Oral Answers to Questions

Jonathan Brash Excerpts

Wednesday 11th November 2026 Commons Chamber

[Bridget Phillipson]

We have been squeamish about class for too long as a country, and we need to tackle the deep inequalities that hold back too many people. I do not believe that that should be outsourced. It should be central to the work of every single Government Department, which is why I have decided to establish a new class unit in Government that will focus on everything that holds people back in our country. The difference between our party and that of the hon. Lady is that we are serious about tackling child poverty, and during this Parliament we will lift more children out of poverty than any other Parliament on record.

[Mr Jonathan Brash (Hartlepool) (Lab)]

2. What steps she is taking with Cabinet colleagues to tackle period poverty.

[The Minister for Women and Equalities (Bridget Phillipson)]

This Government are focused on giving people more breathing space. We are tackling the root causes of poverty through measures to make work pay, and are boosting the living wage so that no one has to go without the essentials. We are working with businesses to ensure that women are supported at work, and we support women’s health needs through our action plans too. We are ensuring that those with the greatest needs can access period products, with schemes that are already operating in schools and health settings.

[Mr Brash]

Will the Minister join me in paying tribute to my constituent Lyndsay Hogg for her tireless campaign to persuade businesses to provide free sanitary products in their public toilets? Lyndsay believes that we should go further and make that a legal requirement for businesses, ensuring that no woman or girl is ever prevented from participating fully in society because she has no access to essential sanitary products. Does the Minister agree that that could be a huge step forward in tackling period poverty, and will she agree to meet Lyndsay and me to explore how we can make this ambition a reality?

[Bridget Phillipson]

I pay tribute to Lyndsay, and I would be delighted to meet her and my hon. Friend to discuss what more we can do. It is good to see businesses and public services already opting to provide products, but it is right that, in parallel, we make sure that women have more money in their pockets and are lifted out of poverty. We are doing that by making work pay, cutting energy bills and scrapping the two-child limit, but I look forward to discussing this issue further with Lyndsay and my hon. Friend.