Steve Yemm MP: speeches

Speeches

• 2 Jul 2025 · Investment: Technology Businesses · Hansard source

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  I wonder if the Minister might outline the many good reasons for technology companies to invest in Northern Ireland and tell us what she has done to promote that great opportunity?

• 2 Jul 2025 · Investment: Technology Businesses · Hansard source

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  3. What recent discussions he has had with technology businesses on investing in Northern Ireland.

• 26 Jun 2025 · Armed Forces Day · Hansard source

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  I thank my hon. Friend for his intervention. Certainly, when I speak to the families of serving personnel in Mansfield, that subject is always very close to the top of the conversation. It is very important to recognise those issues, and it is for those reasons that it is so important that we recognise the armed forces covenant—our collective promise across government, society and public services that those who serve should not be disadvantaged by virtue of their service. That is not just a principle; it is important that it be recognised in law, but the covenant can be effective only if those in positions of responsibility understand it and implement it properly. That is why, earlier this month on 4 June, I was proud to host the first ever all-party parliamentary reception for the armed forces covenant here in Parliament. That event was held in partnership with the Royal British Legion and the Ministry of Defence’s covenant team, who do outstanding work to support veterans and promote awareness. I formally put on record in this House my thanks to the Royal British Legion, and to the Minister for Veterans and People for his attendance at that event. Its aim was really simple: to help Members of the House and their staff members better understand how the covenant operates and the support it provides, and how we can use it to serve our constituents more effectively. I found it very encouraging to see Members from across the House and across the political spectrum in attendance, absolutely united in their belief that no one who serves this country should face barriers when their service comes to an end. Armed Forces Day and Armed Forces Week are not just about parades and flag-raising, important though those things are; they are really about recognising and reaffirming our commitment to the people who defend our freedom day after day. As we rightly thank our armed forces today, let us recommit ourselves in this House to ensuring that their support is matched by our support, that their sacrifice is never met with silence, and that their families are never left behind. Let us move forward on this day, not just with gratitude but with purpose.

• 26 Jun 2025 · Armed Forces Day · Hansard source

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  It is a great privilege to speak today to mark Armed Forces Day 2025—a moment for our country to show its deep and enduring gratitude to all the men and women who serve and have served in our armed forces. Their service underpins our national security, our values and our way of life. Whether it is on the frontline or behind the scenes, at home or abroad, those individuals commit themselves fully to something far greater than themselves, and they do so not for recognition but out of duty. Since becoming the Member of Parliament for Mansfield, I have had the opportunity to meet veterans, serving personnel and their families. I have seen at first hand the strength of character, discipline and resilience that military life builds. It is clear that those who serve bring with them skills that enrich every part of our society once they return to civilian life, but we must be honest about the reality that many of them face after service. By its very nature, military life is unique. It often means frequent moves, long separations from family and sudden transitions. Although the vast majority of veterans make successful moves into civilian life, there are still far too many who encounter disadvantage, whether in housing, employment, access to healthcare or mental health services and so forth.

• 26 Jun 2025 · Topical Questions · Hansard source

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  T2. In a recent survey I conducted in Mansfield, local and minor roads were among the worst affected by poor maintenance. The A60 in Warsop, Chesterfield Road in Mansfield and Old Mill Lane in Forest Town were highlighted as particular problems. What is the Department doing to improve local roads in my constituency and in Nottinghamshire as a whole?

• 25 Jun 2025 · GP Funding: South-west England · Hansard source

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  Last month, the Government announced the primary care utilisation and modernisation fund, which will deliver more than £100 million for upgrades to more than 1,000 GP surgeries. A number of GP surgeries in my constituency will benefit, including the Sherwood Medical Partnership surgery in Forest Town, Mansfield. Does my hon. Friend agree that that funding will make a huge difference? It will enable practices to boost productivity by seeing more patients and will improve patient care overall.

• 25 Jun 2025 · GP Funding: South-west England · Hansard source

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  Does the hon. Member agree that the increase of over 7% in GP contract funding for 2025-26, which the Government put in place, represents the biggest investment in GPs for more than 10 years? We always want to get more money for GPs and the Government are committed to that, but does he think that the largest increase in 10 years should make at least some difference for his constituents in Newton Abbot as well as mine in Mansfield?

