Business of the House Debate

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Department: Leader of the House

Business of the House

Leigh Ingham Excerpts
Thursday 6th March 2025

(3 days, 2 hours ago)

Commons Chamber
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Lucy Powell Portrait Lucy Powell
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As we celebrate International Women�s Day, it is a good day to recognise the valuable work of women�s institutes across the country, including in Burton Leonard. The hon. Gentleman is absolutely right that those sorts of voluntary organisations provide a huge service to our communities and deserve a long-term future.

Leigh Ingham Portrait Leigh Ingham (Stafford) (Lab)
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This week, a youth strategy review was announced, which could not be more welcome in my constituency of Stafford, Eccleshall and the villages. According to Unison�s local government report, between 2010 and 2023, Staffordshire county council closed 32 youth centres, which is the third-highest rate in the country. Will the Leader of the House agree to a debate on the work to help youth centres across the country?

While we are talking about young people, Emily Rizk from Newcastle and Stafford Colleges Group was recently honoured with the project excellence award at the Association of Colleges� student of the year awards. Will the Leader of the House join me and my hon. Friend the Member for Newcastle-under-Lyme (Adam Jogee) in celebrating Emily�s amazing work?

Lucy Powell Portrait Lucy Powell
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I will absolutely join my hon. Friends in celebrating Emily Rizk�s fantastic work and her achievement. I will also join my hon. Friend in agreeing that youth services and centres, which have been completely hollowed out in recent years, play a vital role in supporting young people, keeping them out of other activities that we might not want them to do. That is why we are committed to the Young Futures programme and many other initiatives.