Business of the House
Debate between Lucy Powell and Laura Kyrke-Smith(2 days, 14 hours ago)
Commons ChamberRead Full debate Read Hansard Text Read Debate Ministerial Extracts
Lucy Powell
I thank the hon. Member for raising ADHD services and the broader issue of special educational needs and disabilities provision in this country, which is raised regularly in this session and in many other ways on the Floor of the House. He will know that we are not getting the outcomes we need, and families and children are not getting the support they need in this area, even though costs go up and up. We set aside £1 billion extra in the Budget to support special educational needs, but he is right that we need to look at these services and ensure that they are fit for purpose and that we are providing support and getting the outcomes we need.
Laura Kyrke-Smith (Aylesbury) (Lab)
Last month, I worked with Aylesbury town council to convene some of the businesses that are so central to our community. They raised concerns about antisocial behaviour, and the data backs up those concerns: in the past year, more than 750 incidents were recorded in the constituency. Does the Leader of the House agree that we must not only tackle this challenge in our town centres but promote positive, respectful behaviour? Will she make space for a debate on this issue?
Lucy Powell
Antisocial behaviour chips away at communities’ sense of confidence and pride, and makes people feel at risk in their own communities. Our new respect orders will begin to tackle this issue, and the crime and policing Bill, through which we can discuss this issue further, will be introduced to the House very shortly.
Business of the House
Debate between Lucy Powell and Laura Kyrke-Smith(1 month, 2 weeks ago)
Commons ChamberRead Full debate Read Hansard Text Read Debate Ministerial Extracts
Lucy Powell
It sounds like the hon. Gentleman has been incredibly diligent and innovative in all the different ways that he has tried to get a straight answer. I will look into the examples that he has given that have not been quite what he expected. He is in my region, and he is right that the Typhoon is an important part of the north-west defence industry. I will ensure that the Secretary of State has heard his full question and I will ask that, at the very least, he gets a full reply, if not a statement to the House.
Laura Kyrke-Smith (Aylesbury) (Lab)
Tuesday was a proud day for Aylesbury, as Dylan Bachelet reached the final of the “Great British Bake Off”. A former student of Sir Henry Floyd grammar school, aged just 20, he rose to the occasion again and again throughout the series with his dough-lightful creations. Will the Leader of the House join me in congratulating Dylan and thanking him for inspiring so many young people to achieve their dreams?
Lucy Powell
I love these questions. I congratulate Dylan, who I understand Paul Hollywood nicknamed the “flavour king”. In my office here in the House we have a weekly bake-off, so if Dylan wants to participate in or judge it he is welcome any time, but he must bring the cake.
Business of the House
Debate between Lucy Powell and Laura Kyrke-Smith(1 month, 4 weeks ago)
Commons ChamberRead Full debate Read Hansard Text Read Debate Ministerial Extracts
Lucy Powell
It is clear for all to see that there are serious questions for the Post Office to answer about how it runs its business, as serious change is needed. I am sorry to hear about the franchise branch in Basingstoke, because local post offices are critical to their communities and to supporting banking hubs. I will support every effort to secure a debate on this matter.
Laura Kyrke-Smith (Aylesbury) (Lab)
Aylesbury Wombles is a fantastic litter-picking charity that works hard to make Aylesbury a greener, cleaner and better place to live. In September alone, it collected 5,749 plastic bottles. Will the Leader of the House join me in congratulating Richard Walker, Abigail Walker and all the Aylesbury Wombles on their remarkable work, and in welcoming their campaign for a deposit return scheme to reduce plastic waste?
Lucy Powell
I am delighted to thank the Aylesbury Wombles for all their litter-picking. It is not glamorous, but it is an important job that needs doing. The previous Government failed to do what they promised on litter-picking, and they bottled it on a number of issues, including the deposit return scheme that this Government will be bringing forward.
Business of the House
Debate between Lucy Powell and Laura Kyrke-Smith(2 months, 2 weeks ago)
Commons ChamberRead Full debate Read Hansard Text Read Debate Ministerial Extracts
Laura Kyrke-Smith (Aylesbury) (Lab)
Last week, I joined Rabbi Neil Janes and Father Stuart Owen on a walk through my constituency to mark the Jewish festival of Sukkot, and to thank and raise funds for local organisations that support people in need of all faiths. Will the Leader of the House grant a debate on how we can support and encourage interfaith understanding, dialogue and action, of which this walk was a really powerful example?
Lucy Powell
I thank my hon. Friend for raising that question, and pass on my thanks to Rabbi Janes and those who have come together in her constituency to deal with these issues. She is right to call for interfaith communities to come together. I am sure that she will continue to do that in her constituency.
Business of the House
Debate between Lucy Powell and Laura Kyrke-Smith(2 months, 3 weeks ago)
Commons ChamberRead Full debate Read Hansard Text Read Debate Ministerial Extracts
Lucy Powell
This matter gets raised in business questions and elsewhere quite often because we are seeing too many closures and too many post offices struggling. I think the subject would make a popular application for a Backbench Business debate, and I encourage him to take that forward.
Laura Kyrke-Smith (Aylesbury) (Lab)
Last week, Buckinghamshire council confirmed the demolition of the Gala Bingo hall, a former live music venue and cinema on Aylesbury High Street. Our town has a proud musical and cultural history and many residents are concerned that not enough effort was made to preserve this historic site. Will the Leader of the House allow time to debate the importance of recognising and preserving our historical and cultural assets as we regenerate our town centres?
Lucy Powell
Music venues, cultural assets and leisure services are vital to our town centre regeneration, and our high street accelerators programme will be looking at grassroots venues. I encourage my hon. Friend to raise these issues in Housing, Communities and Local Government questions in a couple of weeks.
Business of the House
Debate between Lucy Powell and Laura Kyrke-Smith(4 months ago)
Commons ChamberRead Full debate Read Hansard Text Read Debate Ministerial Extracts
Lucy Powell
I am really sorry to hear about the closure of my hon. Friend’s local care home. He is absolutely right. Our commitment to neighbourhood health services is how we will begin to tackle these issues. It is a key part of the health mission of this Government to get our health and care service back on its feet.
Laura Kyrke-Smith (Aylesbury) (Lab)
My constituency has experienced extensive house building in the past decade. My constituents are very understanding of the need for new homes, but their patience has been tested again this week by horrible traffic—the result of the previous Government’s haphazard approach to house building. Will the Leader of the House allow a debate on our future house building plans to ensure that they are accompanied by the necessary infrastructure and services?
Lucy Powell
My hon. Friend is absolutely right. We are unashamedly for house building, and we are unashamedly for delivering it through local strategic plans, with infrastructure and services at the heart of the house building programme in places such as Aylesbury and elsewhere. I am sure that debates on that issue will be forthcoming shortly.