Green MP and Newly Elected Councilor join residents in Weybread to protest the Cranswick expansion.
Adrian Ramsay MP for Waveney Valley & Cllr Sally Mittuch joined residents in Weybread in a peaceful protest today against plans for a large-scale chicken incubation unit in the village.
The protest will see residents and campaigners gather outside the former Crown Inn to voice concerns over agricultural giant Cranswick’s controversial planning application for a broiler chicken incubation facility.
Campaign group Communities Against Factory Farming (CAFF), which has been supporting residents opposing the application, will attend alongside members of the Weybread Community Group.
Campaigners are urging Mid Suffolk District Council’s planning committee to “Stop the Incubator” and “Save Our Pub”.
Under the plans, The Crown Inn, which has been owned by Cranswick and closed for several years, would be demolished to make way for the factory development. Residents have raised concerns about the long-term loss of an important community asset, alongside worries over increased HGV traffic, industrial activity, pollution and the wider impact on village life.
Adrian Ramsay MP said
“The impact of large-scale factory farm developments on rural communities, like the one proposed in Weybread, is becoming increasingly concerning. These enormous industrial operations are being placed in tiny villages that are just not suitable.
Residents are rightly worried about the impact of three shift working patterns, with significant numbers of HGV movements travelling through small village roads throughout the day and night.
At a time when many rural communities desperately need genuinely affordable housing and investment in local services, people are asking why yet more large-scale industrial facilities are being prioritised over developments that would actually strengthen village life and support local people.
In addition, residents in Weybread are rightly concerned about the pollution impacts of this development and the huge implications of an increasingly industrialised food system for animal welfare."
Cllr Sally Mittuch, newly elected Green Councillor for Hoxne & Eye, said.
“Our community in Weybread has already seen huge changes over the past decade, and many residents feel we are gradually losing the very character of the village we love. People move to places like Weybread because of the countryside, the peace and the strong sense of community, but increasingly those qualities are being eroded by large-scale industrial developments that are completely out of keeping with a small rural village.
Residents still feel the loss of the village pub. Rural pubs are not just businesses; they are community spaces that bring people together and help sustain village life. We are deeply worried about the growing levels of industrial traffic, noise and disturbance associated with these kinds of developments, alongside the wider environmental impacts on the River Waveney and the surrounding countryside.”
ENDS
Adrian Ramsay MP reacts to the King’s Speech, saying “What was needed was a fundamental reset”
PRESS RELEASE
Adrian Ramsay MP reacts to the King’s Speech, saying “What was needed was a fundamental reset”
Adrian Ramsay MP has criticised the Government’s King’s Speech, saying that it failed to deliver the transformative agenda needed to tackle the major challenges facing the country.
Speaking after the King’s Speech, Adrian Ramsay MP for Waveney Valley said:
“I like to be fair with this Government, but there really were not many positives in the King’s Speech. The Duty of Candour Bill absolutely should have been passed long before now. I am glad it was included because families who the state has failed, whether after Hillsborough, the Chinook helicopter crash or other state failures, deserve answers and accountability.
“The speech talked a lot about security, and there are many genuine security threats facing the country, but one area the Government continues to overlook is nature loss and ecosystem collapse. The Government’s own National Security Assessment highlighted that the decline of nature is a risk to national security.
“That matters because nature is fundamental to our quality of life and to the essentials we all rely on, clean air, clean water, food security and the stability of our economy and society. We urgently need clear legislation not only to protect nature but to restore it.
“There was also only a single reference to climate change in the speech, yet at the same time, the Government continues to back airport expansion. It simply does not make sense to dramatically increase emissions on one hand while claiming to be committed to reaching net zero on the other.
“Ultimately, this was a deeply disappointing King’s Speech. What was needed for both the country and this Government was a fundamental reset, one that delivered a transformative agenda to tackle the cost of living crisis, repair overstretched public services, restore nature and confront climate breakdown.
“The speech failed to meet that moment, and the Government now needs to think again if it is serious about addressing the scale of the challenges facing the country.”
ENDS
Adrian Ramsay MP visits the new Eye Post Office during the first week of operation.
Adrian Ramsay MP visits the new Eye Post Office during the first week of operation.
Adrian Ramsay MP visited the new Post Office in Eye during its first week of operation, marking the return of a permanent Post Office service to the town for the first time in more than two years.
The reopening follows work by District Councillor Lucy Elkin, who has worked alongside Adrian to help restore the service for residents and businesses as quickly as possible.
The new branch is being run by local postmaster Minesh Patel, who already operates the Post Office in Mendlesham.
Speaking at the Eye Post Office, Adrian Ramsay MP said:
“I’m delighted that, following a lot of behind-the-scenes work from Green Councillor Lucy Elkin, Eye now has a permanent post office again. For far too long, residents have been left without this vital service. With no bank in the town, having a post office is crucial for businesses and residents. In Parliament, I have been pushing for the restoration of local post offices, and I wish the local postmaster, Minesh Patel, all the best.”
Minesh Patel, the postmaster, said.
“I’m delighted that the Eye post office is now operating. From this week, we will be serving the community here in Eye, along with my other store in Mendlesham. I want to thank residents for the warm welcome and support we have already received.”
Cllr Lucy Elkin added.
“Since the previous Post Office closed, residents have consistently told me how important it was to restore this vital service to Eye. I am delighted that, after a great deal of work behind the scenes with Minesh, we now once again have a permanent Post Office in Eye.”
