First elected: 4th July 2024
Speeches made during Parliamentary debates are recorded in Hansard. For ease of browsing we have grouped debates into individual, departmental and legislative categories.
e-Petitions are administered by Parliament and allow members of the public to express support for a particular issue.
If an e-petition reaches 10,000 signatures the Government will issue a written response.
If an e-petition reaches 100,000 signatures the petition becomes eligible for a Parliamentary debate (usually Monday 4.30pm in Westminster Hall).
Raise the income tax personal allowance from £12,570 to £20,000
Gov Responded - 20 Feb 2025 Debated on - 12 May 2025 View Tom Morrison's petition debate contributionsRaise the income tax personal allowance from £12570 to £20000. We think this would help low earners to get off benefits and allow pensioners a decent income.
These initiatives were driven by Tom Morrison, 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.
Tom Morrison has not been granted any Urgent Questions
Tom Morrison has not been granted any Adjournment Debates
Tom Morrison has not introduced any legislation before Parliament
Tom Morrison has not co-sponsored any Bills in the current parliamentary sitting
The Electoral Commission’s report on the 2024 UK Parliamentary general election found that during the campaign many candidates, including those from ethnic minority backgrounds, experienced unacceptable levels of intimidation and harassment. The Commission’s research showed that 34% of candidates from an ethnic minority background reported having a serious problem with intimidation compared to 14% of candidates overall. The Commission did not collect data on this issue prior to 2024 so has not made an assessment of trends in the data.
The Commission has welcomed the first report from the Speaker’s Conference on the impact of abuse and intimidation. The Commission is considering how it can support implementation of the report’s proposals for all candidates, including those from an ethnic minority background, ahead of the elections in May 2026.
Period products are regulated by the General Product Safety Regulations 2005, which requires all products to be safe and for consumers to be provided with information on the potential risks of a product. Through the Product Regulation and Metrology Bill, the Government has committed to consult on this matter to ensure that any changes to the safety provisions of these products are robust and consistent.
Studies carried out in the EU on chemicals in period products found that the chemicals identified in these products were present only in low concentrations, with no evidence of significant risks to human health. If a product were identified as unsafe, the Office for Product Safety and Standards would seek to remove it from the market, rather than run a public awareness campaign.
More widely, UK Health Security Agency is considering the information available to members of the public with respect to chemicals, and looking to publish a new website to give consumers access to more information on the chemicals they use in their everyday lives.
Departmental contact lines are not managed or run centrally. Therefore, each department is responsible for their own contact line, as well as customer service and response times.
From 1 October 2023 to 31 December 2024, the latest date covered by our most official statistics release, UAV Tactical Systems LTD have been issued 3 export licences covering exports to Israel.
Each licence has been assessed to ensure that the items were not for use by the Israeli military in military operations in Gaza, pursuant to the decision on 2 September 2024 to suspend exports of equipment to Israel that might be used by the Israeli military in operations in Gaza.
Licences for military equipment which is not for use in operations in Gaza or which relate to components for products which are ultimately for re-export to other countries were not included in the scope of the suspension.
Three export licences have been issued to this company since October 2023, but each licence has been assessed to ensure that the items were not for use by the Israeli military in military operations in Gaza.
This is pursuant to the decision on 2 September 2024 when we suspended export licences for the Israeli Defence Forces covering equipment that might be used in military operations in Gaza, based on our assessment that these could be used to commit or facilitate serious violations of international humanitarian law.
Licences for military equipment which is not for use in operations in Gaza or which relate to components for products which are ultimately for re-export to other countries were not included in the scope of the suspension.
All export licence applications are reviewed against the UK’s Strategic Export Licensing Criteria (SELC). These state that the Government will not issue export licences if there is a clear risk that the items might be used to commit or facilitate serious violations of International Humanitarian Law (IHL).
We also keep all our extant licences (which typically last for two years) under continual review on this basis.
This government will take whatever action is appropriate in the specific circumstances, including amending, suspending or revoking export licences.
The Secretary of State is grateful for the leadership Doug Gurr, the Interim Chair of the Competition and Markets Authority (“CMA”), has shown since his appointment.
