Martin Wrigley MP: speeches

Speeches

• 2 Sept 2025 · Draft Online Safety Act 2023 (Qualifying Worldwide Revenue) Regulations 2025 · Hansard source

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  It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Dr Murrison. I have a couple of questions about the SI. Having worked for a regulator that was similarly funded by a charge on those regulated and the ability to levy fees, I question what power we are giving Ofcom to collect the fees charged. Is it explicit in the Act? It does not seem to be explicit in the SI. How is the penalties regime, albeit it relates to a different percentage of global revenue, actually worked out? Is global revenue worked out on the same method as that for the GDPR, under which companies can similarly be charged a proportion of global revenue if they get things wrong?

• 1 Sept 2025 · Middle East · Hansard source

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  The United Nations described the famine in Gaza as a “deliberate collapse of the systems needed for human survival” and “a man-made disaster, a moral indictment, and a failure of humanity itself.” Every day my constituents ask me, “What more would it take for the Government to recognise this as genocide?” What would the Foreign Secretary have me say to them?

• 21 Jul 2025 · Extending the Ukraine Permission Extension Scheme · Hansard source

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  I thank the hon. Lady for her intervention and I absolutely agree. I want briefly to mention another story. This is of Mariia and Ksenia in north Devon, written by their host Helen. I apologise for my Ukrainian pronunciation. They said: “On 21 June Oleh Yurash age 28 was killed in Sumy in a missile strike. He was the husband of Liudmyla Yurash also 28 and father to Roman, four years old. Liudmyla is the sister of Mariia and Ksenia Yurash, my adult guests. He was almost unrecognisable. Mariia and Ksenia travelled back to Ukraine to attend his funeral. Liudmyla was also carer for their mother, who recently had a stroke. The girls’ father wants them to stay in the UK, where Mariia and her daughter are safe from the war, especially as Mariia is a single mother and the Russians have been kidnapping children. Mila is settled in the only school she has known, starting year 3 in September. Ksenia is studying in order to be able to go to university. There is little education in Ukraine at the moment. They have already lost a brother and their father is fighting for his country. The thing that keeps him going is that his two younger daughters are safe. I hope that you can get the Government to see that we need to carry on supporting our Ukrainian family.” I asked the Prime Minister last week about extending the scheme, and the Home Secretary was asked about it in a Select Committee on 3 June. However, the situation is changing. Ukraine’s Government publicly changed their position in late May, asking all Governments where Ukrainians have sought safety and sanctuary since spring 2022 to provide them with a choice: to remain where their lives are being rebuilt or to return to Ukraine when it is safe to do so.

• 21 Jul 2025 · Extending the Ukraine Permission Extension Scheme · Hansard source

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  I thank the hon. Member for his intervention and will be moving on to that shortly. I have been impressed by the way that the Ukrainians do not sit back, but get up and get working. In many cases, they have taken jobs way below their qualifications while they learn the language, settle in and find their way. Their children have integrated into schools and set out on paths to GCSE, A-level and degree courses. Despite the fact that they do not have the confidence that they will have a visa that covers the duration of those courses, they are still working hard at them. I have one guest who is a fully qualified Ukrainian dentist—and we need dentists, especially in Devon. He has done the first part of verifying his qualification for the UK, but it has taken many months and cost £600. However, to become a fully qualified dentist, he needs to spend £4,300 and more time, and the waiting time alone may make that futile, given the short time left on his visa. Another bright young student has started a dentistry qualification at Plymouth University, but she asked me if she would be allowed to stay to finish it. Another family wanted to get a mortgage to buy a house, but they cannot given the time left on their visas. They are brave, inventive and industrious people, and we need to help them by extending their visa scheme.