ENDS
100 days on from the landmark Joint Intelligence Committee National Security Assessment, no parliamentary debate has taken place
100 days on from the landmark Joint Intelligence Committee National Security Assessment, no parliamentary debate has taken place
Parliament must debate matter of “grave importance”, says Green MP
It has now been 100 days since the Joint Intelligence Committee published its National Security Assessment which stated that global biodiversity loss and ecosystem collapse is a threat to national security. Yet, there has still been no Parliamentary scrutiny. The report, which warns of serious risks to ecological stability and national security, has not been debated in Parliament.
Green MP Adrian Ramsay, Waveney Valley, first called for a debate on the report during Business Questions on 22 January. In response, the Leader of the House stated, "The member rightly points out that the report is to be welcomed. Once the report has been considered, I will look to find time for Members to debate these matters, given their importance."
Following this commitment, Adrian wrote to the Leader of the House, as well as the Cabinet Office and DEFRA, seeking clarity on when a debate would be scheduled and urging the Government to bring forward parliamentary scrutiny of the report.
He again raised the issue during questions in Parliament on 5 February and has continued to pursue it through further correspondence with Ministers and in external speeches. Despite repeated requests, there has still been no indication from the Government that a debate will be scheduled.
Speaking on the 100 days Adrian Ramsay MP said,
“It has now been 100 days since this critical report was published, following the Government's hand being forced via a Freedom of Information request. Yet Parliament has still not been allowed to properly scrutinise its findings. For an issue of such grave importance, this is completely unacceptable. At the election, the Government promised a transparency revolution: no power without accountability, and no accountability without transparency. That must apply to matters of national security and how we restore the natural environment that we all depend on. It is incumbent on the Government to have a debate immediately after the King's Speech"
ENDS
Adrian Ramsay MP seeks young people’s views on proposed social media ban.
Adrian Ramsay MP seeks young people’s views on proposed social media ban.
Adrian Ramsay, Green Party MP for Waveney Valley, has visited two secondary schools in his constituency to speak with young people and teachers about the proposed social media ban.
Speaking after both forums, Adrian said
“Access to social media for children and teenagers has been a constant topic of discussion in recent months. We all recognise the substantial risks, but we should also acknowledge the benefits of social media.
“I’ve received many welcome emails from parents expressing their views and concerns. I also felt it was important to hear directly from young people and teachers. Over the past few weeks, I have met with secondary school pupils and teachers at Harleston Sancroft and Hartismere School to hear their views and experiences.
“There was a range of views, but overall, the feeling was that there needs to be far stronger restrictions on the content that the tech firms allow on their platforms to ensure we keep young people safe online. Age restrictions need to be put in place which correspond with the content on each platform. Phones need to be set up so that a responsible adult always has control over a phone used by an under-16. And stronger resourcing of social services is needed to support those young people who are becoming vulnerable to online harms.
“These responses reinforce my own feelings on the topic, as an MP and as a parent, that it’s probably not a case of there being a total ban or not but about what restrictions are needed to keep young people safe and what is the right age for different apps. I will be responding to the Government consultation informed by these helpful discussions and will carefully follow the outcomes of the Government consultation which must inform the debate.”
Teachers who attended the roundtables also shared their perspectives, noting that, from a safeguarding standpoint,
“The majority of what we are dealing with as safeguarding leads is via social media.”
Students also had their say. One who is supportive of a ban said,
“Whilst scrolling through short-form media my phone picks up inappropriate content and restricts me from seeing it. Although scrolling is addictive, you do learn about other people’s lives.”
Others highlighted the need for balance, with one stating,
“There are games where you can make friends without insecurities, but there should also be a balance (on usage)”.
Teachers also recognised some of the benefits of social media, saying,
“Pupils gain more knowledge and power, better communication skills, especially for those with neurodivergence. [They can] gain more confidence socially via chatting online than they might get from family and friends.”
ENDS
Adrian Ramsay challenges the Government on only 39% of adults having access to NHS dentistry
Adrian Ramsay challenges the Government on only 39% of adults having access to NHS dentistry
Adrian Ramsay, MP for Waveney Valley and health spokesperson for the Green MPs, questioned the Minister responsible for Dentistry: what is the Government's ambition for access to NHS Dentistry?
Adrian asked:
"The British Dental Association has highlighted that current budgets allow just 39% of adults to access NHS treatment within 2 years. Is that really the height of the Government's ambition? And if not, what percentage of access is the Government aiming for?"
In reply, Minister Stephen Kinnock said, “We are working closely with the BDA on long-term contract reform. That’s got to be about getting the balance right so that dentists are incentivised to do NHS dentistry, and we also maximise access. Fundamental contract reform. A public consultation is coming up before the summer, and I’m sure he’ll want to take part."
After questioning the Minister, Adrian said, "Of course, we need dental contract reform and also training places, and I've been actively pushing for those things. But if we are serious about NHS dentistry being accessible to everyone, the Government's ambition has got to be much greater than 39% of adults - and that is going to have to mean more funding."
ENDS
RE: Windfall tax on those profiting from the war on Iran to tackle the cost of living crisis
-
Dear Prime Minister and Chancellor,
RE: Windfall tax on those profiting from the war on Iran to tackle the cost of living crisis
Across the UK, millions are barely staying afloat. Energy bills are bursting family budgets, childcare costs are washing away wages, businesses are struggling, and housing costs have skyrocketed. Many of the greatest problems people in the UK are facing right now will intensify as the impacts of the war on Iran continue to ripple through the economy.
