Business of the House

Jesse Norman Excerpts

Thursday 22nd October 2026 Commons Chamber

[Jesse Norman (Hereford and South Herefordshire) (Con)]

Will the Leader of the House give the House the forthcoming business?

[The Leader of the House of Commons (Sir Alan Campbell)]

The business for the week commencing 26 October will include:

Monday 26 October—Debate on a motion on the performance of Royal Mail, followed by general debate on the emerging risks of advanced AI. The subjects for these debates were determined by the Backbench Business Committee.

Tuesday 27 October—Second Reading of the Building Safety (Remediation of Unsafe Cladding etc) Bill.

Wednesday 28 October—My right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer will deliver his Budget statement.

Thursday 29 October—Continuation of the Budget debate.

Friday 30 October—The House will not be sitting.

The provisional business for the week commencing 2 November includes:

Monday 2 November—Continuation of the Budget debate.

Tuesday 3 November—Conclusion of the Budget debate.

Wednesday 4 November—Remaining stages of the Sporting Events Bill [Lords].

The House will then rise for the November recess at the conclusion of business on Wednesday 4 November and return on Tuesday 10 November.

[Jesse Norman]

I thank the Leader of the House very much for that business. As the Prime Minister, the Leader of the Opposition and others said yesterday, in this week of the 60th anniversary of the Aberfan disaster, let us never forget its victims, including 116 children, and its terrible cost to their families and their community.

On a far happier note, the House will shortly come together in celebration of the Clerk on his retirement, but let me pay a personal tribute to Tom now for his unfailing genius, sense of service and courtesy to the House, and the assistance he has given us all as Members over 30 years. As a jobbing trumpeter, coming very much from the opposite end of the quality spectrum, I can testify that Tom is a superb jazz pianist. Like any great jazzer, he has a remarkable ability to improvise under pressure while never losing sight of the underlying material—as in the gig, so at the Table. That is no small achievement with 650 would-be Miles Davises all playing in different keys.

[Mr Speaker]

And some are more in tune than others.

[Jesse Norman]

Some are more in tune than others, Mr Speaker. Among Tom’s heroes is Art Tatum, who was famous for taking a familiar tune and turning it into something almost unrecognisable. Tom has often performed the reverse feat with Members’ legislative amendments: taking something almost unrecognisable and turning it into something more familiar.

Mr Speaker, I hope that you and the Leader of the House will forgive another toot from me on my constituency trumpet. This week has seen the publication of a brilliantly positive new report by Policy Exchange on our new engineering university in Hereford, NMITE—the New Model Institute for Technology and Engineering. Among other things, the report highlights that, thanks to the university’s accelerated degrees, it offers at least 20% better value for money for students than elsewhere. For local students, it is almost half the cost of an equivalent chartered engineering degree anywhere else.

The report goes further—I think this is a matter of general interest to the House—by identifying 57 suitable towns and cities across the UK, including Hartlepool, Grimsby, Barnsley, Burnley and Scunthorpe in the north alone, in which the model could be rolled out across the country. I would be delighted to discuss with colleagues how we could do so with any areas and constituencies that may be interested.

I end, if I may, on a more serious note. In May 2024, Lord Walney’s report, “Protecting our Democracy from Coercion”, made more than 40 recommendations to tackle political intimidation and disruptive extremism. More than two years into their term of office, this Government have yet to respond fully; indeed, Ministers abolished Lord Walney’s position last year. When they did so, they promised that his report would continue to shape the Government’s approach to political violence, yet they rejected key recommendations in passing the Crime and Policing Act 2026, including stronger powers to prevent particularly harmful marches. They did that despite very strong appeals from Jewish community groups facing the present rising tide of antisemitism—groups that are still more concerned, be it said, after the Green party’s appalling resolution that Zionism is racism.

The threat is clear, and I know that this is an issue of particular concern to you, Mr Speaker, on behalf of all of us. Ninety-six per cent of Members of Parliament responding to the Speaker’s Conference in 2025 reported harassment, intimidation or abuse. It is a matter of public record that, last September, arson destroyed the constituency office of one of our colleagues, and that another and their son received death threats. Peaceful protest is fundamental to democracy, of course, but so is the right of every person to live free from intimidation, and the right of every elected representative and their staff to be able to serve without intimidation, abuse or coercion.

Will the Leader of the House ask the Home Secretary to publish a full, recommendation-by-recommendation, response to Lord Walney’s report, and will he arrange a debate in Government time on that response so that the House can collectively scrutinise what the Government are doing and propose to do to meet these dreadful threats?

