Sir David Amess Summer Adjournment

Perran Moon Excerpts

Tuesday 22nd July 2025 Commons Chamber

[Perran Moon (Camborne and Redruth) (Lab)]

Meur ras, Madam Deputy Speaker. I start by paying tribute to Sir David Amess. I did not know him personally, but I am moved by the references to his life from across the House and particularly from the Father of the House, the right hon. Member for Gainsborough (Sir Edward Leigh).

This debate, in Sir David’s name, presents me with a fantastic opportunity to do something that I so rarely have the chance to do: talk about Cornwall. First, I will speak of the immense opportunity that Cornwall has in its future, recognised by the Labour Government. It is hard to overstate the economic and strategic value of Cornwall’s vast assets in renewable energy and critical minerals, which are both so clearly fundamental to our economic growth and net zero ambitions. In the UK, we import tin from as far afield as the Democratic Republic of the Congo, China and Australia, with all the damaging environmental impacts that come with such imports. Yet in Camborne and Redruth, we sit on the third highest-grade tin deposits in the world, and there is plenty of it. That is not just a statistic; it is a strategic national asset.

We have tin, lithium, geothermal and ground source heat, but we are also blessed with the opportunities of offshore wind in the Celtic sea, onshore wind, solar and tidal energy. From critical minerals extraction under the ground to wind energy off the coast, Cornwall is ready to play its part in the new economy. The task is vast, but the prize is priceless: energy security, which reduces our dependence on volatile international markets; climate action, which secures the materials we need for clean technologies; and jobs and regeneration in our Cornish, Celtic communities, which will bring back high-quality employment to communities desperate to grasp those opportunities. Reducing economic disparities between places comes hand in hand with bringing opportunity to people, not just raising skills but building communities where skills are rewarded.

The renewable energy and critical minerals opportunities are not the only factors that make our land so distinct. Our language, culture and heritage, as well as our economic potential, mark us out on this island. I want to ensure that our language, culture and distinctiveness are recognised, respected and reflected in decisions made at the heart of Government. That includes getting a devolution deal that works for Cornwall and that celebrates our national minority status. Our language, culture and industrial mining heritage are not just things we do; they are who we are, they are part of our landscape and identity, and they have helped define who we were, who we are and, I am certain, who we will be.

I have defined what I strongly believe Cornwall can be, but I want to briefly highlight the barriers that we face. In terms of health equality, we struggle with poor health outcomes and our remote coastal geography, and those health outcomes are connected to poor educational attainment. To that end, I encourage Members to join my Adjournment debate in September on Government support for remote coastal communities.