The US-Israeli strikes on Iran as part of an illegal war, have caused chaos, killed civilians and have triggered the largest ever disruption to fuel supply, according to the International Energy Agency, sending crude oil costs surging over $100 per barrel in recent days. This has only worsened after the recent attacks on gasfields and LNG processing facilities in Iran and Qatar, which have caused gas prices to jump to four-year highs, with the impacts to be felt for many months and years to come.
Domestically, UK gas prices have more than doubled since late February. They are now at their highest since August 2022 and are likely to drive up energy bills unless action is taken to protect households and businesses when the next price cap is determined. Meanwhile, households are already grappling with the impacts of jumping fuel price increases, making simply getting by increasingly expensive. At the same time, experts are predicting major disruption to production and imports for agriculture inputs like fertilisers, risking further affordability issues for food and drink essentials in the months to come.
This crisis makes clear that the UK must end its reliance on fuels imported from overseas and invest in domestic renewable energy, to ensure British energy security is not left susceptible to global conflicts, disasters, or trade disputes. This will also help accelerate the UK’s transition toward a low-carbon economy, thereby reducing the likelihood of further economic shocks.
Sadly, there are some clear winners of the war on Iran. Oil and gas giants, big banks, agricultural input industries and defence companies will likely make record profits, at the expense of enormous human suffering. In recent crises, like those triggered by the Covid-19 pandemic and war in Ukraine, the wealthiest households and super-rich amassed even greater fortunes - to the tune of hundreds of billions of pounds, while millions were left struggling. Time after time, when wars break out, or major crises unfold, companies across different sectors, alongside super-rich individuals, make eye-watering sums of money. North Sea energy firms are set to make bumper profits. According to new data, for every month that energy prices remain at 18th March 2026 levels, profits could result in over £200m in tax revenue through the Energy Profits Levy. Banks reap profits due to the Bank of England’s misguided decision to raise interest rates in response to supply-side inflation. Higher rates are paid by borrowers - whose mortgage costs are already soaring off the back of the Iran crisis - and the Bank of England itself, which pays interest on the risk-free reserves banks hold with them. The latter cost is ultimately borne by the Treasury, currently to the tune of £20bn per year.
It is not right that extraordinary profits, generated off the backs of ordinary people during periods of crisis, are siphoned off into private hands and corporate bank accounts. All whilst households and businesses are in urgent need of substantial support to cope with the affordability crisis. The government’s own cost of living champion has called for measures to prevent profiteering. We urge you to make this crisis a turning point for the UK. Taking bold action to systemically reform our tax system and invest in our energy security will build resilience in our economy to
withstand future shocks and make life affordable for people and businesses in the UK.
We are writing to you today, as leading organisations from civil society, urging you to:
Ensure a permanent and strengthened energy profits mechanism which captures all excess profits made by oil and gas companies - including windfalls during crises - and close all loopholes which encourage further investment in harmful fossil fuels.
Introduce a levy on banks specifically targeting UK retail net income, profits they have made directly from the UK public.
Apply additional excess profits (windfall) taxes to companies in sectors profiteering from this crisis and the war in Iran, for example big agribusiness, the defence industry and associated AI and tech firms.
Invest revenue from excess profits into direct support to households and businesses to help weather the shock of the affordability crisis, alongside accelerating bringing online mass-scale low and zero carbon solutions to build a resilient energy system in the UK.
The billions in revenue from the additional proposed taxes on windfalls from this crisis must be reinvested into providing direct cost of living support and making our economy more resilient to withstand shocks in the future.
We can break free of the war-energy crisis doom loop, invest in renewables and low-carbon solutions, support people to deal with the cost of living crisis and put Britain on a path to better living standards for everyone in this country.