[Sir Alan Campbell]

First, I join the right hon. Gentleman and, as he says, the leaders of all parties in reflecting on the anniversary of the Aberfan disaster, which was 60 years ago yesterday. We remember the 116 children and the 28 adults who tragically lost their lives when Tip 7 collapsed on to Pantglas junior school and nearby homes, and we pay tribute to the incredible courage of the rescuers and the enduring resilience of the Aberfan community. I think it is fair to say, Mr Speaker—because you and I are contemporaries—that we are old enough to remember the disaster, and we have been fortunate enough to live 60 years of our lives that 116 of our contemporaries were unable to do. That is sobering, to say the least, but actually it is a tragedy. I want to put on the record that our thoughts are with the Aberfan community and families.

I also want to mention Andy King, the former Member of Parliament for Rugby and Kenilworth from 1997 to 2005, who sadly passed away this week. I am sure the whole House joins me in sending our condolences to his friends and family.

I am also sure that the whole House will join me in condemning the horrific attack on the Australian independent MP Dr Helen Haines, which took place outside her electoral office. My thoughts are with Dr Haines, her family and her team as she recovers from this appalling assault.

On lighter matters, I want to extend my congratulations and those of the House to the hon. Member for Boston and Skegness (Richard Tice) on his recent marriage. I further extend my congratulations to the shadow Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, the right hon. Member for East Surrey (Claire Coutinho), who announced the birth of her son this week; we wish them well.

Today marks the start of the 2026 Royal British Legion poppy appeal, as thousands of volunteers gather across our country to distribute the red poppy. They raise funds for our brave service personnel, veterans and their families, and we thank them all for everything they do.

Turning to other matters, this summer was filled with record high temperatures, but as we are seeing, winter is now drawing in, and the changing climate will bring more severe and uncertain weather in the years to come. We need to ensure that we are fully prepared across the NHS and our transport system, and in relation to our energy security. I think it is fair to say—it is not a party political point; I think it is just true—that the UK has been a bit of an outlier in not looking sufficiently early at this issue right across Government, and I just want to reassure the House that we are putting that right.

We have taken a crucial step forward this week in protecting motorists from unfair enforcement and car sale scams with a new private parking code of practice, providing motorists with the right to challenge unfair private parking charges. This issue has been raised with me several times at business questions. Also, potholes are an issue frequently raised with me in this forum by Members. Data published today shows that more than 7,000 miles of road resurfacing has taken place this year—up 10% on last year, but clearly there is more to do.

On another theme—with your indulgence, Mr Speaker —I have also faced questions on matters of heritage and restoration. I want to mention my constituents Kevin and Alison Wilson, who have been involved in the successful restoration of Cullercoats Watch House, who join us in the Gallery today.

Let me turn to the points raised by the right hon. Member for Hereford and South Herefordshire (Jesse Norman). First, he mentioned the success of further and higher education in his constituency. I have said this before and am happy to repeat it: I absolutely commend him for his work, which has been recognised as an excellent model. As he says, I hope that other areas will look at it. The higher education sector is an engine of economic growth in his area and elsewhere, and providers play an essential role in training students not just for jobs now but for the future. I am sure he has spoken to them already, but if he wishes to speak to Ministers to discuss this matter further, I am happy to arrange that. I wanted to put that on the record, because he is right to raise it in the way that he does. This is not and should not be a party political matter. Those on the Government Benches can learn from the best experiences of those on the Opposition Benches, and that is very much in keeping with the practical approach that the Prime Minister wants to see across a number of policies.

The shadow Leader of the House raised another very important matter: security, and tackling and preparing us against terrorism. There is the Speaker’s Conference, which is crucial. There is also the defending democracy taskforce, which continues to look at these issues. I will raise the specific point he made about Lord Walney’s report with Ministers and see whether there is something the Home Secretary needs to update the House or, indeed, the right hon. Gentleman on.

Let me make it absolutely clear that we stand with all faiths, including and particularly those of the Jewish faith as they come under sustained attack. It is a sad fact that both antisemitism and Islamophobia have increased in recent months, and the Government are absolutely committed to tackling that. That means putting money into the physical protection of places of worship, but it also means making social cohesion a top priority. Finally, I will point out that Sir David Bell’s report this week on antisemitism and how schools need to do more is an excellent piece of work, and the Government intend to accept all 27 recommendations.