Westminster Hall — sitting of 13 October 2026: transcript & video · Polyfact

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Westminster Hall

13 October 2026

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Contents updated on 13 Oct 2026

Debate in Westminster Hall on police funding in the North East of England.

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Westminster Hall debate — Police funding in the North East

20:35

Opening statements

20:35

Luke Akehurst MP (Labour, North Durham) — Motion moved and tribute to police officers

20:35

Mr Jonathan Brash MP (Labour, Hartlepool) — Impact of funding formula on Cleveland

21:44

Luke Akehurst MP (Labour, North Durham) — Critique of Conservative policing cuts

22:24

Jim Shannon MP (DUP, Strangford) — Parallels with Northern Ireland and community policing

24:11

Luke Akehurst MP (Labour, North Durham) — Regional disparities in police resources and call for fair funding

25:02

Mrs Sharon Hodgson MP (Labour, Washington and Gateshead South) — Anti-social behaviour and structural underfunding in Northumbria

36:23

Mrs Sharon Hodgson MP (Labour, Washington and Gateshead South) — Call for deprivation-sensitive funding reform

41:36

Ian Lavery MP (Labour, Blyth and Ashington) — Tribute to fallen officers and impact of austerity

42:14

Luke Myer MP (Labour, Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland) — High demand on Cleveland Police and funding reform

50:17

Andy McDonald MP (Labour, Middlesbrough and Thornaby East) — Cleveland Police funding, A66 tragedy and call for needs-based pilot

55:58

Mary Kelly Foy MP (Labour, City of Durham) — Durham Constabulary pressures and community safety

01:01:55

Alan Strickland MP — Rural post‑industrial deprivation and policing challenges in County Durham

01:07:28

Lewis Atkinson MP (Labour, Sunderland Central) — Northumbria Police demand, visibility and potential North East force

01:12:09

Max Wilkinson MP (Liberal Democrat, Cheltenham) — Community policing, online crime and rural resourcing

01:18:35

Matt Vickers MP (Conservative, Stockton West) — Cleveland Police demand, crime rates and funding shortfall

01:24:19

Andy McDonald MP (Labour, Middlesbrough and Thornaby East) — Challenge on past cuts to Cleveland Police

01:26:26

Matt Vickers MP (Conservative, Stockton West) — Officer numbers, Section 60 orders and call for national recruitment

01:26:49

Minister Sarah Jones MP (Labour, Croydon West) — Tribute to fallen officers and origins of funding formula problems

01:31:48

Andy McDonald MP (Labour, Middlesbrough and Thornaby East) — Urgent appeal for immediate correction of funding inequities

01:37:36

Minister Sarah Jones MP (Labour, Croydon West) — Exceptional funding process and reform timeline

01:38:42

Luke Myer MP (Labour, Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland) — Call for in‑year action and faster reform

01:40:03

Minister Sarah Jones MP (Labour, Croydon West) — Police reform programme and productivity focus

01:40:43

Luke Akehurst MP (Labour, North Durham) — Wind‑up of debate on police funding in the North East

01:44:16

Question that this House has considered police funding in the North East — agreed

01:45:11

Westminster Hall debate — Bromsgrove Route Enhancement Programme

01:46:05

Opening statements

01:46:05

Bradley Thomas MP (Conservative, Bromsgrove) — Introduction to BREP and impact on Bromsgrove

01:46:05

Jim Shannon MP (DUP, Strangford) — Comparison with A5 scheme and call to cut red tape

01:49:51

Bradley Thomas MP (Conservative, Bromsgrove) — Daily disruption, business losses and accountability concerns

01:50:28

Intervenant 30 — Wider Worcestershire congestion and need for major road investment

01:51:42

Bradley Thomas MP (Conservative, Bromsgrove) — Critique of BREP delivery, consultation and accountability

01:52:15

Government response

02:05:54

Minister Justin Madders MP (Labour, Ellesmere Port and Bromborough) — Departmental position on BREP delays and responsibilities (first part)

02:05:54

Bradley Thomas MP (Conservative, Bromsgrove) — Concern about fragmentation and passing responsibility

02:11:08

Minister Justin Madders MP — Response on local accountability, review findings and next steps

02:11:57

Conclusion of debate on Bromsgrove Route Enhancement Programme

02:14:35

Westminster Hall debate — Government support for youth suicide prevention charities and mental health support for young people

