Peter Swallow MP: speeches

Speeches

• 25 Feb 2025 · Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education (Transfer of Functions etc) Bill [Lords] · Hansard source

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  A Government who are ambitious about growth need to be serious about skills, because without the workforce trained to build and insulate the homes we need, to install the next generation of electric vehicle charging infrastructure, to deliver excellent health and social care and to deliver high-quality early years education, none of the Government’s missions are achievable. Better skills mean good, often well-paid jobs. Apprenticeships are a driver of social mobility, and I am determined that my constituents feel the benefit of those opportunities. Skills England will have much to do to pull together a fractured skills landscape and deliver real change, but the Bill will enable it to make a solid start. My constituency is home to the excellent further education college Bracknell and Wokingham college, which already does so much to offer young people the chance to deliver the skills of the future in everything from social care to sustainable technologies, from pharmaceuticals to construction. The college trains over 100 electrical installation apprentices, providing them with hands-on training in state-of-the-art electrical installation workshops, which were recently renovated with more than £200,000 of investment. The facility ensures that learners gain practical experience with the latest industry-standard equipment, preparing them for high-demand roles in electrical engineering, construction and sustainable technologies. Last week, I visited the Bracknell Forest skills hub, led by Nikki Burns, a small business owner with years of experience. The hub is proactively identifying with employers where the skills gaps are, working with potential and existing employees to address those gaps, and teaming up with education providers, including my local college, to design bespoke courses to plug the gap, all backed with support from local and national Government. Since launching in September, the skills hub has already engaged with over 40 businesses, offered tailored support for over 50 jobseekers, trained 300 employees and built two bespoke courses. That is a system working as it should, but we need more collaboration, and Skills England will have a huge role to play in identifying skills gaps at both national and local levels, and in ensuring that businesses and Government are talking to each other. Businesses understand the value of good skills and apprenticeships for their workforce. Waitrose, whose head office is in my constituency, is just one example. It currently has 1,200 partners on live apprenticeships across 30 schemes. When I visited Waitrose last year to meet some of its apprentices, I saw the true range of opportunities available, from people training up to look after Waitrose’s delivery fleet and maintain its bodywork to apprentices studying for a T-level in finance, in partnership with Bracknell and Wokingham college. Smaller-scale schemes also offer routes into employment. Waitrose’s “Building Happier Futures” programme is designed to support care-experienced young people—including those who have been in kinship care—into work. When I have spoken to Waitrose and other businesses in my constituency, they have told me that among the barriers they face to offering more apprenticeships are the inflexibility of the apprenticeship levy and the overly burdensome requirements needed to run and recruit to an apprenticeship. That is why the reforms to apprenticeships that the Government announced two weeks ago are so very welcome. They will provide more flexibility for employers and those who want to take up these opportunities, shorten the length of some apprenticeships, and scrap the need for adult apprentices to pass English and maths GCSE. Those are common-sense changes backed by business. To be successful, Skills England will also need to get a grip on the lengthy time that it takes to update frameworks, to ensure that apprenticeships always remain at the cutting edge. It is also vital that opportunities be genuinely open to all, including those with additional needs. Data from the Office for National Statistics shows that only 29% of autistic people are in paid employment—that is not good enough. More targeted support is needed at local and national level to ensure that more autistic people can better access apprenticeships and other skills. Bracknell Forest council is currently looking at how to address that autism employment gap, particularly through more support into apprenticeships and other forms of work experience. Skills England has a huge job ahead of it. Our country has too often relied on importing skills rather than nurturing our own talent, which is not progressive, and too many young people have missed out on valuable opportunities. Skills gaps are preventing us from building, growing and thriving. Skills England will be at the vanguard of the Government’s work to fix all that—no small task, but one for which the reward is great.

• 25 Feb 2025 · Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education (Transfer of Functions etc) Bill [Lords] · Hansard source

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  Does the hon. Gentleman not see that the Government are doing so because this is precisely what businesses are calling for?

