High Street Retailers

Tom Hayes Excerpts

Wednesday 5th February 2025 Westminster Hall

[Mr Campbell]

I do not know those organisations, but I presume, on the basis of the hon. Lady’s endorsement, that they are very worth while and worth defending.

This week—this is a very topical issue—the Government in the Irish Republic have indicated that they will look at VAT terms. Of course, Northern Ireland is in very close proximity to the Republic. Here in the UK, VAT is charged at 20%, and in the Irish Republic it is 13%. That puts our high street retailers, particularly those in the hospitality sector, at a bit of a disadvantage. The Government in the Republic have indicated that they will reduce their rate yet again from 13% down to 9%, which means that the disadvantage gap for Northern Ireland retailers and consumers will widen considerably.

The Minister will obviously not be able to respond immediately. If he does, I would be very surprised. I would welcome his response if he were able to say, “I’m going to go to the Treasury and get special dispensation for Northern Ireland hospitality on the high street, with a 5% introductory rate for the next four years of this Parliament”—I think that would be an excellent idea that would get support across the divide in Northern Ireland. But I hope he will have some discussion with his colleagues to see what can be done. We are at an acute disadvantage, and it is most heavily felt. In the past couple of days, hotel managers and hospitality retailers have been on local radio saying, “Our opportunity for business is diminishing even more as a result of this decision to reduce VAT in the adjoining businesses, just a few miles across the border, down from 13% to 9%. We are struggling with charging a 20% rate.” So a 5% rate would be very welcome.

In conclusion—

[Tom Hayes (Bournemouth East) (Lab)]

It is funny how saying “In conclusion” gets our attention. I thank the hon. Gentleman for giving way. If he wants independent stores, fantastic cafés or great restaurants, I can heartily recommend the high streets in Boscombe, Pokesdown, Southport and Tuckton. I could go on, but I will not. I particularly recommend the fantastic vintage store In Off the Far Post in Boscombe. Would the hon. Member agree that we need the Government to support our high streets so that we have more independent shops and fewer candy shops and vape shops, which are often so brightly lit that we can almost see them from space?

[Mr Gregory Campbell]

I agree with what the hon. Member said in his brief tour of his constituency, which I am sure is very enticing to those who have not been. We need support, but we need more than just more of the same. We need to have a structured look at what the high street will look like.

Royal Mail Takeover

Tom Hayes Excerpts

Monday 16th December 2024 Commons Chamber

[Justin Madders]

I pay tribute to the work my hon. Friend father does, and to his work as an official of the Communication Workers Union. What the union has said about the reset in industrial relations is really important to improving standards; of course, the other part of the agreement—on investment in the company—is much needed. When everyone works together, everyone shares the common goal of the business expanding and improving its performance. I think we have got everyone aligned on that at last, and I hope that we will all see improvements off the back of that.

[Tom Hayes (Bournemouth East) (Lab)]

Our posties are friendly, familiar faces who go above and beyond all year round, but never more so than at Christmas. It was a pleasure to visit Bournemouth Royal Mail depot recently, on a tour with Martin and Sonia. Will the Minister outline how the Government will prevent any future owner of Royal Mail from driving the company into the ground? What assurances can he give the people of Bournemouth that Royal Mail will finally deliver?

[Justin Madders]

There are a number of safeguards in the deed of understanding that relate to value extraction, so the EP Group will not be able to take profits out of the company unless there is an improvement in performance; there are also safeguards in respect of debt leverage. I hope that gives my hon. Friend the assurances he is looking for.

Critical Minerals: Domestic Production

Tom Hayes Excerpts

Tuesday 3rd December 2024 Westminster Hall

[Tom Hayes (Bournemouth East) (Lab)]

It is an honour to follow the hon. Member for Strangford (Jim Shannon) and to speak in a debate called by my hon. Friend the Member for Camborne and Redruth (Perran Moon), with whom I often joke about critical minerals. Honestly, it is funny. I had thought that if I were to put a pound into a jar every time that my hon. Friend mentioned tin, I would be financially challenged, but after today’s debate, I would be bankrupt. I thank him for calling the debate.

As the MP for Bournemouth East, I belong to the south-west, so I have a particular interest in seeing that region develop and strengthen its green economy so that the people I represent can thrive and prosper. As the first ever Labour MP for Bournemouth East, I am particularly proud to be speaking about a region that has the largest concentration of Labour MPs in a very long time. When local people vote for Labour, they do not just get an investment in critical minerals development but in clean energy infrastructure and the jobs of the future that will help people to have a better way of life.

