Business of the House

Kirsteen Sullivan Excerpts

Thursday 16th July 2026 Commons Chamber

[Sir Alan Campbell]

The right hon. Gentleman will appreciate that a new Administration will want to look across some of the commitments that have been made to see whether they want to take them forward. The overseas visitor levy is welcomed by many, but it has caused some concern. I am confident that when we return after the recess he will have an opportunity either to take part in a debate on this matter or to seek such a debate, because we will be discussing it in the autumn.

[Kirsteen Sullivan (Bathgate and Linlithgow) (Lab/Co-op)]

Last week I was honoured to welcome the families of those who had been onboard the Lisbon Maru, a freighter that was sunk in 1942, claiming the lives of more than 800 allied prisoners of war. We came together with MPs from across this House and the Minister for Scotland, my hon. Friend the Member for Midlothian (Kirsty McNeill), for a memorial photograph and a special screening of the documentary “The Sinking of the Lisbon Maru”. Will the Leader of the House join me in thanking my constituent Gerry Borge and all the members of the Lisbon Maru Memorial Association for ensuring that this tragedy is never forgotten?

[Sir Alan Campbell]

I join my hon. Friend in paying tribute to Gerry Borge and all the members of the Lisbon Maru Memorial Association for their work in honouring the memory of those affected by this tragedy. It is important that we remember and pay tribute to the more than 800 allied prisoners of war who lost their lives, as well as the extraordinary endurance of those who survived. We must remember that behind every statistic there are families who did not see their loved ones return.