Business of the House

Perran Moon Excerpts

Thursday 12th February 2026 Commons Chamber

[Sir Alan Campbell]

I absolutely agree with my hon. Friend; Scotland is fundamental to the security of the United Kingdom. We are developing the defence growth deal for Scotland, which will drive innovation and deliver support to businesses, boost local employment and ensure long-term sustainable growth. Our commitment to that and to the role that Scotland plays is absolute.

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

Schools in some of the most geographically isolated and economically deprived communities, including in my Camborne, Redruth and Hayle constituency, have found it difficult to secure tour bookings under the new parliamentary booking system, which also affects their ability to access the associated travel subsidy, which is essential for schools from remote coastal areas. Will the Leader of the House commit to looking at how these tours are organised to ensure that pupils from geographically remote areas are not inadvertently excluded from visiting Parliament?

[Sir Alan Campbell]

My hon. Friend raises an important matter—one that is dear to my heart, too, given the relative distance from this place to my north-east constituency. It is important to ensure that students living in rural areas, and indeed in any area, do not miss out on the opportunity to visit this Parliament and understand our democratic processes. I will ensure that the House authorities are aware of my hon. Friend’s question, but I can also tell him that the Administration Committee, and indeed the Commission, have asked for information about these matters to ensure that there is, as far as possible, no obstacle to young people visiting this place.

Business of the House

Perran Moon Excerpts

Thursday 22nd January 2026 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

I call Perran Moon.

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

Meur ras, Mr Speaker. In the 2021 census, despite the disturbing absence of a tick box, over 117,000 Cornish people registered their identity by having to click “Other” and then typing in “Cornish”. With the current consultation on the 2031 census due to close on 4 February, does the Leader of the House agree with me that this farce must end, and that the Office for National Statistics must add a Cornish identifier tick box to the 2031 census?

[Sir Alan Campbell]

My hon. Friend is a stalwart campaigner for his Cornish heritage. He consistently raises the profile of the Cornish language in this House, and I commend him for that because it is an important part of the identity of his constituents. I support him in calling for those who wish to respond to the consultation to do so before it closes next month, and I am sure that those at the ONS will have heard his words this morning.

Business of the House

Perran Moon Excerpts

Thursday 15th January 2026 Commons Chamber

[Sir Alan Campbell]

As the hon. Gentleman knows, the UK is committed to defending freedom of religion or belief for all. I thank him for raising these important matters, as he invariably does. We condemn all acts of violence targeting religious or ethnic minorities in Bangladesh, and have repeatedly raised the importance of protecting minorities in that country. I will ensure that the Foreign Secretary hears the hon. Gentleman’s concerns and looks at what further steps may be taken.

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

Following the truly devastating impact of Storm Goretti, one of the lessons that must be learned is that parts of Cornwall should never again be completely cut off, with no way in or out, no power, no water, and no means of communicating with the outside world. My constituency is 624th out of 650 constituencies for mobile connectivity. With Cornwall on the frontline of increasingly frequent Atlantic storms, will the Leader of the House help me arrange to discuss Cornish communications resilience with Department for Science, Innovation and Technology Ministers as a matter of urgency?

[Sir Alan Campbell]

I thank my hon. Friend for raising this important matter. I want to associate myself with the words of the Security Minister on Tuesday, and provide absolute assurance about the seriousness with which the Government take these matters. There are statutory obligations on telecom providers to maintain the availability of services, and we will ensure that we draw the right lessons from the response. I will certainly ask Ministers to meet my hon. Friend as a matter of urgency.

Business of the House

Perran Moon Excerpts

Thursday 8th January 2026 Commons Chamber

[Sir Alan Campbell]

My hon. Friend is doing just that by raising the work of volunteers, as often happens during business questions. She highlights the fantastic contribution made by people like Ernie—70 years of volunteering is very impressive indeed. Grassroots sport is at the very heart of our local communities, which is why we are investing £400 million in grassroots sport facilities, but they depend on people to make them work. Not only are those people at the heart of our local communities, but they change people’s lives for the better. I absolutely join her in thanking Ernie and all other volunteers.

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

Meur ras, Madam Deputy Speaker. For decades, remote coastal areas such as Cornwall have seen education funding inexplicably lag well behind urban areas. Under this Labour Government, the particular challenges and costs associated with delivering services in deprived remote coastal areas have begun to be recognised in some Government funding models, but not all. Will the Leader of the House help me secure a meeting with the Secretary of State for Education to discuss funding for Cornish schools?

[Sir Alan Campbell]

I was pleased to have a meeting with my hon. Friend earlier this week. He once again demonstrates that he is a champion for Cornwall. I am pleased to record that there is some success in the campaigning that has been done by our fantastic MPs in that part of the country. I will be happy to facilitate the meeting that he requests.

Business of the House

Perran Moon Excerpts

Thursday 13th November 2025 Commons Chamber

[Sir Alan Campbell]

I am not sure that it is a constitutional crisis, but I will help the hon. Gentleman to get to the bottom of how much is being committed. I am pretty sure that it is a lot more than the previous Government committed.

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

This week, the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology made the very welcome announcement that animal testing in science is set to be phased out faster, delivering on the Government’s manifesto pledge to strengthen animal welfare. Does the Leader of the House agree with me that, as well as delivering on that pledge, we must now deliver on the related manifesto commitment to end the foxhunting smokescreen and ban trail hunting as soon as possible? To that end, will he help me to secure a meeting with the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to discuss the timetable?

