Budget Resolutions

Tom Hayes Excerpts

Tuesday 3rd November 2026 Commons Chamber

[Lola McEvoy (Darlington) (Lab)]

I am the Member of Parliament for Darlington, the home of “No. 11 North” —the Darlington economic campus. I want to put on record my thanks to Beth, Joe, Laura and all the civil servants who worked round the clock to ensure that we could deliver the Chancellor’s first Budget. The Treasury campus in Darlington was the brainchild of the previous Government, and it was funded by this Government to the tune of £118 million for a brand-new hub. It is proof that the best interventions from this place garner cross-party support.

I am sure that everyone in this Chamber will agree with investing record amounts in defence to support our world-leading armed forces and defence industry; backing British inventors, innovators and founders, so that if someone has a great idea here, we will make sure they can succeed here; £100 cashback in January for energy bills for 45,000 households in Darlington, and hundreds of thousands more across the country, which is much needed and well received; and hope for our high streets, with a freeze on business rates and an increase in the business rates relief threshold to £18,000, which will benefit 222 business in Darlington. I am particularly pleased to see that these measures are paid for by the global e-marketplaces and by taking the relief from those pesky vape shops. The country and, I am sure, their representatives across the House can all support that.

What seems to divide the House is how we should deliver it. It is right that this Government, under this Chancellor, continue their commitment to fiscal responsibility. We must reduce the amount we are paying on debt interest. I welcome the fact that those who have made record profits off the global insecurity that has driven cost of living pressures on households across our country will pay a little bit more through the bank levy. The truth remains that we will not spend more than we earn, but despite record investment, incredible world-leading growth sectors and an army of grafters—yes, in every postcode—we are getting battered by global storms. That is not the fault of the Conservative party, but we feel that the severity of the impact is. I welcome this Budget’s ringfencing of spending on preventive policies and services. Preventive funding should be ringfenced.

If the last Government had rediverted the money that they saved through short-term cuts into upgrading the grid, building new nuclear, building new renewables to create energy security, building new hospitals, building council homes—or building any homes—or building roads, building railways or, indeed, investing in our armed forces, perhaps they would still be trusted with an ounce of public money. Instead, they proved to a whole generation that they should not have the keys to Whitehall. They oversaw some of the worst business deals on record, incentivising hotel use by private contractors to house people seeking asylum and outsourcing our pensions, our social care and our post. They failed to prepare for the pandemic, and then they crashed the economy, leading to the fastest annual fall in living standards since records began.

Yes, this Government have more to do. I welcome the myriad interventions the Chancellor has made in this Budget aimed at protecting our economy, our industry and our security.

[Tom Hayes (Bournemouth East) (Lab)]

Does my hon. Friend agree that we do not need to choose between cheaper and cleaner energy, as the two can exist in harmony? One of the ways in which that will happen is the abolition of gas standing charges, which will save 23 million homes £45 on average. That is just one of the good things this Labour Government are doing not just to tackle our climate crisis, but to put more money into people’s pockets.

[Lola McEvoy]

I absolutely agree. The standing charge policy has come up on the doorstep and has really cut through, so I am delighted to see it.

So yes, Darlington is home to “No. 11 North”. Yes, it is home to the world’s first passenger railway, and home to pease pudding, and it is soon to be home to a brand-new multimillion-pound STEM training centre, backed by £16 million from the last Budget, backed by industry and backed by £5 million of Pride in Place funding. Yes, we do have all that, but we are way more than all those things; we are a test case for good growth and we are bucking the national trend. We are a resilient, investable ecosystem. I grew up in a part of Darlington that was historically called Hopetown. We had hope 200 years ago, and we hope again.

Poundland

Tom Hayes Excerpts

Tuesday 3rd November 2026 Commons Chamber

[Kate Dearden]

My hon. Friend is absolutely right to raise concerns on behalf of his constituents and those across the country who are really concerned about the future of their employment. We have been seeking to clarify the business plans and get a clear understanding of the situation, because it is absolutely legitimate for a Government to ask a business to do everything it can to protect its employees and suppliers. Of course, this is an evolving situation, and we will continue to engage with Poundland, Gordon Brothers and USDAW this week, to make sure that we can have the best possible outcome for the workforce and the future of the business.

