Navendu Mishra MP: speeches

Speeches

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

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  People living only a few miles apart in Greater Manchester are being offered varying numbers of IVF cycles. In my Stockport constituency, only two IVF cycles are offered, whereas in Tameside it is three. NHS Greater Manchester is consulting on plans to reduce the offer across all boroughs in Greater Manchester to only one free cycle. Although I welcome steps to increase equality in this area, the first IVF cycle is often unsuccessful, and this proposal would disproportionately disadvantage those in Stockport and across Greater Manchester who are on lower incomes and cannot afford to pay for further cycles. Will the Leader of the House allow a debate in Government time on equal and fair access to IVF?

• 2 Jul 2025 · Corporate Businesses and Franchisees: Regulatory Environment · Hansard source

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  I have worked with the Minister on a number of issues relating to his ministerial role, and he has always been helpful and proactive. As he is representing His Majesty’s Government, does he feel that there is a need to legislate on this issue, and that the code of conduct simply does not go far enough? Also, as my hon. Friend the Member for North Durham (Luke Akehurst) has just said, there might be cases of larger corporations opting in and out as and when it suits them.

• 2 Jul 2025 · Corporate Businesses and Franchisees: Regulatory Environment · Hansard source

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  Will the right hon. Gentleman give way?

• 2 Jul 2025 · Corporate Businesses and Franchisees: Regulatory Environment · Hansard source

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  I congratulate the right hon. Gentleman on securing this debate. I refer to my entry in the Register of Members’ Financial Interests, in particular my trade union membership. I wonder whether he shares my view that the merger between Vodafone and Three will have real consequences for both pricing for customers and job losses in Britain.

• 2 Jul 2025 · Corporate Businesses and Franchisees: Regulatory Environment · Hansard source

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  May I put on record that I did not use the term “right hon.” in my earlier intervention on the right hon. Gentleman and wish to correct that? Also, the right hon. Member for Chingford and Woodford Green (Sir Iain Duncan Smith) made a very important point about bigger businesses that operate outside the UK perhaps in some cases abusing their position. On a lighter note, may I encourage him to join a trade union? I would be happy to supply him with a membership form.

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

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  New Hope Care, a private company owned by Patrick Cheza, was operating in my constituency of Stockport. It failed its staff and exploited vulnerable workers, some of whom were migrant workers who feared speaking out about their mistreatment and neglect, worried that it could impact their visa status. Regardless of their immigration status, people should be compensated for their work. My office has more than 20 cases on this issue. I am told that the company has received payment on its contracts, including from Stockport council and customers, yet it is withholding vital wages from its staff. Many of them have not been paid for four or five months and are experiencing significant financial hardship. It is my understanding that the owners are based abroad. Will the Leader of the House allow a debate in Government time on enforcing compliance from private social care providers, such as New Hope Care, that fail to pay wages?

• 16 Jun 2025 · Air India Plane Crash · Hansard source

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  All hon. Members will have the victims in their thoughts and prayers. I thank the firefighters, the first responders and the emergency service workers who helped at the crash. On Saturday, a vigil was held at the Mahatma Gandhi statue at Manchester cathedral. I was one of the speakers, along with my hon. Friends the Members for Manchester Rusholme (Afzal Khan) and for Bolton West (Phil Brickell). We had prayers from a local Hindu priest, an imam, a member of the Sikh community and the dean of the cathedral. The Minister mentioned the British high commissioner in India, Her Excellency Lindy Cameron, who is doing an important job. Can the Minister assure me that the high commissioner’s team in Delhi, and that of the deputy high commissioner in Ahmedabad, will have all the support and resources that they need to make sure that the victims and the families are supported?

• 16 Jun 2025 · Animal Experiments: Medical Research · Hansard source

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  I congratulate my hon. Friend on securing the debate. Like her, I am a member of the Labour Animal Welfare Society. Will she pay tribute to the work of Animal Free Research UK, which has done a lot of work on this issue, and the campaign on Herbie’s law, which is a proposed framework that would set a deadline of 2035 for phasing out animal experiments in medical research in the UK, and ensure support for scientists making the transition?

