Business of the House

Lee Pitcher Excerpts

Thursday 4th December 2025 Commons Chamber

[Sir Alan Campbell]

I gently challenge the hon. Lady, because the Government have not ignored warnings about the sector at all. In fact, there were measures in the Budget that are intended to help. There is one important day left, in the final week before the recess, to raise matters about the Budget when we discuss the Finance Bill, so she may wish to raise those issues then. The stages of the Finance Bill will then be debated, probably on the Floor of the House, and she may wish to try to get on to the Committee. However, I gently say to her that although some of the decisions taken in the Budget were difficult, their central intent is to bear down on the cost of living, and the hospitality sector will benefit from people having more money in their pockets.

[Lee Pitcher (Doncaster East and the Isle of Axholme) (Lab)]

There is nothing more special and beautiful in life than seeing a child’s face light up when they get to see Santa, but not every family can afford to go to a grotto. Will the Leader of the House join me in thanking all the amazing volunteer organisations, such as the Rotary clubs and the Lions clubs—I am a Doncaster Lion myself—whose members walk the streets, go to food banks and go to supermarkets to see the children and bring Christmas spirit to Doncaster East and the Isle of Axholme and places across the country?

[Sir Alan Campbell]

I join my hon. Friend in thanking all the volunteers, particularly from the Rotary clubs and the Lions clubs, across the country for all their hard work. It is people like them who make the Christmas season so special. I wish him well in his Santa dash—I am sure he will make a dashing Santa.