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Peter Dowd MP: speeches

167 published records · newest first.

Speeches

  • 1 Jul 2026 · Drink driving, drug driving and dangerous driving laws · Hansard source
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    The petition states: The petition of residents of the United Kingdom, Declares that current laws and procedures relating to drink driving, drug driving, and dangerous driving are failing to protect the public, as delays between arrest and prosecution allow suspected high-risk drivers, including repeat offenders, to remain on the roads, contributing to preventable deaths such as that of Tim Burgess. The petitioners therefore request that the House of Commons urge the Government to introduce urgent reforms, known as “Tim’s Law”, to strengthen the response to drink, drug and dangerous driving, including the immediate suspension of driving licences for those suspected of serious driving offences, the introduction of rapid evidential roadside saliva testing for drug driving, stronger measures to tackle repeat offending by dangerous drivers, and improved monitoring and enforcement of high-risk drivers. And the petitioners remain, etc. [P003211]

  • 30 Jun 2026 · Department of Health and Social Care · Hansard source
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    The NHS will carry out screening and evaluation of newborn babies for spinal muscular atrophy, or SMA, which causes spinal cord deterioration. It is a devastating genetic condition. The evaluation will start in October in England, but not in Northern Ireland or anywhere else. Does my hon. Friend agree that the will must be found to ensure comprehensive cover for all nations? We can have no more delays. We need action now to save the lives of children and prevent trauma for families.

  • 25 Jun 2026 · Ports and Port Connectivity · Hansard source
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    It is a delight to see you in the Chair, Ms Jardine. I congratulate my hon. Friend the Member for Truro and Falmouth (Jayne Kirkham) on bringing this debate to this Chamber. I will talk about the port of Liverpool, which is actually mostly in my constituency of Bootle, and set out its importance. I am not able to see Northern Ireland from Liverpool, but I am able to see Wales every day, so there is some Celtic connection there. The total annual tonnage from Liverpool port is 31 million, about 10% of annual shipping freight in England. Liverpool city region’s maritime sector directly employs about 10,900 people. The port of Liverpool itself employs about 1,400, and its wider supply chain employs 48,000, so it is an important economic asset to our community. It is also a strategic and national asset. Improving its rail links and connectivity is important, and it has an impact on regional growth. Grid capacity and decarbonisation have to be developed in the context of an appropriate planning framework. Liverpool port deals with bulk timber, bulk liquids, bulk cargo and general cargo and with 720,000 passengers a year. It is a huge economic asset to our area and has encouraged growth in our economy for many years. The impact on local communities is, of course, crucial, and when we expand or develop ports, we must take that into account. In my local community there is a road that goes from the M57-M58 down to the docks. Thankfully, the Government decided not to put through the Rimrose Valley road, which was going to cost £350 million. I have fought for years for rail investment, because that is the key. I am really pleased that the Railways Bill has a target of 75% rail freight growth by 2050. That will enable us to unlock other markets, and of course it will provide public and private investment in connectivity; it is important that the two work closely together. Local communities have to be part of the development of the programme. The A5036 has a junction that has the best part of 2,300 heavy good vehicles going past in both directions—something like five HGVs a minute. The Government are trying to mitigate the impact of road traffic on communities—it is a heavily populated community—so I call on them to ensure that National Highways provides the money to build a new bridge across that road, since the previous one is broken. I will persist in asking for that. We want port development, with thousands of jobs linked to it and a massive amount of development, but we must also look after our communities.

  • 22 Jun 2026 · Spinal Muscular Atrophy: Newborn Screening Test · Hansard source
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    A group of SMA experts wrote an article in The Lancet in February 2025 entitled “The human toll of slow decisions”. They recommended that “expert opinion and international evidence should be more thoroughly integrated into the decision-making process of NSCs” and that “the decision of independent bodies such as the NSC should be subject to scrutiny by the Ministry of Health, given the substantial effect of failing in the duty of care.” The evidence and experience are there, but we are lagging behind. I hope the Minister agrees that we must stop taking a conservative approach to this. Children’s and families’ lives are at risk, and it has to stop.

  • 22 Jun 2026 · Spinal Muscular Atrophy: Newborn Screening Test · Hansard source
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    I congratulate my hon. Friend on introducing this debate and welcome your chairmanship of it, Mr Mundell. My hon. Friend referred earlier to 90% of children who are untreated potentially dying before their second birthday. That is a sobering statistic, but it is not a statistic; it is the reality of the lives of children, families and parents. Does my hon. Friend agree that we need to go faster sooner to roll out a comprehensive programme, as so many other countries have managed to do?

  • 18 Jun 2026 · Stoma: Public Toilet Provision · Hansard source
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    I call the Liberal Democrat spokesperson.

  • 18 Jun 2026 · Human Rights: Supply Chains · Hansard source
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    I am pleased that the right hon. Member referred to my generosity, which extends even to Liverpool supporters.

  • 18 Jun 2026 · Human Rights: Supply Chains · Hansard source
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    Thank you reminding me that I am almost a year older.

  • 18 Jun 2026 · Human Rights: Supply Chains · Hansard source
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    I remind Members that we have about five or six minutes, give or take, per person. Just bear that in mind. I also remind Members that they should bob if they wish to be called.

