Oral Answers to Questions

Rosena Allin-Khan Excerpts

Tuesday 30th June 2026 Commons Chamber

[Mr Lammy]

I am grateful to the hon. Gentleman for his question, but when the Bar Council do a detailed piece of work, it is the responsibility of the Secretary of State to look closely at what it has recommended. That is what I will do in the coming months, and I am sure that when that process has concluded, we can have this discussion in a serious way. I urge the hon. Gentleman to be serious. He often takes to Twitter on these issues, but I think we should take the Bar Council of England and Wales seriously.

[Dr Rosena Allin-Khan (Tooting) (Lab)]

T4.  Mr Speaker, you will be alarmed to know that one in seven NHS staff in England experienced a physical attack while on shift last year. Our paramedics, doctors, nurses, police officers and firefighters go to work every day to save lives, yet they face unimaginable abuse. We have to clamp down on those who perpetrate these vile attacks. Will the Secretary of State commit to reviewing sentencing guidelines for such heinous crimes?

[Jake Richards]

That is an absolutely shocking figure, and I pay tribute to all NHS staff and frontline public service workers, who often put their bodies on the line, quite literally. I meet the chair of the Sentencing Council regularly to discuss issues, and I will raise this one with her as well.