Rugby League Clubs

Jim Shannon Excerpts

Wednesday 28th October 2026 Westminster Hall

[Jon Trickett]

My hon. Friend is right that rugby league is a sport that grew up in working-class communities and especially in mining communities, so it is surprising that it has not taken root in his constituency. However, when we consider the discrimination that rugby league has suffered from over the years, it is maybe not so surprising. One of the things I will argue is that we need to do more to develop the sport across the whole country, especially in communities such as his. My hon. Friend is right, too, that whenever a player was injured in Featherstone in my patch, they would go to the pit head and shout down, “Send us up another forward,” or whatever it was, and one would emerge quickly, get changed and get on to the pitch. It was very much part of the mining tradition.

[Jim Shannon (Strangford) (DUP)]

I thank the hon. Gentleman for securing this debate. Rugby union was my game—I apologise to him—but rugby league has had a magnificent, transformative impact across the United Kingdom. It is the beating heart of towns, providing vital structure, mental health support and community pride for young people, yet it is facing a financial squeeze. Does he agree that the Government must extend rugby league funding to support the sport’s future and enhance the funding strategy to protect these invaluable community assets from the financial ruin that they face?

[Jon Trickett]

The hon. Member makes an important point, and I agree.

To develop a bit about rugby league, in the areas I am most familiar with, rugby league—and sport in general—can be the most important agency for social cohesion. Sport can provide something that brings everybody together, whatever their different points of view or life experiences. In my constituency, Featherstone Rovers have played for decades, and there is a massive amount of pride in the fact that we have that team. I will come to the difficulties they are facing, and I hope we can find a way forward.

Let me remind the House that the BBC used to cover rugby league more or less weekly on “Grandstand”. Most people in this room are probably not old enough to remember the famous commentator, Eddie Waring, but I do well. So familiar was rugby league in those times, because of the BBC coverage, that many of Eddie Waring’s favourite expressions were well known across the whole country. Mike Yarwood, who was a great mimic at that time, used to talk with Eddie’s accent—which I cannot do. He used to talk about “up and under”, which was one of the ways a ball could be kicked. More importantly, when somebody was sent off, his favourite expression was, “Well, he’s been sent for an early bath”—I very much hope that you will not send me for an early bath today, Ms Vaz.

Rugby league ought to be a nationally recognised sport. I will come to the discrimination and the problems with television in a second, but let me remind the House that anyone who wants to watch rugby league on TV now has to go to two separate pay-per-view channels. It costs £61 a month, which is 5% of the total income of a person living on the minimum wage. People are being priced out of the spectacle, which is a great shame, because it is leading to the atrophy of the sport across the communities where it ought to be played. It is also stopping us from spreading rugby league further—I will come back to that in a second.

Rugby league was a product of the class system that operated in sport in those days. The so-called gentlemen, who did not need to be paid, would play rugby union. Those who were too poor could not afford to play rugby union, so rugby league was set up, so that players could be paid. That was the start of rugby league as a code; but the truth is that the divisions that existed then continue today.

I have identified one or two statistics that may surprise the House. If we look at the honours system, eight rugby union players have received a knighthood; there have only been two from rugby league, one of whom is the great Kevin Sinfield, who was knighted for his contributions to charity. That difference shows a level of discrimination. When we look at the national squads for rugby union, two thirds or more went to public school. I cannot find a single player for the national rugby league side who went to public school. It shows the class divisions, which surprisingly continue in sport after all these years.

It is disappointing that fewer than 40 universities have a rugby league side, whereas every single university that I can find has a rugby union side. Again, that shows that something is not quite working between the two codes. When it came to covid, as we know, sports were remunerated, but here is an astonishing fact: rugby union received about £130 million, whereas rugby league got £10 million or £11 million—ten times more went into rugby union from covid. I do wonder—perhaps the House would agree—whether those in the civil service making these decisions are often people who went to universities and schools that had rugby union, but have little comprehension of the importance of rugby league in areas such as mine. I think that demonstrates clear discrimination, and I hope that the Labour Government are aware of that—if they were not, then they are now, because I have drawn it to the Minister’s attention.

I want to move on to the situation facing Featherstone Rovers. Wakefield, which I now represent, has the honour of having three separate professional rugby league sides: Wakefield, Castleford and Featherstone. Unfortunately, due to bad management, Featherstone has gone into administration, and we have been struggling to find a way to bring the Rovers back to life. The team is the core of the people of Featherstone’s identity, as was mining—mining was stripped away many decades ago, but references to mining can still be seen everywhere in the township in Featherstone. The rugby league side, Featherstone Rovers, is a matter of great pride, and the fact that it went bankrupt and there is nobody playing on the pitch at the moment is heartbreaking for so many people I represent.

Gradually, we have been putting together a plan to try to bring Featherstone Rovers back to life. That has been difficult, and I have spent many hours trying to achieve it, but thanks to the recent appointment of a new chief executive at the Rugby Football League, we are now making progress. The RFL has said that it is prepared to help to acquire the assets, bearing in mind that there is a stadium with buildings around it and several acres at the back of it. The administrator has been difficult, but he has come to the view in the end that, because it is a community asset, he is prepared to sell it for slightly less than he might have thought it was worth in a completely commercial sense. We think that it can be acquired for about £1 million. When Labour was in charge of the council—it has changed hands recently—it put aside several million pounds for each of the three rugby league clubs. There is £700,000 still unallocated to Featherstone, and the council, under its new management, has now said that a substantial part of that, possibly half a million, will be made available to the rugby league for it to be able to acquire the assets.