• 21 Jul 2025 · Extending the Ukraine Permission Extension Scheme · Hansard source

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  Yes, we need to do exactly that. If the UK is to support the defence of Ukraine, we must continue to support the vulnerable Ukrainian guests in our country and to give them some certainty about their future. In my discussions with groups around the Newton Abbot constituency, I have heard many of their concerns. We have one family with a 17-year-old son with them. Ukrainian child passports have a duration of just four years, and they have to renew his passport. He has been told to do that, but he will need to return to Kyiv. His parents are now worried that he will either not be allowed to get back here, or not be allowed to stay here with an expired passport.

• 21 Jul 2025 · Extending the Ukraine Permission Extension Scheme · Hansard source

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  Yes, I believe that we should be looking for a permanent solution and a permanent answer for the Ukrainians, and that is why I asked the Prime Minister about it last week. His answer was more positive than before, and he even appeared to say that another 18 months would be added. I ask the Minister to clarify that statement.

• 21 Jul 2025 · Extending the Ukraine Permission Extension Scheme · Hansard source

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  Absolutely. I would like to give a couple of stories from Ukrainians here. I am keeping an eye on the time. This is from Anya Glebova in north Devon, who is hosted by Julie. I apologise, Madam Deputy Speaker, for using the word “you”. These are her words: “How do you live during the war? And can a person who has not experienced it understand us? I think not, because I myself did not believe that such a thing is possible in our time. But it turns out it is possible. That morning will remain in my memory for a long time, when I woke up to collect the children for school and a man who was in Odessa called and said that the war had begun, they were shelling us. To say that it was horror would be an understatement, but a completely different life began for us. Since no one expected this, panic began: empty shelves in stores, lights going out and terrible alarm signals. My children and I went to bed dressed, so that at night during the alarm we could quickly run to the basement where we decided to hide. A suitcase with documents was constantly packed in the basement; there were warm things and blankets. When you hear a rocket, your thoughts are about the children and how to save them. Missile alarms become our daily routine: children playing hear the alarm and run to the basement or to the house where we made a small shelter. My husband was invited to the military registration and enlistment office, and taken to war. We were left alone at home without support and with constant worry. Why did we decide to move? Because as a mother, I want a peaceful life for my children. I want them to sleep peacefully and study, so that they can see life. When I arrived here, not only the children but also I was afraid when a helicopter flew overhead. We saw a plane overhead when with my son in the garden, and it flew very low. I froze and when I turned around I saw my son, who was sitting by a tree, screaming at me. The horror of war cannot be put into words. It is when you go to sleep and don’t know whether you will wake up. It is when life can end in a minute. This is universal, since every day brought its own experiences, pain and despair. It cannot be described. My husband made the decision for us to leave Ukraine, probably because he sees much more. For me, it was a difficult step, firstly, to leave my husband without support. He sometimes came home for two days, and it was always a holiday for our family. Secondly, to leave the home where the children grew up, where there were dreams, where every corner has its own story. But the safety of the children came first, so we decided to leave. Not knowing the language and taking a backpack with us, we set off for the UK, where our host Julie met us. A new stage in our lives began. Thanks to Julie, we gradually got to know, and continued to get to know, the local system. My daughter immediately went to school where she was happily accepted, and she began to meet new classmates. Recently, she saw a plane high in the sky, took a picture and sent it to her father, saying that it was a piece of peaceful sky. My son is preparing to enter college, is studying English and going to the gym. I was almost immediately offered a job, where I work without knowing English. A foreign country, unfamiliar customs, lack of knowledge of the language—all this is covered by the sensitivity and care of people around us. The Ukrainian diaspora supports everyone, learning the language, helping to solve problems and always being in touch. Thank you for giving a peaceful sky to our children!”

• 21 Jul 2025 · Extending the Ukraine Permission Extension Scheme · Hansard source

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  I thank the hon. Member for his intervention and I absolutely agree. Ukrainians are scared of what happens next, and we have no answer for them. They see reports of their countrymen being refused asylum in the UK because it is said to be safe to return to Ukraine, even while Putin’s drones explode in Ukraine’s cities in record numbers.