Businesses of all sizes and types are required to comply with competition law. The CMA has published its prioritisation principles which set out the factors the CMA takes into consideration when deciding how to use its resources as effectively as possible.
Period products are regulated by the General Product Safety Regulations 2005, which requires all products to be safe and for consumers to be provided with information on the potential risks of a product. Through the Product Regulation and Metrology Bill, the Government has committed to consult on this matter to ensure that any changes to the safety provisions of these products are robust and consistent.
The UK is a leading advocate for human rights around the world. We remain committed to the promotion of universal human rights. We will draw on our full range of tools and levers, including our independent global human rights sanctions regime, to hold to account those involved in serious human rights violations and abuses.
Goods originating from illegal Israeli settlements are not entitled to tariff and trade preferences under either the agreement between the UK and Israel, or in our agreement with the Palestinian Authority.
The UK will not compromise on any of our longstanding positions on the Middle East Peace Process through the FTA negotiation, including with respect to settlements.
The Department regularly engages with stakeholders on the Free Trade Agreement programme and I have held several such sessions, including with civil society leaders. The strategic approach to negotiations has been published on gov.uk, including an overview of negotiation objectives and a response to the call for input which ran in early 2022.
The government will continue to stand up for human rights and international law around the world, providing support to open societies and drawing on our full range of tools and levers.
The UK is a leading advocate for human rights around the world. We remain committed to the promotion of universal human rights. We will draw on our full range of tools and levers, including our independent global human rights sanctions regime, to hold to account those involved in serious human rights violations and abuses.
The government respects the independence of the International Court of Justice, and we are carefully considering the Court's advisory opinion with the seriousness and rigour it deserves.
We are of the clear view that Israel should bring an end to its presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territories as rapidly as possible, but this must be done in a way that creates the conditions for negotiations towards the two-state solution. On 29 July 2024, the Secretary of State announced the Government's intention to deliver negotiations with the Gulf Cooperation Council, India, Israel, South Korea, Switzerland and Turkey.
We believe that having strong diplomatic and economic relationships with partners allows us to have frank discussions on important issues. The UK Government continues to work with our allies and partners, including across the region, to find a path towards permanent peace.
As set out in the Industrial Strategy Green Paper published in 2024, the UK's creative industries are world-leading, with the UK, according to UN Trade and Development statistics, being the third largest creative services exporter globally (behind Ireland and the United States).
While the Department for Business and Trade has not made a formal assessment of the competitiveness of the UK creative industry, in 2023, the UK, according to UN Trade and Development statistics, was the tenth largest exporter of creative goods and according to Department for Culture, Media and Sport statistics contributed an estimated £124 billion to the UK economy, accounting for 5.2 per cent of UK gross value added.
The forthcoming Industrial Strategy aims to leverage the sector's global comparative advantages to unlock private investment, boost exports and develop its highly skilled workforce.
This Government is committed to ensuring that employed parents receive the best possible support in balancing their work and home lives. Eligible fathers or partners can plan to take a longer period of leave by using Shared Parental Leave or Unpaid Parental Leave. We recognise that parental leave can be improved. Work on this has already begun. The Employment Rights Bill will make Paternity and Unpaid Parental Leave 'day one' rights, accessible to all employees.
Government has also committed to a review of the parental leave system to ensure that it best supports working families. Planning work is already underway.
Stockport Council have applied for support from our Green Heat Networks Fund for their district heating network. To be eligible for support from the scheme, applicants must demonstrate that their networks will cause no detriment to domestic customers. This means that householders in fuel poverty should be no worse off.
We are also taking action to strengthen consumer protection by introducing Ofgem regulation of heat networks from January 2026, providing protections for vulnerable customers, and ensuring fairer pricing.
Oil and gas is traded on international markets, therefore domestically produced oil and gas does not mean cheaper prices and leaves British consumers exposed to unstable fossil fuel markets. On 5 March the Government launched a consultation that progresses the commitment to not issue new licences to explore new oil and gas fields while managing existing fields for their lifespan. It also sets out the next steps to make the North Sea a world leading example of an offshore clean energy industry, which is vital for delivering the best outcomes for workers and communities, energy security, and sustainable economic growth.
