Business of the House

Phil Brickell Excerpts

Thursday 12th February 2026 Commons Chamber

[Sir Alan Campbell]

I thank my hon. Friend for bringing to the House such an important topic, and Peter Dutch for his campaigning. As she points out, first aid does indeed save lives, and I will make sure that the Education Secretary has heard her contribution. Should my hon. Friend seek a debate, perhaps in Westminster Hall, I am sure her concerns would be echoed by all Members.

[Phil Brickell (Bolton West) (Lab)]

Local journalism is the lifeblood of our democracy, but the defamation laws in this country make it difficult for investigative media outfits—like The Londoner, The Manchester Mill and their parent company Mill Media—to speak truth to power. The Government’s own anti-corruption strategy recognises this threat to free speech, and has outlined a priority commitment of comprehensively tackling all strategic lawsuits against public participation, but it sets 2029 as the target date for action. Will the Leader of the House support my calls for a statement from the Ministry of Justice outlining what steps it is taking now to address SLAPPs?

[Sir Alan Campbell]

My hon. Friend raises an important matter. I understand the frustration in his voice, not least because he has raised relevant cases in this area before, as have other Members. The Government recognise the profound financial and psychological impact of SLAPPs on individuals and we are considering all options for reform to ensure that all types of SLAPPs are addressed comprehensively. I will ensure that my hon. Friend gets a response from the Secretary of State for Justice.

Business of the House

Phil Brickell Excerpts

Thursday 29th January 2026 Commons Chamber

[Sir Alan Campbell]

As the hon. Gentleman undoubtedly knows, the UK is committed to defending freedom of religion or belief for all. We have long opposed the persecution and marginalisation faced by minorities in Myanmar. Particularly concerning are the race and religion laws, which entrench prejudices against ethnic and religious minorities. I will ensure that the Foreign Secretary hears his concerns, not least in the light of what he says about elections, and responds to him.

[Phil Brickell (Bolton West) (Lab)]

I was recently contacted by one of my constituents regarding a four-month delay to her daughter’s provisional driving licence application, relating to her type 1 diabetes diagnosis. My constituent’s application remains outstanding. She has been unable to obtain an update from the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency or any timescale for the conclusion of her application. My constituent’s mental health is now being affected by the delay, as she has lost her driving instructor and feels as though she has been treated differently due to her diagnosis. Will the Leader of the House allow for a debate in Government time to discuss the important issue of delays in the DVLA system, in particular for individuals with disabilities and health conditions?

[Sir Alan Campbell]

I thank my hon. Friend for raising this matter. The DVLA is currently rolling out a new casework that which will deliver significant improvements to the services provided to drivers with medical conditions. That perhaps comes as cold comfort to those who are still waiting in a queue, but I would be happy to follow up this particular case with the Department, should he wish me to.

Business of the House

Phil Brickell Excerpts

Thursday 8th January 2026 Commons Chamber

[Sir Alan Campbell]

I thought for a moment that my hon. Friend had been talking to my wife about the success or otherwise of Evri. The delivery practices exposed in a recent “Panorama” programme are simply unacceptable. The Government expect all parcel operators to meet their service requirements, protect customers and support retailers at the busiest time of the year. My hon. Friend is absolutely right to shine a light on this. I hope colleagues will continue to do so until Evri, or any other operator, improves its performance.

[Phil Brickell (Bolton West) (Lab)]

For years, solicitor Andrew Milne has been bullying, threatening and harassing leaseholders, including my Horwich constituents, into buying freeholds off him at massively inflated prices—sometimes as much as £25,000—yet the Solicitors Regulation Authority has done nothing to stop his outrageous behaviour, which has caused immeasurable pain and suffering to my constituents. Homeowners in Bolton West should not have to live in fear of being ripped off by crooked lawyers, so will the Leader of the House set aside Government time for a debate on the lack of action by the Solicitors Regulation Authority in cracking down on lawyers like Milne, who continue to act with impunity?

