Irene Campbell
Labour - North Ayrshire and Arran
3,551 (8.4%) majority - 2024 General ElectionFirst elected: 4th July 2024
2 APPG Officer Positions (as of 18 Jun 2025)
Phasing Out Animal Experiments in Medical Research, Uyghurs3 APPG Memberships
Healthcare Workers, Animal Welfare, Political and Media LiteracyDivision Voting information
Irene Campbell voted No - against a party majority and against the House
One of 49 Labour No votes vs 333 Labour Aye votes
Tally: Ayes - 335 Noes - 260
Irene Campbell voted Aye - against a party majority and against the House
One of 42 Labour Aye votes vs 325 Labour No votes
Tally: Ayes - 149 Noes - 328
Debates during the 2024 Parliament
Speeches made during Parliamentary debates are recorded in Hansard. For ease of browsing we have grouped debates into individual, departmental and legislative categories.
Sparring Partners
Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons
(4 debate interactions)
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Scotland Office)
(3 debate interactions)
Department Debates
(17 debate contributions)
(10 debate contributions)
(9 debate contributions)
(9 debate contributions)
Legislation Debates
Irene Campbell has not made any spoken contributions to legislative debateNorth Ayrshire and Arran Petitions
e-Petitions are administered by Parliament and allow members of the public to express support for a particular issue.
If an e-petition reaches 10,000 signatures the Government will issue a written response.
If an e-petition reaches 100,000 signatures the petition becomes eligible for a Parliamentary debate (usually Monday 4.30pm in Westminster Hall).
of 77,641 signatures (0.25%)
of 155,575 signatures (0.17%)
of 180,195 signatures (0.15%)
of 399,558 signatures (0.14%)
of 180,195 signatures (0.15%)
of 155,575 signatures (0.17%)
of 250,050 signatures (0.10%)
of 165,254 signatures (0.13%)
c. 495 added daily
108,098
(Estimated)
End the use of cages and crates for all farmed animals
Sign this petition Gov Responded - 17 Feb 2025 Debated on - 16 Jun 2025 View Irene Campbell's petition debate contributionscloses in 2 weeks, 5 days
We think the UK Government must ban all cages for laying hens as soon as possible.
We think it should also ban the use of all cage and crates for all farmed animals including:
• farrowing crates for sows
• individual calf pens
• cages for other birds, including partridges, pheasants and quail
c. 1,140 added daily
257,493
(Estimated)
Ban immediately the use of dogs in scientific and regulatory procedures
Sign this petition Gov Responded - 5 Mar 2025 Debated on - 28 Apr 2025 View Irene Campbell's petition debate contributionscloses in 1 month, 1 week
As a first step to end animal testing, we want an immediate ban for dogs. They are commercially bred in what we see as bleak and inhumane factory-like conditions. We believe there is evidence suggesting that dogs are left being unattended for extended periods in a Government-licenced establishment.
c. 674 added daily
144,815
(Estimated)
Tighten the rules on political donations
Sign this petition Gov Responded - 26 Feb 2025 Debated on - 31 Mar 2025 View Irene Campbell's petition debate contributionscloses in 2 weeks, 3 days
We want the government to:
Remove loopholes that allow wealthy foreign individuals to make donations into UK political parties (e.g. by funnelling through UK registered companies).
Cap all donations to a reasonable amount.
Review limits on the fines that can be levied for breaking the rules
Petition Closed
Introduce 16 as the minimum age for children to have social media
Gov Responded - 17 Dec 2024 Debated on - 24 Feb 2025 View Irene Campbell's petition debate contributionsclosed 1 month, 3 weeks ago
We believe social media companies should be banned from letting children under 16 create social media accounts.
