Business of the House

Samantha Niblett Excerpts

Thursday 11th December 2025 Commons Chamber

[Sir Alan Campbell]

First, I join the shadow Leader of the House in sending our condolences to the friends and family of Lance Corporal Hooley, who died while serving our country and in the cause of keeping the flame of freedom alive.

As we approach Christmas, I want to recognise the contribution that charities make across our country. Homelessness charities in particular provide an invaluable service in supporting those experiencing homelessness throughout the year, but particularly as the temperatures fall. I draw the House’s attention to the launch of the Government’s homelessness strategy today, which aims to halve the number of people sleeping rough long term by 2029 and which will rewire the system to ensure that support is where it is most needed. My hon. Friend the Minister for Local Government and Homelessness will provide further details to the House in her statement later today.

I also want to mention the charity Citizens UK, which does a fantastic job across the country, including in my constituency, and which has been selected by The Guardian for its charity appeal this year. As a result of Citizens UK’s successful campaign, it has helped to triple the number of living wage employees across the north-east region and launched a citizens commission on mental health, particularly for young people. It has had a direct influence on the excellent work that the Government are doing in that regard. I want to place on the record, as the Member of Parliament for Tynemouth, my thanks to the Reverend Simon Mason and Father Chris Hughes, who provide fantastic leadership on these matters.

I am pleased to announce today the publication of the Modernisation Committee’s first report with recommendations to improve accessibility across the parliamentary estate. It is simply not acceptable that some MPs, staff and visitors are prevented from engaging in some aspects of parliamentary life due to this place’s inaccessible nature. As the crucible of our democracy and national debate, the House of Commons must be accessible for all, and I am happy to say that work is under way, but much more needs to be done. I thank all members of the Committee and the former Leader of the House, my right hon. Friend the Member for Manchester Central (Lucy Powell), for their work on the inquiry.

On wider matters, last week the Animal Welfare (Import of Dogs, Cats and Ferrets) Act 2025 received Royal Assent, which will protect vulnerable animals by strengthening the rules on pet travel to ensure that animals imported into the country for sale are healthy, treated with care and transported humanely. I congratulate the hon. Member for Winchester (Dr Chambers) on navigating the Bill successfully to Royal Assent, which underlines, as we approach a second Session at some point in the new year, how important private Members’ Bills can be. They can be highly effective and can provide an invaluable opportunity for Members to promote the causes they support, to change the law and—certainly in this case—to help deliver Government priorities.

If the shadow Leader of the House wants to take credit for some changes, I am pleased to let him live in a world in which he can do that. On Russian assets, the Government continue, as he knows, to consider how Russian assets might be used, particularly in support of Ukraine. We are working very closely with allies to make progress on that. I can assure him that we are constantly aware of what might be happening in our own country and therefore take these domestic issues very seriously indeed.

The shadow Leader of the House mentioned leaks and what the Chancellor said to the Treasury Committee yesterday. She made her views on leaks and briefings, including what happened with the OBR ,very clear to the Committee. Of course, any Government have a responsibility around Budget time to take market reaction into account, but I gently remind the shadow Leader of the House that the reaction of the markets to the Budget was actually quite positive—I want to ensure that that is on the record. If anything emerges from the inquiries that my right hon. Friend the Chancellor talked about yesterday, I am sure that Ministers will want to update the House about those matters—they would be absolutely right to do so—but I gently remind the House that, although all these discussions about process are important, the Budget was about cutting the cost of living, balancing the books and getting growth in our economy, and those are the matters of most interest to people in our constituencies.

[Samantha Niblett (South Derbyshire) (Lab)]

At one second past midnight tonight, the race for the Christmas No. 1 begins. My constituent Andrew Horth, of HorthWorld, will be in that race, with his incredible Christmas song “Merry Christmas (Make Amends)”, which was written in support of men’s mental health in the wake of our having lost Mikey Heald, another constituent of mine, back in October. Will the Leader of the House join me in wishing Andrew and HorthWorld the very best of luck, and in encouraging influencers and others to support and stream the song as much as possible?

