Business of the House

Debate between Alan Campbell and Sarah Dyke

Thursday 11th December 2025 Commons Chamber

[Sir Alan Campbell]

I thank my hon. Friend for raising the work of the Courtyard Pantry Enterprise, because small businesses are at the heart of our economy. We are committed to supporting small and medium-sized enterprises through our small business plan, which will break down barriers to starting a small business. We are working across Government to make sure that farms and farmers are brought into that, because it is a great opportunity. I invite my hon. Friend to go into these matters in further detail, perhaps in the pre-Christmas Adjournment debate.

[Sarah Dyke (Glastonbury and Somerton) (LD)]

Yesterday, I hosted a mulled cider event with the National Association of Cider Makers. Cider makers in Glastonbury and Somerton are increasingly focused on survival, as uncertainty grows around future inheritance tax relief. Cider making is uniquely capital-intensive and requires special equipment for milling cider apples, so many family cider businesses exceed the £1 million threshold. Will the Leader of the House bring a little festive cheer to my cider makers in Glastonbury and Somerton, and advise me on how I might meet the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to discuss the impact of changes to agricultural property relief on cider makers?

[Sir Alan Campbell]

That is probably more a Treasury matter than a matter for the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. It will be the Second Reading of the Finance Bill next Tuesday, and I am confident that Committee stage of the Finance Bill will take place in the new year, once we return from the recess; the hon. Lady may want to raise these matters directly with the Treasury then.

Business of the House

Debate between Alan Campbell and Sarah Dyke

Thursday 4th December 2025 Commons Chamber

[Sir Alan Campbell]

My hon. Friend is doing just that by raising this matter on the Floor of the House, as I am sure she will continue to do—this matter is important to her and many other Members. As she points out, we are taking action to deliver additional driving tests and to prevent learners from being exploited by online bots. I will ensure that the Minister has heard what she said, and that they continue to keep the House updated on these matters.

[Sarah Dyke (Glastonbury and Somerton) (LD)]

Yesterday, in my role as chair of the all-party parliamentary group on women in defence, and alongside Angela Owen OBE, who founded Women in Defence UK in 2011, I was pleased to chair a briefing to discuss the publication of this year’s Women in Defence charter data report. The report shows that women account for roughly 25% of the total defence workforce, but for only 21% of directors and 23% of board-level positions. If the Government are serious about building a defence sector that lives up to its promises of equality and inclusion, will the Leader of the House advise me on how I might meet the relevant Minister to discuss the progression of more women into leadership roles in defence?

[Sir Alan Campbell]

I pay tribute to the hon. Lady and the APPG for their work. We are serious about the matters that she raises. I will ensure that she gets an opportunity to set them out in person at a meeting with the relevant Minister.

Business of the House

Debate between Alan Campbell and Sarah Dyke

Thursday 27th November 2025 Commons Chamber

[Sir Alan Campbell]

As my hon. Friend rightly says, we are committed to ending unscrupulous fire-and-rehire practices through the Employment Rights Bill. I hope that the company she refers to has heard her comments. She may wish to raise these matters during the Budget debate or in the upcoming Christmas Adjournment debate, so that, if necessary, she can call the company out.

[Sarah Dyke (Glastonbury and Somerton) (LD)]

Last year, gig ticket scams cost music lovers over £1.6 million, as fans were exploited by greedy ticket touts. The money they paid for fake tickets often went on to fund serious organised crime groups. That makes people less willing to buy tickets for live events, which undermines that important industry, particularly in areas like Glastonbury and Somerton. May we have a debate in Government time on the ticket resale market and ticket scams?

[Sir Alan Campbell]

As the hon. Lady will know, the Government are committed to bringing forward measures to address those issues. When we do so, there will be ample time to debate the points that she raises.