• 18 Jun 2025 · Endometriosis · Hansard source

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  I know that my constituent Samantha, who asked me to as this question, will be grateful for the Minister’s reply. Will she also work with colleagues across Government to ensure that once the Employment Rights Bill has been passed, the needs of those with menstrual health conditions, like endometriosis, are reflected properly in guidance and employer support, and that organisations such as Endometriosis UK are engaged in the process?

• 18 Jun 2025 · Endometriosis · Hansard source

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  4. What steps she is taking with Cabinet colleagues to provide cross-Government support for women with endometriosis.

• 18 Jun 2025 · Post-industrial Towns · Hansard source

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  Does my hon. Friend agree that further education is integral to turbocharging the skills revolution that we need? Every area in the country should have strong provision in further education, particularly, as is the case in my constituency, through providers such as West Notts college, rather than solely relying on universities?

• 17 Jun 2025 · Hydrogen-powered Aviation · Hansard source

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  It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Mr Stringer. I thank my hon. Friend the Member for North Somerset (Sadik Al-Hassan) for securing this timely and very important debate. My constituency of Mansfield is just a stone’s throw away from East Midlands airport, which is one of the UK’s key freight and passenger hubs. It is important not only to our local economy, but to many of my constituents, who use the airport to get away on family holidays. With climate change being a significant concern to many of my constituents, and with the instability of hydrocarbon-based aviation fuel pricing as a result of numerous factors, including global conflict, I very much welcome the consideration of hydrogen-powered aviation as a practical and vital path towards sustainable flight. The east midlands has always been at the heart of British industry and innovation, and now we must be at the forefront of clean technology. Aviation accounts for around 7% of our carbon emissions and the figure is growing, but rather than grounding its progress, we need to power it differently. Hydrogen offers us a really tangible solution: it produces zero carbon emissions at the point of use, and has great potential to fuel short and medium-haul flights by the mid-2030s—exactly the kinds of routes that operate out of East Midlands airport. Hydrogen has real, tangible benefits over other approaches such as sustainable aviation fuel and battery power. We are already seeing British companies—including companies local to me in the east midlands, such as Rolls-Royce, and ZeroAvia in the south-west, which is working with East Midlands airport—investing in hydrogen engines. I believe that the Government have a responsibility to at least consider supporting that transition, not only to meet our climate targets but to protect and grow jobs in aviation, engineering and logistics in the east midlands. Let us not forget that our constituents all want cleaner skies and to reach net zero, but they also want the opportunity to travel. Hydrogen-powered aviation can potentially deliver both, but to develop the technology to do that, we need the right investment in infrastructure, and particularly in research and development. We can turn regional airports into hubs of innovation that are important for the regions, and create a new export market in green aviation technology—that is not pie in the sky thinking. It will take some work to achieve it, but it is practical and necessary. We should back British innovation and cleaner aviation. Let us ensure that the east midlands, Britain and the UK lead the world with this new, exciting technology.

• 17 Jun 2025 · Pharmacies · Hansard source

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  The Minister has spoken many times about the importance of shifting from hospital to the community. I have visited many local pharmacies and met the chair of Community Pharmacy Nottinghamshire, seeing at first hand the important work they do to support communities in Mansfield. Does the Minister agree that community pharmacies have a key role to play in that shift and could help to take pressure off GP surgeries?

• 16 Jun 2025 · Farmed Animals: Cages and Crates · Hansard source

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  I wonder whether the hon. Member might also reflect on our farming competitors, in particular countries like Norway, Sweden and Switzerland and, to some extent, Germany, Austria and New Zealand, which have banned such practices in their pig industries, and the extent to which that means there can be a viable business model under a reformed system.