[Sir Alan Campbell]

I join my hon. Friend in welcoming the Government’s announcement of our ambitious programme for animal welfare—the most ambitious in a generation. I assure him that we remain committed to banning trail hunting; we will consult on how to deliver the ban in the new year. I will ensure that he gets a meeting with Ministers.

Business of the House

Perran Moon Excerpts

Thursday 30th October 2025 Commons Chamber

[Sir Alan Campbell]

I invite the right hon. Gentleman to raise the matter in an Adjournment debate, or indeed with the Backbench Business Committee—it has been raised by colleagues from across the Chamber—so that Ministers can not only hear what he says but respond.

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

Yesterday, after a sewage pipe burst, excrement flowed into Hayle harbour. That followed the cancellation of the national inter-club surfing championships due to sewage pollution at Porthtowan, and the total and persistent loss of mains water in the village of Chiverton, and comes on the back of rising water bills. The people of Camborne, Redruth and Hayle are fed up with the lame excuses from South West Water’s management. Will the Leader of the House please help me secure a meeting with Ministers in the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to discuss the performance of South West Water’s management?

[Sir Alan Campbell]

We inherited a broken water system. We passed the landmark Water (Special Measures) Act 2025 and are giving the Environment Agency the ability to tackle all rule breaking. I will draw this unfortunate case to the Department’s attention, and hopefully my hon. Friend will get the meeting that he seeks.

Business of the House

Perran Moon Excerpts

Thursday 17th July 2025 Commons Chamber

[Madam Deputy Speaker (Ms Nusrat Ghani)]

Well, that was interesting. [Laughter.] To correct the record, Sussex Weald is the greatest constituency on Earth. I call Perran Moon.

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

Meur ras, Madam Deputy Speaker. In Cornwall, the word dreckly means at some unspecified time in the future—a bit like mañana. I have learned since arriving in this place that there is an equivalent parliamentary expression: “in due course”. Of the five Celtic languages, which include Manx Gaelic, only the Cornish language does not have part III minority language status. Can the Leader of the House advise me how I can get a Minister to tell me—without using the words dreckly, mañana or in due course—when this ridiculous Cornish language anomaly will be rectified?

[Lucy Powell]

My hon. Friend is a powerful representative for Cornwall and his constituency. I will not use that phrase for him, but I will ensure that a Minister gives him a more immediate response about when we can see action on the Cornish language.

Business of the House

Perran Moon Excerpts

Thursday 3rd July 2025 Commons Chamber

[Lucy Powell]

I am sorry to hear about the cinema in her constituency and the blight of other derelict buildings. My hon. Friend will know that we have a manifesto commitment to replace the community right to bid with a strengthened right to buy when it comes to community assets. I can let her know that the proposals are coming forward very, very soon.

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

Meur ras, Kaderyer. Thank you, Madam Deputy Speaker. Because of Cornish national minority status, Cornwall will not and cannot ever join a mayoral combined authority unless the Deputy Prime Minister imposes it on us. There is a worrying trend across Government in industrial policy, transport, housing and health, which suggests that the only way to access the highest levels of devolution is through a mayoral combined authority. Before the Government bring forward an English devolution Bill that discriminates against the people of Cornwall, will the Leader of the House use her northern English charms to encourage the Minister for Local Government and English Devolution, my hon. Friend the Member for Oldham West, Chadderton and Royton (Jim McMahon) to meet me and Cornish colleagues to discuss this issue?

[Lucy Powell]

I know these issues are very much a concern for my hon. Friend and Cornish colleagues, who rightly defend their right to choose and have a say on the local government and possible mayoral arrangements in their area. I will ensure that he gets a meeting from the Minister. I reassure him that the devolution Bill we are bringing forward is about enabling powers, not imposing powers. We need to see communities wanting the types of arrangements they are going to choose.

Business of the House

Perran Moon Excerpts

Thursday 19th June 2025 Commons Chamber

[Lucy Powell]

I am sorry to hear of the crime and antisocial behaviour in Falmouth and across my hon. Friend’s constituency. She is absolutely right that we are committed to our neighbourhood policing guarantee, which will put 13,000 more police officers into our neighbourhood policing areas. I am sorry to hear that the funding is not being directed in the way she would want, and I will ensure that the Minister gets back to her about it.

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

Meur ras, Madam Deputy Speaker. Yesterday was National Thank a Teacher Day—an opportunity to thank teachers across the country, including in my Camborne, Redruth and Hayle constituency. Will the Leader of the House join me in thanking teachers across the country for all the work they do to give young people the best possible start in life?

[Lucy Powell]

I absolutely join my hon. Friend in thanking all teachers for the amazing work they do. I hope that I will still be saying the same after my daughter’s year 10 parents’ evening later today.

Business of the House

Perran Moon Excerpts

Thursday 5th June 2025 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

I call Perran Moon.

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

Meur ras bras, Mr Speaker. New data from the Office for National Statistics on sickness absence rates was published yesterday. As a Cornish MP, I am particularly concerned that the south-west has the highest sickness absence across the whole of the UK. Sickness absence follows poverty, and Cornwall’s poverty figures have been masked by wealthier pensioners moving there, meaning less support per capita from central Government. Does the Leader of the House agree that remote coastal areas, like Cornwall, need fairer funding settlements than those that we have had in recent years to lift people out of sickness and get them back to work?