The south-west has a remarkable mix of nationally significant critical minerals, which will be vital to the UK’s energy security and industrial resilience, especially in the advanced manufacturing sectors, which rely on a supply of lithium and tin. I am pleased that the south-west is home to the world-renowned Camborne School of Mines at the University of Exeter, which has received £4.5 million to establish a green economy centre to accelerate the mining of lithium, tin and tungsten in collaboration with local businesses and Government bodies. I hope that there will be a role for Bournemouth University in the development of this project.

Critical mineral extraction was once a major industry for Cornwall—also in the south-west—and its rejuvenation must be a key component of our green economy. When the Labour Government came to power, they inherited a very difficult cost of living crisis. Because the Government we replaced had left the country exposed to fossil fuel dictators, we saw inflation rise to 10% and 11%. A third of that was driven by the gas shocks prompted by the invasion of Ukraine. The cost of living crisis has been a disaster for Cornish constituencies and constituents of mine, with typical energy bills nearly doubling in the space of a year and family finances in a mess for so many. The previous Government were forced to spend £94 million to support households with the cost of living crisis.

We need to achieve clean energy not just to create the jobs of the future but to ensure that our country is no longer exposed to the whims of fossil fuel dictators. The last Government ducked and dithered and delayed some difficult decisions on critical minerals, which has left us in this difficult place. Every time they ducked and delayed, they denied our country the clean energy infrastructure we needed. The Climate Change Committee report, published two weeks after the Labour Government came into office, laid bare the true reality, and said that

“last year…the previous Government signalled a slowing of pace and reversed or delayed key policies…The…announcements were given with the justification that they will make the transition more affordable for people, but with no evidence backing this claim.”

The Climate Change Committee’s assessment was that only a third of the emissions reductions required are currently covered by credible plans.

I welcome this debate in bringing to the fore critical minerals and the contribution that Cornwall can make to our clean energy revolution. The faster we go, the more we will be able to secure and create jobs and tackle our climate crisis. I thank my hon. Friend the Member for Camborne and Redruth for calling this debate, and I thank all Members for contributing. Together this House will have the solutions we need so that we can all be in a better place.

Pub and Hospitality Sector

Tom Hayes Excerpts

Tuesday 22nd October 2024 Westminster Hall

[Tom Hayes (Bournemouth East) (Lab)]

I am thrilled that the Labour Government value the role of pubs, cafés, restaurants and more in serving Bournemouth and Britain. When I speak with publicans and people involved in the hospitality sector, they tell me that they want Bournemouth to be seen not as a sleepy seaside town, but as a thriving and bustling place to invest, work and live.

Let us take as an example the stretch of Charminster Road between the Broadway pub and Creams. There are 17 different types of cuisine on offer, which are as diverse as the communities that call Charmy home. We have four pubs—the Richmond Arms, the Fiveways, the Broadway and The Dancing Jug—and more than 80% of vendors are independent.

If we move to Boscombe—I know that hon. Members would want to—we have Boscanova. Started by the team behind Bad Hand Coffee, it is a fantastic place that I visited recently and remains a bustling spot for great food made from ingredients sourced in Dorset and Hampshire, and some of the best coffee in Bournemouth. I cannot dwell on Boscombe without talking about Flamingo and Joy Cafe, and Cafe Riva and the Hush Club. The Hush Club almost stopped visiting Cafe Riva because of issues with the council and licensing complaints. I am pleased to have brought people together in recent weeks to keep that going.

If we move over to Southbourne, as again I know hon. Members would want to, there are fantastic places to visit, such as Wild & Ginger, Little Perth, Ludo Lounge, Brewhouse & Kitchen, The Wight Bear, Syd’s Slaps, The Larder House, Dicky’s, Harry’s—I could go on. Moving quickly over to Moordown, if hon. Members fancy a good fish and chips on a Friday night, they might have to queue up, but I recommend they go to Malvern Road Fisheries. Lastly, in Muscliff and Strouden Park, perhaps the best kebab in the whole of Bournemouth East, if not the whole country, is found at Noor. I encourage any and all people to come, any day of the week.

I thank the business improvement districts for all they do to fuel economic growth and the people of Bournemouth East, who invest, set up businesses and help to fuel the hospitality economy, because they are making Bournemouth the amazing place that it is.

[Valerie Vaz (in the Chair)]

I remind hon. Members that I expect to begin the wind-ups at 10.28 am.