The Office of Clean Energy Jobs (OCEJ) is engaging widely with industry, experts, and trade unions for a clear assessment of the skills opportunities and challenges. It is working closely with Skills England to ensure that skills systems reforms support the clean energy transition.
The OCEJ will also set out targeted interventions to support specific skills needs in the clean energy workforce. It has recently launched the initial version of the Energy Skills Passport to support oil and gas workers into new roles in the clean energy sector like offshore wind. In phase two, we are exploring opportunities to expand it into other clean energy sectors such as CCUS and Hydrogen.
While the 2003 Regulations require operators to use underground lines where reasonably practicable, with certain exceptions, this will not always be possible due to costs or if existing infrastructure is not suitable for sharing.
The method of network deployment in commercially viable areas is a commercial decision made by network operators.
Therefore the Department does not actively monitor the proportion of telecommunications infrastructure buried underground since the introduction of the Electronic Communications Code.
However, Ofcom’s Connected Nations 2024 Report indicated that Openreach has deployed 496,000 km of ducts and 4.1 million telegraph poles across the UK.
Parts 11 and 12 of the Electronic Communications Code provide rights to fly lines over land and set out when and how someone can object to these installations. The aim is to balance the efficient deployment of overhead networks with the interests of those affected by them. The provisions under Parts 11 and 12 relate primarily to fixed-line infrastructure deployment.
Part 11 was amended through the Product Security and Telecommunications Infrastructure Act 2022 to support greater infrastructure sharing, providing alternatives for network expansion. The measures in that Act received Parliamentary scrutiny and were subject to a published De Minimis Impact Assessment.
A separate assessment of these provisions has not been completed, but the impact of all the 2022 changes will be assessed in due course.
Parts 11 and 12 of the Electronic Communications Code provide rights to fly lines over land and set out when and how someone can object to these installations. The aim is to balance the efficient deployment of overhead networks with the interests of those affected by them. The provisions under Parts 11 and 12 relate primarily to fixed-line infrastructure deployment.
Part 11 was amended through the Product Security and Telecommunications Infrastructure Act 2022 to support greater infrastructure sharing, providing alternatives for network expansion. The measures in that Act received Parliamentary scrutiny and were subject to a published De Minimis Impact Assessment.
A separate assessment of these provisions has not been completed, but the impact of all the 2022 changes will be assessed in due course.
The Government recently consulted on the use of copyright material in AI model development.
The Government is currently analysing responses to that consultation, to help inform policy development. The Government will continue to engage extensively on this issue and proposals will be set out in due course.
We have committed to report on progress to Parliament by December.
The Electronic Communications Code provides rights and obligations intended to facilitate the installation and maintenance of electronic communications networks, subject to conditions and restrictions set out in the Electronic Communications Code (Conditions and Restrictions) Regulations 2003. Ofcom, the independent regulator, has powers to take enforcement action against any breaches of the 2003 Regulations.
Nonetheless, I am aware of community concerns with the deployment of new broadband infrastructure. Following my meeting with the industry, the Telecommunications Poles Working Group Best Practice Recommendations have been published, which includes an industry commitment to always consider the interests of communities.
The Government is aware of public concerns about the deployment of additional broadband infrastructure, despite the guidance provided in the Cabinet Siting and Pole Siting Code of Practice 2016. This is why I asked operators to consider revising the Code of Practice to take into account communities’ concerns. Operators have responded by convening the Telecommunications Poles Working Group, which has now published its best practice recommendations, setting out expectations for how operators can pay due regard to community interests. The Government will continue to monitor the impact of these recommendations on public concern about the deployment of broadband infrastructure.
The UK is committed to establishing a proportionate AI regulatory approach which is grounded in science and supports growth and innovation. As set out in the manifesto, the Government is developing legislative proposals which will establish targeted measures. This will complement work outlined in the government’s response to the AI Action Plan to support the UK's existing regulators who are responsible for governing the vast majority of AI systems at the point of use.
As we develop our approach to regulating AI, we recognise the need to engage with a range of international partners. This includes engaging with the EU, who are a key science and technology partner, to discuss our respective approaches, as well as working alongside them and other partners in the G7, OECD, UN, and other international fora. We take a close interest in how our trading partners are regulating in similar areas and have regular exchanges with the EU on regulatory developments.