• 21 Jul 2025 · Extending the Ukraine Permission Extension Scheme · Hansard source

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  That is a dreadful situation. I really hope that the Minister can give us some positive news, or at least a glimmer of hope of where we can go.

• 21 Jul 2025 · Extending the Ukraine Permission Extension Scheme · Hansard source

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  The war seems further from ending—perhaps more protracted than ever. The EU clarified its position, extending temporary protection for all guests to March 2027 and requiring all member states to find ways for guests to have pathways to residency or settlement within those two years. The Home Secretary commented in a Select Committee that continuing the stability of education for children, university students and adults in training or apprenticeships is key and that enabling that continuity through housing and jobs is an important part of the Government’s support for Ukraine. We need the Government to review the short-term nature of the Ukraine permission extension scheme urgently. Without urgent changes, we are at serious risk of putting thousands of Ukrainians—children as well as parents—into homelessness or worse, as the terms of their visas will be too short for them to carry on. We owe them much better treatment than we are currently giving them.

• 21 Jul 2025 · Extending the Ukraine Permission Extension Scheme · Hansard source

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  I absolutely agree, and this is now urgent as guests start to have less than 12 months on their visas.

• 21 Jul 2025 · Extending the Ukraine Permission Extension Scheme · Hansard source

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  I thank the Minister very much for that announcement; I really appreciate it.

• 21 Jul 2025 · Extending the Ukraine Permission Extension Scheme · Hansard source

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  I am happy to have secured this debate on Homes for Ukraine and the Ukraine permission extension scheme. The full-scale invasion of Ukraine by Putin’s Russia started on 24 February 2022, eight years after the Russian invasion of Crimea in 2014. Now in its fourth year, this awful war has seen some 7 million members of the Ukrainian population of 45 million—more than 15% of the population—seek sanctuary outside the war zone. Just under 270,000 visas under the Homes for Ukraine scheme have been issued to Ukrainian guests here in the UK, of whom 2,399 are in Devon. Initially offering a three-year duration, the scheme was extended by 18 months under the Ukraine permission extension scheme in February 2025, nearly six months ago. That means that, with missiles and drones falling in record numbers on the cities of Ukraine, our guests who have integrated into society, taken jobs, rented flats and paid taxes are starting to face the fact that fewer than 12 months are left on their visas, which makes it hard, if not impossible, to rent a new flat or get a new job. Let me give the House some basic facts about where we are today. New arrivals now only get 18 months to stay. The visa gives a special status to Ukrainian guests. They do not have refugee status; they do have the right to work, and they are supported by funding—for example, the monthly host payments, or help with rent. The three years plus the 18 months do not count towards any settled status here in the UK. The 18-month extension can be applied for only in the final 28 days of the original granted visa.

• 21 Jul 2025 · Extending the Ukraine Permission Extension Scheme · Hansard source

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  I thank the hon. Member for mentioning a report from my old university, which I will go away and look up. However, I think this is more about getting the visas extended, rather than pursuing the people who are refusing them.

• 21 Jul 2025 · Extending the Ukraine Permission Extension Scheme · Hansard source

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  Very much so. In my meetings, people have been asking about these different visas and routes, not many of which work.

• 21 Jul 2025 · Extending the Ukraine Permission Extension Scheme · Hansard source

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  The right hon. Gentleman has obviously been reading my speech. I shall get on to that shortly. I have spoken to a Ukrainian lady and her elderly mother in Newton Abbot. This lady has lost her husband, her son and her father. Her home in Ukraine is in the Russian-occupied zone and, like much of her village, has been razed to the ground. Even when peace does break out, what does she have to go back to, other than landmines and unexploded bombs? Ukraine is the home of the fabled Cossacks, and it is no wonder that the war was not over in the three weeks or so that Putin expected. However, that means that we have to think longer term about the Homes for Ukraine scheme visas. I mentioned that there are now some 7 million Ukrainians, out of the original population of 45 million, safely outside the country—that is 15%, or about one sixth in old money. It will not be practical for all of them to return to a country with a shattered infrastructure for a number of years. Clearing landmines, dealing with unexploded bombs, demolition and rebuilding must be done before most of the guests we have here could think about returning. My basic ask of the Minister and the Government is to look at a longer-term extension of the Homes for Ukraine scheme to give our guests certainty, in some part of their lives at least.