Latest EDMs signed by Irene Campbell
Recognition of Paul McVey's service to martial arts and charity
Tabled by: Lillian Jones (Labour - Kilmarnock and Loudoun)That this House congratulates Paul McVey, a former veteran and firefighter, 8th Dan Chief Instructor of the Zen-Bu Do International Martial Arts Academies, and martial arts instructor based in Kilmarnock, on receiving his second International Hall of Fame Award; notes that he has been nominated for nine international awards in …
(Most recent: 30 Jun 2025)
Signatures by party:
Labour: 4
Democratic Unionist Party: 1
Securing habitat for endangered swifts and other cavity nesting birds
Tabled by: Barry Gardiner (Labour - Brent West)This House notes with concern the dramatic decline in the breeding population of swifts whose numbers have dropped by 60% since 1995; recognises that the loss of natural nesting habitat for swifts and other cavity nesting birds has meant that four species of these birds are now on the International …
(Most recent: 3 Jul 2025)
Signatures by party:
Labour: 27
Liberal Democrat: 23
Green Party: 4
Plaid Cymru: 4
Conservative: 3
Independent: 2
Democratic Unionist Party: 1
Ulster Unionist Party: 1
Reform UK: 1
Social Democratic & Labour Party: 1
Alliance: 1
Commons initiatives
These initiatives were driven by Irene Campbell, and are more likely to reflect personal policy preferences.
MPs who are act as Ministers or Shadow Ministers are generally restricted from performing Commons initiatives other than Urgent Questions.
Irene Campbell has not been granted any Urgent Questions
1 Adjournment Debate led by Irene Campbell
Irene Campbell has not introduced any legislation before Parliament
1 Bill co-sponsored by Irene Campbell
Elections (Accessibility for Blind Voters) Bill 2024-26
Sponsor - Julie Minns (Lab)
Latest 15 Written Questions
(View all written questions)I was pleased to announce alongside energy suppliers a package of support that will ensure the most vulnerable are protected this winter.
This £500m industry package, containing debt relief alongside other measures, and taken with the Warm Home Discount, brings total support to £1bn for this winter will mean the most vulnerable are protected from rising bills.
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
2 Department for Science, Innovation & Technology Questions
(View all Irene Campbell's DSIT questions)There are a range of internationally accepted guidelines which ensure the safety assessment of new chemicals and medicines before they are licenced for use. OECD Guidelines for the Testing of Chemicals assess the potential effects of chemicals on human health and the environment, and similarly ICH guidelines assure the complete and thorough assessment of the potential quality, safety and efficacy of pharmaceuticals. Guidelines are reviewed periodically by regulators and industry stakeholders as the science supporting the guidelines evolves. This will include how and when non-animal alternatives are acceptable and can be included to meet the aims of these guidelines.
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The Labour Manifesto includes a commitment to “partner with scientists, industry, and civil society as we work towards the phasing out of animal testing”. The Government will publish a strategy to support the development, validation and uptake of alternative methods in basic, applied, translational and regulatory research and testing later this year. As part of this, we continually monitor international developments and bodies such as ECVAM and are in discussion with our overseas colleagues as to how we can work together on this matter.
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
6 Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Questions
(View all Irene Campbell's Defra questions)We are forming a partnership between government and stakeholders from across the food system as we develop the food strategy. This partnership includes academics, charities, key thinkers, civil society organisations and consumer groups as well as industry representatives.
Health experts and civil society are represented in the membership of the Food Strategy Advisory Board announced in March, including Professor Chris Whitty as Chief Medical Officer for England at the Department for Health and Social Care, Professor Susan Jebb as Professor of Diet and Population Health at Oxford University, Anna Taylor of the Food Foundation and Ravi Gurumurthy of NESTA.
We will conduct a series of of targeted stakeholder engagements that will include civil society organisations, environmental non-Government organisations, and citizen groups alongside the farming and the food industry
Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
We are forming a partnership between government and stakeholders from across the food system as we develop the food strategy. This partnership includes academics, charities, key thinkers, civil society organisations and consumer groups as well as industry representatives.
Health experts and civil society are represented in the membership of the Food Strategy Advisory Board announced in March, including Professor Chris Whitty as Chief Medical Officer for England at the Department for Health and Social Care, Professor Susan Jebb as Professor of Diet and Population Health at Oxford University, Anna Taylor of the Food Foundation and Ravi Gurumurthy of NESTA.
We will conduct a series of of targeted stakeholder engagements that will include civil society organisations, environmental non-Government organisations, and citizen groups alongside the farming and the food industry
Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
We remain firmly committed to maintaining and improving animal welfare and want to work closely with the farming sector to deliver high standards. The use of cages and other close confinement systems for farmed animals is an issue which we are currently considering very carefully.
A public consultation on fairer food labelling was undertaken between March and May 2024 by the previous Government. This sought views on proposals to improve and extend current mandatory method of production labelling. We are now carefully considering all responses before deciding on next steps and will respond to this consultation in due course.
Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
This Government is committed to resetting relations between the United Kingdom (UK) and the European Union (EU). As part of this, the Government is seeking to negotiate a veterinary/ sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) agreement to boost trade and deliver benefits to businesses and consumers on both sides. The UK and EU are like-minded partners with similarly high standards.
This Government was elected on a mandate to introduce the most ambitious plans to improve animal welfare in a generation. That is exactly what the Government will do, and we will be outlining more detail in due course.
Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Defra is continuing to build the evidence base on the fur sector. This includes commissioning our expert Animal Welfare Committee on what constitutes responsible sourcing of fur. The report that they produce will support our understanding of the fur industry and help inform our next steps.
In accordance with parliamentary convention, the Government will set out its formal position on this Bill when it receives its Second Reading.
Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Statistics on the number of Children living in absolute and relative poverty per constituency are published annually in the “Children in low income families: local area statistics” publication and can be found in tabs “5_Relative_ParlC” and “6_Absolute_ParlC”. These are only produced on a before housing cost basis. A link to these statistics can be found here: Children in low-income families: local area statistics 2014 to 2023 - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).
Tackling child poverty is at the heart of this Government’s mission to break down barriers to opportunity and improve the life chances of every child.
The Child Poverty Taskforce has started work and will explore all available levers to drive forward short and long-term actions across government to reduce child poverty. The Child Poverty Strategy will be published in the Spring and is UK-wide.
In September, the Taskforce heard from local leaders about the challenges faced in their communities, and how it can best work with Mayors, local authorities and other bodies to develop innovative solutions to tackle child poverty. This marked the first of a series of thematic sessions with key organisations, charities and experts on specific topics that will help to shape the strategy.
The vital work of the Taskforce comes alongside our commitments to roll out free breakfast clubs at all primary schools, create 3,000 additional nurseries, as well as deliver our plan to make work pay to turn the minimum wage into a real living wage.
Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The UK remains committed to tackling gender-based violence, including conflict-related sexual violence (CRSV) in Sudan. On 23-25 January, the Foreign Secretary visited the Sudan-Chad border to raise awareness of the conflict in Sudan and its impact on neighbouring countries, speaking directly to Sudanese refugees, including survivors, who shared harrowing stories of sexual violence and torture. The UK has galvanised international efforts on this issue, including through the UN Human Rights Council, Security Council and International Alliance on Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict Initiative. On 13 March, the Minister for Africa chaired a UN Security Council (UNSC) Briefing on CRSV in Sudan, highlighting the worsening trends and emphasising the need for an immediate cessation of hostilities. This event followed his Sudan Roundtable with the Fact-Finding Mission on Sudan in Geneva on 25 February for permanent representatives which aimed to raise awareness of the critical human rights situation. The UK also co-led a Resolution at the UNSC with Sierra Leone on the protection of civilians which called on parties to take urgent steps to prevent CRSV and to improve protection and access to services. Despite unanimous support from the Council, the Resolution failed to pass due to a Russian veto.
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Pensions Investment Review, which I am leading, aims to drive the scale and consolidation of Defined Contribution pension schemes and the Local Government Pension Scheme. Our reforms could unlock £80 billion of productive investment into new infrastructure and businesses of all sizes.
Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 (ASPA) ensures that all animal testing, including for regulatory purposes, is only carried out where no non-animal alternative can be used. Licence applicants are required to robustly evidence their consideration of why alternative methods cannot be used. The Home Office Regulator reviews all licence applications and will only issue a licence once it is satisfied there are no practicable alternative methods available. Therefore, if a non-animal alternative is available for the scientific outcome sought then the Home Office will not authorise that testing to take place.
Minister of State (Home Office)
The Annual statistics of scientific procedures on living animals, Great Britain 2023 provides details on the purposes of procedures using horses in scientific research.
The published statistics show that no horses were used for the routine production of antibodies. The majority of horses are used for the taking of blood that is subsequently used in blood-based products as a supplement in cell culture media.
Minister of State (Home Office)
1 Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government Questions
(View all Irene Campbell's MHCLG questions)Local authorities in England must ensure that support is available in safe accommodation for domestic abuse victims who need it. My Department has allocated £160 million for 2025-26, a £30 million uplift from the previous year. That funding is for local authorities to commission lifesaving support for victims in safe accommodation.
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)