Business of the House

Julie Minns Excerpts

Thursday 11th September 2025 Commons Chamber

[Sir Alan Campbell]

I will draw these issues to the attention of the relevant Department, but we are investing £500 million this year to deliver Project Gigabit and the shared rural network, to drive the roll-out of digital infrastructure in parts of the UK that are currently underserved. That will improve full nationwide connectivity by 2030, with more than £2.3 billion of contracts signed to connect over 1 million homes in some of Britain’s most remote locations.

[Ms Julie Minns (Carlisle) (Lab)]

I welcome the new Leader of the House to his place and thank him for all the help and support he gave those of us who were newly elected to this place 12 months ago in his previous role.

Last Friday, Cumbria’s first community county flag was unveiled at a special service at Carlisle cathedral. Cumbria county flag is the result of a county-wide competition and public vote, won by Cumbrian artist Ben Walker and presented to the lord lieutenant by the 1st Wetheral Brownies. Will the Leader of the House join me in congratulating Mr Walker on his excellent design and thank Cumbria’s lord lieutenant for organising such a fantastic initiative that celebrates community cohesion and pride?

Business of the House

Julie Minns Excerpts

Thursday 4th September 2025 Commons Chamber

[Lucy Powell]

I thank the hon. Lady for reminding me about the brilliant Lionesses’ triumph in the Euros earlier in the summer. I take this opportunity to congratulate them on that.

The hon. Lady raises the important issue of neighbourhood policing. Community policing has been hugely diminished over the last 10 to 15 years, and we are determined to fix it. The nature of how policing is done has changed, but we are providing the funding and the additional police officers for community and neighbourhood policing to flourish in constituencies like hers.

[Ms Julie Minns (Carlisle) (Lab)]

Madam Deputy Speaker, I congratulate you on your very successful ice cream-inspired tour of your constituency during the recess.

I recently met a constituent of mine, Lou, who was part of a group that developed Turning Point and Learning Disability England’s information pack on “Do Not Attempt Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation”. We know from LeDeR—learning disabilities mortality review—reports and other sources that too many learning disabled and autistic people die with a “do not resuscitate” order in place. Will the Leader of the House please arrange for the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care to make a statement on the actions that have been taken to ensure that learning disabled people and their families are fully involved in and fully informed of any DNR decision?

[Lucy Powell]

My hon. Friend rightly raises a really important issue, which she has explained better than I could, about the challenges of DNRs, particularly for vulnerable people, and I hope that those involved will have listened to her question. I will ensure that she gets a full ministerial response and that the issue is looked at.

Business of the House

Julie Minns Excerpts

Thursday 12th June 2025 Commons Chamber

[Lucy Powell]

As the hon. Gentleman knows, the numbers he describes are within the normal fluctuations of these things. I am not clear whether this Conservative party supports getting more teachers into our state schools. As a result of the changes we have made to VAT on private schools, we have got over 2,000 more teachers in our schools this year, with more to come. It is vital to get more teachers into state schools, which educate 94% of young people in this country.

[Ms Julie Minns (Carlisle) (Lab)]

It will not have escaped the attention of Members of this House that Britain is in the grip of a viral addiction that has collapsed websites, stripped shop shelves bare and had the staff of Castle Chocolates in my Carlisle constituency working round the clock to feed it. I am of course speaking about Dubai chocolate. Will the Leader of the House not just join me in thanking the staff of Castle Chocolates, who are literally working round the clock, but give us time for a debate on the entrepreneurship of our small businesses and the contribution they make to our cities?

[Lucy Powell]

I join my hon. Friend in celebrating Dubai chocolate, and I congratulate Castle Chocolates in her constituency on meeting that demand. It shows the opportunity that social media brings to small businesses in parts of our constituencies; we should always remember that when we discuss issues around social media. I will join her in having a few Dubai chocolates later.

Business of the House

Julie Minns Excerpts

Thursday 15th May 2025 Commons Chamber

[Lucy Powell]

I join the right hon. Member in paying tribute to the exceptional service of Sir Roy Stone. I know that he worked with Sir Roy, as did many others across the House; he sounds like the most tremendous person to have worked with.