Here comes the interesting part, because in Featherstone, thanks again to the Labour Government, we have something called Pride in Place, and we have been allocated £20 million over the coming ten years. I am a member of the Pride in Place board, by virtue of being the local MP—I do not know if I need to declare an interest, but I do in any event. The board has said that it is prepared to make a substantial contribution to the acquisition of the stadium and the surrounding land. It has been difficult to put this together, but the board is unanimous, and, led by the by the chair Kay Binnersley, we are now in a position to say that, when the money arrives from the Government in the next financial year, it can then be made available to the RFL.

I have met the new chief executive of the RFL, who is a dynamic and progressive individual, and we have agreed that we want to create a partnership between the Pride in Place board and the RFL to try to take this whole thing forward. That is desperately important, because without Featherstone Rovers playing, it has not been easy to create a fixture list, because there will be one less team than is required to set up the fixtures. There is an urgency to this. I have to say that it has been frustrating dealing with the RFL over the last year and a half on this matter, as it went from one temporary chief executive to another, but now it has a decision maker in place, and I am confident that he is determined to make this happen, and clearly he needs to do that for all the other teams in the rugby league.

Cask Ale: Intangible Cultural Heritage

Jim Shannon Excerpts

Tuesday 27th October 2026 Westminster Hall

[Jim Shannon (Strangford) (DUP)]

It is a real pleasure to serve under your chairship, Sir Desmond. I commend the hon. Member for Burton and Uttoxeter (Jacob Collier) for introducing the discussion incredibly well. This issue cuts directly to the beating heart of our local communities, our economy and our shared cultural identity. It is always a pleasure to see the Minister in her place—Members always look forward to her responses, and she will not be found wanting today.

I want to speak about the economic boosts, tourism potential and craft in relation to what the hon. Member for Burton and Uttoxeter said. The potential merits of recognising the production and serving of cask ale as intangible cultural heritage under the UNESCO framework are vast. Cask ale is not just a commercial liquid in a glass; it is a living, breathing testament to an artisanal craft passed down through generations. It requires a meticulous partnership between the maltster, the farmer, the brewer and, most uniquely, the publican, who has specialised expertise.

[Hannah Spencer (Gorton and Denton) (Green)]

For the record, I do quite like an after-work pint. Constituents I represent run the fantastic independent Courier Brewing Co., and they make cask ale because they love it, but rising business costs and big international breweries dominate markets and make it harder for them to carry on. A pint of cask ale is a huge part of our heritage—as British as fish and chips. Does the hon. Gentleman agree that protecting it requires urgent action, such as giving pub tenants the right to request an independent beer on tap, like in Scotland? That will not solve everything, but it is a start.

[Jim Shannon]

I certainly do, and I am sure the Minister has taken note of the hon. Lady’s comments. In an age of mass-produced, globalised conformity, cask ale remains stubbornly and beautifully local.

I want to bring a Northern Ireland angle to this vital debate, ever mindful of the hospitality industry, our independent producers and the social fabric of our communities. Elevating local crafts to the status of intangible cultural heritage would send an unequivocal message to policymakers at every level that our traditional liquid heritage must be actively nurtured, protected and legally accommodated, rather than stifled. The hon. Member for Burton and Uttoxeter highlighted the importance of that when setting the scene. He also mentioned British wealth and prosperity, and we are part of this Great Britain. I am proud to be British, probably more so than some people where I live. The safeguarding of intangible heritage can transform a region: look at the spectacular revival of the drinks and spirits sector across Northern Ireland. The liquid arts are part of our DNA in Strangford and across Northern Ireland.

It does not brew cask ale, but the Echlinville distillery was Northern Ireland’s very first farm distillery. It crafts spirits from field to glass, by growing, harvesting and floor malting its own barley on site. That underlines the craft that goes into brewing ale and takes place in distilleries. Hinch distillery is another example; it brews triple-distilled whiskeys that are winning global acclaim. Rademon Estate, through the passion of Fiona Boyd-Armstrong and her husband David, also promotes craft distilling and successfully marries historic estate heritage with a thoroughly modern, sustainable vision, powered by its own on-site hydro and wind energy.

When we look at cask ale and the craft industry across this great United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, those distilleries exemplify the preservation of the craft, the celebration of local raw materials and an unwavering commitment to quality that cannot be replicated by a mass production line. What do those world-class distilleries have to do with the perseveration of cask ale? It is simply this: they prove that liquid heritage is an economic and cultural engine. When we protect and celebrate traditional production methods, we do not just create jobs in the mash house or the bottling hall; we create a tourism boost and boom. We give people a reason to visit Strangford, stay in the guest houses, eat in the restaurants and sit in our historic pubs.

It is worth reminding the House that even a giant like Guinness was once a traditional cask product, naturally conditioned in wooden barrels; however, the commercial shifts of the mid-20th century saw the multinational brewers abandon the cask system entirely in favour of highly processed, pasteurised kegs to maximise global shelf life. That is precisely why this debate is important and why we must act now. It is important for our independent craft brewers, farm distilleries and local publicans to step up and keep these historic skills alive.

By granting cask ale intangible cultural heritage status, we would protect the fragile living traditions that global corporate models have left behind. By seeking UNESCO intangible status for the production and serving of cask ale, we are not dwelling on the past but securing the future. We are protecting the fields of our farmers, the livelihoods of our independent publicans and the heritage of our people. I urge the Minister to work closely with the devolved Administrations to support our independent producers and back this campaign, ensuring that our unique hospitality and manufacturing heritage continues to thrive for generations to come.