• 16 Jun 2025 · Farmed Animals: Cages and Crates · Hansard source

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  It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Mr Mundell. I thank my hon. Friend the Member for North Ayrshire and Arran (Irene Campbell) for securing this important debate. The UK is often said to be a nation of animal lovers. Judging by my constituency inbox, Mansfield is very much a constituency of animal lovers. Since becoming the Member for Mansfield, I have received hundreds of emails on a wide range of animal welfare issues, including ending the import of foie gras products, the fur trade and, of course, ending the use of cages and crates for farmed animals. My constituent Lynne from Ladybrook recently wrote to say that she was worried that caged farm animals were “unable to express their natural behaviours and experiencing an unimaginable amount of suffering.” Angela, another constituent from Mansfield, who asked me to speak today, said in an email in the lead-up to this debate that she was concerned that some farmed animals were “kept in cramped, often dirty cages, barely leaving them room to move, to spread their wings and stretch their legs.” Philip, another Mansfield constituent, said in his correspondence that according to a recent survey undertaken by the RSPCA, “84% of the British public oppose the use of cages for laying hens and 78% of people oppose the use of farrowing crates.” Clearly, many of my constituents want to ensure that we have the highest welfare standards in our farms, and I know that farmers often share that view and do not want their livestock to suffer. We all want to know that the food we are eating has not been produced on the back of pain and suffering. Last summer, I stood on a manifesto that promised that we would improve animal welfare, ban trail hunting and the import of hunting trophies, end puppy smuggling and farming, end the use of snare traps, and work with scientists and industry to reduce the use of animal testing. I am proud that I did so, and I know other Labour Members and the Minister feel the same way. I very much hope that the Government’s update to the animal welfare strategy, which I understand is due to be published later this year, will make progress towards delivering our manifesto promises, and that Ministers include the issues that we are debating today within it. Legislation to improve the lives of animals has formed a vital part of the legacy of past Labour Governments, and I hope this Labour Government will be no different.

• 16 Jun 2025 · Antisemitism on University Campuses · Hansard source

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  Given my experience of working with the Holocaust Educational Trust in schools in Mansfield, I ask the Secretary of State to confirm that the history of the Holocaust will be taught in schools following the passage of the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill, which the Conservatives opposed.

• 11 Jun 2025 · British Coal Staff Superannuation Scheme · Hansard source

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  The hon. Member and the House will know that I am a big supporter of returning the reserve to the fund, particularly because many members are dying. The hon. Member sat as a Conservative Member on the Government Benches for a number of years and, indeed, was deputy chairman of the Conservative party while they were in government. Given the promises that Boris Johnson made in Mansfield in the 2019 election, why did the hon. Member do nothing to correct this injustice, since so many members of the scheme are passing away each year? Would he agree that it is somewhat hypocritical to now be championing this issue?

• 4 Jun 2025 · Disadvantaged Communities · Hansard source

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  I am proud to represent wards such as Newgate, Carr Bank and Ransom Wood—mission-critical neighbourhoods as identified by the Independent Commission on Neighbourhoods—and I welcome the signs that the Government are increasingly focused on those places. Does my hon. Friend agree that the spending review must make mission-critical neighbourhoods an absolute priority?

• 20 May 2025 · Victims and Courts Bill · Hansard source

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  This Government were elected on a promise to deliver a justice system that puts the needs of victims first. I stood in my constituency to support our police to tackle crime, take back control of our town centre and crack down on antisocial behaviour. Today’s Bill, alongside the other landmark legislation introduced by this Government that I have voted for in this House, offers further progress on delivering on that mission for people in Mansfield. There are three parts of the Bill that I would like to highlight; they will be particularly welcomed in my constituency. First of all, there is the strengthening of the powers of the Victims’ Commissioner. Under previous Governments, victims have too often been let down when navigating the criminal justice system, which has made them feel like an afterthought. It is encouraging to see victims at the centre of the Bill, which has been welcomed by victims’ organisations and charities. They recognise the legislation’s potential to make a meaningful difference. Secondly, the Bill introduces the ability for judges to hand down sanctions to offenders who refuse to attend hearings, including a restriction on social visits and a longer sentence. There are numerous examples of murderers refusing to attend sentencing hearings, and that has led to recognition that we need to clarify the courts’ powers to compel attendance. We know that for some victims, the presence of the offender in court is extremely important for closure and resolution. I welcome the fact that the Bill will force criminals to understand and face up to the consequences of their crimes.