  • 17 Jun 2026 · High Street Shops: Illicit Activity · Hansard source
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    Order. Everyone who wishes to speak is bobbing. Because of the number of hon. Members who have indicated that they wish to speak in the debate, and with the authority of the Chairman of Ways and Means, I am imposing a time limit on Back-Bench speeches of four minutes.

  • 17 Jun 2026 · High Street Shops: Illicit Activity · Hansard source
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    We have 10 or 12 people, including the Minister and Opposition spokespersons, wishing to speak. There are lots of people here, and I am sure there will be lots of interventions. I will therefore impose a four-minute limit on speeches, but that will have to be reduced if we have too many interventions. I have fired the starting gun.

  • 17 Jun 2026 · High Street Shops: Illicit Activity · Hansard source
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    I remind hon. Members to be as brief as possible with their interventions. We should just get everyone in with the four-minute time limit.

  • 24 Mar 2026 · Reproductive Coercion · Hansard source
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    Natalie Fleet will move the motion and the Minister will respond. I remind other Members that they may make a speech only with prior permission from the Member in charge of the debate and from the Minister. As is the convention in 30-minute debates, there will not be an opportunity for the Member in charge to wind up. We are going to vote shortly; I will suspend the sitting for 15 minutes for the first vote, and for another 10 minutes if there is another.

  • 11 Mar 2026 · Engagements · Hansard source
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    Q8. National Highways, a Government-owned company, has reneged on a promise to replace a demolished footbridge at Park Lane West in Netherton. The footbridge crossed one of the busiest roads and junctions in Merseyside, used by countless residents, particularly children and parents going to and from infant and primary schools. My constituents have requested that that bridge be replaced—no ifs or buts. Will the Prime Minister support my constituents’ very reasonable request to honour that promise made by National Highways?

  • 4 Mar 2026 · China: Foreign Interference Arrests · Hansard source
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    I thank the Minister for the update, and I welcome progress made on the counter-political interference and espionage plan. Would the Minister return to the House as appropriate to further update us on that plan?

  • 3 Mar 2026 · A5036 Park Lane footbridge · Hansard source
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    The original footbridge over the A5036 at Park Lane, Netherton, provided a safe crossing for thousands of children and adults for decades. The petitioners therefore request that the House of Commons urges the Government to ensure that the pedestrian footbridge over the A5036 at Park Lane West junction is rebuilt, honouring the original promise to restore the bridge and ensuring safe and convenient access for the community. The petition states: The petition of residents of the constituency of Bootle, Merseyside, Declares that the footbridge over the A5036 at Park Lane West Junction should be rebuilt because the removal of the bridge in 2022 has caused significant inconvenience and safety concerns; further declares that the original bridge provided a safe crossing for thousands of children and adults for decades; and further declares that the proposed alternative crossing does not meet the needs of local residents and users. The petitioners therefore request that the House of Commons urge the Government to ensure that the pedestrian footbridge over the A5036 at Park Lane West Junction is rebuilt, honouring the original promise to restore the bridge and ensuring safe and convenient access for the community. And the petitioners remain, etc. [P003166]

  • 11 Feb 2026 · Local Government Finance · Hansard source
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    I thank the Secretary of State and his ministerial team for listening to my representations and those of my council. My experience of Tory Secretaries of State is that having them listen, let alone act, is about as rare as rocking-horse dung. The Opposition, who did not properly fund local government for 14 years, are now complaining and whinging about the position we are in. Does my hon. Friend agree that this is their responsibility, not the responsibility of this Government?

  • 3 Feb 2026 · Town and City Centre Safety · Hansard source
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    Order. I remind Members that 20-odd people wish to speak. That means that everyone will get a maximum of about two minutes—I might as well give everyone a heads-up on that—so if there are to be interventions, then, as I have said in the past, can they be a sketch, not an oil painting, please?

  • 3 Feb 2026 · Town and City Centre Safety · Hansard source
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    Order. We do not have very much longer. I want to get other Members in, and the Minister and the Opposition spokespeople need the opportunity to speak. I am not telling the hon. Gentleman not to take interventions, but I will end up cutting somebody out of the debate if he does.

  • 3 Feb 2026 · Town and City Centre Safety · Hansard source
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    Order. I remind Members that, should they wish to bob to be called in the debate, they should do so. Members have two minutes to speak.

  • 3 Feb 2026 · Town and City Centre Safety · Hansard source
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    Order.

  • 3 Feb 2026 · Town and City Centre Safety · Hansard source
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    That was the final Back-Bench speech. With the forbearance of those on the Front Bench, I wanted to get in all hon. Members, given the importance of and interest shown in the debate. I would be grateful if they would bear that in mind in their responses. I call Luke Taylor, the Liberal Democrat spokesperson.

  • 3 Feb 2026 · Town and City Centre Safety · Hansard source
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    I thank everybody for their forbearance—everyone got in to speak—and the Front Benchers for their slightly truncated responses. Question put and agreed to. Resolved, That this House has considered town and city centre safety.

  • 3 Feb 2026 · Taxation: Small and Medium-sized Enterprises · Hansard source
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    I assure the hon. Member for Farnham and Bordon that I read his parliamentary contributions assiduously, side by side with the Labour manifesto—so there. Question put and agreed to.

  • 14 Jan 2026 · UK-France Relations · Hansard source
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    Order. I am sorry, but this is an intervention, not a short speech.

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