[Sir Alan Campbell]

This sounds like a concerning case and I am sure the whole House will join me in condemning the behaviour my hon. Friend describes. The Solicitors Regulation Authority is an independent regulator, however the Minister for Courts and Legal Services is writing to it to seek an update and assurance about what action is being taken or what action it intends to take. I will ensure that he is updated on that.

Business of the House

Phil Brickell Excerpts

Thursday 27th November 2025 Commons Chamber

[Sir Alan Campbell]

I gently remind the hon. Gentleman that he forgets the record of the coalition years, when he and his colleagues did nothing to address the issue of the banks that had helped to cause the difficulties that that Government found themselves in. However, he raises an important matter, because we want to ensure long-term financial stability and sustainable growth by setting the global standards for AI governance. The Government are embracing the opportunities that AI brings, while ensuring that we have a robust regulatory framework in place to foster innovation, safety and sustainability, making the UK a global leader in the technology, but I will draw his remarks to the attention of the Treasury.

[Phil Brickell (Bolton West) (Lab)]

I thank the Leader of the House for his warm remarks about my campaign to exempt search and rescue services vehicles from vehicle excise duty.

Will the Leader of the House join me in celebrating this coming weekend’s 25th anniversary of the passage of the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000, which was a landmark achievement by the last Labour Government in opening up the countryside for all to enjoy? Can we have a statement from an Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Minister about what further measures the Government are taking to ensure that there is a uniform, responsible right of access on land and on water across England?

Business of the House

Phil Brickell Excerpts

Thursday 13th November 2025 Commons Chamber

[Sir Alan Campbell]

I am happy to join the hon. Gentleman in paying tribute to Evelyn Armstrong, who has been awarded the Légion d’honneur. I also want to acknowledge the way in which the French Government recognise the role of servicemen and women from other countries who helped to liberate France during the second world war. We had an opportunity to discuss that earlier this week, but I am sure there will be further opportunities to talk about that remarkable generation in the months to come.

[Phil Brickell (Bolton West) (Lab)]

I was recently contacted by a constituent about Greater Manchester integrated care partnership funding an autism assessment for his son. After waiting eight months, my constituent was informed that his chosen provider’s funding had been cut by the ICP. With his GP’s help, he was able to transfer to a different provider, whose funding has also been cut, and his application is now on hold, with no timetable for a resolution. Given the current NHS waiting times for autism assessment, can we have a debate in Government time on the steps being taken to ensure that children get the reviews they need?

[Sir Alan Campbell]

As I said earlier, we are acutely aware of this issue, which is why we are bringing forward proposals to fundamentally alter the special educational needs and disabilities system, but I will raise my hon. Friend’s concerns with Ministers to see what further action can be taken to assist his constituent.

Business of the House

Phil Brickell Excerpts

Thursday 30th October 2025 Commons Chamber

[Sir Alan Campbell]

We are working with BCSSS trustees to consider those proposals. We are trying to get an agreement and an outcome that can be implemented later this year, and I will ensure that the House is kept updated on any decision.

[Phil Brickell (Bolton West) (Lab)]

Bolton mountain rescue team, based in my constituency, provides lifesaving emergency support across Greater Manchester and Lancashire. Currently, voluntary search and rescue organisations like Bolton MRT must pay vehicle excise duty, costing the team £3,800 a year—money that could otherwise be directed to its frontline services. Will the Leader of the House allow time for a debate to discuss the invaluable contribution of mountain rescue teams and what financial support the Government might provide to them?

[Sir Alan Campbell]

I pay tribute to the vital work that mountain rescue volunteers and other such organisations provide across our country. There are currently no VED exemptions for voluntary search and rescue organisations, but the Government review taxes such as vehicle excise duty annually. I will ensure that the Chancellor has heard my hon. Friend’s comments and concerns ahead of the Budget. As I have said, there will be Budget debates on such matters.

Business of the House

Phil Brickell Excerpts

Thursday 23rd October 2025 Commons Chamber

[Sir Alan Campbell]

I will, of course, congratulate the foundation on its work. The Government are seeking precisely to ensure that everybody gets the best start in life and that the investment is there, because it pays off later.

