Strait of Hormuz

Janet Daby Excerpts

Monday 16th March 2026 Commons Chamber

[Stephen Doughty]

The Prime Minister set out clearly this morning the approach that he will take to this issue, and the Defence Secretary has just been answering questions on these matters. The Prime Minister set out clearly what steps we are taking to mitigate the impact on UK citizens and the steps we are taking globally. We all want to see the strait reopened, but we must have a viable plan, and we will work with allies on that.

[Janet Daby (Lewisham East) (Lab)]

I thank the Minister for his detailed responses. He will know, as many of us in the Chamber do, that many residents across our country are really concerned about the conflict in the Persian gulf. Can he reassure me and the House that discussions are ongoing with the Department and Cabinet colleagues in assessing the different scenarios of the conflict?

[Stephen Doughty]

I entirely understand the concern that is felt by my hon. Friend’s constituents, and indeed many other constituents up and down the country, including my own. That is exactly why the Prime Minister has set out the decisive action that we are taking in relation to energy bills, fuel duty, support on heating oil and, of course, our continued investment in energy security in this country. Iran could of course stop its reckless and dangerous attacks on shipping and reopen the strait of Hormuz, and we will continue to engage with allies on what we can do.

Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office

Janet Daby Excerpts

Wednesday 4th March 2026 Commons Chamber

[Janet Daby (Lewisham East) (Lab)]

I thank the Chair of the International Development Committee, my hon. Friend the Member for Rotherham (Sarah Champion), for securing this timely debate. I also thank the Clerks of the Committee, on which I serve.

It goes without saying that we live in unprecedented times. Internal conflicts are driving insecurity worldwide, and the effects of the climate crisis and other global conflicts overshadow us. The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office has as complex a job today as it has at any time in the past century. In this debate, I wish to focus primarily on official development assistance spend for women, peace and security, and in the latter part of my speech on Sudan.

Last year marked the 25th anniversary of the women, peace and security agenda, which the Government recognised by refreshing their approach to WPS. This is welcome, but it is concerning that an FCDO equality impact assessment published last September confirmed a 25% reduction in WPS projects. There is continued support in full for Ukraine, Sudan and Syria, but that means women outside those conflict zones will be at risk. As Lord Ahmad told the International Development Committee, this will have “devastating consequences” for programmes under the preventing sexual violence in conflict initiative. Sexual violence in conflict or war is disturbing and, indeed, abhorrent, and everything must be done to prevent these types of perverse and evil acts of war.

The UK’s financial support for WPS is about preventing sexual violence, but it goes further. The UK has a programme that assists women’s peacebuilding organisations, enabling them to participate in negotiations and other diplomatic activities, which allows women’s voices to be included. However, it is estimated that up to 50 women’s groups will be disadvantaged because of ODA cuts. In 2023, UN statistics show that just 9.6% of negotiators, 13.7% of mediators and 26.6% of signatories to peace and ceasefire agreements were women. Some delegations in conflicts, such as those of Libya and Yemen, contain no women at all. The UK has an important role to play in supporting women into these vital roles, allowing women affected by conflict to speak for themselves rather than depend on the voices of men or external powers.

Before I move on to Sudan, I want to talk about the girls’ education for South Sudan programme. South Sudan has faced an influx of 2 million Sudanese refugees, putting pressure on schools; many have more than 100 children in a classroom. The UK’s participation in the girls’ education for South Sudan programme has helped many girls to get into school, but the project is facing a 90% cut. That is a worrying concern for Sudanese families and Government leaders.

As the Foreign Secretary said last month, Sudan represents

“the worst humanitarian crisis of the 21st century.”

In January, the conflict between the Sudanese armed forces and the Rapid Support Forces passed 1,000 days, and 30 million people need lifesaving assistance. Although Britain is making cuts to ODA spending, it is welcome that Sudan remains a focus of British spending. In December, the Foreign Secretary announced an additional £21 million for food, shelter, health and services, on top of the £146 million already committed. According to the FCDO, that will support over 800,000 people.

On the effects of the conflict on children, according to an IPC—Integrated Food Security Phase Classification —alert published last month, 30% of children aged six to 59 months are suffering from acute malnutrition. That means that the funding is but a drop in the ocean, covering barely 2.5% of the people who need assistance. With ODA cuts across the world, the risk of vulnerable people losing access to lifesaving assistance is increasing. The Government must do all they can to work towards reinstating ODA spend to 0.7%, and to work for international grassroots organisations as well as Governments internationally.

Finally, it goes without saying that negotiations are needed to end conflict and that that must remain a top objective. As conflict erupts in the middle east, we must not forget the devastation beyond our comprehension that Gaza has faced, particularly in the last three years, and a Palestinian state must of course be rebuilt without the influence of Hamas.

Budget Resolutions

Janet Daby Excerpts

Wednesday 26th November 2025 Commons Chamber

[Janet Daby (Lewisham East) (Lab)]

I thank the Chancellor and her team for a very welcome Budget. This is our Government’s second successive Budget, and it is focused on addressing the cost of living. It will ensure that everyone pays their fair share towards public services, and it invests in communities up and down the country. I will focus mainly on the cost of living, defence and overseas development aid.

