Business of the House

John Slinger Excerpts

Thursday 4th December 2025 Commons Chamber

[Sir Alan Campbell]

I share my hon. Friend’s frustration. I understand just how disruptive street works can be for drivers and local communities, and it is really disappointing that the local authority has not responded positively on these matters. We are doubling fixed penalty notices for certain street works offences, but in the meantime I urge the county council to enforce the orders that my hon. Friend raises, not least because residents and road users may otherwise conclude that the Reform-led council is all talk and no delivery.

[John Slinger (Rugby) (Lab)]

Will the Leader of the House join me in congratulating schools and youth groups in my constituency for their phenomenal 53 engagements with UK Parliament Week? It is not a competition, but I would like to update the House that Rugby came 12th out of 650 constituencies, and second in the west midlands. I visited Ashlawn school, Rugby Free secondary school, Cawston Brownies, Binley Woods youth club and the Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh Rugby branch to discuss politics with young people, while English Martyrs RC primary, Clifton-upon-Dunsmore Church of England primary and the 1st Hillmorton Guides sent questions that I answered on social media. Their questions and enthusiasm for contributing to improving their community, country and world shows that democracy has a bright future. Will the Leader of the House join me in paying tribute to the brilliant parliamentary staff who worked so hard to ensure a very successful UK Parliament Week?

[Sir Alan Campbell]

I will certainly join my hon. Friend in thanking the parliamentary staff for their fantastic work, and thanking Mr Speaker for his leadership with regard to Parliament Week. I also congratulate my hon. Friend on something else: 53 is a huge number of engagements. I can see that he is very much wired into his local constituency and is doing a fantastic job of motivating people there. It is really important that schools and clubs engage, and I want to thank each of the ones my hon. Friend has mentioned as well as all the others who have engaged for making Parliament Week such a success. It is great that so many young people are involved and have, hopefully, not just a better understanding but a better interest in politics. They may wish to take that on into involvement at a local level—and who knows, we may see some of them sitting on these Benches in future years.