• 13 Feb 2025 · Open Access Railway Services · Hansard source

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  I know that my right hon. Friend will be delighted by the news that Go-op will be operating a new mandate for return services between Swindon and Taunton. Does she agree that this demonstrates the Government’s commitment to improving connectivity across the country? Can we hope for such improvements to connectivity in my little corner of the world in Berkshire?

• 13 Feb 2025 · Ukraine · Hansard source

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  All wars end, but I know it is the feeling of Members across the House that we very much owe it to the men and women fighting for Ukraine that, when this war ends, it does so with Ukraine in a position of strength at the table and in the driving seat on the terms and timescales.

• 10 Feb 2025 · Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill · Hansard source

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  My hon. Friend the Member for Makerfield (Josh Simons) took us back to ancient Athens. I am a recovering classicist, so let me note that Britain has, from the time of the Romans, been a nation of immigrants. Scientific analysis has proven the rich cultural diversity of Roman Britain, and immigration has enriched our country ever since, with people from the Windrush generation to, in more recent times, the Ukrainians and Hongkongers proudly making their homes here in the UK. As the MP for Bracknell, a new town, I know that my constituents understand what it is to set up home in a new corner of Earth. That said, they also know that it is the first duty of any Government to protect the country, and a functioning and fair immigration system is the prerequisite to that. The Government—any Government—must have control of their borders, but the sad reality is that, under the previous Government, control of our borders was lost. Nearly 37,000 people crossed the channel in small boats last year. Many of them were vulnerable individuals, but nevertheless the sheer number of people crossing demonstrates a lack of control. For the Conservative party, which fashions itself as taking a tough stance on immigration—we have heard some of that in the debate—that is an embarrassing record. One need only look at the Rwanda scheme, which cost £700 million of taxpayers’ money and saw 84,000 people crossing the channel from the day it was announced to the day it was scrapped —some deterrent. The challenge with the open-border policy of the previous Government was that it undermined the possibility of having a safe, just and effective asylum system. Many people who risk their lives crossing the channel do so because they are seeking asylum. It is proper that our country protects the rights of asylum seekers, but it is also true that some of those crossing the channel have no right to be here. That is why there has been a 10% increase in returns under this Government, and almost 3,000 foreign criminals have already been removed from Britain’s streets—a 24% increase on last year. Flights to Rwanda stayed on the ground; this Government are ensuring that flights to deport foreign criminals are taking off. We can already see the effect on small boat arrivals under this Government. When we won the election in July, arrivals for 2024 were almost 6% ahead of the record year of 2022. In the second half of last year, we saw almost 10,000 fewer arrivals than in 2022, despite having more days when the weather was favourable for crossings. The Bill will introduce landmark new measures so that we have the tools to fix the immigration system that the Tories have broken—and, yes, it will act to smash the gangs. There are measures to strengthen border security, strengthen the asylum and immigration system, prevent crime, and protect vulnerable asylum seekers whom the vile people smugglers would seek to exploit. That is the action that the Government are taking, and that is why I support the Bill.

• 10 Feb 2025 · Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill · Hansard source

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  Will the hon. Gentleman give way on that point?

• 10 Feb 2025 · Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill · Hansard source

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  How many people were removed under the previous Government’s so-called deterrent?

• 10 Feb 2025 · Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill · Hansard source

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  Will the hon. Gentleman give way?

• 10 Feb 2025 · Armed Forces Recruitment · Hansard source

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  20. What steps he is taking to help increase recruitment to the armed forces.

• 10 Feb 2025 · Armed Forces Recruitment · Hansard source

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  I welcome the news that the MOD has signed the British Dyslexia Association’s dyslexia-friendly workplace pledge. Does the Minister agree that, to address the recruitment crisis, it is vital that the armed forces remain inclusive for recruits from all backgrounds and with all experiences, while rightly continuing to demand high standards?

• 4 Feb 2025 · National Cancer Plan · Hansard source

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  Ethan was just 15 and studying for his GCSEs when he was diagnosed with a brain tumour. Sadly, he passed away two years later. I had the privilege of meeting his mum, Nikki, this weekend at two events organised to raise money for brain tumour research. In Ethan’s memory, will the Minister commit himself to improving outcomes for people with brain tumours through the national cancer plan?