• 21 Jul 2025 · Extending the Ukraine Permission Extension Scheme · Hansard source

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  I absolutely agree, and people in that situation are very worried—I have several in my own constituency. I have spoken to groups of guests in Newton Abbot, and they are mostly working, getting on with integrating into the local community and strongly supporting each other.

• 17 Jul 2025 · Global Plastics Treaty · Hansard source

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  I am delighted to hear about all the work going on in the hon. Lady’s community. That is also happening across the country; Dawlish Against Plastic and Plastic Free Newton Abbot are in my constituency However, the Marine Conservation Society wrote to me to say that plastic pollution on UK beaches rose by 9.5% between 2023 and 2024. Indeed, in Devon, an average of 103 items of plastic are picked up on every 100 metres of beach. Does she agree that we must deal with the situation not only in our communities but internationally?

• 17 Jul 2025 · Freedom of Religion or Belief: UK Foreign Policy · Hansard source

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  It is a pleasure to serve under your chairship, Mrs Harris. I thank the hon. Member for North Northumberland (David Smith) for securing this important debate on the role of freedom of religion or belief in UK foreign policy, and for his work as special envoy. The ability to express one’s political and religious affiliations freely is a fundamental human right that must be preserved. That principle is enshrined in article 18 of the universal declaration of human rights, and must remain central to UK foreign policy. The Liberal Democrats have long believed that human rights, democracy and the rule of law are not just aspirational values, but the foundation of a just and peaceful world. I am proud of our long-standing commitment to defending freedom of religion or belief, and I am deeply concerned by the growing threat to those rights internationally. Religious minorities across the globe continue to face harassment, discrimination and persecution. In 2021, the Pew Research Centre found that Christians faced Government or societal harassment in 160 countries, with Muslims facing it in 141 and Jews in 91. We should reflect on what those numbers mean: in those countries, people live in fear, and face violence or even imprisonment simply for their beliefs. Unfortunately, the situation is either deteriorating or stagnating in many such countries.

• 17 Jul 2025 · Freedom of Religion or Belief: UK Foreign Policy · Hansard source

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  Absolutely. The situation is very grave in many parts of the world. In fact, it is more than grave—it is intolerable. In our foreign policy, the UK must proactively seek to champion freedom of belief and religion. The hon. Member for North Northumberland, the special envoy, has identified 10 priority countries where freedom of religion or belief is under particular strain; I am concerned that diplomatic pressure in those countries remains inconsistent and at times ineffective. Where religious legislation remains stagnant or regressive, I see little evidence that UK engagement has shifted the dial. I urge the Government to take a far more active and co-ordinated approach, not just to maintain relationships but to use them to drive real progress on rights and freedoms. It is not enough to make declarations; the Government must match words with action. That means ensuring that the special envoy for freedom of religion or belief—I understand why he uses the acronym FORB; it is much easier to say—is properly resourced, has a clear mandate and is empowered to influence policy across the FCDO. I also urge the Government to appoint an ambassador-level champion for freedom of religion or belief, with cross-departmental reach and the responsibility to ensure that religious freedom is not an afterthought in UK foreign policy, but a guiding principle. The UK’s approach must also recognise the intersections between religious persecution and other forms of oppression. Minority faith women and girls face heightened risks, including forced marriage, exclusion from education, and sexual violence. Their gender adds a further layer of marginalisation, and it is essential that UK policy reflects that reality. We must also be alive to the modern tools of repression. In China, surveillance technology and biometric data are being used to monitor and intimidate religious groups. Technological repression is becoming increasingly sophisticated and the UK must be ready to challenge those abuses at the international level. To have the biggest impact, the UK must work through international bodies, including the United Nations and the Commonwealth, to press for reform, support democratic movements and uphold the right of all people to live with or without faith. Persecution based on religion or belief should have no place in today’s world. It is a bellwether for broader freedoms: where it is restricted, restrictions on other rights soon follow. We will continue to push for a foreign policy that defends the rights of all people, everywhere, to live without fear and in accordance with their consciences. The UK must not be a bystander. We must lead with conviction, courage, and a clear commitment to human rights at the heart of our foreign policy. I ask the Minister what concrete steps the Government will take this year to challenge countries where religious repression is entrenched, and to ensure that our foreign policy truly upholds the values we claim to defend.