[Tom Hayes (Bournemouth East) (Lab)]

I called at the Poundland store in the Sovereign Shopping Centre a few days ago to check in on the team, speak to the manager and find out how they are doing. Unsurprisingly, they are living with extreme uncertainty. Will the Minister speak directly to the employees of Poundland in Bournemouth and let them know exactly what this Government are doing to support them and save their jobs? After all, they just want to earn a good wage, put food on the table and be able to afford presents under the Christmas tree.

[Kate Dearden]

I thank my hon. Friend for raising that very concerning situation on behalf of his constituents in Bournemouth, and I acknowledge that hundreds of jobs are at stake. I hope he takes some reassurance from my remarks at the Dispatch Box, because this Government intend to do absolutely everything we can to ensure that the business is doing everything it can to protect his constituents’ jobs and thousands of suppliers’ jobs across the country. We want the best possible outcome for the workforce and the future of the business, which is why we are working with the company and the union to protect those jobs.

Ground-mounted Solar Panels: Alternatives

Tom Hayes Excerpts

Tuesday 14th April 2026 Westminster Hall

[Sarah Bool]

Absolutely. It certainly should not be put there, and the national planning policy framework states we should not be doing that. I therefore find it quite extraordinary that we are still having debates on this issue. There are certainly other alternatives, and they must be explored, so I really do hope that the Government take this issue seriously as it progresses over the years.

[Tom Hayes (Bournemouth East) (Lab)]

I feel that we are slightly misrepresenting the argument. There is no debate about choosing between food security and energy security. The National Farmers Union states that if solar capacity were to increase fivefold by 2035, we would still only see 0.5% of UK agricultural land covered by ground-mounted solar farms. Is it not the case that we are creating a false debate, or does she think that the National Farmers Union is wrong?

[Sarah Bool]

I am not debating the National Farmers Union; I am saying that we should not be putting farmers in this position. I would not blame any farmer trying to make a bit of extra money from solar, particularly since the current environment is very difficult for them. The problem is that ground-mounted solar is not the best use of that land in any event. Agricultural land should be used for exactly that—agriculture.

--- Later in debate ---

[Tom Hayes]

I do not want us to keep talking around each other, but the hon. Lady is missing the point again about the quantity of agricultural land that can be taken out of agricultural use. Reference has been made to the idea that the UK would be carpeted with ground-mounted solar panels. That is not going to happen. We can support the goal of food security and we can support the goal of energy security, but we do not need to misrepresent the extent to which agricultural land will be taken out of use for that purpose.

[Sarah Bool]

I think it is about the quality of the land that is being used. It might be a small amount, but if it is very good-quality agricultural land—as 65% of it is, according to what I have here—the hon. Member’s point does not stand up on that front. We just have to be very realistic about it, because there are many different factors. The hon. Member could say that a huge proportion of the country is taken up with golf courses, and say, “Well, we don’t take that away,” but what we are saying is that this is a fix that is very popular.

Solar does not necessarily work all the time. The actual amount of energy generated is a very small proportion. Sometimes it can work only 10% of the time. It does not work during the night, and there are other issues about the transmission of the energy itself, because of the times of the day that can be used. That raises questions about the grid capacity and the grid connections.

Royal Mail: Universal Service Obligation

Tom Hayes Excerpts

Wednesday 11th March 2026 Commons Chamber

[Blair McDougall]

In a previous life, I was very proud to have worked on the Tell Us Once service at its inception, and I know how important that service is to people at the worst possible time of their life. I will certainly raise the issue that my hon. Friend has highlighted.

[Tom Hayes (Bournemouth East) (Lab)]

As the Labour Member of Parliament for Bournemouth East, I stand by my posties here in the House of Commons and thank them for their dedication and diligence, which stands in sharp contrast to the management of the Royal Mail. The trial that is under way has failed, and the new approach will spectacularly fail if it is put into effect. When the Minister meets Ofcom later, and when he meets the Royal Mail, will he say that he will not stand for the Royal Mail becoming yet another gig economy parcel courier that exploits its employees and lets down customers?

[Blair McDougall]

This is a Government who are improving the working conditions, standards and rights of workers across the economy. My hon. Friend makes the important point that there is wisdom and experience within the workforce. The talks that are going on at the moment are about bringing that together with the ambition and responsibilities of the management, which is why we are taking the actions we are.