Yours sincerely,
Adrian Ramsay MP co-signed this letter along with Sian Berry MP, Carla Denyer MP, Hannah Spencer MP and Dr Ellie Chowns MP. Tax Justice UK, Faiza Shaheen, Executive Director
Greenpeace UK, Areeba Hamid, Co-Executive Director
Global Witness, Mike Davis, CEO
Women’s Budget Group, Dr Daniella Jenkins, Executive Director
National Education Union, Daniel Kebede, General Secretary38Degrees, Matthew McGregor, CEO
PCS Union, Fran Heathcote, General Secretary
Positive Money, Sara Hall, Co-Executive Director
End Fuel Poverty Coalition, Simon Francis, Coordinator
Global Justice Now, Nick Dearden, Executive Director
Autonomy Institute, Will Stronge, Chief Executive
Patriotic Millionaires UK, Rebecca Gowland, Executive Director
Green New Deal Rising
350.org, Anne Jellema, Executive Director
Zero Hour, Amy McDonnell and James Sutton, Co-Executive Directors
Care Full, Ruth Hannan & Hannah Webster, Co-Directors
Stamp Out Poverty, David Hillman, Director
War on Want, Liz McKean, Executive Director
Fairness Foundation, Will Snell, Chief Executive
Compass, Lena Swedlow, Deputy Director
Equality Trust, Priya Sahni-Nicholas and Jo Wittams; Co-Executive Directors
Taxpayers Against Poverty, Tom Burgess, CEO
Debt Justice, Heidi Chow, Executive Director
Fuel Poverty Action, Stuart Bretherton, Campaigns Lead
Mainstream
Women’s Environmental Network, Kate Metcalf, Co-Director
Voices Adfocad, Mike O'Brien, Founder
Tipping Point UK, Louise Hazan, Co-Director
Wellbeing Economy Alliance Scotland, Lisa Hough- Stewart, Interim Director
WEAll Global, Stewart Wallis, Executive Co Chair
Culture Unstained, Chris Garrard, Co-Director
Possible, Hirra Khan Adeogun & Juliet Michaelson, Co-directors
Cost of Living Action, Conor O'Shea, Campaign Coordinator Financial Transparency Coalition, Matti Kohonen, Executive Director
Conflict and Environment Observatory, Doug Weir, Director
JustMoney Movement, Sarah Edwards, Executive Director
Tipping Point North South, Deborah Burton. Co-founder
New Economics Foundation, Danny Sriskandarajah, Chief Executive
CLES (Centre for Local Economies), Dr Sarah Longlands
Oil Change International, Elizabeth Bast, Executive Director
Re: Government time to debate national security assessment on biodiversity loss, ecosystem collapse and national security
-
The Rt. Hon. Emma Reynolds MP
Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
23 March 2026
Re: Government time to debate national security assessment on biodiversity loss, ecosystem
collapse and national security
Dear Secretary of State,
Further to my letter of 3 February 2026, I write again about the Government’s national security
assessment’s stark warning that global biodiversity loss and ecosystem collapse pose a serious threat to
the United Kingdom’s security and prosperity.
Today, the United Nations warned that the planet is being ‘pushed beyond its limits’ as energy imbalance
reach record high and its Secretary-General António Guterres called on countries to "deliver climate
security, energy security and national security"
.
In this context, I would be grateful for an indication on when you will set a time to debate the Joint
Intelligence Committee’s report as indicated by the Leader of the House following my Business Question
[AC/IDC1226].
With thanks,
Adrian Ramsay
Letter to the Prime Minister to express our alarm at the UK’s involvement in the illegal US-Israeli war on Iran.
-
The Rt Hon Sir Keir Starmer KCB KC MP
Prime Minister
Office of the Prime Minister
10 Downing Street
London SW1A 2AA
20 March 2026
Dear Prime Minister,
We are writing as Green Party MPs and Peers to express our alarm at the UK’s involvement in the illegal US-Israeli war on Iran.
Already well over 1,000 civilians have been killed, including a reported 168 children killed by a missile now widely believed to be from the United States (Guardian, 2026). UNICEF has reported that the Israeli military's assault on
Lebanon is killing or injuring the equivalent of one classroom of children every day (Reuters, 2026).
In addition to the grave humanitarian impacts, the longer this illegal, unnecessary war continues, the greater the global economic fallout – to which the UK is particularly exposed because it remains heavily reliant on fossil fuels.
In light of this, there are urgent questions your government must answer:
What steps, if any, is your government taking to ensure that B-1 and B-52 bombers taking off from RAF Fairford are being used for ‘specific, limited defensive purposes’– as you committed to?
What assessment have you made, if any, of how many Iranian civilians have been killed by US bombing missions from British air bases?
Are target lists for US strikes from British soil approved by the Ministry of Defence before each mission or audited afterwards?
Is the US being permitted to load banned cluster munitions at British bases?
What assessment has the government made of the risk of UK-made weapons components being used in violation of international law in Iran, including in the Tomahawk missile systems which may have been involved in the strike on the Shajareh Tayyerbeh girls’s school which killed a reported 168 children and 14 teachers, in the single deadliest known attack so far?
What assessment has the government made of the risk of UK-made weapons components being used by the Israeli government in violation of international law in Lebanon?
The UK is obliged under international law to have no involvement in illegal military action, including the use of UK bases and UK-made weapons. It is therefore of the utmost importance that these questions are answered as a matter of urgency.
This illegal war is inflicting untold suffering and devastation in the region and will cause huge and long lasting human, political, economic and environmental ramifications, as well as the immediate impact on the cost-of-living for our constituents. We, as Green Party MPs and Peers, reiterate our calls for the UK government to:
Withdraw all permission for the US to use UK military bases for attacks on Iran.
End all arms sales to and military cooperation with the Israeli government.
Impose sanctions on government officials responsible for breaches of international law.
Condemn the actions of Trump and Netanyahu for their flagrant violations of international law.
Refuse any further complicity in this illegal war.
Yours sincerely,
Dr Ellie Chowns MP
Carla Denyer MP
Siân Berry MP
Hannah Spencer MP
Adrian Ramsay MP
Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle
Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb
Letter to the Prime Minister on Bowel Cancer
-
The Rt Hon Sir Keir Starmer KC MP
Prime Minister
10 Dowing Street
London
SW1A 2AB
Dear Prime Minister,
Bowel cancer is the second biggest cancer killer in the UK, with someone diagnosed every 12
minutes. Around one in four people with bowel cancer will be diagnosed in an emergency
setting, often in A&E when the cancer is usually more advanced, and survival chances are
lower.
