As part of my listening campaign, the excellent councillors Gill Mercer and Tony Spooner have warned me of a fly infestation in the Pemberton part of Rushden. I have surveyed the whole area and, sure enough, there is a problem. My excellent parliamentary researcher, Jack Goodenough, has plotted it on...

As part of my listening campaign, the excellent councillors Gill Mercer and Tony Spooner have warned me of a fly infestation in the Pemberton part of Rushden. I have surveyed the whole area and, sure enough, there is a problem. My excellent parliamentary researcher, Jack Goodenough, has plotted it on...

Wilby Way Roundabout

Wilby Way roundabout separates the village of Wilby from Wellingborough and the large Sainsbury’s. It is an extremely dangerous roundabout on a dual carriageway. With more cars coming down it because of the increased housing in my constituency, it needs a proper crossing. If someone was killed, we...

Wilby Way Roundabout

Wilby Way roundabout separates the village of Wilby from Wellingborough and the large Sainsbury’s. It is an extremely dangerous roundabout on a dual carriageway. With more cars coming down it because of the increased housing in my constituency, it needs a proper crossing. If someone was killed, we...

Wilby Way roundabout separates the village of Wilby from Wellingborough and the large Sainsbury’s. It is an extremely dangerous roundabout on a dual carriageway. With more cars coming down it because of the increased housing in my constituency, it needs a proper crossing. If someone was killed, we would have...

Wilby Way roundabout separates the village of Wilby from Wellingborough and the large Sainsbury’s. It is an extremely dangerous roundabout on a dual carriageway. With more cars coming down it because of the increased housing in my constituency, it needs a proper crossing. If someone was killed, we would have...

Irchester Village's Post Box Installation

The humble petition of the residents of Irchester, Northamptonshire, and the surrounding areas.

Sheweth, that the petitioners believe that, to improve the accessibility of postal services, the village of Irchester would be better served if a post box was installed in the centre of the village.

Wherefore your...

Irchester Village's Post Box Installation

The humble petition of the residents of Irchester, Northamptonshire, and the surrounding areas.

Sheweth, that the petitioners believe that, to improve the accessibility of postal services, the village of Irchester would be better served if a post box was installed in the centre of the village.

Wherefore your...

The Minister has rightly singled out two of my colleagues with flattery to try to help him—but he did not single me out, so he is going to get it in the neck. Suppose a 16-year-old in Moldova is told that she has a job in a restaurant in Belfast....

The Minister has rightly singled out two of my colleagues with flattery to try to help him—but he did not single me out, so he is going to get it in the neck. Suppose a 16-year-old in Moldova is told that she has a job in a restaurant in Belfast....

On a point of order, Madam Deputy Speaker. I am afraid that I could not give you notice of this point of order

because it follows the SNP’s Standing Order No. 24 application. It seems to me that the reason today’s debate on the Illegal Migration Bill finishes at the...

On a point of order, Madam Deputy Speaker. I am afraid that I could not give you notice of this point of order

because it follows the SNP’s Standing Order No. 24 application. It seems to me that the reason today’s debate on the Illegal Migration Bill finishes at the...

indicated dissent.

indicated dissent.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps he is taking to improve the national grid network in rural areas.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps he is taking to improve the national grid network in rural areas.

To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what recent assessment he has made of the impact of the planning system on on-farm renewable energy projects.

To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what recent assessment he has made of the impact of the planning system on on-farm renewable energy projects.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions she has had with Cabinet colleagues on extending the list of energy and trade intensive industries that are eligible for a higher level of energy support to include horticulture and poultry businesses.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions she has had with Cabinet colleagues on extending the list of energy and trade intensive industries that are eligible for a higher level of energy support to include horticulture and poultry businesses.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking with Cabinet colleagues to help support agricultural exports.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking with Cabinet colleagues to help support agricultural exports.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of biosecurity checks on imported meat.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of biosecurity checks on imported meat.

