Business of the House

Debate between Alan Campbell and Rachel Blake

Thursday 10th September 2026 Commons Chamber

[Sir Alan Campbell]

I am sad to hear of what happened in the right hon. Gentleman’s constituency; our thoughts are with the family. He is right to point to the scourge of off-road bikes and e-scooters, because there are simply too many incidents of the sort that he describes. If he called for a Westminster Hall debate on these matters, he could hear from the Minister about what we intend to do. We do intend to crack down on them. I absolutely agree with him that, where police forces have the powers, they need to use them. That is probably easier for me to say than it is for them to do, but they need to use the powers. Together, we need to tackle this scourge.

[Rachel Blake (Cities of London and Westminster) (Lab/Co-op)]

Awaab’s law has support from across this Chamber. Does the Leader of the House agree that we now need an assessment of the impact of Awaab’s law? What parliamentary time could be allocated to that? We need to be certain that the scourge of damp and mould will be tackled by this Government in our lifetimes.

[Sir Alan Campbell]

Everyone deserves to live in a home that is safe and decent. That is why we brought Awaab’s law into force, protecting millions of tenants and forcing landlords to urgently fix dangerous homes within 24 hours of reporting. The Renters’ Rights Act 2025 also tackles the blight of poor-quality privately rented homes, including by applying the decent homes standard to the private rented sector for the first time. Should my hon. Friend, who is a fantastic campaigner on these matters, seek a Westminster Hall or Adjournment debate, she and others will find out from the Minister what further steps can be taken so that housing improves for the many.

Business of the House

Debate between Alan Campbell and Rachel Blake

Thursday 26th February 2026 Commons Chamber

[Sir Alan Campbell]

The hon. Gentleman raises concerning matters. I encourage him to seek an Adjournment debate, where he can not only set out his concerns in more detail but get a response from the relevant Minister.

[Rachel Blake (Cities of London and Westminster) (Lab/Co-op)]

This week, one of my constituents experienced a homophobic attack on Oxford Street from a shopkeeper who runs one of the American candy stores. This is a stark reminder of not only the rogue traders who are operating on Oxford Street but the ongoing presence of homophobia in our society. Will the Leader of the House help me to secure a meeting with the relevant Minister, to ensure we get rid of these rogue traders on Oxford Street for good?

[Sir Alan Campbell]

I thank my hon. Friend for championing unity, not division, and working to make our high streets safer. All forms of hatred are completely unacceptable and have no place in our communities, and the Government are clear that those who commit hate crimes will face the full force of the law. I will ensure that my hon. Friend gets the meeting she requests, but I also encourage her and other Members to attend the debate on community cohesion scheduled for next Tuesday.

Business of the House

Debate between Alan Campbell and Rachel Blake

Thursday 15th January 2026 Commons Chamber

[Sir Alan Campbell]

I am not able to offer more time. The hon. Gentleman will be aware that there is quite a queue for time for any private Members’ Bills that we need to take forward. We have had the 13 sitting Fridays, and we are not in a situation to provide more Government time. I am reliably informed that what he claims is the case is not necessarily true. I am also informed that it is Labour councillors across London who have risen to this challenge, and that the decision is not going ahead. I am sorry if that is not an accurate account, but it is the latest account that I have. If that is the case, it is good news for the hon. Gentleman, who has also put forward a petition on these matters. I am sure that gives him ample opportunity to claim credit for this, if what I have said is the correct analysis.

[Rachel Blake (Cities of London and Westminster) (Lab/Co-op)]

My constituents across Cities of London and Westminster have raised concerns with me about managing agents, such as FirstPort and Freshwater, using in-house insurance brokers that are related to them to procure buildings insurance. That has an impact on rising service charges, which are rising above the level of inflation. Will the Leader of the House support me in seeking parliamentary time to debate this important issue and solutions that this House can bring forward?

[Sir Alan Campbell]

My hon. Friend raises an important question, and I thank her for her work in advocating on this important matter. We are implementing the Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024 to strengthen protections over charges and services, and we will publish the draft leasehold and commonhold reform Bill as soon as possible. These concerns are shared by many colleagues from across the House, so I am sure that she would find support if she sought an Adjournment debate on the subject, or even a Backbench Business debate. When we bring forward further measures, she will have time to amplify the concerns that she has raised.

Business of the House

Debate between Alan Campbell and Rachel Blake

Thursday 8th January 2026 Commons Chamber

[Rachel Blake (Cities of London and Westminster) (Lab/Co-op)]

A happy new year to you, Madam Deputy Speaker. At community meetings in Victoria, I hear from my constituents who see open drug dealing on the streets and experience aggressive harassment, but there is hope in the work that Westminster city council is doing to invest in its staff so that they can work collaboratively with the police and other local community organisations to tackle this issue head-on. Will the Leader of the House support me in my request for the Minister for Policing and Crime to join me on the streets to see some of their good work and to ensure that it continues with additional investment in neighbourhood policing going forward, so that we can keep Victoria safe?

[Sir Alan Campbell]

As my hon. Friend will know, we are recruiting 13,000 new police officers into neighbourhood policing roles to tackle issues and concerns such as the ones she describes. I will ensure that she gets a meeting with the relevant Minister in the Home Office, so she can make her case and give that invitation to join her herself.

Business of the House

Debate between Alan Campbell and Rachel Blake

Thursday 30th October 2025 Commons Chamber

[Sir Alan Campbell]

I join my hon. Friend in welcoming this news. It is an important step forward in being able to operate cross-border train services using the channel tunnel. It has unlocked investment in new services and will create hundreds of new jobs. It is a win for passengers, customer choice and economic growth. I invite my hon. Friend to apply either for an Adjournment debate or a Backbench Business debate to highlight the matter.

[Rachel Blake (Cities of London and Westminster) (Lab/Co-op)]

Last year, my constituent Alexander Johnson bravely intervened to stop a phone theft by armed would-be criminals, having himself been a victim of a violent mugging. Will the Leader of the House join me in commending Mr Johnson’s bravery? Does he agree that steps taken to address that sort of crime, in particular the Metropolitan police’s Operation Echosteep, one of the largest crackdowns on phone theft in the UK, are essential to maintaining central London’s reputation as a centre of culture and tourism, and an economic engine?

[Sir Alan Campbell]

I join my hon. Friend in commending Mr Johnson for his selfless act of heroism, and I thank her for raising this important matter. We are determined to take the strongest possible action to reduce phone thefts, and I commend Operation Echosteep. We are backing police forces by providing them with stronger powers to tackle this issue in the Crime and Policing Bill.