We want a future where this no longer happens—a future where symptoms are recognised
early, referrals happen quickly, and screening reaches everyone it should, so bowel cancer is
detected at the earliest possible stage. With 609,000 new bowel cancer cases projected in
England by 2040, we pledge to work with Bowel Cancer UK, and the Government to
prioritise reducing cancer deaths and help build a future where bowel cancer is found early,
not in A&E.
Together, we can ensure fewer families lose loved ones to a disease that is treatable and
survivable if diagnosed sooner.
Yours sincerely,
Danny Beales MP
Uxbridge and South
Ruislip
Paul Davies MP
Colne Valley
Helen Morgan MP
North Shropshire
Jim Dickson MP
Susan Murray MP
Shockat Adam MP
Dartford
Mid Dunbartonshire
Leicester South
Linsey Farnsworth
Jo Platt MP
Rt Hon Stuart Andrew
MP
Leigh and Atherton
MP
Amber Valley
Daventry
Adrian Ramsay MP
Waveney Valley
Tonia Antoniazzi MP
Gower
Brian Leishman MP
Alloa and Grangemouth
Rebecca Long-Bailey
Jim Shannon MP
Strangford
Dr Scott Arthur MP
Edinburgh South West
MP
Salford
Martin Vickers MP
Brigg and Immingham
Bob Blackman MP
Harrow East
Douglas McAllister
MP
West Dunbartonshire
Prevalence of Criminal Activity Across the Greyhound Racing Industry
-
The Rt Hon Emma Reynolds MP
Secretary of State
Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Nobel House
17 Smith Square
London
SW1P 3JR
16 March 2026
RE: Prevalence of Criminal Activity Across the Greyhound Racing Industry
Dear Secretary of State,
I am writing further to the correspondence you have recently received from Animal Aid regarding criminal activity and animal protection concerns within the greyhound racing industry. I wish to raise serious concerns about evidence of potential criminality and regulatory failure in the sector, and to urge you to consider the case for a phased ban on the sport. Doing so would both support your Department’s priorities around animal protection as set out in the Animal Welfare Strategy, as well as wider Government priorities.
New analysis compiled by Animal Aid demonstrates that the greyhound racing industry continues to fall short of its duty of care to the dogs it breeds, trains and races, and that its system of self‑regulation by the Greyhound Board of Great Britain (GBGB) is shielding it from proper legal oversight. Since January 2025, the GBGB has published 128 breaches of its own rules, which Animal Aid assesses amount to 237 possible criminal offences. This includes cases involving dangerous neglect and failures to protect dogs from injury and death, potentially in breach of the Animal Welfare Act 2006.
Despite these widespread failings, none of these incidents were referred to the police. Instead, suspected criminal activity continues to be addressed internally by the greyhound racing industry. The GBGB has imposed modest fines and reprimands, without external referral or escalation to statutory authorities. This raises significant concerns about the transparency and accountability of an industry in which animals are experiencing widespread harm.
Considering these concerns, I urge you to consider the case for a phased ban on the sport, which is necessary to safeguard animal protection. Such an approach would align with the Government’s commitment to high animal welfare standards and its ambition to deliver world-leading protections, reflecting the values of the UK as a nation of animal lovers.
I would welcome a meeting with you to discuss this issue further and to understand how the Department intends to respond to these concerns.
Yours sincerely,
Adrian Ramsay
Member of Parliament for Waveney Valley
Informing Women of Dense Breasts After NHS Screening
-
Rt Hon Wes Streeting MP
Department of Health and Social Care
39 Victoria Street
London
SW1H 0EU
6 March 2026
Dear Secretary of State,
Re: Informing Women of Dense Breasts After NHS Screening
As MPs representing constituents affected by breast cancer and breast cancer screening, we
are writing to request urgent action in relation to the UK National Routine Breast Screening
Programme.
Dense breast tissue is present in around 40% of women undergoing mammography.
Standardised terminology to describe breast density has been in use for over 30 years, based on
radiologists’ visual assessment and computer software.
On a mammogram, dense tissue appears white or light grey, like many cancerous tumours. As a
result, cancers can often be missed in women with dense breast tissue. In the UK, it is
estimated that among women attending regular screening, approximately 3,500 breast
cancers each year are not detected because of breast density.
In addition to obscuring cancers, breast density is also associated with an increased risk of
developing breast cancer. These “hidden” cancers may continue to grow unnoticed and are
often diagnosed at a later stage, when treatment options are more limited and outcomes are
poorer. Additional imaging, such as MRI, contrast-enhanced mammography, or ultrasound,
improves the detection of cancers not visible on standard mammography.However, women attending routine NHS breast screening are not informed if they have
dense breasts, nor are they routinely offered additional imaging. In the United States, federal
law since 2024 requires that all women be notified following a mammogram whether their
breasts are classified as “dense” or “not dense”.
International breast experts understand that research and trials to aid early detection can take
years to translate into practice. Cancer does not wait.
Women in the UK deserve access to potentially life-saving information. Being informed of their
breast density empowers women to have meaningful conversations with their clinicians about
risk, to consider appropriate follow-up imaging and, importantly, to remain vigilant about their
breast health.
Many UK breast cancer experts, including breast surgeons, recognise this issue and are
increasingly encouraging women to contact their Members of Parliament to call for change.
We therefore request that you support the Dense Breast Inform campaign and consider
policy changes to ensure women are informed about breast density following screening.