• 10 Jun 2025 · Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories · Hansard source

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  I thank the Minister for this important statement, but the reality is that 93% of children in Gaza—around 930,000—face the critical risk of famine. He has outlined what the Government have been doing in the past few months and continue to do, but will he tell us what more the British Government could do to ensure that food and medicine reach people who are starving?

• 9 Jun 2025 · Winter Fuel Payment · Hansard source

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  Members on both sides of the House will have had a large volume of correspondence on this matter, so I thank the Minister for his statement. This fair policy change saves our public services £450 million by ensuring that the wealthiest pensioners do not continue to receive the winter fuel payment. Does he agree?

• 21 May 2025 · Parkinson’s Disease · Hansard source

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  It is a pleasure to serve under you in this debate, Mr Stuart, and I congratulate my hon. Friend the Member for Colne Valley (Paul Davies) on securing this important debate. A family member of mine was diagnosed with Parkinson’s about two and a half to three years ago, so although I am not an expert on the issue, I understand how difficult it can be for family members, friends and the community. Unfortunately, my good friend from Yorkshire—my hon. Friend the Member for Colne Valley—has used up all my talking points, so I will keep my speech brief. Many colleagues have pointed out that 153,000 people in the UK have Parkinson’s, but the figure predicted for 2030 will rise to 172,000. That is a significant increase in five short years, so we must do more to support people and medical practitioners in terms of Parkinson’s. This point has also been made but, sadly, the Parkinson’s workforce in the NHS has been facing a shortage for over 30 years. It has been neglected and the Government should address that urgently. The Association of British Neurologists found that 1.1 full-time equivalent neurologists per 100,000 head of population were involved in patient care in the UK. If we compare that with France and Germany, the figure is one neurologist per—less than—25,000 head of population. The UK ranks 44th out of 45 European nations for the number of neurologists per head of population. That figure is simply not good enough. The Parkinson’s UK programme, Parkinson’s Connect, has been mentioned, and I urge the Government to roll it out across the NHS in England to make sure that more people with the condition get the support they need. This Labour Government have made a decision to freeze prescription charges for 2025-26. I really welcome that, but unfortunately, Parkinson’s is not on the list of medical conditions that are exempt from prescription charges. My understanding is that that list was decided in 1968 and has barely changed since. Independent research suggests that scrapping prescription charges in England for Parkinson’s would save the NHS £93 per person per year, and reduce A&E visits by approximately 9%. I call on the Government to scrap prescription charges for people with Parkinson’s. I will end on the blue badge scheme. Sadly, many people who suffer from Parkinson’s also suffer from a postcode lottery, where the local authority decides whether or not they will get a blue badge for their transport. A lot more research needs to be done on that. The Department for Transport and the Department of Health and Social Care should work together to ensure that people with Parkinson’s get the support that they need.

• 16 May 2025 · Stockport Railway Station · Hansard source

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  The Minister is being extremely generous. As I mentioned in my speech, I welcome the £20 million investment in the Greek Street bridge and the £1.1 million investment to clean the viaduct and repair the brickwork. But if we are being honest, the Greek Street bridge and the viaduct are not part of Stockport station. They are of course an essential part of our railway network, but I want to see real investment in Stockport station for passengers and staff members, so I hope Network Rail is watching and takes note of that.