• 3 Feb 2025 · School Accountability and Intervention · Hansard source

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  I welcome the Government’s commitment to overhauling Ofsted, and particularly the commitment to ensuring that SEND is at the heart of every school, because a truly outstanding school is one that has inclusivity at the heart of everything it does. Will the Minister commit to listening, through the consultation, to the parents and carers of SEND kids, to ensure that they are at the heart of the reforms the Government are delivering?

• 3 Feb 2025 · Topical Questions · Hansard source

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  T2. Last month, I brought together local leaders from charities and other organisations to discuss how we can best tackle child poverty in Bracknell Forest. I welcome today’s update on the progress of the child poverty taskforce. Does the Minister agree that community leaders are best placed to shape the support needed to tackle child poverty locally?

• 29 Jan 2025 · Cadet Forces · Hansard source

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  I really welcome that intervention, which demonstrates the role that the cadets play in every corner of the United Kingdom and shows how important it is that opportunities for young people are shared across our regions and nations. I return to the Remembrance Sunday service in Bracknell, which I was proud to attend. There I saw young people who had given up their Sunday mornings and woken up far earlier than any teenager wants to at the weekend to do something important: to remember. In October, I visited the Bracknell Army Cadets, alongside my hon. Friend the Minister for Veterans and People and Councillor Georgia Pickering, Bracknell Forest council’s armed forces champion. I hope that the Minister will not mind my saying that he offered deep inspiration to the young people he spoke to, sharing his own personal stories of service, bravery and sacrifice in the armed forces. I hope he will also not mind my saying that I believe that the cadets, in turn, inspired him with their stories, their drive and their thoughtful questions. In November I was privileged to visit Brackenhale school and meet its combined cadet force contingent. It was a real pleasure to see how staff, students and volunteers are rightly passionate about the impact that CCF has in creating a sense of belonging and teamwork among students, as well as supporting their wellbeing. There is an assumption that only private schools have CCFs; Brackenhale, however, is a state school. To challenge another stereotype, almost half of cadets in Berkshire are female. It is crucial that the benefits of participation in the cadet forces should be open to all. As of April last year, almost 150,000 young people were involved in the cadets across the country, with 90,000 in the Army, Air, Sea or volunteer Cadets and 50,000 in the CCF. In the south-east, our cadet forces are supported brilliantly by the South East Reserve Forces’ and Cadets’ Association, or SERFCA. I pay tribute to its outstanding work in supporting the cadets and the community of Bracknell. Its commitment to defence is truly inspirational. The cadets provide a range of unique opportunities for young people to gain qualifications for CV enhancement, skill acquisition and personal development. For many, membership of the cadets had been a lifeline, providing positive guidance in times of crisis. For others, it is simply a fun thing to do and an opportunity to try new experiences with friends.

• 29 Jan 2025 · Cadet Forces · Hansard source

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  I beg to move, That this House has considered the role of cadet forces. It is an honour to serve under your chairship, Ms Jardine. On Remembrance Sunday, I stood alongside other Bracknell residents at our war memorial in the town centre and reflected on the service of our armed forces and the sacrifices that they have made to protect us, including, of course, the ultimate sacrifice. It was an honour to stand there as Bracknell’s MP in my first year in the role. The ceremony concluded, and we processed to the church for a service of remembrance. There were proud veterans and proud military families marching with us, as well as a very large number of young people from Bracknell’s local cadet forces, all turned out in their uniforms on a Sunday morning to take part and honour our armed forces. I know that the picture was the same in services up and down the country.

• 29 Jan 2025 · Cadet Forces · Hansard source

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  I will touch on many of the points made by the right hon. Member, but her intervention really shows that the commitment to our cadets and the volunteers who support them is felt across the House.

