Business of the House

Wera Hobhouse Excerpts

Thursday 15th May 2025 Commons Chamber

[Lucy Powell]

Well. [Laughter.] As the MP for Manchester city as well as being a Manchester City fan, I do not want to see Crystal Palace winning on Saturday, but I do recognise that this is a huge step for them; it is, I think, a long time since they have been in the FA cup final. I know that their supporters will be there loud and proud on Saturday, and that the whole of my hon. Friend’s constituency—and south London, I am sure—will be behind them. However, hopefully Man City will win.

[Wera Hobhouse (Bath) (LD)]

Julian House is a homelessness charity that has been operating in Bath for nearly 40 years. Its lease is ending next year, and, with no route to capital or long-term funding, it faces closure. Can we have a debate in Government time on how to end short-term funding cycles for local authorities, which give them little choice but to retain charities on insecure, short-term contracts, which are so devastating for our most vulnerable and at-risk people?

[Lucy Powell]

I am really sorry to hear about the homelessness charity in the hon. Lady’s constituency and the challenges it is facing. She is absolutely right: the short-term funding cycles we have seen for local government are part of the challenge for charities like the one she mentions. We are committed to three-year funding cycles for local government and have boosted local government finances in every part of the country to help to deal with the situations she describes.

Business of the House

Wera Hobhouse Excerpts

Thursday 20th March 2025 Commons Chamber

[Lucy Powell]

I thought my hon. Friend was inviting me on a cross-country run there—the answer would have been a clear no. I join him in congratulating the cross-country club from Tredegar of which he is a member on winning the Welsh championships.

[Wera Hobhouse (Bath) (LD)]

I add my condolences to the shadow Leader of the House. I agree that at a time when boys and young men are lacking role models, the memory of his father is a powerful example of why dads matter.

King Edward’s school in Bath came third in the national reading champions quiz. I am sure the Leader of the House will join me in congratulating that school on its wonderful achievement, but reading for pleasure is now at an all-time low. Can we have a debate in Government time on how to improve reading proficiency among children of all ages?

Business of the House

Wera Hobhouse Excerpts

Thursday 13th March 2025 Commons Chamber

[Lucy Powell]

I join my hon. Friend in congratulating Hornsby Travel on its amazing anniversary—there were cheers across the House when he mentioned it, so it sounds like a popular bus provider in his constituency. We have brought forward the Bus Services (No. 2) Bill, currently passing through the other place, to ensure that local communities have the bus services they need.

[Wera Hobhouse (Bath) (LD)]

Rental income from social housing is currently 16% below inflation. Homes for the South West, which includes Curo in my constituency, is under a contractual obligation to do repairs while also building new homes under increasingly stretched grant funding systems. It makes doing both nigh impossible. May we have a debate on how we can protect our tenants to get the repairs they need, while also addressing the social housing crisis?

[Lucy Powell]

That is exactly what this Government are trying to do, through a range of measures. We have the Renters’ Rights Bill going through Parliament at the moment. We have the Planning and Infrastructure Bill to support developers and those who want to build more housing, especially social and affordable housing. This Government are committed to supporting tenants and getting the new homes built that we need.

Business of the House

Wera Hobhouse Excerpts

Thursday 27th February 2025 Commons Chamber

[Lucy Powell]

Absolutely. Women’s football is going from strength to strength. What we have seen from the Lionesses in recent years has inspired a whole new generation. It is great to hear what is happening at Derby racecourse, which is in her constituency, and I am keen to support her in that. I am not a great player of football myself, although I think I am a pretty good tackler in some regards, but I agree that this would make a very good topic for a debate.

[Wera Hobhouse (Bath) (LD)]

I recently visited Bath’s Roman Boxing Gym—anybody who wants to see my amazing right-hand swing can watch it on social media. More seriously. In connection with the question that the Leader of the House has just answered, how can we support community organisations, such as the Roman Boxing Gym, which provide incredible opportunities for young people to compete internationally and nationally, and also provide important diversionary activities? Can we have debate in Government time on all these activities that are so powerful in our communities?

[Lucy Powell]

I will take a look at the hon. Lady’s left hook—or right hook; however handed she is, I am sure she packs a powerful punch! She makes a really good point. I know from my own constituency how important boxing, boxing clubs and sport activities are in general. That is why this Government are committed to a curriculum review, to ensure that schools and organisations, such as Bath’s Roman Boxing Gym, are able to provide young people with these kind of opportunities. It is also why we are giving local government the biggest boost to funding that it has had in many years, because many of these organisations rely on local government funding. None the less, she is absolutely right: we need to do more to ensure that young people, such as those in her constituency, have the opportunity to access sport, culture and other activities. I am sure that it would make a good topic for debate.

Business of the House

Wera Hobhouse Excerpts

Thursday 6th February 2025 Commons Chamber

[Lucy Powell]

My hon. Friend is right that e-scooters can be a plague on our communities. We will legislate to ensure that e-scooters are used responsibly and safely. We will also make it easier to seize vehicles, including e-scooters, that are ridden dangerously on the pavement or left abandoned. These measures will come forward soon, and there will be ample time to debate them.

[Wera Hobhouse (Bath) (LD)]

Businesses in Bath are increasingly worried about shoplifting, but online fraud is also a huge worry, and it is surging. Nearly 70,000 cases were reported in 2023-24, with victims losing an average of £800. Can we have a debate in Government time to understand the extent of the problem, what the Government propose to do about this surge, and how we can protect our constituents?

[Lucy Powell]

Retail crime was effectively decriminalised by the previous Government, and we are taking steps to reverse that through our crime and policing Bill, which will also have measures on online fraud. The Bill will be introduced imminently, and there will be ample time to debate these matters.

