Business of the House
Debate between Andrew Pakes and Lucy Powell(5 days ago)
Commons ChamberRead Full debate Read Hansard Text Read Debate Ministerial Extracts
Lucy Powell
The hon. Lady is right: that report shows how little was done to protect nature under the previous Government, despite many announcements to the contrary. Nature protection is a core part of our clean energy mission, and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs is central to that mission. She will be aware that it will take a while to turn things around, but we are committed to doing so. I will ensure that she and the House are updated regularly on where things are up to, and on when the reports will be responded to.
Andrew Pakes (Peterborough) (Lab)
We are a proud cathedral city. Everyone in Peterborough has a story to tell about our cathedral, whether it is attending a carol service, going to a graduation or community event, or even remembering the Foreign Secretary singing there as a chorister when he was a schoolboy. For over 900 years, our cathedral has been there for us. Now, in the words of the Very Rev. Chris Dalliston, our dean, we need to be there for the cathedral, because it has a funding crisis. Will the Leader of the House join me in wishing the cathedral well with its appeal, and ensure that we have time in this House to debate these wonderful places, which are not just of local importance but national heritage assets?
Lucy Powell
My hon. Friend is a fantastic champion for his constituency. I strongly welcome his question, and fully support what he says about Peterborough cathedral, and all the cathedrals of this country. What a national asset they are. He will be aware that the Government have in place a range of support programmes for places of worship, such as the listed places of worship grant scheme and the Churches Conservation Trust. Next week, there will be a Westminster Hall debate on the listed places of worship grant scheme, in which he may want to participate. Finally, I join him in strongly supporting the campaign to raise the funds that Peterborough cathedral needs.
Business of the House
Debate between Andrew Pakes and Lucy Powell(1 month, 1 week ago)
Commons ChamberRead Full debate Read Hansard Text Read Debate Ministerial Extracts
Lucy Powell
Like my hon. Friend, I was shocked to hear those statistics this morning. What a damning indictment it is of our healthcare system that more children are now dying at a young age than have done in recent times. I will certainly ensure that the Health Secretary has heard her question, and that she is given a full response.
Andrew Pakes (Peterborough) (Lab)
Peterborough lido is one of the jewels in the crown of our city. Just two years ago, we had a hydrotherapy pool and an indoor pool as well as the lido, but due to the reckless behaviour of the previous Conservative Administration, the hydrotherapy pool was bulldozed and the indoor pool was closed. The lido will be at risk in future years. Will my right hon. Friend ensure that the Government recognise the vital role of swimming for leisure, sport and wellbeing, and join me in congratulating the thousands of residents, including me, who are rallying to keep our lido safe?
Lucy Powell
Absolutely. I join my hon. Friend in noting the importance of indoor and outdoor pools, and of swimming generally, to a healthy society and to our agenda for preventive public health. It is vital that we keep local lidos such as his alive. He will have a strong ally in the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, who is partial to an outdoor swim.
Business of the House
Debate between Andrew Pakes and Lucy Powell(2 months, 4 weeks ago)
Commons ChamberRead Full debate Read Hansard Text Read Debate Ministerial Extracts
Lucy Powell
This sounds like a horrific incident in the hon. Member’s constituency. I am really sorry to hear of it, and I hope that she will pass on our best to her constituents. These issues have been raised many times, and we have had many debates on them. The Government are committed to introducing a victims and sentencing Bill in this Session, wherein the issue of anonymity for victims will be widely discussed.
Andrew Pakes (Peterborough) (Lab)
David Lowndes is a hero of ours in Peterborough. For 51 years, he has chronicled life in our city, as the snapper for the local paper. Just last weekend, in rain and shine, I met David taking photos at the Diwali festival and at the rededication of a war memorial. This year, his regular contract with the Peterborough Telegraph comes to an end. Will the Leader of the House join me in congratulating David on his contribution to our city and journalism, and will she ensure that we have time in this House to debate the value of good local journalists?
Lucy Powell
I join my hon. Friend in congratulating David Lowndes on a very long career in local photojournalism. What an important role he and others like him play in capturing moments, and telling the stories of our constituents and communities, and the things that we care most about. I am sure that a debate on the importance of local journalism would be very well attended, were he to apply for one.
Business of the House
Debate between Andrew Pakes and Lucy Powell(4 months, 1 week ago)
Commons ChamberRead Full debate Read Hansard Text Read Debate Ministerial Extracts
Lucy Powell
I welcome my hon. Friend to his place, and it was a pleasure to visit him before the election. He is absolutely right, and tackling knife crime is a key part of our mission to have safer streets. Just this week, the Prime Minister, along with campaigner Idris Elba, launched the coalition to tackle knife crime. Last month, we launched a nationwide call to hand over zombie-style knives and machetes, ahead of such weapons being banned from our streets on 24 September.
Andrew Pakes (Peterborough) (Lab)
Small businesses, coffee shops and traders are the lifeblood of constituencies such as mine in Peterborough and across the country. Will the Leader of the House join me in congratulating the Federation of Small Businesses, which celebrates its 50th anniversary this Sunday? Will she also make time in the House for us to debate the amazing contribution made by the 5.5 million small business owners in this country?
Lucy Powell
My hon. Friend makes a really important point about the vital contribution of small independent shops to our high streets, including his in Peterborough. Let us be honest: the Conservative party hollowed out high streets and town centres across the country. But this Government will turn the tide and put that right.
Business of the House
Debate between Andrew Pakes and Lucy Powell(4 months, 2 weeks ago)
Commons ChamberRead Full debate Read Hansard Text Read Debate Ministerial Extracts
Lucy Powell
As the hon. Lady will have heard, we will be having such a debate next Tuesday, and the Government have brought that forward to allow for a debate and a vote on those issues. I gently say that perhaps she might want to talk to colleagues in her party about the woeful inheritance that we found, and the £22 billion black hole not for future years but in this year, which the Office for Budget Responsibility was appalled that it did not know about. That has seen higher borrowing and excess spending, particularly on asylum, and we had to do something to fix those broken foundations in-year to stabilise the economy.
Andrew Pakes (Peterborough) (Lab)
Good public transport, especially buses, is important for so many things in my constituency and the country, from accessing a GP to visiting friends, getting to college and going to work. The Labour and Co-operative Mayor of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough has just launched a consultation on taking back control of our buses. Despite public support for better buses, the franchising model and enhanced partnership model is still bureaucratic and difficult for communities to engage with. Will the Leader of the House join me in welcoming our local consultation, and make time in the House for Members to debate further improvements so that communities can take control of our bus services?
Lucy Powell
I thank my hon. Friend for that excellent question. He is right to make the point that the current bus franchising system is incredibly bureaucratic and lengthy. That is why in the King’s Speech we announced a better buses Bill, which will come before the House and will significantly reduce the time and bureaucracy that such things take. I hope that the Peterborough mayor will take time and ensure that that legislation is in place before he embarks on the necessary taking back control of buses in his area.