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If he will list his official engagements for Wednesday 1 July.
If he will list his official engagements for Wednesday 1 July.
Q2
.
Rachel Hopkins (Luton South and South Bedfordshire) (Lab):
A good, safe and secure home is the foundation of everything, and access to a council home at social rent continues to be the biggest issue that my constituents get in touch with me about. However, under this Labour Government in 2024-25, councils delivered the highest annual number of social and affordable homes since 1991-92. Does the Prime Minister agree that we must build on this achievement and accelerate progress on council house building to ensure we deliver the biggest council housing programme since the post-war era?
Q2
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Rachel Hopkins (Luton South and South Bedfordshire) (Lab):
A good, safe and secure home is the foundation of everything, and access to a council home at social rent continues to be the biggest issue that my constituents get in touch with me about. However, under this Labour Government in 2024-25, councils delivered the highest annual number of social and affordable homes since 1991-92. Does the Prime Minister agree that we must build on this achievement and accelerate progress on council house building to ensure we deliver the biggest council housing programme since the post-war era?
I am proud that this Government are delivering the biggest boost to social and affordable housing in a generation. That is backed by £39 billion, and it means we are unleashing the biggest surge in council house building in more than 30 years. That includes a thousand new social and affordable homes in Luton and Bedfordshire. Our Social Housing Bill will reform right to buy to deliver even more social houses. That is a Labour Government delivering the homes that we need.
Q10
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Rachel Hopkins (Luton South and South Bedfordshire) (Lab):
Following last Friday’s train collision south of Bedford, the emergency response from Bedfordshire police, the British Transport police, Bedfordshire fire and rescue service, the East of England ambulance service, Magpas air ambulance and other counties’ air ambulances, our local NHS hospitals, and of course railway staff was swift, professional and compassionate in supporting those who were impacted, especially in such distressing circumstances. This was public service at its best. Will the Prime Minister join me in thanking all those involved for their outstanding work in the aftermath of this tragic incident?
Q10
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Rachel Hopkins (Luton South and South Bedfordshire) (Lab):
Following last Friday’s train collision south of Bedford, the emergency response from Bedfordshire police, the British Transport police, Bedfordshire fire and rescue service, the East of England ambulance service, Magpas air ambulance and other counties’ air ambulances, our local NHS hospitals, and of course railway staff was swift, professional and compassionate in supporting those who were impacted, especially in such distressing circumstances. This was public service at its best. Will the Prime Minister join me in thanking all those involved for their outstanding work in the aftermath of this tragic incident?
The thoughts of the whole House are with the family of the driver who lost his life and those who were injured, some of them extremely seriously. On Saturday, I spoke to the CEO of the East of England ambulance service to thank his team for their professionalism in responding. We talked through the nature and the scale of the challenge that they faced in relation to that crash. They were outstanding in the most difficult of circumstances. When I called him on Saturday morning, he assured me that they were all back at work and back on duty dealing with whatever else might happen that weekend, having delivered those who needed to be delivered to the hospitals. I found that humbling. It is a real tribute to those who responded, as they always do, including, I must say, the local community in this case. I also want to thank the brilliant NHS staff, who are still caring for those who were seriously injured.
If he will list his official engagements for Wednesday 24 June.
If he will list his official engagements for Wednesday 24 June.
Every single day a tidal wave of disinformation is being targeted at social media users in our country and around the world—and if we are in any doubt who is behind that wave of lies and fake images, we need only look at how much of it is designed to undermine the Ukrainian war effort or attack President Zelensky. Does the Minister agree that in order to protect the people of Ukraine, we need to take the fight to the sources of this information warfare?
Every single day a tidal wave of disinformation is being targeted at social media users in our country and around the world—and if we are in any doubt who is behind that wave of lies and fake images, we need only look at how much of it is designed to undermine the Ukrainian war effort or attack President Zelensky. Does the Minister agree that in order to protect the people of Ukraine, we need to take the fight to the sources of this information warfare?