• 29 Jan 2025 · Cadet Forces · Hansard source

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  I absolutely agree. In fact, in 2021, the University of Northampton published an independent report into the cadet forces, led by Professor Simon Denny. Based on data gathered from more than 5,500 cadets, the report highlighted the strong benefits of cadet membership, including improved career prospects and, as the hon. Member said, social mobility. The report stressed that the positive impact of the cadets was particularly strong for those who suffered economic and other disadvantages. Cadets tend to have a higher sense of self-esteem, heightened aspirations, a heightened sense of social responsibility and a higher respect of authority than their peers. Participation in CCF, the Denny report states, is also associated with improved school attendance, preventing serial absenteeism and changing young people’s life outcomes in the long run. It has also proven to boost communication, resilience, leadership and social skills, all of which businesses and employers look for in young people. That, in turn, makes the cadets a wonderful tool of social mobility, supporting children from different backgrounds with different needs, including those with special educational needs, and breaking down barriers to opportunity. The Denny report found that cadets eligible for free schools meals had higher self-confidence than their non-cadet peers. Crucially, cadet forces ensure that young people, and the country as a whole, are more familiar with the fantastic work of our armed forces. It is important to remember that the cadets are not a recruitment tool for the services, but it is certainly true that, by expanding an understanding of what it means to serve in the armed forces, the cadets give more young people the opportunity to consider whether a forces career might be for them. The armed forces face a recruitment and retention crisis, with targets missed every year out of the past 14. I cannot emphasise enough that cadets are not a recruitment tool, but when we are facing such a significant challenge, anything that can be done to raise awareness of what it means to serve must surely be part of the overall solution. Whatever path cadets take after they leave their troop, it is undoubtedly a good thing that they have come to understand more deeply the important role our armed forces play in keeping this nation safe. For example, two recent graduates of the Bracknell Army Cadets have gone on to become paramedics, and are looking to come back as adult volunteers after they have completed their paramedic training. As we recognise the incredibly positive impact of cadet forces on young people, it is also critical to acknowledge the adult volunteers who make the whole thing run. The volunteers are instrumental in mentoring young cadets and instilling in them the values that go on to shape their futures. Their contribution to the lives of these young people is truly invaluable, and we simply could not run the cadets without them. Some of the volunteers I spoke with during my visits to local cadet forces had military backgrounds themselves, but many had no prior experience with the armed forces; they were simply interested in supporting young people, or were volunteering because of the impact that the cadets had had on their route to adulthood. More than 26,000 adult volunteers work across the five cadet forces. To be an adult volunteer requires a huge commitment, which is too often overlooked. As the Denny report found, adult volunteers each provide around 400 hours of volunteering per year—a total of 10.4 million hours a year for all volunteers. Many of the volunteers I spoke to spend their weekends running activities for the cadets while undertaking training so that they can perform in their roles better. Running regular sessions each week also takes up much time, and many struggle to juggle their commitment to the cadets with their jobs. That is all in the context of performing a highly complex role, working with children, with all the issues around safeguarding that they need to stay on top of. I ask the Minister: what more can be done to ensure that the valuable role of adult volunteers in the cadets is recognised, through awards, recognition and other policies? What more can be done to ensure that they can more easily balance their work and other commitments with their dedication to the cadets? As I say, without adult volunteers, cadet forces cannot run. In these challenging times, with the rising cost of living, volunteers are too often forced to deprioritise their commitment to volunteering because they are being pulled in too many directions. In CCFs, school staff are already under significant pressure in their day jobs, so what can be done to ensure sufficient numbers of volunteers to support our valuable cadet forces? The funding of the five cadet forces is complex, and each is independent of the others, but it is estimated that the Ministry of Defence spends around £180 million on the cadet forces annually. The Denny report notes: “There is no single figure that can be said to identify the return on investment. However, where calculations of financial return can be carried out based on models produced by HM Government, their sum is vastly more than the annual cost of the Cadet Forces.” The report concludes: “Spending c. £180 million a year on the Cadet Forces is an excellent use of taxpayers’ money.” With that in mind, will the Minister set out more clearly how the five cadet forces are funded and to what extent the funding has kept pace with inflation over time? The Department for Education recently ended a £1 million scheme that aimed to support school staff instructors in state schools. What has that funding cut meant for CCFs on the ground? Given the broader context of the funding pressures that have been affecting each of the combined forces over the last decade, will the Minister set out what continued support there is for CCFs? Under the previous Government, much emphasis was placed on expanding access to school-based CCFs. Will the Minister say whether similar schemes have been looked at to support the other cadet forces, to drive an increase in the number of cadets serving in the Army, Air, Sea and volunteer Cadets, as well as in CCFs? As I have already stressed, although cadets are not a recruitment tool into the armed forces, they are an incredibly important tool for expanding social understanding of the military. Has the Minister looked at the role of the cadet forces in raising awareness of the value of our armed forces and the indirect impact they have on addressing the retention and recruitment crisis? I ask all of this in the context of the review into the cadets that he is conducting. Will he please set out further what the review is looking at, and how it will tie into the strategic defence review? The Minister is a proud champion for the wider armed forces community, including the cadets, so I very much look forward to hearing him speak on this important topic.