Post Office Green Paper

Tom Hayes Excerpts

Wednesday 25th February 2026 Commons Chamber

[Blair McDougall]

I thank the hon. Lady for welcoming today’s statement. On the additional protection that we are bringing in, I reassure her that in addition to maintaining the network of 11,500 post offices, the access criteria stipulate that 99% of the UK population must be within three miles of a post office outlet, 90% must be within one mile, 99% of those living in deprived urban areas must be within one mile, 95% of the total urban population must be within one mile, and 95% of the total rural population must be within three miles. Then we have the additional protection, particularly in rural areas, that 95% of the population in every postcode district must be within six miles of a post office. They will all be maintained, which should reassure her.

The hon. Lady makes a point about ensuring that post office hours match people’s lives, which is something that postmasters are doing already. I visited a post office in Acton that stays open at weekends and till 11 pm, so that other retailers, such as grocers, can come and put in their takings.

Finally, we recognise the importance of post offices for vulnerable people and those who, for whatever reason, might struggle with the choices that many other people are making about accessing Government services online. That is one of the key reasons why we are keeping the network at the level it is at the moment. As I mentioned in my statement, we are also doing work across Government to look at the idea of a single front door for face-to-face Government services and the role that the Post Office can play in that. We are looking to enhance the role that the Post Office plays.

[Tom Hayes (Bournemouth East) (Lab)]

I welcome the announcement of £483 million to invest in our post offices around the country, and I join the Minister in thanking our postmasters and postal staff, particularly those at the Southbourne Grove, Malmesbury Park, Hengistbury Head and Sea Road post offices in my constituency. What happens at Royal Mail affects our postal services—it is unavoidable—so I am concerned about the adoption of the optimised delivery network in Bournemouth and more broadly. The Minister and I were recently at a meeting with the Post Office in which we had a private discussion about its future. Does he agree that the work of the Government in this area is key to building pride in our communities, tackling antisocial behaviour and having a diverse mix of offer on our high streets? That is the only way in which we will truly regenerate our high streets in Bournemouth and across the country.

[Blair McDougall]

I pay tribute to my hon. Friend for campaigning for his own high streets, and particularly for his local post office network. He is absolutely right to say that our response recognises the importance of post offices as anchors in high streets—they help drive footfall. The community hub model that the Post Office is piloting is an example of how we can build on that and expand post offices’ role as anchors in high streets, but he is right: this has to be seen across the wider effort that we are undertaking to make high streets somewhere people choose to go, to make them more attractive and to make them places where people choose to shop. High streets and high street businesses are not just part of the community; they are where our communities are made.

Sale of Fireworks

Tom Hayes Excerpts

Monday 19th January 2026 Westminster Hall

[Tom Hayes (Bournemouth East) (Lab)]

Nearly two hours into this debate, I am pleased to have the chance to speak. The fact that so many have spoken shows just how much this issue matters to our constituents. I thank the 497 people in my constituency who signed the two petitions, showing just how much this matters to Bournemouth East.

In preparing to speak today, I was struck by what some colleagues have noted: it feels like we have been debating this for a very long time. In fact, as far as I can tell, the first time that Parliament debated fireworks legislation was in 1697. The first regulations to support the public use of fireworks were in the Gunpowder and Fireworks Act 1860. As one who can be frustrated by the pace of change in Parliament, I was a bit concerned that it took just 56 calendar days to get that piece of legislation through, from the First Reading in the House of Commons to Royal Assent. We might be able to learn something from our colleagues way back in history.

In thinking about what my constituents have told me about fireworks, I am struck by the words of Sandra in Muscliff, who described some of her evenings as resembling living in a warzone. Carl, who lives in Townsend, told me at my surgery appointment at Boscombe library the other week about his and his wife’s cat Chester, who suffers significantly during noisy fireworks displays, to such an extent that he has blood in his urine, which is horrible to hear. Carl was asking what more can be done about the intensity and frequency of fireworks, and echoed an awful lot of views that I have heard from my constituents in doing so. I think also of Jeanette Shepperd, who lives in Pokesdown, who has called on me to represent her call for a limit on fireworks, particularly on the Bournemouth fireworks display, which happens annually in Litterdown, where there can be loud and unpredictable displays not just on that evening, but on the days leading up to it.