• 16 May 2025 · Stockport Railway Station · Hansard source

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  I am not familiar with that station, but I agree wholeheartedly that people should not be excluded from our public transport network due to their physical ability. That is just not acceptable in modern Britain. I want to call out the previous Conservative Government’s plans to close hundreds of ticket offices, including at key stations such as Stockport. Those proposals were entirely unacceptable because they ignored the needs of disabled passengers, older travellers and anyone who is less able to use the internet. Disabled people already face numerous barriers in accessing the railway and are three times less likely to travel by rail than non-disabled people. That is why it is so important that we have good-quality, reliable infrastructure that supports disabled people, and lifts and doors that do not break down frequently, as they do at Stockport station. Ticket offices provide a fixed location for passengers to locate staff and, therefore, advice and assistance. That is particularly important for many disabled people, who are less able to search the station for a roaming member of staff. The RMT union has long-standing concerns about Avanti’s failure to fill station staff vacancies and its widespread reliance on fixed-term contracts. That understaffing is leading to delays at ticket offices and cases of ticket offices not being open during their advertised and regulated hours. That clearly impacts the passenger experience, safety and accessibility. Sadly, it seems that Avanti is putting private profits before public safety and accessibility. I am told that Avanti paid out shareholder dividends of £8.1 million in 2024. Ticket office staffing in Stockport is inconsistent and simply not good enough. The Government should instruct Avanti to permanently fill all existing vacancies, transfer staff on fixed-term contracts to permanent contracts and ensure its ticket offices and stations are properly staffed. As I have noted, Stockport station is one of the busiest in Greater Manchester, yet its condition is far below what passengers deserve. I welcome the recent announcement by Network Rail to repair the frequently faulty lifts—£46,000 is being invested at the station to make step-free access more reliable for passengers—but that should be the start, not the end of the investment at our station. Basic maintenance is falling behind at the station, with leaking roofs, worn out toilets, and poor drainage causing repeated flooding on platforms. One resident described the station as “incredibly uninviting”. They said that the “lights are dim because they are covered in years of cobwebs and grime” and that parts of the station are in “dire condition, often leaking”. The station’s pedestrian tunnel is dark, damp and neglected. One resident described it as being like an “old air raid shelter”. Another resident said that the station feels “poor, tired and dark” and that she “doesn’t feel safe travelling as a woman alone in the evening or early mornings”. Ticket vending machines are unreliable and the Edgely entrance to Stockport station is in a dire state. The station is well run but understaffed. Residents have reported to me a lack of gate staff, no permanent British Transport police presence, and serious concerns about road safety on the Edgeley entrance side. Tragically, there was recently a collision that left a member of the public injured on that side of the station, which was sad news. I have raised these issues with Avanti. The broken main entrance door was finally replaced, but it should not have taken public shaming to get essential fixes done. While I welcome Network Rail’s investment in the Greek Street bridge near the station—it is investing almost £20 million in that project—it needs to go further and faster in improving the station for all. I highlight that the viaduct, which I mentioned earlier, is an iconic part of Stockport’s skyline, but it is not part of Stockport station. The investment of £20 million in the Greek Street bridge is also welcome, but that is not part of the station. We need ringfenced investment in the station. I was recently out with the Network Rail team—I think it was in February—who have spent almost £1.1 million cleaning up and repairing the viaduct. That is great news for our town and for railway users, but the station needs a lot of love and investment. Many people rely on the station, whether for commuting across the north-west or visiting Birmingham or London, but it has been unfairly left behind. Stockport residents are calling for proper investment to bring the station in line with others across the region. They want safety, accessibility and basic decency. On a different point, I take the opportunity to urge the Minister to back the extension of the Metrolink tram system to Stockport town centre. That investment would be a huge boost for Stockport’s connectivity and local economy, helping people to get to work, school and healthcare appointments more easily and sustainably. We have great connections from Stockport station, but sadly during covid TransPennine Express stopped direct services between Stockport and Manchester airport. I wrote to it but unfortunately got a disappointing response; I will be going back to it. I urge the Minister to visit it with me at some point. The absence of a direct service from Stockport to Manchester airport creates unnecessary