[Sir Alan Campbell]

I am sure that the whole House will join me in wishing Andrew Horth the very best of luck in his campaign for a Christmas No. 1, and in acknowledging my hon. Friend’s role in that endeavour. I place on record our thanks to the work of Derbyshire Mind and all the other charities that do such vital work for men’s mental health.

Business of the House

Samantha Niblett Excerpts

Thursday 30th October 2025 Commons Chamber

[Sir Alan Campbell]

I am grateful to the hon. Lady for raising the importance of the independent bookselling industry, and I will ensure that her words are heard by the relevant Minister. We are changing maximum payment terms, giving certainty to companies that they will be paid on time. Our shopkeepers and family-run firms work hard and they deserve the Government’s backing. We are determined to give them that backing, but too often they are held back by late payments.

[Samantha Niblett (South Derbyshire) (Lab)]

New House Farm school in my part of Mickleover in South Derbyshire is planned and groundwork is complete. The trigger point for the release of the section 106 funds is 314 houses, which is likely to be met in November. However, we have yet to receive a clear signal to go ahead and build the school from the Department for Education and we do not want to lose out. Will the Leader of the House please help me to get that clear signal, so that families in Mickleover and the local vicinity can be assured of their children’s education in a state-of-the-art local school?

[Sir Alan Campbell]

I understand the anxiety felt by my hon. Friend’s constituents, and the need for certainty on their children’s future education. The Under-Secretary of State for Education, my hon. Friend the Member for Whitehaven and Workington (Josh MacAlister), has committed to provide an update on the outcomes of the review of mainstream free school projects later this year. It is a substantial exercise covering 44 projects, and I will ensure that Members are notified as soon as there is a decision.

Business of the House

Samantha Niblett Excerpts

Thursday 23rd October 2025 Commons Chamber

[Sir Alan Campbell]

My hon. Friend may wish to seek his own debate on these matters, to highlight this issue and the support the Government gave to JLR and all the companies that support it. He will know that cyber-security is an important matter. We are working with the National Cyber Security Centre to provide businesses with tools, advice and support to protect them against cyber-attacks. I think a debate to highlight this issue would be well attended.

[Samantha Niblett (South Derbyshire) (Lab)]

Four years ago today, 17-year-old Phoebe Johnson tragically died in a car crash on the A514 in my constituency. The driver of the car she was in had only been driving for eight weeks and admitted she was too drunk to drive after leaving a house party. Phoebe’s parents Nicky and Paul said:

“Our lives will never be the same again.”

They are working with the Brake campaign to push for a graduated driving licence system, to improve road safety and prevent further young lives being lost. Will the Leader of the House commit Government time for this to be discussed in Parliament?

[Sir Alan Campbell]

I pay my respects to Phoebe’s family. It is an unbearable tragedy when this happens, and it happens too often. Work is under way to deliver an updated strategic framework for road safety—that will be the first one in over a decade. I will ensure my hon. Friend receives an update on that, and should she seek a debate, I am sure it would be well attended.

Business of the House

Samantha Niblett Excerpts

Thursday 4th September 2025 Commons Chamber

[Samantha Niblett (South Derbyshire) (Lab)]

Residents of Overseal in my constituency woke up over the August bank holiday weekend to find a Traveller site being constructed behind their homes without planning permission and with complete disregard for due process, ignoring a stop order that had been secured by local councillor Amy Wheelton and officers of the council. That presents Derbyshire district council with a potentially costly and lengthy legal process, and denies local people any opportunity for consultation and comment. A member of my team has met residents, and I will meet them this weekend at my earliest opportunity. Will the Leader of the House make a statement on the measures that we can take in this place to help constituents such as mine?

[Lucy Powell]

I am sorry to hear of the trouble that my hon. Friend is having in her constituency and of the challenges in supporting her council and police to take action. We keep powers under constant review to ensure they are effective in tackling unauthorised encampments. I will keep her updated on that.

