Rachel Hopkins
Labour - Luton South and South Bedfordshire
6,858 (17.9%) majority - 2024 General ElectionFirst elected: 12th December 2019
3 APPG memberships (as of 2 Jan 2025)
Football Supporters, Humanist, Park Homes39 Former APPG memberships
Alevis, Arts, Health and Wellbeing, British Muslims, Chalk Streams, Choice at the End of Life, Council Housing, Cricket, Cuba, Cyprus, Darts, East of England, Events, Football, Foster Care Work, Hospitality and Tourism, Kashmir, Local Government, Manufacturing, Oracy, Period Equality, Pubs, Race and Community, Renters and Rental Reform, Respiratory Health, Showing Racism the Red Card, Sixth Form Education, Special Educational Needs and Disabilities, State Pension Inequality for Women, Thalassaemia, Town Centres, University, Vascular and Venous Disease, Veterans, Video Games and Esports, Water, Sanitation and Hygiene, Western Sahara, Yemen, Youth Affairs, ZimbabweDivision Voting information
Debates during the 2024 Parliament
Speeches made during Parliamentary debates are recorded in Hansard. For ease of browsing we have grouped debates into individual, departmental and legislative categories.
Sparring Partners
Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons
(9 debate interactions)
Department Debates
(7 debate contributions)
(5 debate contributions)
(4 debate contributions)
(4 debate contributions)
Legislation Debates
(739 words contributed)
(682 words contributed)
Latest EDMs signed by Rachel Hopkins
Luton Town Football Club, winners of the EFL Championship Play-Off 2022-23
Tabled by: Rachel Hopkins (Labour - Luton South and South Bedfordshire)That this House congratulates Luton Town Football Club on winning the English Football League Championship Play-Off Final and being promoted to the Premier League; celebrates the contribution and success of the players, manager Rob Edwards, club staff and club’s officials, including the Chairman, David Wilkinson, and Chief Executive, Gary Sweet; …
(Most recent: 12 Jun 2023)
Signatures by party:
Labour: 4
Democratic Unionist Party: 1
Independent: 1
Conservative: 1
Alba Party: 1
Scottish National Party: 1
P&O Ferries and DP World
Tabled by: Karl Turner (Labour - Kingston upon Hull East)That this House condemns in the strongest possible terms the decision of P&O Ferries to fire 800 staff without notice or consultation with their trade unions, the RMT and Nautilus; demands the immediate reinstatement of the sacked workers; condemns their replacement with agency workers earning as little as £1.80 per …
(Most recent: 27 Apr 2022)
Signatures by party:
Labour: 86
Scottish National Party: 12
Independent: 11
Liberal Democrat: 7
Plaid Cymru: 3
Democratic Unionist Party: 3
Alba Party: 2
Green Party: 1
Social Democratic & Labour Party: 1
Commons initiatives
These initiatives were driven by Rachel Hopkins, and are more likely to reflect personal policy preferences.
MPs who are act as Ministers or Shadow Ministers are generally restricted from performing Commons initiatives other than Urgent Questions.
Rachel Hopkins has not been granted any Urgent Questions
Rachel Hopkins has not been granted any Adjournment Debates
1 Bill introduced by Rachel Hopkins
A Bill to give people who have made representations about development plans the right to participate in associated examination hearings; to require public consultation on development proposals; to grant local authorities power to apply local design standards for permitted development and to refuse permitted development proposals that would be detrimental to the health and wellbeing of an individual or community; to make planning permission for major housing schemes subject to associated works starting within two years; and for connected purposes.