Increasing transparency about the use of copyrighted works to train AI models and AI-generated content was one of the key issues explored in the Government’s recently closed Copyright and AI consultation.
The consultation also sought views on the protection for the outputs of generative AI, the labelling of AI outputs and digital replicas.
The consultation closed on 25 February and our priority now is to review the evidence from the consultation which will inform the Government response.
The Government’s consultation on Copyright and AI has just closed. This included questions about the protection and labelling of generative AI outputs. Various industry initiatives exist to label AI outputs, but it may need to happen more consistently.
Our priority now is to review the evidence from the consultation which will inform the Government response.
The Government’s consultation on Copyright and AI has just closed. This included a proposal to require AI model developers to be more transparent about how they obtain and use copyright works in their training, whether from web crawlers or other forms of training for AI models.
Our priority now is to review the evidence from the consultation which will inform the Government response, including any legislative proposals.
The Government recognises the importance of ensuring public access to leisure facilities which are vital spaces for people of all ages to stay fit and healthy, and which play an important role within communities.
The ongoing responsibility of providing access to public leisure facilities lies at local authority level with funding levels set by MHCLG as part of the Local Government Finance Settlement.
The Government encourages local authorities to make investments which offer the right opportunities and facilities for the communities they serve, investing in sport and physical activity with a place-based approach, to meet the needs of individual communities.
The majority of Government funding for grassroots sport clubs is through our Arm’s Length Body, Sport England, which invests over £250 million in Exchequer and Lottery funding each year. An additional £100 million is being invested in grassroots sports facilities across the UK via the Multi-Sport Grassroots Facilities Programme.
Future funding of community sports facilities will be considered as part of the forthcoming Spending Review.
I have regular discussions with national governing bodies of sport, including the Lawn Tennis Association (LTA), on a range of issues including padel, and I welcome their strategic ambition to grow padel by making it accessible, welcoming, enjoyable and inspiring.
The Football Association is the recognised National Governing Body for futsal. As they are independent of Government, it is ultimately their responsibility to address issues related to the funding and profile of the game.
To date, this Government has not had any discussions with the FA relating to futsal or its funding.
The Football Association is the recognised National Governing Body for futsal. As they are independent of Government, it is ultimately their responsibility to address issues related to the funding and profile of the game.
To date, this Government has not had any discussions with the FA relating to futsal or its funding.
All these matters were addressed in the Government 10-week consultation on AI and Copyright, which was published on Tuesday 17 December and closed on 25 February. We engaged extensively with AI and creative industries stakeholders before, during and since the consultation and will respond to the consultation once we have considered the submissions in detail.
All these matters were addressed in the Government 10-week consultation on AI and Copyright, which was published on Tuesday 17 December and closed on 25 February. We engaged extensively with AI and creative industries stakeholders before, during and since the consultation and will respond to the consultation once we have considered the submissions in detail.
All these matters were addressed in the Government 10-week consultation on AI and Copyright, which was published on Tuesday 17 December and closed on 25 February. We engaged extensively with AI and creative industries stakeholders before, during and since the consultation and will respond to the consultation once we have considered the submissions in detail.
All these matters were addressed in the Government 10-week consultation on AI and Copyright, which was published on Tuesday 17 December and closed on 25 February. We engaged extensively with AI and creative industries stakeholders before, during and since the consultation and will respond to the consultation once we have considered the submissions in detail.
I refer the hon, Member for Cheadle to the answer of 2 July 2025 to Question 62189.
The new criteria for the Adoption and Special Guardianship Support Fund will enable as many children and families as possible to access the available funding. The department always assesses the impact of changes on vulnerable children and their families. This includes reviewing the equalities impact assessment, which will be made available in the House Libraries shortly.
This government’s ambition is that all children and young people with special educational needs or disabilities (SEND) or in alternative provision receive the right support to succeed and thrive in their education and as they move into adult life.
The Neurodivergence Task and Finish Group, chaired by Professor Karen Guldberg, brings together experts to make recommendations on how to best meet the needs of neurodivergent children and young people within mainstream education settings, including those who are autistic.