[Phil Brickell (Bolton West) (Lab)]

I recently met one of my constituents, Toni Hibbert, who expressed concerns about the process through which parents of disabled children can become Court of Protection deputies when their child turns 18. The application process not only can take many months but requires parents to pay large sums throughout, adding extra financial burden when they may already be stretched. Toni has started a parliamentary petition, which has received almost 9,000 signatures, in the hope of making the process much simpler for parents who are often already stretched. Will the Leader of the House allow a debate in Government time on changes that could address this critical issue?

Business of the House

Phil Brickell Excerpts

Thursday 4th September 2025 Commons Chamber

[Lucy Powell]

I am really pleased to hear that the police hub in Shrewsbury has reopened. That is exactly the kind of action we want to see. That is why we are investing so heavily in neighbourhood policing and we have our neighbourhood policing guarantee, and I look forward to hearing more about it in the future.

[Phil Brickell (Bolton West) (Lab)]

My constituents in Horwich are gravely concerned about unsuitable family homes being repurposed into houses in multiple occupation with little transparency about who is being housed there and when. To my immense frustration as the local Member of Parliament, I often hear about such proposals on social media, which all too often runs rife with false information. Will the Leader of the House allow Government time for a debate on why companies such as Serco do not proactively tell Members of this House where individuals, including asylum seekers, are being placed, so that instead of conjecture, the truth can prevail.

Business of the House

Phil Brickell Excerpts

Thursday 17th July 2025 Commons Chamber

[Lucy Powell]

I am sorry to hear of that case. My hon. Friend will be aware that the content duties in the Online Safety Act 2023 require platforms to tackle illegal suicide and self-harm content and activity. The Act is now coming into force, with new guidance being put forward regularly. We will keep those matters under review, however, and if we need to strengthen the law, we will.

[Phil Brickell (Bolton West) (Lab)]

I thank the Leader of the House for confirming the recess dates for the next 12 months, which my wife has already messaged me about to say thanks.

The Leader of the House will be aware that, despite important draft Government legislation banning single-use vapes, vape shops masquerading as candy stores continue to spring up everywhere across my Bolton West constituency. A new shop has just popped up in Horwich near Saint Joseph’s Roman Catholic high school. The school has done excellent work in tackling vape use among children but it is fighting a rising tide. Will the Leader of the House set aside Government time to debate how the Tobacco and Vapes Bill and other measures are implemented to improve public health and prevent stores from being used as front businesses by organised crime gangs?

[Lucy Powell]

I am pleased to have announced the full year of recess dates. I feel like that is my most important key performance indicator as Leader of the House.

My hon. Friend raises an important issue about the proliferation and use of vapes, and the challenge that that brings to our high streets and for young people, public health and many other areas. We have already banned single-use vapes through a statutory instrument and our flagship Tobacco and Vapes Bill is progressing through this House and will shortly make further progress.

Business of the House

Phil Brickell Excerpts

Thursday 3rd July 2025 Commons Chamber

[Lucy Powell]

I join my hon. Friend in congratulating and thanking all the volunteers who engage in the Change Grow Live initiative in his constituency. We all know the effect that the blight of alcoholism has on families, children and those who are alcoholics, and how vital it is that people get support early and consistently. Getting that kind of support into communities to prevent alcoholism from developing in the first place is what our plan for the NHS and for this country is all about.

[Phil Brickell (Bolton West) (Lab)]

Joanne, a constituent of mine, has been badly affected by a botched botox treatment she underwent to help her scoliosis pain, which sadly has left her almost paralysed. The doctor who carried out the procedure did not have the correct licence to practise at the time; had only done a one-day course on botox treatment; used cosmetic, rather than medical, botox; and had previously been struck off by the General Medical Council. Given the increased amount of botox in use, will the Leader of the House commit to setting aside Government time for a debate on improving the regulation of such procedures?

[Lucy Powell]

I am sorry to hear what happened to Joanne. This issue is raised with me regularly during these sessions; people’s lives are being put at risk by poor regulation and the poor training of many people in the cosmetic sector. We will soon bring forward and publish proposals in response to the consultation on the licensing of non-surgical and surgical cosmetic procedures in England.