There are also people on the other side of the argument, such as Gayle on Beaufort Road in Southbourne, who is very clear that she wants a live-and-let-live approach. James in Queen’s Park says that his “very, very beautiful dog Penny”—those are his words as well as mine—has never been bothered by fireworks. That tells us that we need to find a balance, between safety and welfare on one side and the ability of constituents to enjoy coming together and have happy experiences on the other. Let’s face it, our country has been denied many opportunities to join together and to feel a sense of hope and happiness for a long time.

As an animal lover, I have been calling on the Government to do more. I have been calling on Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole council in my area to regulate fireworks displays better and, crucially, to enforce existing rules more effectively. There is no point in making regulations if they are not enforced, and we should remember that we do have means of enforcement. The last Labour Government introduced the Fireworks Act 2003 and the Fireworks Regulations 2004, which were about restricting the antisocial use of fireworks. It has been said very well today by a number of colleagues that we are not against people being sociable, and we are not against the social use of fireworks; we are against the antisocial elements, the excessive noise and duration, the significant intensity, and the fact that we do not have reserved days for fireworks, but they happen throughout the course of the year.

I and many colleagues recognise that when one person’s actions cause harm or distress to others, and when individual freedoms come into conflict, we must always consider whether the balance is right. When it is not just the owners of pets, but the beloved pets themselves who bear the consequences, all of us feel the very great need to be compassionate towards them, but this is not just about pets. As we have heard, it is also about veterans, who are triggered as a consequence of hearing loud fireworks displays. It is about pensioners and it is about shift workers; it is about a spectrum in our society.

If the Government move forward with a limitation on the quality, duration, hours and noise of fireworks displays, that would be very much in keeping with our new animal welfare strategy. One of the best things that this Government can do as part of that strategy is to look at this issue again, bring forward the legislation that will finally protect animals, and make sure that we have more cohesive societies and a reduction in antisocial behaviour.

Seasonal Work

Tom Hayes Excerpts

Wednesday 10th December 2025 Commons Chamber

[Sarah Bool]

Absolutely. We need to encourage that next generation through to the workforce, and I cannot see that they are getting any of those opportunities at the moment. The Government are so proudly trying to promote that, but let us look at the impact and the figures. There can be no denying that they are achieving none of what they hope to achieve in future.

[Tom Hayes (Bournemouth East) (Lab)]

Across these Benches in the mainstream parties, we have to develop solutions to the problems we face, partly because we know that in our Chamber we have the likes of Reform. Our country is in debt to the tune of £2.7 trillion and we spend around £105 billion each year to service the debt before we spend any money on anything else. We therefore have to think, in that difficult situation, about how we come up with solutions.

If we are to fund our public services to get people back into work, which helps to grow the economy, and are to do the other things that we want to do as a country, what is the right way of raising the funds that allows our country to pay down our debt and the amount we spend each year to service our deficit and to bring the change that people want in delivery of public services? I ask the hon. Lady please not to say “Welfare reform.” I agree that we need to do welfare reform—[Interruption.] If I may, I agree that we need to do that, and the Milburn and Timms reviews will be critical to taking forward an effective welfare reform package, but what else would she do?

[Sarah Bool]

At least the hon. Member has acknowledged that we have to repay debt, unlike the Green party, which suddenly believes that repaying debt interest is not a viable or true alternative in this world. The hon. Gentleman denies talk of welfare, but it is a fundamental element. [Interruption.] I am glad to see that he agrees with that, but there is so much more. Why is the Labour party increasing the welfare bill?

The Government have to grow the economy and that means supporting businesses, giving them opportunities, reducing tax and putting money in our pockets to do that. Unfortunately, we can see from everything that has come from the Government so far that the economy is not growing. Watch this space, but that is a problem that we will struggle with.

South Northamptonshire has 95 pubs, which are crucial to our rural community and to our economy. They are a great example of a place where young people can start their first jobs. At The White Hart in Hackleton, a young girl with Down’s syndrome, who could not get a job outside the village because of transport issues, took her first job. That job will be threatened by all the measures from this Government.

Critical Minerals Strategy

Tom Hayes Excerpts

Monday 24th November 2025 Commons Chamber

[Chris McDonald]

I could not agree more with my hon. Friend. There is an intrinsic link between the availability of critical minerals and the surety of defence, which is why so many countries are concerned about this. It is also why I am determined to ensure that British businesses are invested in and grow in the UK so that we have the supply of critical minerals that we need.