Thank goodness I am not a lawyer! We have an excellent Minister, who has spent the whole of this question not answering it. Three questions on the Order Paper, about three completely different conventions, have been grouped together; I have no idea why. It seems to me that what we want is the Minister to answer the question.

May I try a question on the Council of Europe convention on action against trafficking in human beings? It is clear that people who come across in boats are smuggled. That is not part of the convention, but people who are already here who are forced into prostitution or slave labour should be protected by that convention. Will the Attorney General tell us—please answer!—whether the Illegal Migration Bill will be amended so that those people are still protected? A yes or no will do.

Thank goodness I am not a lawyer! We have an excellent Minister, who has spent the whole of this question not answering it. Three questions on the Order Paper, about three completely different conventions, have been grouped together; I have no idea why. It seems to me that what we want is the Minister to answer the question.

May I try a question on the Council of Europe convention on action against trafficking in human beings? It is clear that people who come across in boats are smuggled. That is not part of the convention, but people who are already here who are forced into prostitution or slave labour should be protected by that convention. Will the Attorney General tell us—please answer!—whether the Illegal Migration Bill will be amended so that those people are still protected? A yes or no will do.

Yesterday, Jennie in my Wellingborough office had a telephone call from a lady whose son, very unfortunately, was killed in a car crash in South Africa on Monday and is being buried tomorrow. Unfortunately, she had a problem with her visa, having applied for indefinite leave to remain. Jennie rang...

Yesterday, Jennie in my Wellingborough office had a telephone call from a lady whose son, very unfortunately, was killed in a car crash in South Africa on Monday and is being buried tomorrow. Unfortunately, she had a problem with her visa, having applied for indefinite leave to remain. Jennie rang...

Motion that this House has considered the matter of human trafficking and modern slavery. Agreed to on question.

Motion that this House has considered the matter of human trafficking and modern slavery. Agreed to on question.

I beg to move,

That this House has considered the matter of human trafficking and modern slavery.

I am grateful to Mr Speaker for rescheduling this debate. Unfortunately, I had flu when it was first scheduled; I am not entirely sure I am over it, so I might croak my way through...

I beg to move,

That this House has considered the matter of human trafficking and modern slavery.

I am grateful to Mr Speaker for rescheduling this debate. Unfortunately, I had flu when it was first scheduled; I am not entirely sure I am over it, so I might croak my way through...

My hon. Friend raises an important factor, and there are more slaves in the world now than in Wilberforce’s day. That is an issue that Parliament is looking at in particular, so as to ensure that nobody in the supply chains for this Parliament is a slave. However, a year...

My hon. Friend raises an important factor, and there are more slaves in the world now than in Wilberforce’s day. That is an issue that Parliament is looking at in particular, so as to ensure that nobody in the supply chains for this Parliament is a slave. However, a year...

My hon. Friend is absolutely right. If we discover something in this House, as he says, we correct it. We do not just say, “We are not going to use that product.” We go back and improve the situation, which is entirely the right approach .

It is not good enough...

My hon. Friend is absolutely right. If we discover something in this House, as he says, we correct it. We do not just say, “We are not going to use that product.” We go back and improve the situation, which is entirely the right approach .

It is not good enough...

I will talk a little about that, and what the Government are doing for children. Unfortunately, it is not working. I will come to that.

In this country, child victims of trafficking are treated similarly to any other at-risk child, and are under the primary care of local authorities. That often...

I will talk a little about that, and what the Government are doing for children. Unfortunately, it is not working. I will come to that.

In this country, child victims of trafficking are treated similarly to any other at-risk child, and are under the primary care of local authorities. That often...

This is wonderful, Mr Betts. I get to sit in the Chair that you have, and when we come to Westminster Hall we have a debate that is non-political about an important issue. I have learned from people’s contributions today, so I thank everyone for attending. The Minister dealt with...

This is wonderful, Mr Betts. I get to sit in the Chair that you have, and when we come to Westminster Hall we have a debate that is non-political about an important issue. I have learned from people’s contributions today, so I thank everyone for attending. The Minister dealt with...