As Members will be aware, many people across our country are facing great challenges to meet the cost of essentials. Food banks should be a thing of the past. Through this Budget, the Government are working towards making them a thing of the past by focusing on getting children out of poverty and getting young people into work through apprenticeships, and by bringing down energy costs. I strongly believe that prevention is far better than cure. The Government know that that is so, which is why they are investing in and focusing on early family help and early intervention, and lifting the two-child benefit cap, which is a significant measure.

I would hope the whole House would agree that no child should go hungry or without basic necessities, but from what I have heard from Conservative Members, I am not so sure that is the case. To those Members I say: child poverty damages the UK economy in the long term and makes those children less likely to perform as well as their peers in education and employment. Lifting the two-child benefit cap is, therefore, better for the economy. It will break the cycle of disadvantage and deprivation, and improve the life chances of children nationwide, wherever they are experiencing child poverty.

[Jim Shannon (Strangford) (DUP)]

I want to confirm my party’s support for the Government’s change to the two-child benefit cap. Child poverty levels in Northern Ireland are some of the highest in all of the United Kingdom; between 30% and 35% of children are in poverty. This change will bring them out of poverty and mean a better life for people. My party agreed with the amendment on the two-child benefit limit put forward by the SNP to the King’s Speech, so today is good news for us and for those children in poverty in Northern Ireland.

[Janet Daby]

I thank the hon. Member for his support for the Chancellor’s Budget and the lifting of the two-child benefit limit. I agree with what he said.

I remind Members what my hon. Friend the Member for Hackney South and Shoreditch (Dame Meg Hillier) said: 70% of children in poverty have parents who are in work. Children are not in poverty because their parents are not working. This Government are doing everything they can to lift children out of poverty. I also remind Members about the Children Act 1989, which states that the welfare of the child is paramount. If memory serves me correctly, Maslow’s hierarchy of needs refers to food. Getting children out of poverty means ensuring that no child goes hungry and that children have their basic needs met. This Government are very much committed to that, which is why I am delighted that the measure is in the Chancellor’s Budget.

[Matt Rodda]

My hon. Friend is making an excellent point. Is she ready to move on to the importance of breakfast clubs? Last week, I had the pleasure of welcoming the Prime Minister and the Education Secretary to Reading, where they visited a breakfast club providing excellent support to many children. The programme to expand them is really valuable, as it will invest in our young people and make huge differences to families. It will also help employers by helping mums and dads to get to work earlier.

[Janet Daby]

I thank my hon. Friend for his comments. I will indeed come to breakfast clubs—how could I miss them out?

The Resolution Foundation has estimated that scrapping the two-child limit would bring 330,000 children out of poverty and prevent a further 150,000 children from falling into poverty over the course of this Parliament. Children in my constituency will therefore have an improved standard of living, which is exactly what I want for them, just as Labour Members—and others, I am sure—want for their children. In fact, it is estimated that in Lewisham East, 3,530 children’s experience of relative child poverty will be reduced.

That builds on the vital work already begun by this Government, including on expanding access to free school meals, opening free breakfast clubs in every primary school and investing in historic amounts of affordable and social housing. Alongside that, we have the recently announced freeze of rail fares and prescription prices.

Every child deserves to be free from poverty and the effects of poverty. For far too long, successive Conservative Governments allowed child poverty to skyrocket; this Government will not. As a result of that failure, almost a fifth of children in my constituency grow up in poverty, but with the policies announced today, it is evident that the Labour Government are tackling child poverty as the moral imperative that it is.

[Lincoln Jopp]

Does the hon. Member acknowledge that whether parents get their money from income or from benefits, the Government, having inherited 2% inflation, have taken it up to 3.6%, which reduces the value of that pound in parents’ pockets?

[Janet Daby]

Parents want to provide for their children. Parents make choices, and the Government are making choices to support parents. We are doing that by lifting the two-child limit; Opposition Members should support that. We must not forget that these announcements have been made possible by making tough choices. Following the previous Government’s mismanagement, the nation was faced with an appalling fiscal situation.

I turn to defence. The Government are investing in capital investment over the course of the Parliament to kick-start the rebuilding of our armed forces, which is absolutely necessary when we consider how unrest in Europe is coming closer to our shores every day.

Since 2010, economic growth in my constituency of Lewisham East has lagged 30% behind the national average—that trend has been repeated in many other regions. The investment that will support councils and communities across the UK is therefore desperately needed.

Finally, as a member of the International Development Committee, I turn to international development. The UK has been at the forefront of global efforts in particular to prevent violence against women and girls, to promote peace and co-operation between different ethnic and religious groups, and to support the economic development of communities across the world. I am therefore pleased to see that paragraph 4.61 of the Red Book says:

“The government remains committed to restoring ODA spending to 0.7% of Gross National Income”

as their fiscal forecasts continue to improve. I am pleased that we are still focused on that, so that we can promote overseas the values and rights that we enjoy here in the UK.