inconvenience for many residents, particularly those who rely on public transport for work. Manchester Airports Group is a large employer in my constituency, and many people commute from my constituency to Manchester airport. The indirect route is difficult for those carrying heavy luggage and for those who are less mobile or need assistance. I want to see that service reinstated as soon as possible. I have mentioned this on a number of occasions in the Chamber, but may I pay tribute to the friends of Reddish South station? They are a brilliant community group in the Reddish part of Stockport who have worked tirelessly to improve their local railway station. They have been campaigning for years for proper rail services at Reddish South. Currently, Reddish South station has one train a week. Imagine having a local train station with one train a week—it is just ridiculous. I echo the calls for further investment by Network Rail in better signalling in and around Stockport. Some of the engineering parts and equipment used around Stockport are quite dated. We need to ensure that the signalling infrastructure and equipment is the latest, cutting-edge equipment for safety standards and ease of use. We also need to unlock the future capability and reliability of our railway network, so that would be welcome. I am also very grateful to Friends of Heaton Chapel Station, who make a valuable and wonderful contribution to the community of Stockport. I have gathered some feedback from members of staff at Stockport station, so I will quickly mention that. Many Members might be surprised to discover that we have an unusually named platform 0 at Stockport station. Sadly, due to staffing shortages platform 0 is often closed, because there are not enough Avanti staff. The Passenger Assist scheme, which is supposed to help those who are less mobile, those with health conditions or those with disabilities to access the railway, is a vital lifeline for many people. Unfortunately, I am told that the staffing for the Passenger Assist scheme is so poor at Stockport station that it is covered by one member of staff on a part-time basis. When that staff member is not in, platform staff, who should be focused on railway safety with trains arriving and departing, have to assist passengers. I recently tabled written parliamentary question 41630 on Passenger Assist. I thank the Minister and the Government for the £10 million to improve the Passenger Assist service. The capability to book a ticket, request assistance and reserve a seat in one single transaction will be widely welcomed by pretty much everyone—I cannot think of anyone who would be opposed to it. British Transport police do a fantastic job, but they do not have a permanent presence at Stockport station and neither do we have permanent security staff. I call on Avanti and Network Rail to work together to resolve that. I want Stockport station to be a place that residents can be proud of. The station is not just a local hub; it is a vital part of our critical national infrastructure. It deserves the investment, accessibility and support to match. Network Rail must accelerate investment in lifts, drainage, roofing and accessibility. More must be done to address basic maintenance failures before they become hazardous. I also want Avanti and Network Rail to work at pace to improve the staff facilities, which need to be upgraded. They do a fantastic job—I have already place on record my thanks to them—and they deserve good quality facilities when they take their breaks, and when they start and end their shifts. I welcome the share of the city region sustainable transport settlements that Stockport will receive to progress development at Stockport station, but I urge the Minister to go further and faster with funding for modernisation and better connectivity at Stockport. I also ask the Minister to urge Avanti to end its over-reliance on temporary contracts and to fill ticket office vacancies. Sadly, I personally find that the ticket office at Stockport is frequently closed during advertised hours when it should be open. Ticket office closures risk denting revenue by deterring passengers, particularly disabled people, from using the railway. Passenger safety, service and accessibility are vital for a thriving railway. I invite the Minister to visit Stockport again. I understand that he has been twice since he took up his position. Both times, he visited on a sitting day when I was in Westminster, so I invite him to visit again. I would love to take him to Reddish South station, which has one train a week; Stockport station, which has almost 4 million passenger rail entries and exits; and Brinnington and Heaton Chapel stations, which do not have step-free access. I am grateful to many organisations, including the trade unions, which provided briefings for this debate. Avanti and Network Rail also helped me with a briefing. Nick from Avanti, in particular, has been really helpful. I conducted a survey on my Facebook page seeking feedback from residents and passengers on Stockport station. I received several submissions and I am so grateful to each and every one of the respondents for helping me to write this speech. I hope the Minister is able to address some of the points I have made, but my last point is that Network Rail and Avanti need to do so much more to make sure that Stockport station, and the smaller stations in Stockport, get the investment they have deserved for far too long.

