Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Keir Starmer and Chris Vince

Wednesday 10th June 2026 Commons Chamber

[The Prime Minister]

I thank the hon. Member for sharing his personal experience and, notwithstanding that, congratulate him on his achievements at the London marathon. I agree with him that patients should receive high-quality, consistent care, wherever they live. Through national improvement programmes such as Getting It Right First Time, we are making sure that best practice is shared to drive up standards, and I am happy for Ministers to give him the details.

[Chris Vince (Harlow) (Lab/Co-op)]

Q15.  Many happy returns to you, Mr Speaker.It is Carers Week, so I take this opportunity to thank all the young carers and young adult carers in my constituency of Harlow for all that they do, all year round.As a former teacher, I spend a lot of time talking to students, parents and teachers in Harlow about the dangers of social media. They are very concerned that the big tech companies are not taking their responsibilities seriously, so can I ask the Prime Minister what he is doing to hold big tech firms to account, to ensure that our young people are safe online?

[The Prime Minister]

I thank my hon. Friend for his great work supporting young carers for decades. We have given tech companies a deadline: introduce the device-level controls that already exist to prevent children from sending and receiving sexually explicit images or we will change the law, with fines for companies or even criminal liability for bosses who fail to comply. When it comes to the safety of our children, standing by is not an option, and further steps will follow.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Keir Starmer and Chris Vince

Wednesday 20th May 2026 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

I call Chris Vince from Harlow.

[Chris Vince (Harlow) (Lab/Co-op)]

Q4. Thank you, Mr Speaker. The Prime Minister will be pleased to know that I am going to ask him a question about his favourite topic: football. There are people in this House who seek to blame the Prime Minister for everything, but I thought it was a bit rich when one national newspaper blamed him for Harlow Town going into administration because he once went to visit them. I know that Harlow Town is very much the Prime Minister’s second team, so he will be pleased to know that they are now out of administration and looking forward to a strong future. What will his Government do to support important community assets like our football teams, such as Harlow Town and Roydon, who also won their league this season?

[The Prime Minister]

I have very fond memories of visiting Harlow Town with my hon. Friend. The point he makes is an important one: football clubs bring our communities together. They are part of our social fabric and, in some places, they are one of the last places left where members of the community can come together. That is why my Government fought so hard to create the Independent Football Regulator to protect our national game. We should remind everyone—every football fan across the country, from Harlow Town to Wigan Athletic—that it was Labour that was on the side of football fans, while the Tories and Reform opposed us every step of the way.

Middle East

Debate between Keir Starmer and Chris Vince

Monday 2nd March 2026 Commons Chamber

[The Prime Minister]

It doesn’t. It is the simple use of bases operationally that has been agreed, as of last night.

[Chris Vince (Harlow) (Lab/Co-op)]

I join the Prime Minister in paying tribute to our brave service personnel, who every day work incredibly hard to keep us safe. I also pay tribute to him for his leadership on this matter. A number of people from my constituency of Harlow are trapped in Bahrain and Dubai, including one who is pregnant. What advice can the Prime Minister give to my constituents who are worried about their safety?

[The Prime Minister]

I thank my hon. Friend for raising the case of his constituents; I am sure they are very anxious about the situation. I assure them and him that we are working at pace with our allies to get a safe and swift route for them to come out of the region, which is what they all want.

China and Japan

Debate between Keir Starmer and Chris Vince

Monday 2nd February 2026 Commons Chamber

[The Prime Minister]

We have had a Chinese embassy in this country since 1877. It is currently over seven sites; it is now going to be on one. The security and intelligence services published a letter the day after the decision was made to say that it was better for security in this country, and I think that is the right approach.

[Chris Vince (Harlow) (Lab/Co-op)]

I thank the Prime Minister for his statement and for his continued international leadership. I know, however, that wherever he goes in the world, he is always thinking about Harlow, so what difference will a productive relationship with the second-largest economy and our third-biggest trading partner make to businesses in my constituency?

G20 and Ukraine

Debate between Keir Starmer and Chris Vince

Tuesday 25th November 2025 Commons Chamber

[The Prime Minister]

I can reassure the hon. Gentleman’s constituents that we will absolutely fight for a just outcome and a lasting outcome. He can tell his constituents that we are working very, very closely with the Ukrainians on this, as we always have, and supporting them for as long as they may need that support.

[Chris Vince (Harlow) (Lab/Co-op)]

I thank the Prime Minister for his statement today, and for his continued leadership on a global scale, particularly in respect of Ukraine. I also welcome what he said about the investment that the Government will put into the Global Fund, because I recognise the importance of tackling HIV, malaria and tuberculosis. However, may I put in a personal plea for my constituent Anne Strike, a Paralympian and a polio victim, and ask that we continue to lead on the world stage in the eradication of polio? We are so close, but global conflicts such the one in Ukraine will obviously lead to more instances of polio in the future.

