Speeches by Foody.

“During Parliament Week last year, I had the absolute privilege of going along to Seaton Delaval first school and meeting the year 3 and year 4 classes to receive a grilling—it has to be said. They asked some excellent questions. Since then, the pupils have got in touch to raise a range of issues, including the environm…”

“I thank the Minister for her statement and join her in paying tribute to the bereaved families who, in the face of unimaginable loss, have campaigned for these road safety improvements. At the end of 2025 there were a number of serious accidents at Moor Farm roundabout in my constituency, leading to hospitalisations an…”

“Unfortunately, I did not hear the apology that should have preluded the question, for the absolute carnage the Conservatives left in our courts on their watch. They have shown no recognition or contrition for what they left behind. In every single one of those cases there is at least one victim unable to access justice…”

“I am sure that my hon. Friend the Minister will be able to go into the details of the point that the hon. Gentleman makes, but I would like to make some progress. As I said, I have made decisions that will impact people’s lives. I have seen at first hand long delays that damage victims’ wellbeing, undermine their confi…”

“We are facing a real and serious crisis in our criminal courts. It did not happen overnight and it certainly did not happen by accident. It is the result of 14 years of neglect, and it is now denying justice to people up and down the country. Right now, around 80,000 cases are waiting to be heard in the Crown court. If…”

“Absolutely. I agree with my hon. Friend. I am immensely frustrated at the rhetoric on that point.”

“Tomorrow I will have the absolute privilege of going to Burradon primary school to meet Ava, the winner of my Cramlington and Killingworth constituency Christmas card competition. Ava won with a fantastic design amid fierce competition from other schools right across the constituency. The card has been sent to the King…”

“Last month, the cold snap in my patch saw local residents on new estates struggling with icy roads and pavements. I took their concerns to developers, and I am pleased to see that grit bins have now been installed. This may all sound trivial, but not to residents on these estates, and it highlights the importance of th…”

“18. What steps he is taking to reduce the number of children in poverty.”

“T8. More than 400 16 to 24-year-olds across my constituency are not in education, employment or training, and are claiming unemployment benefits. That has the potential to cause lifelong damage and deprive them of vital skills and opportunities for development. How will the Government’s youth guarantee provide support …”

“Child poverty in the north-east reached shameful levels under the previous Conservative Government, damaging the life chances of children and young people. As the Minister has set out, this Government are turning the tide with not only the removal of the two-child cap, but the expansion of free school meals and the int…”

“It is horrific that victims of rape and sexual assault are waiting years for justice, and we should never forget, in these conversations or decisions, the toll that that process takes on a victim’s life. Can the Minister please confirm that victims will be kept at the heart of the justice system, and that this Governme…”

“For too long, my communities in the towns and villages across the Cramlington and Killingworth constituency felt the full force of Conservative cuts and lived with the consequences of austerity. This Budget is the end of that chapter, because growth only means something when communities right across the country feel it…”

“In 2014, 8% of those on trial for an either-way offence opted for a jury trial. By 2022, that figure had more than doubled to 17%. At the same time, we know that the Crown court backlog is growing, that there are delays in those cases going to trial, and that more people are therefore dropping out and being denied thei…”

“Tomorrow, Tony Wright, my constituent and the founder and chief executive officer of Forward Assist, a local veterans charity, is retiring. Tony is a veteran and trained social worker, and he has provided support and advocacy for veterans across the region and the country for well over a decade. It is no exaggeration t…”

“My hon. Friend makes a powerful point on the risk to opportunity and the future of our region if we cannot resolve this matter. Another developer warned that “We are very reluctant to commit to the significant expenditure to bring schemes forward until we have more certainty regarding Moor Farm and whether it will hold…”

“The hon. Gentleman is absolutely right. The infrastructure in my constituency that I am talking about—as my hon. Friend the Member for Blyth and Ashington (Ian Lavery) highlighted—is the Moor Farm roundabout; hon. Members will be aware that barely a day goes by when I do not talk about it. I have also met Transport Min…”

“My hon. Friend has been working closely with me on seeking the upgrades that I will be talking about, so I appreciate his intervention.”

“I beg to move, That this House has considered the impact of infrastructure on development in Cramlington and Killingworth constituency. It is a pleasure to serve under your chairship, Mr Dowd. My constituency was newly formed at the last general election and is made up of parts of south-east Northumberland, north and n…”

“In a previous life I was a 999 call taker with the ambulance service and had the awful experience of answering a call from a distraught family desperate for help. I could not help them save their loved one because they could not understand the life-saving instructions I was trying to give them over the phone due to the…”