02:14:49

Opening statements

02:14:49

Liz Twist MP (Labour, Blaydon and Consett) — Motion moved and impact of Papyrus closure

02:14:49

Intervenant 35 — Community-based joined-up suicide prevention in Wolverhampton

02:16:39

Liz Twist MP — Support for joined-up community approaches

02:17:12

Alex Easton MP (Independent, North Down) — Northern Ireland suicide figures and need for targeted funding

02:17:27

Liz Twist MP — Need to support all people facing suicidality and funding pressures

02:17:59

Jessica Morden MP (Labour, Newport East) — Rising demand and filling the gap left by Hopeline247

02:19:02

Liz Twist MP — Tribute to Hopeline247 and consequences of its loss

02:19:32

Intervenant 41 — Children’s Commissioner figures and wider support needs

02:22:02

Liz Twist MP — Pressure on services and request for government engagement with administrators

02:22:29

Intervenant 42 — Learning from integrated support models abroad

02:24:43

Liz Twist MP — Call for government to help close the support gap for under‑35s

02:25:01

John Milne MP (Liberal Democrat, Horsham) — Safeguarding reviews and national oversight mechanism

02:25:56

Liz Twist MP — Wider funding cliff edges for suicide prevention charities

02:26:30

Edward Morello MP (Liberal Democrat, West Dorset) — Human cost of short-term funding

02:28:39

Liz Twist MP — Role of third sector and funding challenges in youth suicide prevention

02:29:11

Mark Sewards MP — Underuse of third-sector expertise by NHS commissioners

02:31:16

Liz Twist MP — Specific asks to government on Papyrus and third-sector funding

02:31:35

Dr Neil Hudson MP — Tribute to Papyrus and Three Dads Walking and call to prioritise prevention

02:34:12

Laura Kyrke-Smith MP — Young people’s perspectives and need for early, mainstreamed support

02:36:14

Sarah Olney MP — Restoring Hopeline and protecting complex-needs services

02:38:24

Mr Bayo Alaba MP — Case of Ella and call for mandatory suicide risk assessments

02:40:26

Intervenant 56 — Support for DPJ Foundation and Papyrus-style 24-hour services

02:42:11

Amanda Martin MP — Ketamine addiction, Honor’s story and the H23 Foundation

02:44:09

Jim Shannon MP — Impact of youth suicide and pressures on services in Northern Ireland

02:46:04

Intervenant 62 — Local suicide figures and charity support in Suffolk

02:47:47

Juliet Campbell MP — Strain on community mental health services in Broxtowe

02:49:31

Intervenant 65 — Community partnerships and funding needs in North Lanarkshire

02:51:03

Perran Moon MP — Papyrus, crisis care and early support in Cornwall

02:52:44

Sureena Brackenridge MP — Questions on A&E presentations and children’s mental health funding

02:53:47

Dr Danny Chambers MP — Underfunding of children’s mental health and loss of Papyrus

02:54:53

Cat Eccles MP — Call to replace Papyrus safety planning and parent support

02:57:06

Dr Danny Chambers MP — Stigma, a constituent’s memorial bench and renewed funding plea

02:57:32

Gregory Stafford MP — Rising demand, Papyrus administration and charity funding pressures

02:59:22

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Westminster Hall

13 October 2026

Chamber Tue, 13 Oct 2026 Actual start 14:15 House of Commons

20:35 - 20:43

Speaker 2

Order, order, and my apologies for my tardiness.

I now call Luke Akehurst to move the motion.

20:43 - 21:44

Speaker 1

I beg to move that this House has considered police funding in the North East, and it's an honour to serve under your chairmanship, Mr Wishart. I'm grateful to colleagues from across our region for coming here today so that we can speak with one voice about the need for greater resources to keep streets safe in our constituencies. I first want to pay tribute to the police officers that serve our constituents in the North East of England and across the country. Whatever political disagreements we will set out throughout this debate, I hope we can all agree that the men and women who put their own safety on the line to uphold law and order represent the very best of our country. In bringing forward this debate, I want this place to focus on how we can best support those working day in, day out to protect us and to ensure they can do the best possible job for our communities.

I know I won't be the only member in this room who was deeply disturbed to see the scenes emerging out of Cleveland earlier this year. I pay tribute to PC Matthew Blades and PC Tom Clough.

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