency marking Armed Forces Week. We join together, as we always do, to thank all those who have served and are serving this country.

• 26 Jun 2025 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  I am sure that the whole House will join my hon. Friend and me in wishing the Lionesses well in defending their title. What joy winning the Euros four years ago brought to us all. I join him in thanking Tracy and Peter for bringing up their daughter and for all the drop-offs and pick-ups, and all the time and energy, that go into creating someone as brilliant as Keira Walsh.

• 26 Jun 2025 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  My hon. Friend is absolutely right. This Government have taken swift action to bring down waiting lists, which are down by almost 200,000 in a year, with 100,000 more patients treated in that time. We are putting extra money into the NHS because reducing waiting lists is critical to our economy and the health of everybody in this country.

• 26 Jun 2025 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  I welcome the hon. Gentleman to his place. He has done a very good job of standing in for his excellent colleague, the hon. Member for Chelmsford (Marie Goldman), with whom I also enjoy working. The hon. Gentleman is absolutely right that reform to the welfare system has to be done with compassion and be carefully managed. I am sure he also agrees that the system does need reform. He is absolutely right that PIP is not an out-of-work benefit, but a benefit that helps to support disabled people with their living needs. We have to ensure that it is sustainable for the long term, and is there for those who need it most. As I have said, we are listening closely to colleagues from across the House—including, I am sure, Members from his party—who have a lot of experience of dealing with the PIP assessment process. I am sure we all recognise that for too long it has been a box-ticking, degrading process that has not been fit for purpose. That is why we have been reviewing it and listening closely to colleagues. We want to get this right for disabled people, their carers and others. The hon. Gentleman asks about the parliamentary process. As Leader of the House, with responsibility for legislation across the piece, I struggle to think of many Government Bills brought in this Session that have not been amended during their passage. Most Bills are amended, and those amendments are usually made in Committee and on Report. I am sure that this Bill will be considered in the usual way during its parliamentary passage.

• 26 Jun 2025 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  The right hon. Lady is right to raise the issue of dental deserts, which we see across the country, not just in Wales. She will know that the previous Government did not invest in dentistry, and that has had a knock-on effect in Wales. Many colleagues have raised with me the need for more dental schools. I suggest that she clubs together with some colleagues to get a debate on that subject.

• 26 Jun 2025 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  Absolutely. I join my hon. Friend in hoping that the nursery raises the funds it needs to support its work.

• 26 Jun 2025 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  I join my hon. Friend in congratulating Joy Watson, and we send our best to her and her husband Tony. Like thousands of others across the country, they live with dementia every day. We thank the carers who support those living with dementia. This Government are committed to dementia services and making sure that we have the best research and innovation on dementia. The Health Secretary will continue to keep the House updated as part of his 10-year plan.

• 26 Jun 2025 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  I am!

• 26 Jun 2025 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  The right hon. Lady is right that fly-tipping and waste can blight communities and are a real problem, though I must say that incidents sky-rocketed and prosecutions fell under the previous Government. That is why we are taking steps through the Crime and Policing Bill to give police and local authorities more powers to take off-road vehicles off the streets and to take tougher action on fly-tippers.

• 26 Jun 2025 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  Absolutely. We are proud of the free breakfast clubs that we are introducing. We are also proud that we are extending free school meals to all those on universal credit, because it is critical to every child’s learning that they are not going hungry.

• 26 Jun 2025 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  We urgently need to restore public trust in the water sector; that is particularly true of Thames Water, whose performance has been extremely poor over many years. There are lots of concerns about it. As the hon. Gentleman will be aware, we brought in the Water (Special Measures) Act 2025, the first step to reforming our water system. We have commissioned a deep look at the water governance sector. Further announcements will be coming on that, hopefully before the recess.

• 26 Jun 2025 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  I thank my hon. Friend for raising this important matter during Armed Forces Week. I am really sorry to hear that there has not been a response forthcoming. She is absolutely right to raise the issue of the mental health trauma suffered by many of our veterans, and the need to do more to support them in the community. I will make sure that a response is forthcoming.

• 26 Jun 2025 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  My hon. Friend gives us a great advert for all that is going on in her constituency. These sorts of events are important for attracting visitors and tourists to her constituency, Yorkshire and beyond.