The right hon. Member raises the really important issue of the restoration and renewal project for the House of Commons. He and I both sit on the House of Commons Commission, where we discuss these issues. It is vital that the House has its say on what that project will entail, that we get value for money and that people can see what that money is being spent on—some of the necessary reservicing works that we must see at some point. We will have plenty of time to debate those issues on the Floor of the House.

[Ms Julie Minns (Carlisle) (Lab)]

Last week, His Majesty the King was pleased to approve the appointment of the new Bishop of Carlisle, Rob Saner-Haigh. His appointment after two years acting in the role has been widely welcomed across the diocese. May I invite the Leader of the House to welcome the appointment? Would she make time for a debate on the important work our faith leaders do in all our communities?

[Lucy Powell]

I join my hon. Friend in congratulating the Bishop of Carlisle on his recent appointment. I know that these matters are of interest to the House but, because they fall outside Government business, they often struggle to get debating time, as I discussed recently with the Second Church Estates Commissioner, my hon. Friend the Member for Battersea (Marsha De Cordova). Hopefully, through the Modernisation Committee and other work we are doing, we can find more time to debate such important matters.

Business of the House

Julie Minns Excerpts

Thursday 1st May 2025 Commons Chamber

[Lucy Powell]

I thank the hon. Gentleman for raising that. Those comments are incredibly serious, and are unacceptable when aimed at Conservative or any other MPs. I totally condemn them, and as does the whole House. We have all seen what happens when comments incite and encourage violence against a Member of Parliament. It is deeply unacceptable and undermines our democracy, as well as putting our lives and our work at risk. That is why we all stand in solidarity against them.

I was grateful to you, Mr Speaker, for granting the urgent question to allow Members to air their thoughts on the issue earlier this week. On Glastonbury, I am sure that the festival organisers have heard loud and clear the comments made about the band. It is for Glastonbury festival to take that forward. However, I am sure that no one in this House would want to see them playing at Glastonbury, and I am sure that we will all continue to say so, loud and clear.

[Ms Julie Minns (Carlisle) (Lab)]

Residents in the villages of Roadhead and Stapleton in the northern part of my Carlisle constituency were recently devastated to learn that the post office counter services that have operated from their village halls for two hours a week were to close at just two weeks’ notice. Those counters provide vital postage and cash services in a geographically remote part of my constituency—but the closure of mobile counters is not subject to the same consultation requirements as permanent branches. Will the Leader of the House consider a debate on how the Post Office consults on the closure of those vital but mobile services, and on ensuring that the same requirements apply as do for the closure of a permanent branch?

Business of the House

Julie Minns Excerpts

Thursday 24th April 2025 Commons Chamber

[Lucy Powell]

I am sorry to hear that Leicestershire county council is cutting vital bus services in my hon. Friend’s constituency. We have confirmed over £1 billion extra for local bus services such as those she describes, and we are bringing forward—in fact, it is passing through Parliament at the moment—the Bus Services (No. 2) Bill, which will give local communities much more say on bus services in their area.

[Ms Julie Minns (Carlisle) (Lab)]

On 16 April 1850, the Cumberland Co-operative Land and Benefit building society first opened its doors. The Cumberland, which is headquartered in my Carlisle constituency, is celebrating 175 years of serving my constituency and the wider area. Will the Leader of the House please join me in wishing the Cumberland building society a happy birthday and thanking it for the part it is playing in supporting Labour’s pledge to build 1.5 million new houses?

[Lucy Powell]

I join my hon. Friend in congratulating Cumberland building society on its 175 years—what a remarkable achievement—and on all the work it is doing in supporting house building and homeowners in her constituency and beyond.

Business of the House

Julie Minns Excerpts

Thursday 3rd April 2025 Commons Chamber

[Lucy Powell]

We have only just had the spring statement last week, and the OBR has forecast that the economy will grow faster than expected over the forecasting period. The right hon. Gentleman might not like our Employment Rights Bill, but I am afraid Government Members stand proud behind it, because we have a firm belief that making work pay and giving people dignity and security at work is how we will boost our economy and boost growth. I will not get into speculation about what may or may not happen in the future. I respected the right hon. Gentleman greatly as a Minister, but he was part of a Government who presided over a huge crash in our economy and all the problems that came from it.