--- Later in debate ---

[Stephanie Peacock]

I am grateful to my hon. Friend for that important point. As he illustrates, and from the visit that the Prime Minister made when he was the Mayor of Manchester, I am sure that he will be very supportive. I do not want to speak for him, but I will reflect it to his Parliamentary Private Secretary.

I see the importance of pubs in my area and my constituency of Barnsley South. I take this opportunity to thank and pay tribute to Dan at the Cross Keys pub in Darfield, who has made the pub a brilliant community hub. As he moves on, I wish him and the team the very best. It is just one of the brilliant pubs that Barnsley has to offer.

I attended the British Beer and Pub Association dinner and awards evening earlier this month and had the privilege of meeting John Longden, the chief executive officer of Pub is The Hub. I join Members from across the House in paying tribute to him and the work that he has done. As many Members will know, Pub is The Hub is a not-for-profit that helps rural and remote pubs to diversify their businesses and to provide essential local community services. The evening saw brewers, pub operators, suppliers and patrons celebrate the industry, with awards presented to extraordinary community champions.

To support pubs and venues directly, the Government have launched a £10 million hospitality grant. Over £3 million of that funding has been awarded to Pub is The Hub to support its work. The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government announced a £210 million funding package for our high streets, including £125 million for derelict buildings and £65 million for community ownership. The Government have previously supported pubs through alcohol duty reforms, including introducing and expanding draught relief for products below 8.5% alcohol by volume and cutting duty on qualifying draught drinks in February 2025.

[Jim Shannon]

I thank the Minister for a very comprehensive and helpful response to our questions. What is important is not just the craft, but the tourism potential. Do the Government recognise that there is tourism potential for the economy to grow and create jobs and prosperity?

[Stephanie Peacock]

The hon. Gentleman makes an important point. As the Tourism Minister, I absolutely echo and agree with the point that he is making. I was about to say that pubs were included in the recent announcement on additional business rate support, which is 15% in 2026-27 and will be 20% from April. That will save the average pub £1,100 a year. Members would not expect me to anticipate the Budget tomorrow, and we look forward to hearing the Chancellor in the Chamber tomorrow afternoon.

The sector relies on skilled people. We see industry taking the lead with the launch of the British Beer and Pub Association Academy, opening its doors to degree apprentices to build the next generation of pub leaders and brewing managers. The Government want to back them, and this Government are transforming the apprenticeship levy into a new growth and skills levy in England. We are fully funding apprenticeships for eligible young people under 25 and offering a £2,000 hiring payment to non-levy-paying small businesses that recruit young apprentices. Backed by £1 billion, that investment will support 50,000 more young people into apprenticeships by March 2029, helping to train the next generation of brewers, coopers and cellar staff.

I thank my hon. Friend the Member for Carlisle (Ms Minns) for highlighting the rich brewing history of Carlisle, from the historic state management scheme to its independent brewers. She and a number of other Members asked whether the Government have considered extending a guest beer arrangement model to England, akin to the guest beer provision in the Scottish pub code. Ministers are giving it their consideration and DEFRA colleagues regularly discuss market access and competition with industry representatives. We will continue to listen to brewers and publicans on how best to sustain consumer choice, but given the interest in those policy areas, I will make sure I speak to the relevant Ministers following this debate.

I end by thanking my hon. Friend the Member for Burton and Uttoxeter and all Members from across the House for bringing this debate to the House. I look forward to working with colleagues across the House to safeguard the brewing future.

Ticket Price Regulation: Live Events

Jim Shannon Excerpts

Wednesday 9th September 2026 Commons Chamber

[Dr Huq]

My hon. Friend makes a brilliant point: the mutualisation of our venues is an important thing. We now have a Prime Minister who is a Labour and Co-op MP, so we hope to see that in practice. I will come to the example of the Co-op Live arena, but I think we will not have certainty until we have proper legislation to get rid of this issue once and for all.

[Jim Shannon (Strangford) (DUP)]

I congratulate the hon. Lady on securing this debate; I am always encouraged by her energy and enthusiasm for the subject matters that she brings forward. Is she aware of action taken against the company Starhub in 2024, following concerns that customers were initially shown artificially low headline prices, only for mandatory fees to be added later in the purchasing process? That meant that 50,000 UK customers were eligible for refunds. However, delaying the disclosure of unavoidable fees can exploit customers’ inattention. Given that transparency is key—and I think that is what she is seeking—does the hon. Lady agree that current protections should be made sufficient to ensure that customers are shown the full and accurate price of a ticket before committing themselves to a purchase?

[Dr Huq]

I certainly agree with that, and one of the provisions in my excellent Bill is on transparency. People should know what they are getting into.

Touting does not just apply to music. Football, theatre, and all sorts of other things are becoming subject to these processes. In July, Which? found that tickets for Lewis Capaldi’s current run at the O2 in London were on resale sites for £1,400, when they were originally priced between £32 and £111. A ticket for the All Points East festival with Raye was even on sale for £114,666 on viagogo—the original price was only meant to be £80.

We are used to such surge, gouge and dynamic pricing—where there is variability and prices fluctuate—with planes, trains, Uber and Amazon, but it is creeping into all our lives. It is made easier with data mining, because that algorithmic calculation can factor in demand, willingness to pay and availability. Oasis clam that it was not surge pricing with them, but tiered pricing: there were different levels of ticket, which is why, by the time people were at the front of the queue, the £100 tickets had gone, and the tickets remaining cost £300. The array of different ticket types—premium; standing—can be a bit confusing.

Youth Parliament: Government Support

Jim Shannon Excerpts

Wednesday 9th September 2026 Westminster Hall

[Peter Swallow (Bracknell) (Lab)]

I beg to move,

That this House has considered Government support for the UK Youth Parliament.