• 16 May 2025 · Stockport Railway Station · Hansard source

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  I agree entirely. To go back to my previous point, if we want people to use public transport, we need to offer services that match their needs. I lived in Hazel Grove for several years, and I know the stations that the hon. Lady mentions. I agree that Stockport is a large station—it had almost 4 million entries and exits in the last reporting period—but we should not overlook the smaller stations. Unfortunately, over the last few decades, the north and north-west of England has been overlooked when it comes to transport investment. I agree with the hon. Lady, and there is a lot to be said about people commuting from smaller stations to larger stations and getting connections to Manchester airport, Birmingham, Cornwall, London or even Scotland. Disabled passengers too often face faulty lifts and have no way to access the platforms, and that problem is persistent across my constituency. Sadly, three out of five rail stations in my constituency—Brinnington, Heaton Chapel and Reddish South—do not have step-free access, and I want to see that addressed as soon as possible. It is simply unacceptable that disabled passengers, parents with pushchairs, older people and people who are less mobile than us are excluded from using their local stations with dignity and ease. I want to put on the record my thanks to Nathaniel Yates, a local champion from the Reddish part of Stockport —I think the hon. Member for Hazel Grove (Lisa Smart) has met him—who has done a lot of work on step-free access at railway stations, not just in Stockport but across Greater Manchester.

• 16 May 2025 · Stockport Railway Station · Hansard source

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  I welcome the opportunity to debate the condition of Stockport railway station. I thank you, Madam Deputy Speaker, and Mr Speaker for granting time for the debate. I refer the House to my entry in the Register of Members’ Financial Interests—in particular to the donations from trade unions to the Stockport constituency Labour party. First, I thank all staff at Stockport station, including cleaners, security staff, engineers, ticket office staff, platform safety staff and everyone in the retail outlets. I am a frequent user of Stockport station, and I know that many of my parliamentary colleagues from Greater Manchester prefer to come to that station to get their train into London and will be familiar with its condition. Stockport has a rich and proud railway heritage, and I welcome this debate as we mark 200 years of British railways. The magnificent Stockport viaduct, one of Stockport’s most iconic landmarks, stands as a towering reminder of our town’s long connection to the railway, dating back to the 19th century. Completed in 1840, it remains one of the largest brick building structures in the country, and is a marvel of Victorian engineering. The railway helped Stockport to become a key part of the north-west’s industrial growth. It supported the growth of the cotton and hatting industries, connected workers to jobs and gave businesses access to markets across the country. I am not sure whether you have been to the Hat Works museum in Stockport, Madam Deputy Speaker, but may I invite you to visit? Even today, the railway continues to shape our local economy, connecting us to Manchester, London and beyond. Greater Manchester is the fastest-growing economy in the UK. Its £80 billion economy has grown by 50% since 2000, with a 4.5% gross value added in 2022 alone. We need a first-class, high-quality and reliable railway station to continue facilitating that growth. Hundreds of trains, be they passenger or freight trains, pass through Stockport station. I welcome the Government’s recent progress in establishing Great British Railways. The move to take passenger rail services into common ownership will allow for more reliable train services in Stockport and across the country. That was a key Labour manifesto promise, and we will deliver it in government. Stockport is a busy and important station. The latest figures show 3.8 million entries and exits in the past year—just under 4 million. The most popular destination from Stockport station is Manchester Piccadilly, with around 1.3 million journeys on that route annually. We hear a lot about climate change, net zero and pledges to tackle global warming. It is really important to invest in our public transport infrastructure to give people the option of a reasonably priced, reliable, safe public transport network. If we want people to leave their cars and personal vehicles at home and use public transport, high-quality services must be available at the station. One of the most serious issues that affects Stockport station is accessibility. Disabled passengers too often face faulty lifts and have no way to access the platforms.