[Tom Hayes (Bournemouth East) (Lab)]

I welcome the strategy for all that it will do to tackle China’s stranglehold on critical minerals. It will sit alongside the Government’s efforts to build home-grown clean energy to get off the Russia-dominated fossil fuel market, and our work to ramp up the domestic production of defence capabilities to keep the Russian menace at bay. That stands in stark contrast to Reform, whose leader in Wales, Nathan Gill, has just been jailed for 10 years for betraying our country and accepting bribes for pushing out pro-Putin propaganda. Does the Minister agree that we can all feel safer when our essentials are made in Britain?

[Chris McDonald]

I agree that the security of the nation is very much dependent on the availability of these critical minerals. I hope that when people go to the ballot box, they think about the security of this nation and whether parties such as Reform can be trusted when they have senior people taking bribes from overseas Governments.

Oral Answers to Questions

Tom Hayes Excerpts

Tuesday 18th November 2025 Commons Chamber

[Michael Shanks]

Yes. The hon. Lady touches on a number of points. The transition means building on the industrial strategy that we outlined as a Government, because are not agnostic about industrial policy—we care that things are built in this country again. That is why there is a £1 billion supply chain fund to ensure that we get the economic advantage of the clean power transition, as well as energy security. There is a broader question around building up the skills to ensure that there is a future workforce that can take advantage of that. She and I both know that that sits with the Scottish Government, who are woefully underfunding further education—a route that so many young Scots might take to create the opportunity to embark on a career in the energy sector—so I hope there will be a change of Government in Scotland soon.

[Tom Hayes (Bournemouth East) (Lab)]

I am thrilled that University Hospitals Dorset NHS foundation trust, one of the region’s biggest emitters, has secured two grants totalling £3 million from Great British Energy for solar investment, but its ambition goes further. The trust wants to develop a geothermal solution that pulls energy from the geology under the Royal Bournemouth hospital. Will the Minister meet me and representatives from the trust so that we can explore this potential decarbonisation project together?

[Michael Shanks]

It sounds like a great idea. I am very happy to meet my hon. Friend and representatives from the trust to discuss that.

Small Modular Nuclear Reactor Power Station: Wylfa

Tom Hayes Excerpts

Monday 17th November 2025 Commons Chamber

[Michael Shanks]

That is a hugely important question. This is a significant moment for British innovation, because we are now moving forward quickly to ensure that we are at the forefront of this innovation, so that other countries that are already looking to the Rolls-Royce designs can benefit from them as well, but made in Britain. The aim of SMRs that is different from gigascale nuclear is to get to a point where their replicability means that we can produce the SMR technology for export market as well as for ourselves. That is important for our allies across the world who want nuclear to be part of their energy mix, and it is a hugely important economic opportunity for this country as well.

[Tom Hayes (Bournemouth East) (Lab)]

In the first nine years of the 14 years of Conservative Government, David Cameron sent Wylfa to the wall, George Osborne begged the Chinese to invest—we are still unpicking that mistake—and Theresa May nearly killed off Hinkley Point C, and with it Sizewell C, and after that things actually got worse. Under Labour, plants are getting off the ground to end our reliance on dictators like Putin, which is to be commended. Will the Minister set out how we will build our nuclear future in all parts of the UK? May I make a particular recommendation for Dorset, because we have Winfrith, which could be a really big part of our nuclear future?

[Michael Shanks]

I was expecting every question today to be, “Could an SMR be built in my constituency?” but my hon. Friend is the first to ask, so he wins the prize for that. I will not labour the point, but as he says, we had a lot of promises and a lot of big talk from the Conservative Government on nuclear, but very little actually delivered. The truth is that no money was put forward for any of those things. It is easy to sign and say, “We want to deliver something,” but without putting any money forward, nothing will happen. We have committed almost £20 billion in funding to make Britain’s new golden age of nuclear a reality, which will deliver jobs in my hon. Friend’s constituency and across the country. We are ambitious about the future of SMRs. They can be sited in a great many more places than traditional nuclear facilities. We have asked Great British Energy Nuclear to look at the range of sites across the United Kingdom that are possible, not just the sites that were traditionally designated for nuclear projects. That opens up huge opportunity for the energy mix of the future, and for jobs, investment and training throughout supply chains as well.