Business of the House

Nick Smith Excerpts

Thursday 12th November 2026 Commons Chamber

[Sir Alan Campbell]

Or, indeed, to the House of Commons. We wish the right hon. Gentleman every success. Of course, he is not the only author in the shadow Cabinet. The shadow Chancellor co-authored the Liz Truss Budget, which did so much damage to the economy. I know that the shadow Chancellor does not like me mentioning that, so I will not say any more.

I turn to the specific points raised by the right hon. Gentleman. He has every right to return to the Northern Ireland legacy, having made those points before with great sincerity. The reality is that the previous Government’s approach was rejected by British courts and left our veterans with no real protection. I agree that we owe a great debt to veterans who served and sacrificed to secure peace in Northern Ireland. We strengthened the Bill with a whole package of amendments to provide lasting protection for the armed forces, including protection from repeated investigations. The Royal British Legion has welcomed the amendments that we brought forward to address the concerns that he raises.

I am sure that IPSA will have heard the right hon. Gentleman’s remarks. We all owe a great debt to our constituency teams, who do a fantastic job, so I am sure IPSA will want to provide an answer to his questions.

On his final point about the reliability of railways, one of the most reliable in recent times has been London North Eastern Railway, which has been under Government control for quite some time. The hon. Member for Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk (John Lamont) refers to other railways. Why do we need to bring them under public control? The answer is a botched privatisation. I am sure that many on the Conservative Benches will accept that it was a botched privatisation. As we bring more companies under Government control, it will take time. On reliability, I look forward to GWR coming under Government control in the near future, as I am sure the right hon. Gentleman does. The issues that he raises on behalf of his constituent, which he is perfectly entitled to do, are real concerns. By getting the railways on to a better footing, I am sure that we can begin to repair some of the damage that privatisation has caused.

[Nick Smith (Blaenau Gwent and Rhymney) (Lab)]

This Labour Government have strongly supported miners’ pensions. Indeed, at the Budget, the Chancellor guaranteed that future miners’ pension scheme funds would go to them. I also welcome his commitment to finish the job by releasing their remaining funds in weeks not months. Can we please have an update from the Chancellor on his discussions with the pension trustees this week and on how that commitment can be delivered?

[Sir Alan Campbell]

My hon. Friend is a doughty champion for mineworkers both in his constituency and across the country, and I thank him for that. I am sure the Chancellor will want to ensure that the House remains updated on this issue, but I will ensure that my hon. Friend gets a response from the relevant Treasury Minister so that he can get an update for his constituents.