I completely agree with my hon. Friend. That is exactly why we have taken the action that we have: since October 2024, we have exposed and sanctioned 96 actors and entities involved in this type of activity, and in May we imposed sanctions on another 56 individuals and entities that are particularly involved in activity to undermine Ukraine. That included employees of Social Design Agency and ANO Dialog. We are constantly looking at what measures we can take, and taking action. The Kremlin is spending billions of dollars on information warfare. We will expose this activity and take it down.
What diplomatic steps her Department is taking to help tackle the global spread of disinformation on social media.
What diplomatic steps her Department is taking to help tackle the global spread of disinformation on social media.
As the Foreign Secretary said in her Locarno speech in December, and as the Chief of the Secret Intelligence Service reinforced a week later, an industrial-scale attack is being waged every day through social media, designed to undermine our democracies and divide our societies. We know that networks attributed to Russia, including Doppelgänger, are flooding social media in countries across the world—not just the UK—with counterfeit documents and deepfake material in an attempt to weaken global support for Ukraine. We are taking tough action on this front with our international partners.
Many of my constituents have close family ties to Northern Ireland, and understandably take an interest in health outcomes in Northern Ireland and in the United Kingdom as a whole. Does the Minister agree that when it comes to public health all parts of the UK can learn something from each other, and can he update the House on conversations between the UK Government and the Northern Ireland Executive on their respective successes in improving patient outcomes?
Many of my constituents have close family ties to Northern Ireland, and understandably take an interest in health outcomes in Northern Ireland and in the United Kingdom as a whole. Does the Minister agree that when it comes to public health all parts of the UK can learn something from each other, and can he update the House on conversations between the UK Government and the Northern Ireland Executive on their respective successes in improving patient outcomes?
My hon. Friend is right: no person has a monopoly on good ideas, and no Government do either. I want the best for the whole United Kingdom. Where Northern Ireland leads the way, we can try to roll that out across the rest of the UK, but where it needs support—for instance on the digitising of prescriptions—we will provide that too. This is about working with the Executive to improve patient outcomes.
What steps he is taking to support public service reform in Northern Ireland.
What steps he is taking to support public service reform in Northern Ireland.
Public service reform is needed, and that is exactly what we are doing. Just last week we announced a £42 million package to be invested in the digitising of prescriptions. With 45 million prescriptions issued every year, the service is inefficient and expensive, and we are changing that.
If he will list his official engagements for Wednesday 15 April.
If he will list his official engagements for Wednesday 15 April.
Q14
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Rachel Hopkins (Luton South and South Bedfordshire) (Lab):
I greatly welcome the Government’s announcement to open a youth hub in Luton to help bring together jobs, skills and wellbeing support in one place. Does the Prime Minister agree with me that after years of neglect under the previous Conservative Government, it is this Labour Government who are investing in the future of our young people?
Q14
.
Rachel Hopkins (Luton South and South Bedfordshire) (Lab):
I greatly welcome the Government’s announcement to open a youth hub in Luton to help bring together jobs, skills and wellbeing support in one place. Does the Prime Minister agree with me that after years of neglect under the previous Conservative Government, it is this Labour Government who are investing in the future of our young people?
May I start by congratulating Luton Town on winning at Wembley—having been coached, of course, by Jack Wilshere, a great ex-Arsenal star? I am delighted that my hon. Friend’s constituency is benefiting from a new youth hub, one of the 80 additional hubs that we are launching across the country. That is in stark contrast to what we inherited: over 1,000 youth centres were closed under the Tories and spending on youth services was slashed by 73%. Labour is bringing youth clubs back, and we are proud to do so, building a better future for our young people.
May I take a moment to congratulate Luton Town on winning the English Football League trophy yesterday at Wembley? I very much welcome the £20 million Pride in Place funding for central Luton, which will help to restore pride in our local neighbourhoods after they were left behind for so many years under the previous Conservative Government. Does the Secretary of State agree that decisions on how to use that investment to regenerate central Luton will be made by the community, for the community and to connect the community?