Yours sincerely,
Lee Barron MP
Member of Parliament for Corby and East Northamptonshire
Labour
Steve Yemm MP
Member of Parliament for Mansfield
Labour
Abtisam Mohamed MP
Member of Parliament for Sheffield Central
Labour
Adrian Ramsay MP
Member of Parliament for Waveney Valley
Green Party
Alison Hume MP
Member of Parliament for Scarborough and Whitby
Labour
Allison Gardner MP
Member of Parliament for Stoke-on-Trent South
LabourAmanda Hack MP
Member of Parliament for North West Leicestershire
Labour
Andy McDonald MP
Member of Parliament for Middlesbrough and Thornaby East
Labour
Anneliese Midgley MP
Member of Parliament for Knowsley
Labour
Ayoub Khan MP
Member of Parliament for Birmingham Perry Barr
Independent
Bell Ribeiro-Addy MP
Member of Parliament for Clapham and Brixton Hill
Labour
Brian Leishman MP
Member of Parliament for Alloa and Grangemouth
Labour
Carla Denyer MP
Member of Parliament for Bristol Central
Green Party
Cat Eccles MP
Member of Parliament for Stourbridge
Labour
Chris Webb MP
Member of Parliament for Blackpool South
Labour
Clive Jones MP
Member of Parliament for Wokingham
Liberal Democrat
Clive Lewis MP
Member of Parliament for Norwich South
Labour
Colum Eastwood MP
Member of Parliament for Foyle
Social Democratic and Labour PartyDaisy Cooper MP
Member of Parliament for St Albans
Liberal Democrat
Daniel Francis MP
Member of Parliament for Bexleyheath and Crayford
Labour
David Baines MP
Member of Parliament for St Helens North
Labour
Elaine Stewart MP
Member of Parliament for Ayr, Carrick and Cumnock
Labour
Ellie Chowns MP
Member of Parliament for North Herefordshire
Green Party
Graeme Downie MP
Member of Parliament for Dunfermline and Dollar
Labour
Grahame Morris MP
Member of Parliament for Easington
Labour
Henry Tufnell MP
Member of Parliament for Mid and South Pembrokeshire
Labour
Ian Byrne MP
Member of Parliament for Liverpool West Derby
Labour
Ian Lavery MP
Member of Parliament for Blyth and Ashington
Labour
Jess Asato MP
Member of Parliament for Lowestoft
Labour
Jim Dickson MP
Member of Parliament for Dartford
LabourJim Shannon MP
Member of Parliament for Strangford
Democratic Unionist Party
Jo White MP
Member of Parliament for Bassetlaw
Labour
John McDonnell MP
Member of Parliament for Hayes and Harlington
Labour
John Milne MP
Member of Parliament for Horsham
Liberal Democrat
Josh Newbury MP
Member of Parliament for Cannock Chase
Labour
Kirsteen Sullivan MP
Member of Parliament for Bathgate and Linlithgow
Labour and Co-operative
Lee Dillon MP
Member of Parliament for Newbury
Liberal Democrat
Lorraine Beavers MP
Member of Parliament for Blackpool North and Fleetwood
Labour
Luke Myer MP
Member of Parliament for Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland
Labour
Manuela Perteghella MP
Member of Parliament for Stratford-on-Avon
Liberal Democrat
Matt Turmaine MP
Member of Parliament for Watford
Labour
Michael Wheeler MP
Member of Parliament for Worsley and Eccles
LabourMichelle Scrogham MP
Member of Parliament for Barrow and Furness
Labour
Michelle Welsh MP
Member of Parliament for Sherwood Forest
Labour
Mike Reader MP
Member of Parliament for Northampton South
Labour
Mohammad Yasin MP
Member of Parliament for Bedford
Labour
Nadia Whittome MP
Member of Parliament for Nottingham East
Labour
Neil Duncan-Jordan MP
Member of Parliament for Poole
Labour
Olivia Blake MP
Member of Parliament for Sheffield Hallam
Labour
Patricia Ferguson MP
Member of Parliament for Glasgow West
Labour
Paul Davies MP
Member of Parliament for Colne Valley
Labour
Paula Barker MP
Member of Parliament for Liverpool Wavertree
Labour
Polly Billington MP
Member of Parliament for East Thanet
Labour
Rachael Maskell MP
Member of Parliament for York Central
Labour and Co-operativeRachel Taylor MP
Member of Parliament for North Warwickshire and Bedworth
Labour
Richard Quigley MP
Member of Parliament for Isle of Wight West
Labour
Ruth Cadbury MP
Member of Parliament for Brentford and Isleworth
Labour
Scott Arthur MP
Member of Parliament for Edinburgh South West
Labour
Sean Woodcock MP
Member of Parliament for Banbury
Labour
Shockat Adam MP
Member of Parliament for Leicester South
Independent
Siân Berry MP
Member of Parliament for Brighton Pavilion
Green Party
Stella Creasy MP
Member of Parliament for Walthamstow
Labour and Co-operative
Steve Witherden MP
Member of Parliament for Montgomeryshire and Glyndŵr
Labour
Tonia Antoniazzi MP
Member of Parliament for Gower
Labour
Victoria Collins MP
Member of Parliament for Harpenden and Berkhamsted
Liberal Democrat
Wera Hobhouse MP
Member of Parliament for Bath
Liberal Democrat.