• 16 May 2025 · Stockport Railway Station · Hansard source

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  I thank the Minister for making that point. I had a conversation with Avanti recently about the Passenger Assist scheme. The west coast main line network that Avanti services is a major network in this country, and Avanti should welcome the fact that more disabled people want to use its services. I am told by members of staff at the station, which has 3.8 million entries and exits per year, that one member of staff on a part-time basis supports Passenger Assist. I am sure the Minister will agree that that is simply not good enough and that Avanti needs to do a lot better.

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

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  It is a pleasure to serve with you in the Chair, Mrs Hobhouse. I congratulate the hon. Member for Mid Norfolk (George Freeman) on securing this important debate. I am very limited by time, but I want to raise the recent flooding at Meadow Mill in my constituency on new year’s day. I thank the firefighters, police officers and council staff for supporting residents. Thankfully, none of the flats in the mill was flooded, but the electricity and water supply were lost. One of the key points that I want to raise in the limited time that I have is that the Environment Agency needs more funding for flood defences in Stockport. Several residents have contacted me or come to see me. One told me that the repair costs for her car due to the flooding were approximately £320. Another told me that they had to pay more than £1,000 in temporary accommodation costs, which really adds up. The Meadow Mill residents association has been doing a lot of work on those issues, and Martin Doherty MBE has been contacting utility companies to support residents over electricity charges that seem to be inconsistent. Stockport council is Liberal Democrat-run, but I have been working with it and it has been making representations to the Environment Agency and the Government that it needs more funding to support residents. My final point is on insurance costs. Many residents, whether they are tenants or own their property, face significantly higher insurance costs because of flooding. I think that experience will be replicated across the constituencies of MPs in this Chamber, and something needs to be done about it. The flooding is not caused by the residents, but they are facing much higher costs for insurance and to protect themselves. I met the Environment Agency recently, and I thank all its staff, but I do not think that it has a plan for increasing flood defences, particularly in Stockport. I urge the Minister, who I know is hard-working and diligent, to make representations on that point.

• 8 May 2025 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  We are currently facing a chronic staffing crisis in adult social care, which has led to increasing recruitment from overseas. Migrant workers now make up 16% of the workforce in England. While many arrive in good faith, they are too often met with extortionate recruitment fees, wage reductions, exploitative working conditions and the ever-present threat of deportation should they raise concerns or lose their jobs. I have been contacted by a number of constituents who have witnessed a shocking litany of failures, negligence and exploitation of migrant workers at the hands of a private company in my constituency of Stockport. Many workers have not been paid or have found themselves in overcrowded, substandard housing, and at times without any work at all. As such, will the Leader of the House allow a debate in Government time on the exploitation of migrant workers?

• 8 Apr 2025 · National Wealth Fund: Regional Growth · Hansard source

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  As a fellow north-western MP, I am sure that you, Mr Speaker, share my pride that the banks of the River Mersey were the birthplace of the industrial revolution, and my constituency of Stockport continues to be a hub for innovation. We have many fantastic businesses in Stockport, including KNDS in the Heatons, which manufactures military bridging systems and the Boxer armoured vehicle for the British Army. Can the Minister outline how the national wealth fund will fuel economic growth in Stockport and the investment we need in our local infrastructure?

• 8 Apr 2025 · National Wealth Fund: Regional Growth · Hansard source

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  9. What steps she is taking through the national wealth fund to increase regional economic growth.