It is an honour to serve under your chairmanship, Mr Betts. I warmly welcome the Minister to her place for what I believe is her first Westminster Hall debate.

Many colleagues have taken their seat in this place after years of serving their community as a local councillor or in a political role, but before my election I was a teacher and an academic. Standing for Parliament was almost the first time that I had run for anything; in fact, my only prior experience was running to be a Member of the Youth Parliament when I was about 14. I am sorry to say that I came third, although the confidence that I gained from putting myself forward stayed with me and, I have no doubt, helped me to reach this place.

[Jim Shannon (Strangford) (DUP)]

The hon. Gentleman may have come third that time, but he came first in the last election—well done. The National Youth Agency does magnificent work in delivering the programme. These brilliant young minds need certainty and sustainable funding, not just allocations handed out year by year. Does the hon. Gentleman agree that equitable funding across the whole United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, including Strangford, would ensure that young voices are heard on the national stage with proper financial support to enable full participation, just as he himself achieved when he had the opportunity?

[Peter Swallow]

I thank the hon. Gentleman for making that point, to which I will return at the end of my speech. As we look to deliver better youth services and participation for all our young people, we certainly need to think about how to fund it properly.

The UK Youth Parliament is an institution in which we can take great pride. It develops skills, provides opportunities to young people right across the country and helps them to have a voice in our democracy. I have had the privilege of meeting Erin and Kingsley, the last two MYPs for Bracknell. I believe that Kingsley has joined us in the Gallery today, alongside other MYPs; we briefly lost them to the right hon. Member for Richmond and Northallerton (Rishi Sunak), but I am glad to see that he has let them go so they can join us for this debate. I have heard at first hand from MYPs in Bracknell and across the country about the benefits of the scheme for them personally, as well as for the young people they represent.

I should declare an interest as the chair of the all-party parliamentary group for schools, learning and assessment. Just before the summer, the APPG concluded its inquiry into votes at 16 with a report that I encourage all Members, especially the Minister, to read. The inquiry’s aim was to explore and make recommendations on how the Government can prepare young people to feel educated and empowered to use their vote at the age of 16. We heard from a wide range of young people, education professionals and youth and civil society organisations on how votes at 16 can be not just implemented, but made a success. Contributors to the report highlighted the importance of engagement with democracy and the democratic process, not just in the classroom but through wider enrichment opportunities. The UK Youth Parliament is a perfect example.

Votes at 16 has been a long-standing campaign of the UK Youth Parliament. Its imminent introduction is a direct example of the power of the UK Youth Parliament to give young people a platform to make change at the highest levels. I firmly believe that the Government would not be making this historic change were it not for the campaigning zeal of successive generations of MYPs. I pay tribute to them all.

Media Green Paper

Jim Shannon Excerpts

Tuesday 8th September 2026 Westminster Hall

[Sir John Whittingdale]

I strongly agree, and that is the point that I was coming to next. A lot of the towers in the transmission network, which broadcasts digital terrestrial transmission, are owned by Arqiva, and they also carry the transmitters for commercial radio. The hon. Gentleman is absolutely right that if we turn off the television transmission, all the costs get loaded on to the remaining broadcasters—that is, the commercial radio stations. I therefore hope that the Minister will at least address that too, because the estimate that I saw is that it will potentially result in an increase in costs of more than 50% a year for commercial radio stations.

[Jim Shannon (Strangford) (DUP)]

One aspect of the media Green Paper for us in Northern Ireland is similar to the position in the rest of the United Kingdom, in that it will directly threaten not only our local broadcasting sector but the connectivity of our rural and most vulnerable communities. The 2034 switch-off of digital terrestrial TV is focused almost entirely on what appears on our television screens, but the real casualty is commercial and local radio. The right hon. Gentleman is right to underline the issue. The economic modelling shows that transmission costs will surge by almost 50% per year for commercial radio. Does he agree that that will be the death of commercial radio?

[Sir John Whittingdale]

The hon. Member is completely right that this issue must be addressed before we proceed. There is also the question of cost, raised by my right hon. Friend the Member for Wetherby and Easingwold (Sir Alec Shelbrooke). There are people who probably do have access to broadband, if they choose to pay for it, but they cannot afford to do so. They, too, would be severely affected if they were suddenly unable to receive television by that means. I support the ambition to reach a point in 2034 when we will be able to switch off DTT, but serious questions need to be addressed before we reach that point.

I will turn to the other major issue of twofold concern, because the Government are advancing two parallel policies on the question of prominence. I was the Minister responsible for the passage of the Media Act 2024, during the previous Parliament. It is a great delight to see some familiar faces with whom I have worked with in the past on the officials’ Bench. The Media Act was all about ensuring that our public service broadcasters were still highly visible in a world where people are getting smart, connected TVs. It simply maintained the prominence requirements, which was important, as all the broadcasters agreed.

It is now suggested that the same prominence should be extended to video-sharing platforms. I recognise and agree with the Government’s concern about the prominence of disinformation. I sit on the Foreign Affairs Committee, which did a big inquiry into disinformation. The best counter to disinformation is accurate, sourced, objective journalistic content, of the kind that public service broadcasters provide. Nevertheless, YouTube, the main video-sharing platform under discussion, was never intended as the vehicle for the big broadcasters. It is all about user-generated content. There is real concern that if the main broadcasters are pushed into greater prominence, some people will get less prominence. Those are the creators, start-ups and user-generated content. That undermines one of the original purposes of YouTube.