Drax internal emails and FCA investigation: cross-party request to review subsidy
-
The Rt Hon Ed Miliband MP
Secretary of State Department of Energy Security and Net Zero
18th February 2026
Drax internal emails and FCA investigation: cross-party request to review subsidy
Dear Secretary of State,
We are writing to bring your attention to a tranche of newly released internal correspondence from energy company Drax. This evidence suggests that Drax may have knowingly made misleading claims to the government, parliamentarians, Ofgem, and investors in its response to BBC Panorama’s investigation into Drax’s subsidised sourcing of wood from Canadian forests in 2022.
We are deeply concerned that a company should be in receipt of substantial billpayer subsidy, currently guaranteed until 2031, While it may have knowingly and consistently concealed information of material relevance to its legitimacy as a subsidy recipient.
According to media reports cited below, after the documentary aired, one senior manager wrote “we’ve been saying we don’t source from these forests when it appears we might be.”
This was despite public statements from the CEO stating that the BBC allegations were “false,” “ill-informed” and “promoted by vested interests.” The emails further Suggest Drax was told by lawyers “the legal view contradicts what you’ve put in the public domain.”
Given that the Financial Conduct Authority are currently investigating such “historical statements” made by Drax about their sourcing of pellets, we request that all future UK government contracts with Drax be suspended for the duration of this investigation. We ask you to clarify whether your Department considers Drax to be currently meeting the standards of transparency and compliance expected of a recipient of public subsidy.
We also highlight the quote from Lord Alan Whitehead, Energy Minister on 10th December 2025 “If Drax is non-compliant, the subsidy goes. There is no subsidy in the case of a non-
compliant organisation of any kind. If that happens, it will be the end of Drax”. We therefore
ask what steps you will take to reassess Drax’s eligibility for ongoing and future support
should the FCA investigation substantiate concerns that material information was withheld or
misrepresented.
Recent revelations are covered in the following media reports:
• Rachel Millard, Financial Times, Drax manager questioned public statements on
wood sourcing, tribunal documents show, 30th January 2026
• Jillian Ambrose, The Guardian, Drax insiders privately raised concerns over its
sustainability claims, court papers show, 4th February 2026
• Old Sparky, Private Eye, “Drax: Internal Affairs” Issue 1668, 6-19 Feb 2026
We hope that you share our concern and confirm that you will take decisive action to ensure
that no further subsidy will be awarded if such practice is uncovered.
Yours sincerely,
Adrian Ramsay MP
Alex Sobel MP*
Baroness Boycott
Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb
Baroness Young of Old Scone
Barry Gardiner MP
Carla Denyer MP
Chris Hinchliff MP
Ellie Chowns MP
Pippa Heylings MP
Lord Randall of Uxbridge
Sian Berry MP
The Earl of Caithness
Wera Hobhouse MP
Urgent need for Government commitment to progress Ely and Haughley junction improvements
-
Urgent need for Government commitment to progress Ely and Haughley junction
improvements
Dear Secretary of State for Transport, the Rt Hon Heidi Alexander MP, and Chief Secretary to the
Treasury, the Rt Hon Darren Jones MP
The Government’s Plan for Change has made delivering economic growth across the UK its central mission. To achieve this, growth must be unlocked across every UK region. We are therefore writing to you to restate the six chief facts that make clear how upgrading Ely and Haughley rail junctions would directly contribute to the Government’s ambition to grow the whole of the UK.
These schemes have been in the pipeline for decades with the case for them strengthening year on year. They are now restricting growth and the country’s progress to cleaner, greener transport connections. We are now calling on Government to commit in this Spending Review to provide Network Rail with the funds to develop the Full Business Case for the Ely Area Capacity Enhancements, so it can be delivered as soon as possible with appropriate phasing, and to provide the relatively low level of funding needed to deliver the Haughley Junction upgrade.
The case for this investment is clear. It would:
1. Enable businesses from Land’s End to John O’Groats: Rail freight from the Port of Felixstowe primarily serves freight terminals in the Midlands, North and Scotland, with the greatest density of goods destinations being cities in the North of England. Unlocking this bottle-neck would increase international trade flows by enabling 2,900 extra freight services to and from the Port of Felixstowe every year, also releasing capacity on rail routes serving the growing Thames ports.
2. Unlock sustainable homes growth: It is anticipated that across the corridors which would see increased passenger services there will need to be 310,00 new homes built by 2404. People in these new communities will be the talent for the high-skilled, high-growth sectors in Cambridge, Peterborough, Norwich and Ipswich.
3. Relieve pressure on our stretched road network: By increasing capacity and reducing bottlenecks, taking 98,000 HGVs off the road and stimulating 277,000 extra rail passenger journeys per year, it will reduce congestion by 5.6 million hours per year. Ely is also referenced in the strategies of Transport for London, Transport for the North and Midlands Connect reflecting the knock-on benefits to capacity in the wider rail and road network.
. Payback the investment 5-fold: The scheme has a remarkably high benefit-cost ratio, returning £4.89 of benefits for every £1 invested. An additional £60m of wider economic benefits has already been identified within the Outline Business Case. However, this does not reflect fully the growth opportunities now centred on Cambridge and Peterborough, or the Freeports.
Align with, and unlock, private sector investment: Hundreds of millions of pounds have already been invested by the private sector in this trade corridor, including in new port capacity, vessels, rail rolling stock and logistics facilities. Only recently £130m has been invested from private sector levies to deepen the channel at the Port of Felixstowe. Public funding for Ely helps match and capture the full value of these prior investments, whilst also unlocking more in the future including upgraded rail freight terminal facilities and new bi-mode locomotives. But it needs clear signals from Government that rail freight capacity will be released.