[The Prime Minister]

My hon. Friend is a proud champion for Harlow, and I am pleased that he has raised polio in that context, linking it to his constituency. We must not lose sight of the devastating impact of polio, HIV/AIDS and TB. They are having a devastating effect across the globe, and they will be a threat to us as well if we do not act.

G7 and NATO Summits

Debate between Keir Starmer and Chris Vince

Thursday 26th June 2025 Commons Chamber

[The Prime Minister]

I am grateful for my hon. Friend’s question. I have visited Blackpool many times, as he knows. I know first hand just how important it is for those young people to see money going into their economy, with jobs in Blackpool for them. I profoundly remember asking a group of 17-year-olds, I think, at a sixth-form college in Blackpool how many were proud to be from Blackpool. They all put their hands up. When I asked them how many thought that their future jobs would be in Blackpool, only one put their hand up; the rest all thought they would have to leave Blackpool to get the jobs they wanted. We need to turn that around. This gives us an opportunity to start doing that.

[Chris Vince (Harlow) (Lab/Co-op)]

I thank the Prime Minister for his statement today. From a personal point of view, I thank him for his recent visit to Harlow and Downs primary school, which recently received an excellent Ofsted report.

Does the Prime Minister agree that to achieve the sustainable and long-term peace that we all so desperately want—in the middle east, in Gaza, in Ukraine and in Sudan—we must work together with one voice and with all our NATO allies? That is why his leadership on a global level is so important and why it is so important that he attends all these events to represent our proud nation.

[The Prime Minister]

My most recent visit to the primary school was to roll out our free school meals policy. I was happy to do that by serving school meals myself—if all else fails, I’ve got a back-up.

My hon. Friend is absolutely right. At a time like this, the House usually comes together and speaks with one voice, and we are the more powerful for it. President Zelensky has told me on a number of occasions how much that means for his people. In fairness to the Conservative party, it has always been resolute on Ukraine. The Leader of the Opposition needs to look again at her approach. At a time like this, the sooner we get back to the kind of cross-party unity that we had, the better. Our adversaries know that when they see unity here, that is much more of a problem for them than when they see unserious division.

Supply and Appropriation (Main Estimates) (No. 2) Bill

Motion made, and Question put forthwith (Standing Order No. 56), That the Bill be now read a Second time.

Question agreed to.

Bill accordingly read a Second time.

Question put forthwith, That the Bill be now read the Third time.

Question agreed to.

Bill accordingly read the Third time and passed.

UK-EU Summit

Debate between Keir Starmer and Chris Vince

Tuesday 20th May 2025 Commons Chamber

[The Prime Minister]

I thank my hon. Friend. We will move at pace on all fronts. It is important that young people have those opportunities.

[Chris Vince (Harlow) (Lab/Co-op)]

I thank you for getting everybody in, Madam Deputy Speaker; it has been a mammoth session. I thank the Prime Minister for his statement. I notice that many businesses are in support of the deal. My constituency is home to many great businesses, from manufacturing companies to pharmaceutical companies, and from defence manufacturers to food exporters. Will the Prime Minister outline how the deal will benefit my great businesses in Harlow?

[The Prime Minister]

It will massively reduce bureaucracy and red tape, making it easier for businesses to do business. It will also open up opportunities on defence and security. That is why it has been so welcomed by the business community.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Keir Starmer and Chris Vince

Wednesday 26th March 2025 Commons Chamber

[The Prime Minister]

Yes. Take the example of schools going into academies. The vast majority of schools are already academies. Therefore, we need to think again about what we do about failing schools that are already academies. We need to go on to the next chapter. The Conservatives never take the big decisions. That is why we ended up with their record: open borders, which the right hon. Lady was a cheerleader for, a crashed economy, mortgages through the roof, the NHS on its knees, and hollowed-out armed forces. What have we got already under this Government? Two million extra NHS appointments, 750 breakfast clubs—including one in her constituency—record numbers of people who should not be here being returned, and a fully funded increase in defence spending. That is the difference a Labour Government makes.

[Chris Vince (Harlow) (Lab/Co-op)]

Q2. I recently visited Harlow college and saw the work it was doing training the bricklayers and electricians of the future. Does the Prime Minister agree that the work of further education colleges like Harlow’s is vital for the house building that we need for future generations? What will his Government do to support Harlow’s next generation?

[The Prime Minister]

My hon. Friend is a great champion for his constituents. We are investing £600 million in training up to 60,000 more skilled house builders to support the next generation and deliver 1.5 million new homes. We are creating technical excellence colleges and investing in Stansted airport, creating 5,000 jobs nearby, which will create more opportunities for young people in Harlow.