Oral Answers to Questions

Jim Shannon Excerpts

Thursday 3rd September 2026 Commons Chamber

[Ian Murray]

I commend the Gatehouse theatre in Stafford for all that it does for young people; it is a fantastic initiative. The DCMS understands that people in rural areas face additional challenges in accessing culture. We know that transport challenges make accessing touring productions and after-school activities more difficult. Indeed, that was something we discussed on Staffordshire Day in this place. Arts Council England is committed to responding to the specific needs of rural areas, such as working with artists, improving access for rural audiences and building partnerships for growth. Access to culture should not be a postcode lottery, either due to transport restrictions or availability, and that is what our arts everywhere programme is all about.

[Jim Shannon (Strangford) (DUP)]

I thank the Minister for that answer. Castle Ward, a local National Trust site in my constituency, puts on a host of cultural and creative activities throughout the year to allow locals to engage with the arts. Bus services are needed so that people in urban and rural areas can access those activities. Will the Minister work in partnership with the National Trust on this issue right across this great United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?

[Ian Murray]

Absolutely, and I commend the hon. Gentleman for the work done in his constituency, including at Castle Ward. Encouraging everyone to go and visit would be the best thing for me to do as the Minister. Transport connectivity for those attending cultural and music events and historic and heritage places came up at the Select Committee sitting I attended this week, so we are working hard to resolve these issues.

--- Later in debate ---

[Marsha De Cordova]

I have to say that sounds like a wonderful visit—despite the hon. Member being gunged—and I join him in thanking Lighthouse in Princes Risborough, and in Great Missenden and Haddenham, for its incredible work in his constituency, and huge thanks go to Eleyna Kibble and the team of volunteers. We know that without volunteers none of these schemes can be delivered. Since 2019, the diocese of Oxford has given over 300 financial grants, totalling £5.9 million, to its parishes to host youth groups and Lighthouse holiday clubs. The Church is committed to and will continue to support community projects such as these in their areas across the country.

[Jim Shannon (Strangford) (DUP)]

6. What steps the Church of England is taking to work with local authorities to help church communities to support family hubs and community cohesion.

[Marsha De Cordova]

Family hubs are a crucial one-stop shop for families to access vital support in one place, and the Church of England supports this with other denominations through the ChurchWorks Commission, which has produced helpful guidance and resources for churches and local authorities. That includes a toolkit that sets out how churches can be involved through signposting referrals, the use of buildings and by running specific services.

[Jim Shannon]

I thank the Second Church Estates Commissioner very much for her answer. St Mark’s church in Newtownards, in my Strangford constituency, held a brilliant summer scheme this year, offering games, songs and crafts for children from the local community. The church has the facilities and capacity to provide more activities and support for families throughout the year. However, with additional funding it could do much more. Given the need for central Government funding, what steps can she and the Government take to ensure that community organisations such as St Mark’s have access to the funding they want and need to support local families and communities all the year round?

[Marsha De Cordova]

May I say how delighted I was to see the hon. Member’s name on the Order Paper? He did not have to bob this time. I join him in congratulating churches on the valuable role their play in supporting young people, and I thank him for raising the excellent work of churches in Newtownards. Following my exchange with the right hon. Member for The Wrekin (Mark Pritchard), I wrote to the Local Government Minister and the Children’s Minister to discuss how faith-based organisations can work more closely with local authorities to expand youth provision. Supporting young people is part of the Church of England’s Growing Younger priority, backed by a £1 billion investment over the next nine years. I would be happy to put the hon. Member in touch with the team and officials at Church House for further information. I also want to encourage all local authorities to see the great work that partnering with churches can deliver in supporting and providing opportunities for young people.

National Youth Strategy

Jim Shannon Excerpts

Wednesday 8th July 2026 Westminster Hall

[Jim Shannon (Strangford) (DUP)]

It is a real pleasure to serve under your chairship for the third time today, Ms McVey; I think we are getting to know each other quite well. I thank you for your courtesy and guidance. I also congratulate the hon. Member for Huddersfield (Harpreet Uppal) on securing this debate. I spoke to her beforehand. When I saw the title of the debate, I said, “I’m definitely going to Westminster Hall.” People will say, “You’ll be in Westminster Hall anyway.” But I came racing down for this debate—I love this debate—and I am going to explain why.

It is nice to see the Minister in her place again. She gets all the good debates, and today she has a really super one. I look forward to her contribution. This year is the 70th anniversary of the Duke of Edinburgh’s award, and a new national youth strategy will be in place. This is an opportunity to reshape what will be offered to the next generation to ensure that every child, regardless of their background, postcode or circumstances, is given the tools to become world-ready.

I wanted to come and speak in this debate because my three boys, Jamie, Ian and Luke, got the Duke of Edinburgh’s award. When they were young men, Jamie got the gold and the other two boys got the bronze. I watched them march off with their impossibly heavy rucksacks into the damp, unpredictable weather, maps in hand, full of nervous energy. I watched them return tired, covered in mud, but standing just a little bit taller. I believe it taught them resilience—the hon. Member for Huddersfield outlined that incredibly well in her contribution—and it taught them how to look at a challenge, look at their peers and say, “This is something that we have to do together.” It is not just about a single person; it is about doing it together. That is what the Duke of Edinburgh’s award instils. As a father, I owe a great debt of gratitude to the legacy of the late Prince Philip, and to the ongoing devotion of the current Duke of Edinburgh, Prince Edward. Through the Duke of Edinburgh’s award, my boys made friends for life.

Every year, Northern Ireland produces some of the highest completion rates anywhere in the United Kingdom for gold, silver and bronze. Our schools, our uniformed organisations, such as the Boys’ Brigade and the Girl Guides, local youth clubs and even farmers clubs have been the engines driving this success. The charity’s 70th anniversary goal is to reach 2 million more young people over the next five years—what a goal that is, and it is achievable.