• 20 May 2025 · Victims and Courts Bill · Hansard source

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  The right hon. Gentleman makes a very important and salient point, and I thank him for raising it. Thirdly, the Bill will place a duty on local authorities and social housing providers to co-operate with the Victims’ Commissioner on antisocial behaviour. I have spoken many times in Parliament about the need to do more to support the victims of antisocial behaviour in my constituency. Members will all know from their casework inbox that antisocial behaviour is not always a criminal justice matter, and that other agencies, such as local authorities and social housing providers, play an essential part in supporting victims. I therefore wholeheartedly welcome the fact that the Bill will empower the Victims’ Commissioner to get the information needed to identify systemic issues, make informed recommendations and scrutinise how the system as a whole responds to that type of behaviour. In conclusion, the Bill will ensure that the criminal justice system serves victims. The previous Government allowed the prison system to reach the point of collapse, and all too often, victims paid the price. By contrast, Labour is fixing that mess and reforming the social justice system. Today I will vote for this landmark legislation, because I know that its measures will be welcomed back home in my Mansfield constituency.

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

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  I plan to host in June a joint event with the Royal British Legion and the Ministry of Defence armed forces covenant team. The aim is to better inform MPs across the House about the current offering of the covenant. As part of the event, there will be an opportunity for all Members to engage with constituents sharing their experience of the armed forces covenant. Might the Leader of the House allow some Government time in the House in the week commencing 7 July so that these real voices and experiences can be heard in this place and represented by their local MP?

• 13 May 2025 · Topical Questions · Hansard source

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  T6. Over the past few days, The Times has reported that an airport worker and his wife, who works in the NHS, have been raising funds in the UK through an unregistered charity called Zayir UK and sending them to Hezbollah-linked groups in Lebanon. What steps is the Minister taking to ensure that charitable donations in the UK cannot be used to fund terrorism in the middle east?

• 12 May 2025 · Personal Independence Payment Assessments · Hansard source

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  Can the Minister give us more information on what the PIP assessment review will look like?

• 12 May 2025 · Immigration System · Hansard source

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  Does the Secretary of State agree that the best way in which to address the soaring level of migration for work purposes is to properly train and up-skill our domestic workers in constituencies such as mine? How will these measures contribute to the achievement of that aim?

• 6 May 2025 · Parking Regulation · Hansard source

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  It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Mr Efford. As MPs, we all have a massive volume of casework that is generated from constituents who have come to us with concerns about parking charge notices. My constituency of Mansfield is no different. There is a real sense of anger among local people. Common complaints that I have come across include problems with parking payment apps, payment machines that are out of order or not functioning properly, difficulties speaking to a real person to query a PCN, and, in particular, PCNs that have been issued wrongly because automatic number plate recognition systems have malfunctioned yet it is possible to prove payment. I have also dealt with many cases in which someone has purchased a ticket but has simply incorrectly entered a digit from their registration number into a tiny payment machine keypad. Many constituents, particularly those with visual impairment or those who are older, have come to me about that. One company in particular, which manages the St Peter’s retail park car park in Mansfield, has been the subject of hundreds of complaints to my office. I have since met representatives of the company in Parliament, and I am pleased that they have agreed to make numerous improvements, including installing new payment machines, and to refund a large number of PCNs. However, I still have many reservations about the conduct of car parking companies in my constituency. From my observations, it appears that many companies are intent on generating as many PCNs and as much income as possible, and putting up as many barriers to appealing as possible—for example, not having staffed telephone lines, or insisting that appeals must be made in a very specific manner. Charge income is increasing at a record rate, while the number of vehicles on British roads is increasing only minimally. Clearly, something is going wrong. We seriously need to consider why that is the case and look at the regulatory framework under which parking companies operate. Many operators have told me that they are British Parking Association approved and they adhere to the code of conduct and practice, but that is a voluntary code created by the car parking industry, as the British Parking Association is a membership organisation funded solely by the car parking companies themselves. It seems to me that these companies act as judge and jury in the regulation of their industry, and I think enough is enough. My constituents in Mansfield demand that we in this House scrutinise these companies and decide whether further action is needed. I therefore urge the Government to look into the matter and to consider statutory regulation as a priority.

• 30 Apr 2025 · UK Airstrike: Houthi Military Facility · Hansard source

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  I thank the Secretary of State for his statement. I pay tribute to all our armed forces personnel involved in the action overnight. Does he agree with me that the USA has always been, and will remain, our strongest and most steadfast security ally?