Business of the House

Debate between Alan Campbell and Terry Jermy

Thursday 5th March 2026 Commons Chamber

[Sir Alan Campbell]

My hon. Friend is a strong campaigner for his constituents. Due to pressure from him and others, Ministers agreed last year to relax the “continuous facility to burn” criterion, which will allow more people to claim cash in lieu. I will ensure that Ministers hear his concerns—not just about individual cases, but about how the scheme is administered—and that he gets a response.

[Terry Jermy (South West Norfolk) (Lab)]

English Tourism Week begins next week. Running from 13 to 22 March, it aims to highlight the importance of tourism to the UK economy. During it, I look forward to visiting Grime’s Graves, a neolithic flint mine in South West Norfolk operated by English Heritage. Will the Leader of the House join me in celebrating the benefits of tourism? Can a debate be held to explore Government support for the tourism industry?

[Sir Alan Campbell]

I thank my hon. Friend for highlighting the vital contribution of tourism to our national economy. Like him, I am lucky enough to have a constituency that is a popular tourist destination and has a large number of attractions, and I would encourage people to visit. Grime’s Graves is an extraordinary site. I am pleased to hear that he will visit a historical place in his constituency in English Tourism Week, and I encourage other Members to do the same. I think this would be an interesting topic for a Backbench Business or Adjournment debate, should he wish to seek one.

Business of the House

Debate between Alan Campbell and Terry Jermy

Thursday 12th February 2026 Commons Chamber

[Sir Alan Campbell]

The UK is home to some of the world’s most respected universities, and we all benefit from the opportunities, knowledge and growth that they create. It is important that we pay attention to access to universities to ensure that people who want to go can go, but it is also important that we put the sector on a secure financial footing. That is why the Government are making tough but fair decisions to find the balance between value for money for taxpayers and students and graduates. We know that the cost of living is important for everyone. We are seeking to support graduates by protecting lower earners by lifting the threshold this year, but we appreciate the concern, not least because it is probably being expressed through our inboxes as I speak. I encourage the hon. Gentleman to attend the Westminster Hall debate on Wednesday 25 February, in which he may want to make his points more fully.

[Terry Jermy (South West Norfolk) (Lab)]

I am increasingly concerned about the quality of social care provision in Norfolk. We have had three care homes by three different providers in the last month alone all rated as inadequate by the Care Quality Commission. Having read the inspection reports, I know that they contain some harrowing details. Can we have a debate in Government time on the quality of social care provision?

[Sir Alan Campbell]

I thank my hon. Friend for raising an issue of such importance, and I am genuinely sorry to hear about the cases that he raises. We are committed to building a national care service based on a high quality of care and greater choice and control. I will ensure that Ministers have heard his concern. If he wants to seek a meeting with Ministers to brief them more fully on what is happening in his part of the world, I will arrange that meeting.

Business of the House

Debate between Alan Campbell and Terry Jermy

Thursday 18th December 2025 Commons Chamber

[Terry Jermy (South West Norfolk) (Lab)]

I am very proud to employ a special educational needs and disabilities specialist caseworker, and I am grateful that Parliament funds that role, which is currently supporting more than 150 families across South West Norfolk—families who are desperate and are navigating a SEND system that we know to be in crisis. Does the Leader of the House share my concern that Tory-controlled Norfolk county council has recently written to me to try to close down this support service, continuing its adversarial approach to dealing with SEND in the county rather than focusing on supporting vulnerable families?

[Sir Alan Campbell]

My hon. Friend is a champion for SEND matters, and I thank him for that. The SEND system is broken, but we are working to fix it, investing a total of £12 billion in SEND this year. As my hon. Friend knows, we will bring forward a schools White Paper early in the new year, but politics is about choices and priorities, and it is a great pity that the council he refers to appears to have set itself at odds with so many families in his area by taking the position it has.