Speeches by Kumar.

“As an NHS physiotherapist, I warmly welcome the Secretary of State’s statement and the ambition set out in the 10-year plan. In Dudley, we are already seeing the positive changes of a Labour Government in bringing down waiting lists. With renewed focus on community care, will my right hon. Friend commit to empowering a…”

“Will the Leader of the House agree to a debate on the growing number of empty shops in town centres? In Dudley, the Conservative-hiked parking charges, current poor transport links and antisocial behaviour as well as the rise of online shopping are driving businesses away, damaging our local economy and community life.…”

“How can we protect SMEs? That is exactly what happened to my builder. The tier 1 company went bust. Everything that he had bought, all the material, he had just sitting there. He did not know what to do. He had already bought it.”

“I am going to ask my question in two parts. The business birth rate in the hair and beauty sector has increased since 2023 compared to the national picture. Why has this sector bucked the trend? You might have mentioned some of these things. I will start with Toby and then go across.”

“In my constituency, one of the builders came to speak to me and made exactly the same point. It is late payments. He has been subcontracted to do some work, and he has not been paid. It is because of a late payment. What should be the gold standard for the timeframe? How can we improve practice throughout? Does there n…”

“Gareth, I want to come back to the point that you made at the beginning about money laundering and what is happening on shop fronts. Can you go into a little bit more detail on that?”

“Yes, I am saying that it might be different from Victoria’s—”

“Lots of barriers and challenges have come up today, but I want to know what your one ask would be for the small business strategy. If you had one ask of DBT, what would it be?”

“Some 58% of investors think it is important that stocks and shares ISAs are invested in UK companies. Currently, it is estimated that £100 billion is held in the cash ISAs of people who do not have stocks and shares ISAs. What steps is my right hon. Friend taking to encourage further investment in UK stocks and shares,…”

“Will the Leader of the House join me in congratulating the Black Country Living Museum in my constituency, which was recently named the best large visitor attraction in the country by VisitEngland? The museum brings to life the Black Country’s rich heritage through the reconstruction of shops, houses and industrial are…”

“I thank my hon. Friend for securing this important debate. In my constituency, I am proud to have a number of war memorials, such as Upper Gornal on Kent street and Woodsetton on Sedgley road. Does my hon. Friend agree that memorials are not just places for quiet reflection and paying our respects, but a physical site …”

“I warmly welcome the statement. Will the Secretary of State outline what measures are being taken to ensure that towns like Dudley—which is actually the birthplace of the industrial revolution—receive their fair share of economic regeneration and job creation, and that the current infrastructure in cities is further in…”

“I welcome the Secretary of State’s calls for a durable diplomatic solution: no one benefits from the continuation of this conflict. Will the Foreign Secretary outline what steps the Government are taking to ensure peace and prevent war in the region, particularly guaranteeing that the strait of Hormuz remains safe for …”

“I agree that products need to be readily available, and that is one of my recommendations. Secondly, beyond awareness is prevention. We need real understanding, and I want bladder and bowel health to form part of the school syllabus, enmeshed into the curriculum. That is a recommendation from surgeon Dr Robinson from t…”

“I beg to move, That this House has considered the matter of incontinence. I thank the Backbench Business Committee and its Chair, the hon. Member for Harrow East (Bob Blackman), who helped secure this debate. I am delighted that we are debating this vital but often ignored issue during World Continence Week. The defini…”

“I thank the Minister for her response, and I hope she takes forward my five recommendations. I also thank all the Members who have contributed to this debate; I hope they continue this conversation in their constituencies. The hon. Member for Dumfries and Galloway (John Cooper) spoke about men’s health and smashing the…”

“Since the global financial crisis, listing on the London Stock Exchange has fallen by 40%, posing a significant barrier to growth, as liquidity and investor activity decline. What steps is my right hon. Friend taking to ensure that more British businesses are listed on the London Stock Exchange and that the UK remains …”

“As an NHS physiotherapist, I welcome the statement. The Government will soon launch their 10-year plan for our NHS, in which a focus will be a move from sickness to prevention. Will the Minister set out how the spending review will support Dudley integrated care board and other ICBs in bringing healthcare on to our hig…”

“I warmly welcome this statement. In my constituency, more than a quarter of all children are living in poverty, so I know that more than 6,000 children in Dudley will now be eligible for free school meals. The extra support will go a long way towards ensuring that our children are eating healthy and nutritious meals to…”

“Kirstie Bavington is a two-time European female welterweight boxing champion from my constituency, yet even with those achievements she is still working as a PE teacher while pursuing her dream of making boxing a full-time career. Will my right hon. Friend agree to a debate in Government time on increasing funding for …”