• 8 Apr 2025 · Easter Adjournment · Hansard source

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  May I join other Members in paying tribute to Sir David Amess? He was a monumental figure in British politics and internationally. Banks continue to do well, despite the challenges that ordinary households continue to face. We have had the disappointing news that NatWest is planning to close 53 bank branches this year. Nine of those are in Greater Manchester, and one of them is in my constituency. These branch closures will undoubtedly cause uncertainty for staff, and they will have an adverse and disproportionate impact on people with low incomes, older people, disabled people and people with a lower level of literacy, who rely on bank branches. After NatWest Group was rescued in 2008 by a £45 billion Government bail-out, I believe that it has a duty of care to British taxpayers and should continue to provide vital community services. I have recently visited several excellent secondary schools in my constituency, including Reddish Vale high school, Priestnall school in the Heatons, and Reddish Hall school. It was great to see that the staff, students and teachers are so ambitious about the future, but the funding that our local authority receives could go further. Stockport has one of the lowest-funded school systems in England, and it has a higher proportion of children with education, health and care plans than the national average. My local authority is part of the f40 group of local authorities, some of which are the lowest funded. On average, the lowest-funded authority for SEND receives approximately £950 per pupil, with the highest funded receiving £3,250 per pupil. In Stockport, the figure is approximately £1,100 per pupil. I want to see a reallocation of funding for Stockport, and obviously I want to see more funding allocated to children in Stockport. Sky made a major announcement a few days ago, and I have been doing some work with my hon. Friends the Members for Sheffield Central (Abtisam Mohamed) and for Leeds Central and Headingley (Alex Sobel). Sky announced that it was planning to close three contact centres in Sheffield, Leeds and Stockport, putting 2,000 jobs at risk, including 545 in Stockport. I have been contacted by a large number of Sky employees who are distressed by the news, and families are worried about their future. Several employees have told me that before they found out from their employer that the plan was in place, several media outlets, including Sky News, ran the story. That is simply not acceptable. My hon. Friends and I have had a meeting with Sky, and we are looking forward to engaging with staff. The loss of these jobs in Leeds, Sheffield and Stockport is a hammer blow to our towns. Sadly, on new year’s day, we had some flooding in my constituency. The Meadow Mill was affected, and I recently had a very productive meeting with the Environment Agency. I pay tribute to the emergency service workers and council staff who helped residents on the day of the flood, but I want to see the Government invest more in flood defences, particularly in my constituency, to support residents and businesses. A number of residents have contacted me about the flooding, and it has had a negative impact on quite a new development. I finish by wishing you a happy Easter, Madam Deputy Speaker. I also take this opportunity to wish the cleaners who clean our offices on the parliamentary estate, our police officers, our catering staff, everyone who works here and, of course, Members’ staff a very happy Easter.

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

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  Mr Speaker, I wish you and all the House staff, colleagues in the Chamber, and those outside an early happy Easter. Sky is a household name in Britain and has millions of customers. I am proud to represent Stockport, and Sky is a major employer in our town. Unfortunately, it was announced last week that almost 2,000 jobs are at risk in Sky’s UK operations, with 545 roles in Stockport and more in Leeds and Sheffield impacted. I have been working with my hon. Friends the Members for Sheffield Central (Abtisam Mohamed) and for Leeds Central and Headingley (Alex Sobel), and my immediate constituency neighbour, the hon. Member for Hazel Grove (Lisa Smart), to support the staff impacted. Serious questions have been raised with me by Sky employees about the mass redundancies, the process being leaked to media outlets before all staff were made aware of the redundancies, and the lack of clarity about the level of support on offer to members of staff. These redundancies will have a detrimental impact on the economies and communities of Stockport, Sheffield and Leeds. Will the Leader of the House allocate Government time for a debate on Sky and how it treats its hard-working, loyal staff?