Business of the House

Wera Hobhouse Excerpts

Thursday 19th December 2024 Commons Chamber

[Lucy Powell]

I wholeheartedly agree with my hon. Friend. At this time of year, at Christmas, many of us in this House visit our local food banks. He is absolutely right that it is shocking that, in 2024, food banks are still needed at all, let alone so prevalent. He highlights many of the actions this Government are taking to reduce their necessity.

[Wera Hobhouse (Bath) (LD)]

May I wish you, Madam Deputy Speaker, your fantastic staff, and colleagues across the House a merry Christmas? Bathford village shop and café, a volunteer-run community enterprise, recently won an award for its fantastic work supporting the elderly, lonely and vulnerable, but there is a risk that it will soon lose its premises. The £150 million community ownership fund, which was due to run until March 2025 but was suspended because of the election, would make the vital difference between survival and closure. Can we have an update on the community ownership fund?

[Lucy Powell]

I thank the hon. Lady for raising the plight of that enterprise in her constituency, and the valuable work that it does to support the elderly in her community. I will ensure that she gets an update in short order on the future of the community ownership fund.

Business of the House

Wera Hobhouse Excerpts

Thursday 28th November 2024 Commons Chamber

[Lucy Powell]

Becoming a British citizen and routes to citizenship would make for an excellent Backbench Business debate. As I did not say it earlier, I will now encourage colleagues from across the House to really make use of the Backbench Business Committee and put in applications. That would be an excellent application.

[Wera Hobhouse (Bath) (LD)]

I have already mentioned this morning that Bath is a city of music. Today marks the release of “Love is Enough”, a Christmas song written by six young carers and performed by Bath Philharmonia’s young carers choir and our Liberal Democrat leader—yes, he is branching out into music. More than anything, the release highlights the plight of young carers and the challenges they face, particularly when it comes to disruption to their education and social isolation. Will the Leader of the House join me in congratulating Bath Philharmonia’s young carers choir and wish “Love is Enough” every success?

[Lucy Powell]

I wish the song “Love is Enough” from the young carers choir every success in its attempts to get in the charts. I have to say that I am not quite sure what is worse, or better: the leader of the Liberal Democrats in a wetsuit or in a Christmas jumper. I will leave that for the House to decide.

Business of the House

Wera Hobhouse Excerpts

Thursday 21st November 2024 Commons Chamber

[Lucy Powell]

My hon. Friend raises an important issue, and next week’s White Ribbon Day is an important opportunity for us to continue highlighting the issues and violence that women and girls face. She will know that this is a top priority not just for this Government but for the Prime Minister and the Home Secretary. Over 10 years, we want to halve violence against women and girls, which is a hugely ambitious mission that we are determined to meet.

[Wera Hobhouse (Bath) (LD)]

I add my condolences to the family and friends of Lord Prescott. I was occasionally in the same room as John Prescott when I was a councillor in the north, and he was indeed pugnacious and fun, even for those who happened to be a target of his remarks.

Dorothy House and many other charities in my constituency have contacted me with concerns about the increase in national insurance contributions. To cover the extra costs, they will need to reduce services or lay off staff. Some charities may even go under. I join the call of my hon. Friend the Member for Chelmsford (Marie Goldman) for an urgent statement from the Chancellor on how the third sector will be supported so that it can continue to provide the same level of services.

[Lucy Powell]

Further to the reply I gave a few moments ago, the hon. Lady will know that our tax regime for charities is the most generous anywhere in the world and was worth just over £6 billion in the last year. We hear what she and others are saying, and we will continue to support charities. There will be Treasury questions in early December, and she might want to raise the issue with the Chancellor then.

Business of the House

Wera Hobhouse Excerpts

Thursday 17th October 2024 Commons Chamber

[Lucy Powell]

I absolutely welcome that report, and of course I commend it to Members of both Houses.

[Wera Hobhouse (Bath) (LD)]

The new rules on wine duty being implemented in February 2025 will be overly complicated and incredibly burdensome, especially for smaller, independent wine importers such as Canned Wine in Bath. The chief executive officer of that local business told me that the incremental duty rates will put incredible strain on their business. Can we have a debate in Government time on this important issue?

Business of the House

Wera Hobhouse Excerpts

Thursday 10th October 2024 Commons Chamber

[Lucy Powell]

My hon. Friend describes a familiar story. The woeful state of the infrastructure within our NHS and the capital and digital assets are matters of huge importance and great urgency. As I said in answer to an earlier question, unfortunately the last Government’s new hospital building programme was a work of fiction, and we are working at pace to put that right. I understand that Doncaster and Bassetlaw teaching hospitals NHS foundation trust is due to receive its critical infrastructure risk funding soon, but I will ensure that she gets a full response about the future of her hospital.

[Wera Hobhouse (Bath) (LD)]

May I also wish the Leader of the House a very happy birthday? Fifty is definitely the new 30 in her case. An investigation by researchers at the University of Bath has revealed that schoolchildren in England are unknowingly smoking vapes spiked with the synthetic drug Spice, which is highly addictive. Tests on just under 600 confiscated vapes revealed that one in six contained Spice. That is an alarming figure. The Government must raise awareness of this issue in schools to educate young people, teachers and parents. Can we have a debate in Government time to raise this serious issue and discuss how we can protect young people from a life of serious addiction?

[Lucy Powell]

I thank the hon. Member for the birthday wishes and for all her work over recent months. As ever, she raises another thoughtful and important matter. She will be aware that the Government are committed to imminently bringing forward the tobacco and vapes Bill, which will rightly bring in new restrictions around the sale of vapes to children, and there will be further measures announced in the Bill when it is soon introduced.