Business of the House

Debate between Alan Campbell and Sarah Hall

Thursday 10th September 2026 Commons Chamber

[Sir Alan Campbell]

The Government are doing a great deal in what we recognise is often a very distressing situation. The hon. Gentleman will know that the Casey review came up with a series of recommendations on dementia and other conditions, such as motor neurone disease. We have launched the big conversation on care to ensure that people can feed back their views. Appointing a dementia tsar to help drive forward much needed improvements will be important. We are also investing more in services, but I recognise that there is a great deal more to be done. I will get a further update for him from the relevant Minister.

[Sarah Hall (Warrington South) (Lab/Co-op)]

As we have already heard, today is World Suicide Prevention Day and this week Papyrus, which is based in my Warrington South constituency, went into administration after almost 30 years. Its 24/7 HopeLine allowed young people experiencing suicidal thoughts, and anyone worried about them, to speak to trained advisers, day and night. I have written to all MPs and peers, asking them to sign a cross-party letter to the Health Secretary calling for emergency funding to protect Papyrus’s services. Will the Leader of the House make time for an oral statement from a health Minister on the closure of Papyrus, and the steps the Government are taking to restore HopeLine’s 24/7 service to support the young people who relied on it?

[Sir Alan Campbell]

As I have said in earlier responses, the news regarding Papyrus is deeply concerning. We are entirely committed to suicide prevention, and to ensuring that high-quality mental health support is available, particularly for young people. I will reach out to the relevant Minister, as I have offered to, including on behalf of my hon. Friend. Ministers may want to give an update to all Members on this, because it is an issue of such importance.

Business of the House

Debate between Alan Campbell and Sarah Hall

Thursday 16th July 2026 Commons Chamber

[Sir Alan Campbell]

It is very much at the forefront of the Government’s thinking that we want not only to clean up local communities, but to put in their hands the powers to do so. If the right hon. Lady seeks a Backbench Business debate or a Westminster Hall debate, I am sure that her concerns about nitrous oxide and other things will be echoed across the House, and she will find others who will want to join her for that debate.

[Sarah Hall (Warrington South) (Lab/Co-op)]

Year 6 McKellen pupils at St Philip Westbrook primary school in my constituency are campaigning against hostile architecture, such as spikes and divided benches, which makes life harder for people experiencing homelessness. Will the Leader of the House join me in praising their courageous advocacy and make time for a debate on ensuring that our public spaces are designed with dignity and compassion in mind?

[Sir Alan Campbell]

My hon. Friend raises an important matter. I commend the McKellen pupils at St Philip Westbrook primary school for their thoughtfulness on these matters. We have been working hard to try to find a long-term solution, including through a national plan to end homelessness and the repeal of the outdated Vagrancy Act, but if my hon. Friend wants to hear directly from a Minister, either a Westminster Hall debate or an Adjournment debate would be an appropriate way forward.

Business of the House

Debate between Alan Campbell and Sarah Hall

Thursday 30th October 2025 Commons Chamber

[Sir Alan Campbell]

The hon. Gentleman rightly raises local concerns. The Government share his concern about the absolute chaos that inherited regarding asylum hotels. I do not have time to go into the details of what we will do about them, but I will ensure that Home Office Ministers are made aware of this case. He may wish to meet them and make those points himself.

[Sarah Hall (Warrington South) (Lab/Co-op)]

According to NHS data, while the number of people waiting for an autism assessment is levelling out, the time they are waiting is rocketing; the average wait time is 200 days more than it was a year ago. In order to reduce waiting times, integrated care boards should follow the NHS England national framework and operational guidance, and provide a standardised autism assessment process, but in many cases that clearly is not happening. Will the Leader of the House ask the relevant Health Minister to arrange a meeting with me to discuss which ICBs are struggling to implement the framework, and the action being taken to support them to ensure that they have the resources needed to follow the framework?

[Sir Alan Campbell]

Yes, I will.