• 19 Mar 2025 · Transport Connectivity: North-west England · Hansard source

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  It is a pleasure to serve under your chairship, Dr Murrison. I congratulate my hon. Friend the Member for Leigh and Atherton (Jo Platt) on securing this debate; it is clearly very popular. I refer to the Register of Members’ Financial Interests in relation to my trade union memberships, particularly donations from the RMT to my constituency Labour party. I will add to the points made by several colleagues on extending the Metrolink tram network. I would like to see it extended into Hazel Grove, as my neighbour the hon. Member for Hazel Grove (Lisa Smart) said. I would also like to see it extended into Stockport town centre. I understand that the Greater Manchester combined authority and Stockport council are developing a strategic outline business case, which should be completed by autumn this year. I want to see the work start as soon as possible, and I would welcome a meeting with the Minister as soon as possible, perhaps with the hon. Member for Hazel Grove, to discuss that. I have limited time, but I have a couple of points to make. The first is on Stockport railway station, which recorded almost 3.8 million entries and exits in the last reporting period. It is a major hub for Greater Manchester and the north-west region. I am aware that several of my colleagues from Greater Manchester travel to Stockport on a Monday to take the train to London, because it is easier, and several local services often have poor connectivity. However, unfortunately the station is in a dire state. The roof leaks often, the toilets are outdated and the lifts are frequently faulty, which particularly disadvantages passengers with mobility issues or heavy luggage. I want to see real investment in Stockport station. I know that Network Rail and Avanti are doing some work, but we need to be bold about investing. Avanti employs about 48 staff at Stockport station. I know almost all of them, if not all, and many share my concerns about the state of the station. I am grateful to all of them. My hon. Friend the Member for Morecambe and Lunesdale (Lizzi Collinge) made a point about step-free access at railway stations. The Access for All scheme is just far too slow and not ambitious enough. Sadly, three out of five rail stations in my constituency—Brinnington, Heaton Chapel and Reddish South—do not have step-free access. I want to see that addressed as soon as possible. I also want to use this valuable time to pay tribute to Nathanial Yates from my constituency. He has done a lot of work on step-free access. He is a champion for public transport, and I want to place on the record my thanks to him for his work, not just in Stockport but across Greater Manchester. Reddish South station in my constituency has a train service once a week. Every Saturday morning, a train arrives and goes into Stockport. A few minutes later, that same train comes from Stockport via Reddish South. In the last reporting period, Reddish South recorded 80 passengers in an entire year. Friends of Reddish South Station is quite active on that issue; I meet its members frequently. I pay tribute to all their work, but we need to address the situation. The increase in housing around Reddish South and the changes in Reddish over the years mean that we need proper services to that station, to improve connectivity into not only Stockport town centre, but Manchester and other parts of the north-west. My last point is that before covid, we used to have a direct service from Stockport station into Manchester airport. That service was withdrawn during the pandemic and sadly has not returned. Passengers often have to go into Manchester Piccadilly and then wait to change trains. Many who travel to Manchester airport have heavy luggage, so it is not an ideal situation. We need to see that service reinstated as soon as possible. I like to end on a positive point: I welcome bus franchising. Mayor Burnham has done a lot of good work. There is obviously a lot more to do on public transport, but I am grateful to colleagues at Transport for Greater Manchester—particularly Ben, whom I am always asking for information—and colleagues at Network Rail.

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

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  May I, too, wish a very happy Holi to all the Hindus celebrating in the UK and across the world tomorrow? An issue that is personal to me and to many of my constituents is Parkinson’s, and World Parkinson’s Day takes place on 11 April every year. I pay tribute to Parkinson’s UK for all it does to support people with Parkinson’s. Research suggests that personal independence payment assessors do not have sufficient understanding of the fluctuations in symptoms that people with Parkinson’s experience. Consequently, people with Parkinson’s are denied much-needed support. In fact, in almost every instance in which Parkinson’s UK’s expert social security advisers have assisted a member of the Parkinson’s community to challenge an initial PIP decision, it has been overturned in the claimant’s favour. As such, can we have a debate in Government time on supporting people living with Parkinson’s and other degenerative conditions, and about the social security support available to them?

• 10 Mar 2025 · Crime and Policing Bill · Hansard source

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  The shadow Home Secretary is making an important point, but does he accept that, between 2010 and 2024, the population of the UK increased and so did the complexity of crime? I often meet police officers in my constituency and across Greater Manchester who are stressed out and working very long hours, often covering for other officers. Does he accept that the argument he is making is slightly flawed because the population has increased, the complexity of crime has increased and the amount of time officers spend on tackling crime has changed?