Business of the House

Debate between Karen Bradley and Alan Campbell

Thursday 19th March 2026 Commons Chamber

[Dame Karen Bradley (Staffordshire Moorlands) (Con)]

One great privilege of being a Member of Parliament is the ability to raise constituents’ concerns directly with Ministers. Unfortunately, far too frequently, the responses to be sent to our constituents come from officials rather than Ministers. I am sure the Leader of the House agrees that our constituents are entitled to hear from the Ministers themselves. Will he remind his ministerial colleagues of their duty to ensure that our constituents hear directly from them, not their officials?

[Sir Alan Campbell]

I thank the right hon. Lady for raising this question, because Members who write to Ministers do so with the reasonable expectation that they will receive a timely and substantive response from a Minister, and that is absolutely right. If she has a specific example to draw to my attention, I will raise that with the appropriate Department, and I will raise the wider issue with other Departments, too.

Business of the House

Debate between Karen Bradley and Alan Campbell

Thursday 11th September 2025 Commons Chamber

[Dame Karen Bradley (Staffordshire Moorlands) (Con)]

I welcome the Leader of the House to his place and pay tribute to his predecessor, the right hon. Member for Manchester Central (Lucy Powell)—I have to say to my hon. Friend the Member for Harrow East (Bob Blackman) that she supports exactly the right football team.

People in Staffordshire Moorlands are very concerned that they should have their say about what happens in devolution plans. I am sure the Leader of the House will share my astonishment that the Reform-led Staffordshire county council has put forward a proposal for an east Staffordshire unitary authority, which would see not just Staffordshire Moorlands, but Burton, Uttoxeter, Tamworth and Lichfield drawn into a greater Stoke-on-Trent. Can the Leader of the House find time for a debate on the importance of local people having their own say on what happens in their local area?

[Sir Alan Campbell]

I have to say to the right hon. Member—I was going to say my right hon. Friend, which she is in many ways—that I do not share her astonishment about that at all, because that is not unique in places where Reform has councillors and is running councils. Nevertheless, it is an absolute shame that Reform councillors appear to have gone back on their word in this case. One of the themes that must run through the work we do in local government is listening to local people. I have no doubt that she will continue to make that case, and I urge her to do so by organising a debate on the matter.