• 16 Jul 2025 · Engagements · Hansard source

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  Q15. During my meetings with guests who are in my constituency under the Homes for Ukraine scheme, they have told me that they are worried about their visas running out, even with the 18-month extension. They see reports of Ukrainians being refused asylum in the United Kingdom because it is said to be safe to return to Ukraine, even while Putin’s missiles explode in record numbers in Ukrainian cities. Some of their children are working through two or three-year education courses, and are frightened of having to leave. Will the Prime Minister meet them, and me, to hear about their plight and offer them some hope in this uncertain and dangerous world?

• 14 Jul 2025 · Future of the Post Office · Hansard source

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  I was slightly concerned that the franchising of Crown post offices, such as the one at Teignmouth in my constituency, has already gone ahead, prior to the consultation. Turning to a different issue, Royal Mail is obligated to provide a post box within half a mile of any house, but many new estates in my constituency have no access to a post box—they are just not there. Will the Minister put pressure on Royal Mail to ensure that post boxes are provided?

• 8 Jul 2025 · Road and Rail Projects · Hansard source

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  I thank the Secretary of State for greenlighting the work on the A382 into Newton Abbot. That will be a massive improvement when it is completed. May I congratulate the successful teams at Teignbridge and at Devon county council, who have been working on the project for some while? However, I am disappointed to hear that Dawlish is not on the list and will be put back. Indeed, although I am pleased that the Government will be continuing to fund the monitoring of the cliffs, may I draw it to the Secretary of State’s attention that it was a single catastrophic shift, rather than a gradual increase of the situation, that caused the collapse of the cliff at Dawlish that shut the railway for eight weeks, causing approximately £1.2 billion of damage to the south-west economy?

• 4 Jul 2025 · Company Directors (Duties) Bill · Hansard source

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  rose —

• 4 Jul 2025 · Company Directors (Duties) Bill · Hansard source

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  I beg to move, That the Bill be now read a Second time. Under current UK law, company directors have one overriding duty: to maximise shareholder interest. This narrow, outdated legal framework of shareholder primacy has created a culture in which short-term financial performance overrides long-term sustainability. The Bill will amend section 172 of the Companies Act to change the duty of company directors by requiring them to balance the needs of shareholders with those of employees and the environment, thereby building better and more sustainable businesses. The Institute of Directors backs this change, which will empower directors to do the right thing for their business. It will drive the sustainable growth needed to turbocharge our economy and help to realise the Government’s ambitions for growth. The Bill gives directors the legal clarity and freedom to make better, long-term decisions, moving away from the short-term drive of a quarter’s profits. Businesses focused on their stakeholders, not solely on shareholder returns, consistently outperform their counterparts. Last year, UK B corps increased their turnover by 23%, compared with the national average of 17%, and they saw a 9.6% increase in employee headcount, compared with a national decrease of 0.5%. Moreover, research conducted by Demos on behalf of the Better Business Act highlighted that a purpose-led economy would boost UK GDP by £149 billion. It is clear that embracing stakeholder primacy improves financial performance. The law should encourage this, not obstruct it. It is time to change the law to follow the example of the thousands of businesses and organisations that have seen that better business works well. With this change, we can help to build better businesses and a better Britain.