May I take a moment to congratulate Luton Town on winning the English Football League trophy yesterday at Wembley? I very much welcome the £20 million Pride in Place funding for central Luton, which will help to restore pride in our local neighbourhoods after they were left behind for so many years under the previous Conservative Government. Does the Secretary of State agree that decisions on how to use that investment to regenerate central Luton will be made by the community, for the community and to connect the community?
I agree with my hon. Friend that one of the most exciting things about Pride in Place is that the community themselves take the decisions about how the money should be spent. Of course that is the right thing to do, because they know best what needs to change to put pride back at the heart of their communities.
What assessment he has made of the potential impact of Pride in Place funding on levels of community cohesion in Luton South and South Bedfordshire constituency.
What assessment he has made of the potential impact of Pride in Place funding on levels of community cohesion in Luton South and South Bedfordshire constituency.
I was delighted to confirm up to £20 million for central Luton as part of the expanded Pride in Place programme. The funding will give the community the resources and the power they need to drive transformational local change that will bring people together and restore a sense of pride in the area.
What steps her Department is taking to support UK traditions.
What steps her Department is taking to support UK traditions.
This Government are championing the UK’s living heritage: the crafts, customs and festivals that are important for local pride and community cohesion. Following the ratification of the 2003 UNESCO convention, we invite communities to submit their traditions to inventories of living heritage in the UK. Some examples are Up Helly Aa on Shetland, the Notting Hill carnival and, some might argue, the hon. Member for Strangford (Jim Shannon).
The end of May will mark the 50th Luton international carnival, which is the UK’s largest one-day carnival. I think that 50 years means it qualifies as a UK tradition—it is definitely a Luton tradition. Does the Minister agree that events such as Luton carnival are vital for celebrating the rich cultural diversity of our country and strengthening community cohesion, and may I invite him to Luton to join in with carnival this year?
The end of May will mark the 50th Luton international carnival, which is the UK’s largest one-day carnival. I think that 50 years means it qualifies as a UK tradition—it is definitely a Luton tradition. Does the Minister agree that events such as Luton carnival are vital for celebrating the rich cultural diversity of our country and strengthening community cohesion, and may I invite him to Luton to join in with carnival this year?
I would be delighted to go to Luton carnival; it sounds slightly less scary than participating in skeleton.
We would welcome a submission to the living heritage inventories for Luton carnival, which is an important event in my hon. Friend’s constituency, as she has laid out. Congratulations to everyone involved in organising the carnival, not just now but in the last 50 years. We want to celebrate the UK’s diversity and encourage diaspora communities to contribute, ensuring that all practices are fully represented in our living heritage inventories. I will pass on her kind invitation, as well as to me, to the Minister for Heritage in the other place, who I know had an enjoyable time learning about Luton’s rich heritage when she visited last year.
Q2
.
Rachel Hopkins (Luton South and South Bedfordshire) (Lab):
I very much welcome the fact that our Labour Government have recognised the state of Palestine. I also welcome the Foreign Secretary’s statement last week as chair of the UN Security Council, setting out the UK’s commitment to increasing humanitarian access to Gaza and advancing a two-state solution. Does the Prime Minister agree that protecting civilians, upholding international law and supporting Palestinian-led governance are essential for a lasting peace?
Q2
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Rachel Hopkins (Luton South and South Bedfordshire) (Lab):
I very much welcome the fact that our Labour Government have recognised the state of Palestine. I also welcome the Foreign Secretary’s statement last week as chair of the UN Security Council, setting out the UK’s commitment to increasing humanitarian access to Gaza and advancing a two-state solution. Does the Prime Minister agree that protecting civilians, upholding international law and supporting Palestinian-led governance are essential for a lasting peace?