• 29 Jan 2025 · Cadet Forces · Hansard source

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  My hon. Friend speaks with great weight on this topic as the Chair of the Defence Committee. In that role, it is important that he recognises the huge contribution of not only our armed forces, but the cadets, so I welcome him taking part in this debate. I will come on to the cadet expansion scheme later in my speech, but it is really important that we think about expanding all cadet forces, not just Combined Cadet Forces, although they are important. The cadet expansion scheme is very much targeted at CCF, so I would like to see it being well funded and looking across the five cadet forces.

• 29 Jan 2025 · Welfare Cap · Hansard source

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  Will the right hon. Member give way?

• 29 Jan 2025 · Welfare Cap · Hansard source

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  I am proud to be a Labour MP. Labour is the party of the dignity of work. We know that, for those who are able to, the best place to be is in work with a well-paid job with good rights. Does my hon. Friend agree that the previous Government did far too little to ensure that people who could work were helped back into work to get all the benefits and dignity that working can bring, and that they wrote off far too many people, which has left us in this sorry state?

• 28 Jan 2025 · Airport Expansion · Hansard source

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  I could not agree more with the Minister when he points out that any airport expansion has to be part of the overall picture of upgrading Britain’s broken transport networks. Bracknell sits on the Reading to Waterloo train line, which passes through Feltham, just south of Heathrow. Journey times on the line have not improved since the ’70s, and there is no direct connection to Heathrow. Will the Minister assure me that any plans to upgrade airports will be part of the overall picture of an integrated plan?

• 28 Jan 2025 · Topical Questions · Hansard source

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  T2. What support has the Ministry of Justice put in place for those serving indeterminate sentences for public protection, especially where they have additional needs?

• 21 Jan 2025 · Servicing Government Debt · Hansard source

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  The International Monetary Fund forecasts that the UK is set to be the fastest-growing major economy in Europe, which one would have thought Conservative Members would welcome. I know my right hon. Friend the Chancellor will not be satisfied until residents in Bracknell, and across the country, feel the benefits of economic improvement in their pay packets and their day-to-day lives, so will she set out what more she can do to ensure we tackle the cost of living and fix the economic mess we have inherited from the Conservatives?

• 21 Jan 2025 · Environmental Protection · Hansard source

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  I warmly welcome the deposit return scheme; it would have been fantastic if it had been delivered many years ago, as had been promised. On the wider issue of litter affecting our constituencies, will the Minister say more about how this measure fits in with the work the Government are doing to, for want of a better phrase, get tough on litter and tough on the causes of litter?

• 21 Jan 2025 · Community Engagement Principles and Extremism Definition · Hansard source

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  Members across the House will know how important community engagement is to building strong communities, and that working together with those whose views we may not share but can respect is really important. I want to pay tribute to the fantastic work of the Bracknell Forest Interfaith Forum for doing exactly that in my community. The Conservatives, when in government, cut funding to the Inter Faith Network, which was working at national level. What can we do to support organisations such as the Bracknell Forest Interfaith Forum to bring religious groups together and to help us understand that we do indeed have more in common than that which divides us?