Local Government Reorganisation

Juliet Campbell Excerpts

Thursday 16th July 2026 Commons Chamber

[Steve Reed]

The hon. Gentleman will be aware that there was a re-consultation on the situation in West Sussex, and an awful lot of stakeholders across the county submitted evidence. He would surely agree that it is only right and respectful that we take the time to consider all those proposals, rather than ignoring them and taking a decision without listening to what local people have said.

[Juliet Campbell (Broxtowe) (Lab)]

I thank the Minister for his statement. The option taken for Nottingham and Nottinghamshire sees Broxtowe borough council split in two; Eastwood and Brinsley will sit in the county and the rest of the borough will form part of the Greater Nottingham authority. What consideration has he given to the additional difficulties that splitting up an area will cause for our public services and electoral services?

[Steve Reed]

I remind my hon. Friend of the additional funding that is available for transitional arrangements; that is a recognition of the challenges that she has just described. The option we have selected for Nottingham and Nottinghamshire is the one that is the most financially sustainable and the best for economic growth. We cannot allow the wide economic chasms across this country, which the Conservative party did nothing about, to continue. Her constituents deserve far better futures than those left to them by the Conservatives.

Changing Places Toilets: Capital Funding

Juliet Campbell Excerpts

Thursday 16th July 2026 Westminster Hall

[Juliet Campbell (Broxtowe) (Lab)]

It is a pleasure to serve under your chairship, Sir Alec. I thank my hon. Friend the Member for Bexleyheath and Crayford (Daniel Francis) for securing the debate and for all his work in championing the rights of disabled people. He is tireless in what he does. I also put on record that Changing Places toilets were first introduced in Nottingham, where my constituency of Broxtowe is. I am proud that Nottinghamshire carries that legacy of innovation.

In previous roles, I have been a champion for disabled people, and many people have spoken to me about the need for Changing Places toilets. Many people with profound, multiple and severe disabilities and neurological conditions have complex needs, and a standard accessible toilet is insufficient. Many require a Changing Places facility equipped with a hoist, an adult-sized changing bench and adequate space for carers to provide sufficient support safely and with dignity.

Without those facilities, everyday activities that many of us take for granted become impossible—a family day out, a trip to the high street, visiting a museum, going shopping or meeting friends. Many of us take those things for granted, but those ordinary experiences are denied to too many people because they do not feel confident that their needs will be met once they leave home.

According to the Office for National Statistics, there are 10,000 disabled people in my constituency of Broxtowe who require a Changing Places facility, but there are only two such facilities there, meaning that people in Eastwood, Awsworth, Stapleford and Beeston do not have access to suitable provision. Only one of those facilities is modern enough and regularly open.

Disability rights charities and organisations across the country talk about disabled people and their carers restricting their journeys or avoiding going out altogether because they cannot find suitable toilet facilities or be certain that facilities will be open and accessible. Isolation, loneliness and poor mental health are often attributed to low social interaction, which can lead to anxiety and depression—that is what such facilities being missing can mean for disabled people. Parents of disabled children frequently report to me avoiding going out on outings altogether, not because they want their children to be excluded but because they cannot be certain that they will find a changing facility.

As a result, people become isolated from their communities and excluded from socialising. No child should be excluded from public spaces because there is nowhere suitable for them to change when necessary; no parent should have to choose between taking their child out and preserving their dignity; and no adult should be prevented from participating in social activities because the basic infrastructure that they require is absent.

The last Government rightly addressed some of this by making changes to building regulations that will increase Changing Places provision in new, large non-dwelling buildings. That is a welcome step and will improve access over the long term. However, disabled people cannot wait for a future development to solve today’s problems. Capital funding is needed now. The reality is that there are still large gaps in provision across the country, particularly in our transport corridors, town centres, tourist destinations and rural communities.

I urge the Government to look at how Changing Places provision can be embedded with current and future urban planning and within the Government’s high street strategy, with capital funding attributed to it. Accessible toilet facilities should form part of any strategy to create genuinely accessible high streets, ensuring that disabled people can confidently visit their towns, cities and public attractions without fear of being left without appropriate facilities. Capital investment in Changing Places toilets is not simply an investment in buildings or facilities themselves; it is an investment in an inclusive society where disabled people can enjoy the same opportunities, freedoms and quality of life as anyone else.

Indefinite Leave to Remain

Juliet Campbell Excerpts

Monday 8th September 2025 Westminster Hall

[Juliet Campbell (Broxtowe) (Lab)]

It is a pleasure to serve under your chairship, Sir Jeremy. I thank the Petitions Committee for securing the debate and my hon. Friend the Member for South Norfolk (Ben Goldsborough) for his opening remarks.

I rise to speak in support of retaining the five-year pathway to indefinite leave to remain for BNO visa holders. My constituency of Broxtowe is home to more than 2,500 BNO visa holders, many of whom have written to me to raise their concerns. Our community is being culturally and socially enriched by our Hongkonger residents, who continue to make a valuable contribution to society. Research shows that 59% of BNO visa holders have a degree or postgraduate degree, but despite their skills and eagerness to settle in the UK, they face challenges to fully integrating, settling and feeling secure here.

[Olivia Blake (Sheffield Hallam) (Lab)]

I wonder whether my hon. Friend agrees that, as employers have told me, increasing the qualifying period will make the UK less attractive to international talent. That is particularly important for science and research in our universities.

[Juliet Campbell]

I absolutely agree that that will impact how we can employ people in our communities.

A report by British Future found that only about half of BNO visa holders of working age are currently employed, and 47% of those working say that their current job status does not match their skills or qualifications. This creates barriers to individuals achieving their full potential and impacts their self-esteem. On top of those challenges, BNO visa holders face heightened anxiety and uncertainty because of the changes proposed in the immigration White Paper.

Although the Government’s proposals to regulate the immigration system are a good step forward, some of the proposed changes have led to a reduction in the trust placed in the Government by those from Hong Kong. My residents in Broxtowe acted in good faith and took the Government at their word when they said, as part of their commitment to Hongkongers who wanted to come to the UK, that they would have indefinite leave to remain after five years. Extending the pathway for indefinite leave to remain from five to 10 years means that many will be unable to access retirement saving funds, creating financial insecurity for many.

Without ILR, my Hongkonger residents in Broxtowe cannot qualify for home fee status at UK universities, delaying academic opportunities. Delaying ILR will also lead to delays in acquiring citizenship, which will impact eligibility for consular protection and emergency foreign assistance, and could leave those affected at risk of transnational repression. I urge the Government to retain the five-year pathway for BNO visa holders, who moved to the UK on that promise. That is fair, and it is the right thing to do.