Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Ian Lavery and Shabana Mahmood

Monday 17th November 2025 Commons Chamber

[Shabana Mahmood]

No, I will not, because immigration is a reserved matter. Trying to devolve this matter would create perverse pull factors all across the United Kingdom, which would be deeply inappropriate.

[Ian Lavery (Blyth and Ashington) (Lab)]

T3. The data centre in Cambois in my constituency has a £10 billion investment. Together with subsea interconnectors, for example, it looks as if my constituency is a plug-in centre for critical national infrastructure. With that in mind, can the Minister give me some advice on whether terrorism is being looked at as a serious issue because of the investment and what is happening in Cambois and patches such as mine?

Asylum Policy

Debate between Ian Lavery and Shabana Mahmood

Monday 17th November 2025 Commons Chamber

[Shabana Mahmood]

I look forward to welcoming the hon. Member’s application to join immigration enforcement. If he wants to write to me about that specific example, I will look into it. I know that the systems at the Home Office need a lot of tightening. It is work that my predecessor started when she brought a new permanent secretary into the Department to make the necessary changes, and it is work I will continue.

[Ian Lavery (Blyth and Ashington) (Lab)]

I agree with my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary that this system is absolutely smashed to smithereens. It is smashed to smithereens because of 14 years of destruction from the Conservatives. Of course we all want to see the control of our borders. We want to stop the boats, and we want to see better and safer legal routes. But I ask my right hon. and hon. Friends on the Front Bench this: when the opposition parties—the Tories, Reform UK, not to mention that odious racist chancer who is bankrolled by the world’s wealthiest man—are championing our policies, is it not time to question whether we are actually in the right place?

[Shabana Mahmood]

I have a lot of time and high regard for my hon. Friend. What I would say is that he should not allow mischief making by those he names to throw him or our party off course, and I hope he has heard the support from our own Back Benchers today who can see that these changes are necessary to fix the broken system that he agrees we have. I would also ask Members to please not keep repeating the name of a man who does not even think I am English. I find that very offensive, and I would ask everyone to refrain from mentioning him. We do not need to do that. We do not need to go there. Do not fall for the mischief that others are making here. We know that there is a broken system, and it is our solemn responsibility as a Labour party and a Labour Government to fix it.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Ian Lavery and Shabana Mahmood

Tuesday 11th March 2025 Commons Chamber

[Shabana Mahmood]

The hon. Gentleman makes an incredibly important point. Fixing the problems that he notes requires work by not just the Ministry of Justice, but the devolved Administrations and the Home Office. I will ensure that he can engage with the relevant Ministers on the issues he raises.

[Ian Lavery (Blyth and Ashington) (Lab)]

T3.   Last year, assaults on prison staff were up by 19% and serious assaults were up by 22%, yet the pensionable age of prison officers is still 68—it is simply too late. Can the Minister update the House on any discussions he may have had with officials regarding that industrial injustice and say when these loyal public servants might expect to see this long-standing issue corrected?