I thank my hon. Friend for raising this important issue, because the ceasefire in Gaza remains fragile, and protecting Israeli and Palestinian civilians is critical to the next phase of the peace plan. I am proud of our commitment to a two-state solution, and we will be hosting the peacebuilding conference in March to build lasting peace and security for both Palestine and Israel. Hamas must decommission their weapons and destroy their terrorist infrastructure and can have no future role in running Gaza. While aid flows have increased, the level of need is still dire. The Israeli Government must stop blocking supplies and preventing the work of international non-governmental organisations. That is unconscionable, and it is costing Palestinian lives.
If he will list his official engagements for Wednesday 25 February.
If he will list his official engagements for Wednesday 25 February.
What steps she is taking to help ensure that the rail transport system supports economic growth.
What steps she is taking to help ensure that the rail transport system supports economic growth.
Good, well-run rail services support economic growth. We are investing more than £10 billion over four years to improve the railway, as well as progressing work on major schemes such as HS2, East West Rail and the trans-Pennine route upgrade. Our reforms to establish Great British Railways will drive economic growth, improve services for passengers and reduce the cost of the railway. By providing more frequent and reliable services, Northern Powerhouse Rail will turn cities, including Liverpool, Manchester, Leeds, Bradford, Sheffield and York, and their surrounding areas into a single high-productivity growth corridor.
Exciting infrastructure projects are under way in Luton South and South Bedfordshire and in the wider region, including the expansion of Luton airport, Universal Studios and the new town at Tempsford. These projects will provide thousands of construction jobs and apprenticeship opportunities for our young people. As we mark National Apprenticeship Week and accelerate support for young people in accessing high-quality jobs, what work is the Department doing to ensure that our transport network is interconnected and can support that economic growth, particularly for young people who cannot drive?
Exciting infrastructure projects are under way in Luton South and South Bedfordshire and in the wider region, including the expansion of Luton airport, Universal Studios and the new town at Tempsford. These projects will provide thousands of construction jobs and apprenticeship opportunities for our young people. As we mark National Apprenticeship Week and accelerate support for young people in accessing high-quality jobs, what work is the Department doing to ensure that our transport network is interconnected and can support that economic growth, particularly for young people who cannot drive?
My hon. Friend is a great champion for young people in her constituency. I was pleased to sit down with her just last week to discuss the opportunities that this Labour Government are providing for people across Luton South and South Bedfordshire. We are determined to open up opportunities for young people through our investment in transport. Just this week, we laid before Parliament legislation to reduce the age at which someone can train to become a train driver from 20 to 18, meaning that young people do not have to wait around for years after finishing school and college before they can embark on a career on the railways.
Accessing airports via public transport is hugely important for sustainable aviation. With Govia Thameslink Railway’s Thameslink franchise coming under public ownership through Great British Railways later this spring, will the Minister meet me to discuss the benefits that that could bring for accessing Luton airport?
Accessing airports via public transport is hugely important for sustainable aviation. With Govia Thameslink Railway’s Thameslink franchise coming under public ownership through Great British Railways later this spring, will the Minister meet me to discuss the benefits that that could bring for accessing Luton airport?
I am happy to meet my hon. Friend to discuss that. I also assure her that I have raised the importance of public transport accessibility with the leadership of Luton airport, as well as the integration of the National Rail network and the Direct Air-Rail Transit link. I am happy to discuss that matter further with her.
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, pursuant to his oral answer of 14 October 2025, Official Report, col 189, what plans he has to extend grants for solar panels on public buildings in non-Mayoral areas.
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, pursuant to his oral answer of 14 October 2025, Official Report, col 189, what plans he has to extend grants for solar panels on public buildings in non-Mayoral areas.
Great British Energy (GBE), intends to provide support to local authorities in delivering local and community energy projects across the UK, including in areas without Mayoral Combined Authorities. This will include consideration of targeted grants and finance to help projects reach investment readiness and deliver good value for money. Further details of this support will be set out through the upcoming Local Power Plan and other future GBE publications