In Northern Ireland, young people are unfortunately dealing with a mental health crisis. It is deeply concerning. We are dealing with pockets of severe deprivation where a child might never otherwise, without the award, get the chance to see the beauty of the Mourne mountains, let alone hike across them. The Duke of Edinburgh’s award is the framework that catches young people when formal education is not enough, building their focus, memory and social awareness. It does all those things, and brings them together for us, ensuring that no child is left behind in my constituency of Strangford and across Northern Ireland, including in the inner-city estates of Belfast and the border regions.

Let us use this 70th anniversary not just to celebrate the past, but to build a robust, unbreakable foundation for the future of our youth. My three boys did the Duke of Edinburgh’s award; they did well, and the award did that for them.

--- Later in debate ---

[Mr Louie French (Old Bexley and Sidcup) (Con)]

As always, it is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Ms McVey. I congratulate the hon. Member for Huddersfield (Harpreet Uppal) on securing this important debate.

We all recognise that this issue is increasingly important to our constituents across the country. I spend a lot of time discussing it as both the local MP in Old Bexley and Sidcup and a shadow Minister. I have had the pleasure of having young people on work experience with me this week to keep me on my toes. It has been a busy week.

In 2022, the previous Government allocated £560 million over three years to fund the national youth guarantee, ensuring that young people aged between 11 and 18 in England had access to regular clubs and activities, something to do after school, experiences away from home and opportunities to volunteer. As part of that, we allocated £300 million to youth facilities, improving and developing 300 of them. We established the National Citizen Service; this Government cancelled it, but more than 750,000 young people participated in it and it had a 93% satisfaction rate—something this Government could only dream of.

As the Government well know, youth charities, like all employers, are subject to national insurance contributions, and the increase in contributions requires them to find additional funds. According to the National Council for Voluntary Organisations, these changes could cost the charity sector an additional £1.4 billion a year. For smaller charities with limited reserves and core funding, that will seem like an insurmountable challenge. As has been mentioned, this has led to a reduction in provision.

Youth work has huge economic benefits. Research has shown that every £1 of Government investment in youth work has a social return on investment of between £3.20 and £6.40. Moreover, it saves around £500 million annually by preventing antisocial behaviour, knife crime and associated criminal justice costs. As a Government, we established the youth investment fund, which delivered £300 million over approximately three years. This Government scrapped it, and announced a new national youth strategy, which analysis shows cuts the funding by around £50 million each year over the life of the strategy.

Yesterday, my hon. Friend the Member for Meriden and Solihull East (Saqib Bhatti) and I hosted a roundtable with those from the enrichment sector—it is great to see some of them in the audience today. The renewed national focus on enrichment is welcome and timely, but access to enrichment remains uneven, and Government funding cuts will only make that worse. We agree with those we heard from yesterday that the challenge is how we ensure that fantastic youth enrichment provision is accessible for as many young people as possible across the country.

As others have said, enrichment is not an optional extra; it is a vital way in which young people learn fundamental life skills that often cannot be taught in traditional learning environments. I have seen some of the Duke of Edinburgh work in one of my local schools, with pupils putting up tents and camping. The Duke of Edinburgh’s award celebrates a milestone next week—70 years—and I am sure that many Members will be there to support that tradition.

[Jim Shannon]

Those opportunities allow many young people to enjoy camping—unlike the hon. Member for Twickenham (Munira Wilson), who is not really a camper. Those who get the thrill of camping for the first time will always want to do it. My oldest boy did it, and now he goes camping every summer with his wife and the children. That is just an example of people acquiring something that lasts.

[Mr French]

I thank the hon. Gentleman for one of his famous interventions. I am pleased that his son enjoys camping; I am not sure I am as sold on a camping holiday in this weather. He is right that it teaches young people key life skills that they can take forward for the rest of their lives.

We all know the crisis we have, with more than 1 million young people not in education, employment or training. A good enrichment offer is a key way of reversing the alarming increase we have seen in recent years. The Government’s national youth strategy has some noble aims, including halving the participation gap in enrichment activities between disadvantaged young people and their peers, and giving half a million more young people access to a trusted adult outside of the home by 2035—I believe passionately in the power of role models, and I would love to go on about it longer, but I am looking at the time, so I will not.

The warm words in the strategy are all well and good, but the funding must match them. Governments of all colours make big announcements, but the funding does not always match them. That is my concern: that the money being put forward is not enough to deliver the objectives.

Government can often be siloed, so I hope that the Minister will also commit to making a concerted effort to ensure that policies and programmes across Government are put into practice in a more holistic and strategic way in this area. There ought to be an understanding of the need for funding pots and programmes for enrichment to complement one another, to work in tandem, and not to duplicate efforts or to compete with other Departments’ aims. Will the Minister therefore urge colleagues in the Department for Education to reverse the 22% cut to school PE funding and reverse the cut to the opening schools facilities fund, which would help many youth clubs to have somewhere to provide their services?

Future of British Horseracing

Jim Shannon Excerpts

Tuesday 7th July 2026 Westminster Hall

[Jim Shannon (Strangford) (DUP)]

It is a pleasure to serve under your chairship, Mrs Harris. I thank the hon. Member for Spelthorne (Lincoln Jopp) for setting the scene incredibly well, as he always does on this subject, which is very close to his heart. It is always a pleasure to see the Minister in her place, and I look forward to her answers. She is very involved in her Department, and it is well known that horseracing is one of her passions.