[Ms Julie Minns (Carlisle) (Lab)]

With thoughts turning to Easter, I recommend to Members who might not already have plans a visit to my beautiful constituency of Carlisle and north Cumbria, and in particular RSPB Geltsdale, where they will see the award-winning Howgill Beck restoration project, which just last night won the UK river prize. It is a fantastic restoration project that has restored the wetlands, and native species have returned to the environment. It is a stunning part of north Cumbria. Will the Leader of the House join me in congratulating the RSPB and all its partners on this wonderful project?

[Lucy Powell]

I absolutely join my hon. Friend in congratulating the RSPB in Geltsdale and Howgill Beck, which sounds fantastic. I am actually a member of the RSPB, in part because my son is a bit of a keen twitcher, and I am sure he will be nagging me to pay a visit to her constituency and see that fantastic project.

Business of the House

Julie Minns Excerpts

Thursday 27th March 2025 Commons Chamber

[Lucy Powell]

I know that the shake-up in local radio caused a great deal of concern to Members across the House when it was proposed and implemented in the last Parliament; many Members raised their concerns directly with the director general and others at the time. I am certainly happy to raise with the Department how that has gone and what the feedback has been, and I will ensure that the hon. Gentleman and other Members are kept informed.

[Ms Julie Minns (Carlisle) (Lab)]

It will be four years this summer since Cumbria’s Newton Rigg agricultural college closed its doors, and with it ended the last course in hill farming available in England. Given the importance of hill farming and upland land management in constituencies such as mine, will the Leader of the House make time for a debate on the importance of land-based education and skills?

[Lucy Powell]

Absolutely. I am sorry to hear that the hill farming course that my hon. Friend describes is no longer available; that does not sound like a good development. As part of our programme of skills and education, I know that Ministers will be keen to discuss with her how we can ensure that agricultural education such as hill farming is at the centre of our thoughts.

Business of the House

Julie Minns Excerpts

Thursday 6th March 2025 Commons Chamber

[Lucy Powell]

We support the Darlington-Stockton railway, and I thank my hon. Friend for raising that as we mark 200 years of its existence. We will support him in every way we can.

[Ms Julie Minns (Carlisle) (Lab)]

One reason that parts of my rural north Cumbria constituency are not served by fixed broadband is that the per-metre charge to access Openreach�s ducts and poles makes it prohibitively expensive to roll out broadband by other providers. Will the Leader of the House make time for a debate on the costs of rolling out rural broadband, in particular the charges for physical infrastructure access?

[Lucy Powell]

My hon. Friend is right that access to digital broadband is vital�it is now the fourth utility for many people�but in rural communities it remains patchy. Despite the previous Government making money available, digital broadband has been too slow to roll out and to get to her constituents, and this Government are taking steps to speed that up.

Business of the House

Julie Minns Excerpts

Thursday 13th February 2025 Commons Chamber

[Lucy Powell]

May I thank the hon. Gentleman for raising that on behalf of his constituents? I am sure it is something that many of us across the House are familiar with. I am really sorry to hear of the poor service and the poor state of repair of houses provided by Sanctuary in his constituency. He will know that that is one reason the Government want to strengthen the rights of renters, whether they be in social or private housing. We are currently taking the Renters’ Rights Bill through both Houses, which will give those living in the hon. Gentleman’s constituency even more rights to ensure that they live in a decent, well-maintained and safe home.

[Ms Julie Minns (Carlisle) (Lab)]

Madam Deputy Speaker, I know that I and many new Members have been grateful over the last seven months for your guidance and for the support from your teams in helping us get to grips with the rules and procedures of this place, which I know the Leader of the House is committed to ensuring are upheld and respected at all times. I imagine that my right hon. Friend therefore shares my concern that last night’s political broadcast from the Conservative party not only extensively featured the use of a taxpayer-funded ministerial car, but was filmed in part on the parliamentary estate in Speaker’s Court, in direct contravention, as I understand it, of the rules of this House. Will the Leader of the House ensure that the matter is fully investigated?