Business of the House

Leigh Ingham Excerpts

Thursday 27th February 2025 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

Just to warn the House, business questions will finish at 12.25 pm. I do not want a repeat of last week, when Members of Parliament were complaining to the front office—it is not acceptable. My deputies are doing their job. I do not expect complaints today. You are all aware of the time, so help each other out. Let’s have a good example from Leigh Ingham.

[Leigh Ingham (Stafford) (Lab)]

In my constituency of Stafford, Eccleshall and the villages, residents of Parkside in Marston Grange are at a complete standstill. Years of roadworks have completely overwhelmed their roads; my constituents’ children cannot get to school safely because of dangerous crossings, and businesses are losing business daily. They were told that roadworks were going to finish this spring, then summer, and now autumn. I am not the first Staffordshire MP to raise the lack of adequate communication from Staffordshire county council—my hon. Friend the Member for Tamworth (Sarah Edwards) raised it just before recess. Can we have a statement on what steps the Government are taking to hold to account councils like mine that refuse to communicate with their residents?

[Lucy Powell]

Absolutely; my hon. Friend the Member for Tamworth (Sarah Edwards) did raise this matter with me before recess. As I said then, I know that when roadworks are constantly delayed and are not delivered, it can have a huge impact on local people and on local businesses, schools and hospitals. I reiterate what I said before: Staffordshire county council is clearly making a mess of this issue. It needs to get a grip, get it sorted and get these roadworks cleared, so that the businesses and people in my hon. Friends’ constituencies can get back to work.

Business of the House

Leigh Ingham Excerpts

Thursday 13th February 2025 Commons Chamber

[Lucy Powell]

This is becoming a weekly occurrence, but I have to say that today’s offer of an invitation is one that I really could take up. Visiting the hospitality businesses in the hon. Gentleman’s constituency that have made the final of the Countryside Alliance awards would be fantastic. I congratulate them on getting so far.

[Leigh Ingham (Stafford) (Lab)]

This week, Pub Aid announced the finalists of the community pub hero awards. There were more than 1,000 entries, and I am over the moon to be able to say that the Bird in Hand pub in my constituency of Stafford, Eccleshall and the villages is one of the 31 finalists. It is an incredible venue that does so much for the community in Stafford, and particularly for the Royal British Legion. Will the Leader of the House agree to a debate on the importance of pubs to their local communities, and will she visit the Bird in Hand with me when she next comes to Stafford?

[Lucy Powell]

I am getting a lot of invitations to pubs today. I have become a complete lightweight, so I am generally on zero-alcohol beer these days, but the Bird in Hand in Stafford sounds like a great hospitality venue. I congratulate it on being shortlisted. Pubs really are at the heart of our communities; they provide great fare and great company, and are a warm place for many people in these winter months. I think my hon. Friend might be inviting me to her constituency soon anyway; I am sure that we can pay a visit to the Bird in Hand soon.

Business of the House

Leigh Ingham Excerpts

Thursday 6th February 2025 Commons Chamber

[Lucy Powell]

I am sorry to hear of the hon. Gentleman’s constituents who have been incorrectly charged and then chased down for those debts, but I am pleased to hear that some of that is now being put right. I know that there is a debate in Westminster Hall on the regulation of the bailiff sector, where he may want to raise some of those issues. However, I will happily raise what he has mentioned with Ministers and ensure that he gets a full reply.

[Leigh Ingham (Stafford) (Lab)]

Like most MPs, one of my favourite things is to visit schools in my constituency. Recently, I was at Sir Graham Balfour school in Stafford where one of the students spoke to me passionately about how school sport and physical education benefit not only physical but mental health. Inspired by his campaigning, will the Leader of the House agree to a debate on improving access to PE and sport in schools?

[Lucy Powell]

I thank my hon. Friend for mentioning the issues raised with her on her recent school visit. PE not only plays a vital role in ensuring our young people have access to a broad curriculum that can help them better succeed in education, but is critical to mental and physical health and to our preventive work, and the Government are committed to that. I am sure that the subject would make a good debate were she to apply for one.

Business of the House

Leigh Ingham Excerpts

Thursday 14th November 2024 Commons Chamber

[Lucy Powell]

Like the hon. Gentleman, I was utterly horrified by the antisemitic attacks on Israeli citizens in Amsterdam recently, and our thoughts are with all those affected by those awful events. I condemn abhorrent acts of violence wherever they occur, including in this country and Amsterdam. The Government take antisemitism very seriously and have a zero-tolerance approach to it. I am pleased to see that the hon. Gentleman has been so successful in the early draws for Backbench Business debates, because he is a stalwart of this place and deserves to be at the front of the queue for many more debates to come.

[Leigh Ingham (Stafford) (Lab)]

Will the Leader of the House join me and my hon. Friend the Member for Newcastle-under-Lyme (Adam Jogee) in congratulating Newcastle and Stafford college, which has just secured its second “outstanding” Ofsted rating? As a proud graduate of a tertiary college, I know the importance of such institutions in providing the good jobs of the future—though I doubt that Nelson and Colne college expected my good job of the future to be the one I am doing now. Could we please have a debate about the importance of tertiary education around the UK?

[Lucy Powell]

I join my hon. Friend in congratulating Newcastle and Stafford college. Getting an “outstanding” rating twice in a row is some achievement for a further education college, and she should be very proud to represent it. We have inherited a really terrible situation in further education. I was pleased that the recent budget invested an extra £300 million as a down payment, but it will take us some time to get further education back in a fit state.