Everybody has spoken about their own racecourses. I do not have any in my constituency, but the neighbouring constituency of South Down has the Down Royal and another at Downpatrick. Almost every one of my neighbours owns horses. Some of them are for show jumping, and some are for racing at Down Royal, Downpatrick and elsewhere. I understand the importance of this subject to my neighbours. The hon. Member for Spelthorne has also shown passion for his constituency and has put on record the importance of retaining the racecourse there.

As you probably expect, Mrs Harris, I want to speak about the title of this debate: the future of British horseracing. I know that it is your job as Chair to be independent, but you have had a very deep interest in gambling in the past. I want to talk about gambling and the Gambling Commission.

We meet today to discuss an industry that is woven into the very fabric of our national heritage. British horseracing is a magnificent sport, a massive rural employer and a source of immense pride and community across the length and breadth of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. From the stable hands and breeders to the racecourse staff, thousands of livelihoods depend on its continuing success, and I want to see that as well. However, as we look forward to the future of this great sport, we must do so with a sense of deep caution, a steady hand and a clear moral compass.

The relationship between horseracing and the betting industry is historical and undeniable, and betting provides vital financial lifeblood that keeps our racecourses open and their prize purses funded. However, we cannot and must not allow our support for the sport to blind us to the devastating social realities of problem gambling. I see the fallout in our communities: families torn apart, livelihoods ruined and mental health shattered by the grip of gambling addiction. Therefore, any vision for the future of British horseracing must be fundamentally rooted in an unwavering commitment to gambling awareness and robust player protections. We must welcome the implementation of balanced safety measures, such as frictionless financial vulnerability checks, which are absolutely critical, that are designed to catch unaffordable harms before they destroy lives.

There are those in the racing industry who fear the financial impact of these regulations. I understand their anxieties about falling revenues, but I say to the industry, and very respectfully to the Minister, that sustainability cannot be built on the backs of vulnerable people losing money that they just do not have to spend. True sustainability means creating a safe and transparent environment in which the casual punter can enjoy a flutter responsibly while those at risk are intercepted and protected. That is the point that I want to make today. It is something that you, Mrs Harris, have been at the forefront of in this House. I have always supported you in all the ventures that you have taken forward in the House, and that is one that has been successful.

The future of racing depends on its social licence. To safeguard that licence, the sport must step up and lead from the front. We need to see gambling awareness embedded in every single level of the racing experience. Information should be prominently visible at racecourses and throughout TV broadcasts, and integrated into every digital betting platform. When the Minister replies to the debate, will she please give me the reassurance that I wish to have on that matter for my constituents and others outside the House who are listening to this debate in Westminster Hall?

We must ensure that a meaningful portion of the revenue generated from race betting is directly and transparently funnelled into independent research, education and treatment for gambling harm. Mrs Harris, you and I and perhaps many others in this room have had occasion to meet some of those who have lost family members to gambling; gambling took over their whole life, and they eventually succumbed to taking their own life, as they saw that as the only way out. We must ensure that never happens again. Constituents back home have asked me to put this on record in the House, so I am doing that today.

I also have these questions for the Minister. First, as the Government work to secure the long-term funding and governance of British racing, what assurances can she give that gambling harm prevention will remain at the heart of national policy? Secondly, will the Minister commit to working with the sector to ensure that we protect this historic British sport, because we want to see it retained—we know its significance—and, most importantly, the vulnerable individuals and families in our communities? Let us build a future for British racing that is prosperous, but above all safe, ethical and responsible.

--- Later in debate ---

[Helen Maguire (Epsom and Ewell) (LD)]

It is a pleasure to serve under your chairship, Mrs Harris. I thank the hon. Member for Spelthorne (Lincoln Jopp) for securing this important and timely debate. I refer Members to my entry in the Register of Members’ Financial Interests, where I detail hospitality received from the Jockey Club. I am also a member of the all-party parliamentary group on racing and bloodstock.

Horseracing is the UK’s second-most attended spectator sport, after men’s football, with over 5 million people visiting British racecourses every year. Horseracing attendees, contrary to popular belief, come from a diverse range of socioeconomic and ethnic backgrounds, with 39% of horseracing tickets purchased by women. British horseracing is undeniably a huge success story. Across all metrics, British horseracing remains a force to be reckoned with, particularly in terms of its economic and cultural impacts. Our races attract the best horses, and we have the best bloodstock and some of the best trainers. Racing is a British cultural institution.

[Jim Shannon]

For the record, the hon. Member for Spelthorne referred to an exciting horserace and mentioned Banbridge—I think it came in third. Anthony Peter McCoy is the most famous jockey from Northern Ireland. Hailing from Moneyglass in County Antrim, he is widely regarded as the greatest National Hunt jockey of all time. He rode 4,358 winners and was crowned British champion jockey for a record 20 consecutive years. That tells you what Northern Ireland does, Mrs Harris, and we can do it better than anybody else.

[Helen Maguire]

I thank the hon. Member for his excellent contribution.

Racing is a British cultural institution that sets the gold standard for quality and is steeped in a rich history and prestige. Horseracing dates back more than three centuries, with thoroughbred horseracing first created here in the UK. It remains closely connected with royalty, a tradition that has continued with His Majesty the King. I was delighted that he came to the Epsom Derby this year, because this connection only further boosts its global reach.

Horseracing is a soft power asset in the British arsenal that is already working hard for the UK on the international stage. Four of the top 10 races in the world are held in the UK—more than any other country. Royal Ascot alone is broadcast to over 300 million households across 180 different countries.