Friday 6th May 2022
7 Bills co-sponsored by Rachel Hopkins
National Minimum Wage Bill 2022-23
Sponsor - Paula Barker (Lab)
Abuse of Public-facing Workers (Offences) Bill 2021-22
Sponsor - Olivia Blake (Lab)
Workers (Definition and Rights) Bill 2019-21
Sponsor - Chris Stephens (SNP)
Education and Training (Welfare of Children) Act 2021
Sponsor - Mary Kelly Foy (Lab)
Fur Trade (Prohibition) Bill 2019-21
Sponsor - Taiwo Owatemi (Lab)
Marriage (Authorised Belief Organisations) Bill 2019-21
Sponsor - Rehman Chishti (Con)
National Minimum Wage Bill 2019-21
Sponsor - Paula Barker (Lab)
Latest 7 Written Questions
(View all written questions)This government’s ambition is that all children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) or in alternative provision receive the right support to succeed in their education and as they move into adult life.
Special schools for children with SEND are not funded using the same funding formula as mainstream schools. The extra costs of operating a special school across more than one site can be covered through the combination of place funding at £10,000 per place and top-up funding in respect of individual pupils attending the special school.
Our guidance, ‘High needs funding arrangements’, explains that the top-up funding determined by local authorities for a special school should not only reflect the costs of additional support to meet the individual pupil’s needs, but can also reflect costs that relate to the facilities required to support all the pupils at the school, including factors such as the school being on a split site. The guidance can be accessed here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/high-needs-funding-arrangements-2025-to-2026.
Minister of State (Education)
1 Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Questions
(View all Rachel Hopkins's Defra questions)This is a devolved matter and the information provided therefore relates to England only.
The Government will introduce the most ambitious programme for animal welfare in a generation. As outlined in our manifesto, we will bring an end to the use of snare traps. We are considering the most effective way to deliver this commitment and will be setting out next steps in due course.
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
DWP pays benefits and pensions on the date a payment is due. DWP assesses the impact on benefit claimants and pensioners of interruptions to normal access to banking services.
This year, 24 December 2024 is a normal banking day and so customers will be able to access their payments as normal, including those paid through the Payment Exception Service. Customers that are due to receive their payments at weekends or on bank holidays receive them on the previous banking day. Therefore, customers with due dates falling on 25 or 26 December 2024 will receive their payment on 24 December 2024 when banking services are available.
These changes are communicated to customers so that they understand when their payment will be received to support financial independence and planning. New claimants who are waiting for their first payment and who may be experiencing hardship have the facility to request an advance of their payment.
Aside from these circumstances, making a payment of benefit or pension earlier than the due date risks increasing the vulnerability of customers, who will then need to make their payment last for a longer period until the next due date.
Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Department continues to assess the Pension Credit service. This led to the introduction of the online claim process, providing customers with a convenient alternative claim route, alongside the existing telephony and paper application methods. As the Department continues to modernise the Pension Credit service, we continue to review the user experience, balancing simplification of application with capturing the right information to ensure accuracy of award.
Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)
There are no plans to negotiate a new reciprocal social security agreement with Australia.
UK State Pensions are payable worldwide, without regard to nationality, and are only uprated abroad where there is a legal requirement to do so - for example in countries with which we have a reciprocal agreement that provides for up-rating.
The policy on up-rating UK State Pensions paid overseas is a longstanding one and has been supported by successive Governments for over 70 years.
Up-rating is based on levels of earnings growth and price inflation in the UK which has no direct relevance where the pensioner is resident overseas.
Over many years, priority is given to those living in the UK when drawing up expenditure plans for additional pensioner benefits.
Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Foreign Secretary and I were shocked and saddened to see the devastating scenes in Spain, and by the deaths and damage caused by heavy flooding. The Foreign Secretary has been in touch with the Foreign Minister of Spain to express the UK's condolences and offer our support; the Prime Minister and I have also contacted our counterparts. Our thoughts are with all those who have been affected. The British Embassy in Madrid and Consulates in affected areas are providing consular support to affected British Nationals.
Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
1 Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government Questions
(View all Rachel Hopkins's MHCLG questions)The park homes sector is an important part of the housing market and must be a safe and secure place for residents.
The Government recognises that there are longstanding concerns about the requirement to pay site owners a commission upon sale of a park home.
The Government will consider the 2022 report in detail and set out its position on this matter in due course.
Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)