Business of the House

Samantha Niblett Excerpts

Thursday 5th June 2025 Commons Chamber

[Lucy Powell]

First, I thank the hon. Lady for what she said about free school meals. I know it is a policy the Liberal Democrats have also campaigned on, but it is this Government who have a proud record of advancing free school meals and lifting children out of poverty, which is exactly what we are doing today, and will continue to do over the coming weeks.

The hon. Lady raises the matter of special educational needs, which—she is absolutely right—is raised very often in these questions. I know that it is an issue of great importance to our constituents and to many Members across the House, as I am sure she will accept. I will ensure that any developments in this regard are brought to the House, and that Members have ample opportunity to contribute to them. I am sure she will agree with me that in recent years our special educational needs system has not delivered the outcomes for those who need it most, and that the process is not good for parents and families either. We need to make changes to the system to deliver good outcomes in both mainstream and specialist settings. I will ensure that the House is kept fully up to date.

[Samantha Niblett (South Derbyshire) (Lab)]

The Just the Tonic comedy festival is coming to South Derbyshire in July, the festival having chosen Elvaston castle as its venue—a place I am helping the local parish council to save as publicly owned. Who does not love comedy? Yet despite being nationally loved and generating billions across live digital streaming and more, comedy remains an economically under-leveraged sector, excluded from arts funding, Government reports and the Creative Industries Council itself. Using comedy in social prescribing could help us save billions on mental healthcare, and I am working with Lou Jackson of Craic House—that is C-R-A-I-C—on a tech platform to help comedians. Will the Leader of the House dedicate time for a debate on our comedy industry?

[Lucy Powell]

My hon. Friend makes a compelling case. Of course, comedy is no joke when it comes to the economy. [Interruption.] I try my best, Mr Speaker, but I am obviously not as good as those at Craic House in my hon. Friend’s constituency. She makes a great point, and I am sure that Ministers will have heard her call today that the comedy sector is a vital part of our cultural and creative industries, and we will do everything to support it.

Business of the House

Samantha Niblett Excerpts

Thursday 23rd January 2025 Commons Chamber

[Lucy Powell]

As the hon. Member will know, we have been absolutely clear that there will be no return to the single market, the customs union or freedom of movement, and we have no plans for a youth mobility scheme. That is because we feel that we can make great progress in resetting our relationship with the European Union, which is under way, and that the country does not need further disruption in this area but needs us to make sure we get the trade agreements and the relationship with the EU that will get better outcomes for those in Scotland and elsewhere.

[Samantha Niblett (South Derbyshire) (Lab)]

In South Derbyshire, we have an incinerator in Drakelow. Just outside my patch, in neighbouring Derby, there is an incinerator in Sinfin. Despite that, there has been an application to build another incinerator 9 miles from the one in Sinfin and just 4.8 miles from the one in Drakelow. It has already been rejected by both the district and county councils and, most importantly, by my constituents. Community Against the Swadlincote Incinerator is a data-driven and facts-based campaign led by Dr Tracey Wond. It is not just that we do not want the incinerator; given the numbers, we do not need it, especially as it would not be significant infrastructure of national importance and the Government are seeking to reduce waste. Will the Leader of the House please consider having a debate in Government time on where we should agree to build new incinerators? There is certainly no sense in building another one in South Derbyshire.

[Lucy Powell]

I think this is my hon. Friend’s first business question, and she is a fantastic new MP for South Derbyshire who is yet again raising an issue of concern for her constituents. She will know that the Government are committed to delivering a package of reform to transition to a circular economy, which will dramatically reduce our reliance on waste incineration. We will back new waste incineration projects only where they meet strict new conditions, which we recently set out. This issue gets raised many times in business questions, and I can see that the Chair of the Backbench Business Committee is still in his place. My hon. Friend should get together with other colleagues and try to secure a broader debate on the matter.