In 2023, the British Horseracing Authority reported that the racing industry had direct revenues in excess of £1.47 billion. Its annual contribution to the British economy was a staggering £4.1 billion, and the industry supports over 85,000 people, employing them in racecourses, training yards, stables and breeding organisations, as well as in the betting industry.

In Epsom, I have been absolutely delighted to go and see the training yards and meet the really hard-working individuals there. British horseracing simply would not be what it is today without those people working behind the scenes. It is vital and it underpins many local communities, particularly rural ones.

I have seen the positive impact of British racing in my constituency, which is home to the Epsom Downs racecourse and hosts the famous Epsom Derby. I was fortunate to be able to attend the Derby in June, which was an incredible, exciting and fantastic event—anyone who has not attended it before should do so.

A report commissioned on behalf of the Jockey Club highlights how economically significant the Epsom Derby is on a national scale, and how it is just as important on a local scale for the constituency and the county that it calls home. The report found that its economic impact in 2024 alone was over £63 million, and the races’ events, hospitality and visitor spending accounted for over £56 million of the total. The Epsom Downs training facilities and employment opportunities came in a close second and third, each bringing in an estimated figure of between £2.5 and £3 million. The revenue brought in by the event highlights that horseracing is an anchor institution in the local economy, contributing nearly £1 billion of capital through supporting regional hospitality and cultural industries in east Surrey.

Given the importance of the horseracing industry, it is disappointing that the reform of the horserace betting levy did not better deliver support for it. The levy yield for the 12 months to 31 March 2025 reached almost £109 million. That is the fourth successive year of increase, and the highest yield since the levy collection reforms of 2017, but it is still short of the 2007-08 record of £116.5 million. I urge the Labour Government to reconsider their decision not to support extending the levy to overseas racing, because the income of the industry continues to fall. In the past two years, the levy board estimates that betting turnover on British racing has fallen from £11 billion to £8.5 billion. The board says,

“falling turnover is unlikely to prove a positive for the sport’s long-term health.”

Does the Minister agree that British horseracing is an international success story, a source of global soft power and a vital community asset in many towns across the UK?

Media Green Paper

Jim Shannon Excerpts

Wednesday 24th June 2026 Commons Chamber

[Lisa Nandy]

I also represent a largely rural constituency, and I absolutely recognise the challenges that the hon. Gentleman talks about in relation not just to broadband but mobile signals. I cannot get reception in my own house, to be honest. There is a real challenge, which is precisely why we have brought forward these proposals now, with a genuinely open question about 2034 or 2044, so that we can work with industry to ensure that his constituents are not left behind.

[Jim Shannon (Strangford) (DUP)]

I thank the Secretary of State very much for her answers and her positivity in responding to all the questions that have been asked. Mine is a very specific question relating to Northern Ireland, and I think she will be quite perturbed when I give her some figures. With the new media Green Paper pushing for a total IPTV transition by 2034, what specific guarantees can she give to nearly half of all households in Northern Ireland—some 370,000 people—that still rely entirely on digital terrestrial TV via an aerial, so that our rural and vulnerable communities are not left in a digital blackout as a result of the Green Paper’s proposals?

[Lisa Nandy]

The hon. Gentleman is absolutely right to say that there are particular challenges in certain parts of the country, and Northern Ireland is very firmly at the forefront of not just my mind but the mind of the Minister for Media as well. I would be more than happy to discuss it further with him, but we will work together to make sure that nobody is left behind.

Oral Answers to Questions

Jim Shannon Excerpts

Thursday 18th June 2026 Commons Chamber

[Jim Shannon (Strangford) (DUP)]

I am very fortunate that I have exceptional talent in my constituency, and for those who wish to take their talents across Europe and other parts of the world, the opportunity is there. The Minister was positive in his answer to the hon. Member for Manchester Withington (Jeff Smith). Will the same enthusiasm, energy and commitment be shown to our Minister in Northern Ireland to ensure that he does the same for my constituents in Strangford?

[Ian Murray]

As well as sending artists across the European Union, Strangford sends the very best to this Chamber. There is a firm commitment on the EU side to take this forward. I met Commissioner Micaleff at the high-level meeting, and also discussed the matter at the Culture Ministers’ meeting. We are determined to ensure that there can be as much ease as possible for UK touring artists in Europe. That is the manifesto commitment, and we are doing everything that we possibly can. It is complicated. There are a number of Commission elements to this—it is not just about visas but transportation, marketing and all those kinds of issues—but we are trying our very best to get through those as quickly as possible.

--- Later in debate ---

[Sir Jeremy Wright]

As I have said, the commission will review what happened in the May 2026 polls and make any further recommendations it feels necessary as a result. The hon. Lady makes two important points. It is important that equipment is available, and she will know that tactile devices have been found by the commission to have been available in every polling station. Her other important point is that people who are blind or partially sighted need to know about that, and communicating that information is crucial—she is absolutely right.

[Jim Shannon (Strangford) (DUP)]

I thank the right hon. and learned Gentleman for that answer. The RNIB has been in touch with me in relation to an issue in Northern Ireland. Access to elections is imperative if we are to encourage true democracy, and there must be confidence that any and every polling station has easy access. Will he consider ensuring that those with blue badges are permitted to drive into polling stations and do not have to park outside the gates, as is currently the situation in some Northern Ireland polling stations? It is a very specific issue for us in Northern Ireland but hopefully one that the right hon. and learned Gentleman can help us with.

[Sir Jeremy Wright]

I will certainly make sure the commission hears what the hon. Gentleman has said. He will appreciate that judgments on these things are often for returning officers or for those managing individual polling stations, but he makes an important point about access. As I say, I will make sure the commission hears what he has said.