Additionally, the department is strengthening the evidence base of what works to improve inclusive practice in mainstream settings and have commissioned evidence reviews from Newcastle University and University College London. The 'What Works in SEND' research programme is researching tools that schools can use to identify the needs of neurodivergent children.
The department has also invested in the Partnerships for Inclusion of Neurodiversity in Schools (PINS) programme, which is a national programme backed by £22 million of investment. PINS deploys specialists from both health and education workforces to build teacher and staff capacity to identify and better meet the needs of neurodivergent children, including pupils with autism. The programme is being evaluated, and the learning is informing future policy development around how schools support neurodivergent children.
Information on the number and nature of serious incident notification statistics is published annually in the Official Statistics release on serious incident notifications, which is available here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/serious-incident-notifications/2025.
Information on the placement type at the time of the incident is available here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-tables/permalink/1c759373-93c2-4d6a-1d6e-08ddc13e16b8.
The safety of children is our utmost priority and we continually monitor and review the early years foundation stage (EYFS) safeguarding requirements to ensure children are kept as safe as possible. The EYFS statutory framework can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/early-years-foundation-stage-framework--2.
Currently, the decision to install and use camera surveillance equipment in a nursery is a matter for individual providers to determine based on their own risk assessment and policies.
The department works closely with Ofsted in our work monitoring and reviewing the safeguarding requirements within the EYFS. This includes ongoing discussions regarding the merits and concerns regarding the use of CCTV in early years settings.
Any proposed changes to EYFS requirements will be informed by engagement with providers, health professionals, sector stakeholders and safeguarding experts.
As announced in the recent ‘Best Start in Life’ publication, the department wants to drive higher standards through a strengthened improvement and accountability system. From next April, Ofsted will inspect all new providers on the early years register (EYR) within 18 months of opening and move towards inspecting all providers on the EYR at least once every four years.
The government is committed to improving the current inspection system. This includes a new approach to reporting and removing overall effectiveness grades from all early years provision, as well as launching an early years report card system.
Ofsted has delivered important changes to the way it works in response to the ‘Big Listen’ consultation, improving its culture and being more open and transparent. This important work is ongoing.
The department works closely with Ofsted in our work monitoring and reviewing the safeguarding requirements within the early years foundation stage statutory framework to ensure children are kept as safe as possible.
As announced in the recent Best Start in Life publication, Ofsted will receive additional investment from the department to inspect all new early years providers within 18 months of opening and move from a six to a four-year inspection cycle. It will also receive further investment for inspector training and quality assurance. All these measures will improve safeguarding across the sector.
In November 2025, Ofsted will be implementing their new inspection reporting method, the Ofsted early years report card, and will publish details in a consultation response publication in September 2025. The response will include the updated education inspection frameworks, based on consultation feedback. Ofsted will also provide new operating guidance for inspectors, and inspection information documents. Within these, there will be a focus on safeguarding in the early years.
The safety of children is our utmost priority and we continually monitor and review the early years foundation stage (EYFS) safeguarding requirements. The full statutory framework is available here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/670f8c0f366f494ab2e7b93d/EYFS_statutory__framework_for_childminders.pdf.
This ongoing work includes continuous engagement with providers, health professionals, sector stakeholders and safeguarding experts. We also look closely at all serious incidents that have occurred in early years settings, taking into account advice from the aforementioned experts to assess if any changes need to be made to the EYFS safeguarding requirements to ensure children are kept as safe as possible.
From September 2025, the department is strengthening the safeguarding requirements in the EYFS, including:
While Ofsted typically provides notice before an inspection, they can and do conduct inspections without prior notification, particularly when concerns have been raised about a setting or if a previous inspection resulted in a grade of ‘Inadequate’. Between 1 April 2024 and 31 March 2025, there were 1400 unannounced inspections (16%) in early years settings. We recognise the importance unannounced inspections and they will continue. However, routine announced inspections are also an important part of the system. We are committed to reforming and improving the current inspection system, including making inspection more supportive.
We are increasing inspection frequency to ensure better oversight of the setting landscape, and more regular inspections will be most effective when accompanied by improvements to inspection quality.