Deliver greener transport: By supporting modal shift to rail, Ely will remove the need for 98,000 HGV journeys every year, and attract substantially more rail users as evidence of increased passenger frequencies across the East has already demonstrated. It would also reduce carbon emissions by 1.7m tonnes of CO2 over 60 years.
Delaying these projects further will delay national growth and productivity enhancements. We trust
you will view these schemes positively as you determine the Spending Review.
Yours sincerely
Jess Asato MP Co-chair, East of England APPG
Andrew Pakes MP Co-chair, East of England APPG
Marie Goldman MP Vice Chair,East of England APPG
Blake Stephenson MP Vice Chair,East of England APPG
Jack Abbott MP East of England Missions Champion
Alice Macdonald MP East of England Missions Champion
Bayo Alaba MP East of England Business Champion
David Burton-Sampson MP East of England Business Champion
Adrian Ramsay MP co-signed this cross-party letter initiated by the East of England All-Party Parliamentary Group.
Letter to the Secretary of State for the Home Department on proscription of Palestine Action
-
Adrian Ramsay MP co-signed this letter initiated by Dr Ellie Chowns MP.
Dear Home Secretary,
We write as Parliamentarians who either originally opposed the proscription of Palestine Action (PA) or who have come to see it as wrong and unworkable. Today's decision by the high court vindicates our position and we welcome the ruling.
The Home Office's position has put enormous pressure on the courts and the police.
We understand that 2787 people have been arrested for terrorism offences for peacefully holding signs that express their support for Palestine Action, including more than 250 on 9th August last year who are aged over 60 years old. And one outcome of the proscription of Palestine Action is that more people were arrested for terrorist offences in just one day than have ever previously been arrested under terror legislation in an entire year in the UK (REE).
Proscribing Palestine Action has also had grave consequences for fundamental human rights and our international reputation.
Mr Justice Chamberlain granted permission for a judicial review of proscription on the grounds that included it being contrary to the Human Rights Act 1998 and amounts to a disproportionate interference with Articles 10 and 11 on the rights to freedom of expression and the right to freedom of assembly). And you will know
that Volker Turk, the United Nations' human rights chief, called the proscription "disproportionate and unnecessary", warning that a broad definition of terrorism, that encompasses serious damage to property, places the UK outside international law. (REF).
A cross-party submission to the High Court, which many of us signed, warned that "proscription risks becoming a blunt tool to silence dissent and criminalise legitimate protest and democratic debate-particularly where it relates to British complicity in atrocities committed by the Israeli government and the broader struggle for Palestinian human rights."
Today's verdict is an opportunity to change course, and we hope you will now commit to ending the suppression of UK citizens who oppose the genocide in Gaza.
Yours sincerely,
Yours sincerely,
Ellie Chowns MP
Carla Denyer MP
Siân Berry MP
Adrian Ramsay MP
Shockat Adam MP
Ayoub Khan MP
Jeremy Corbyn MP
Nadia Whittome MP
Manuela Perteghella MP
Adnan Hussain MP
Liz Saville Roberts MP
Ben Lake MP
Ann Davies MP
Llinos Medi MP
Iqbal Mohamed MP
Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb
Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle
Lord Cashman
Baroness Smith of Llanfaes
Lord Freyberg
Baroness Uddin
The Right Honourable Lord Hain
Lord Tope OBE
Adrian Ramsay MP presses Minister for urgent clarity on funding for UEA dental school.
11th of February 2026
Adrian Ramsay MP presses Minister for urgent clarity on funding for UEA dental school.
Adrian Ramsay, MP for Waveney Valley, has written to Stephen Kinnock MP, Minister of State for Care at the Department of Health and Social Care, seeking clarity on when funding will be confirmed to allow the University of East Anglia to open its new dental school.
The University of East Anglia has already secured General Dental Council accreditation, its new facilities will be completed this year, and it is ready to recruit its first cohort of students. The remaining barrier is confirmation of funded undergraduate places.
Speaking after sending his letter, Adrian Ramsay MP said:
“Norfolk and the Waveney Valley face some of the poorest access to NHS dentistry in England, while the East of England remains the only region without a dental training institution. Given the scale of unmet need across Norfolk and Suffolk, it is deeply frustrating that the only thing preventing dental teaching at UEA is confirmation of funding from the Department.
"Directing new training capacity to areas with the greatest need must be a priority if we are serious about improving access to NHS dentistry.”
In a Parilmentary debate this week Adrian said:
"The University of East Anglia stands ready to open a new dental school. It has permission from the General Dental Council but is awaiting the funded undergraduate dental places that will be needed to start training new dentists from 2027. Can the Minister set out how those places will be made available on the basis of regional need, so that dental deserts such as the east of England can start to build a sustainable dental workforce?"
Adrian Ramsay has again asked the Minister to set out the timetable for decisions on funded undergraduate places and how regional need will be reflected in the allocation process.
ENDS
Notes to editors
Full text of the letter is available here:
Dear Stephen,
I am writing to follow up on my recent remarks in the Adjournment Debate on NHS Dentists [5 February 2026] regarding the acute shortage of NHS dental provision across East Anglia and the readiness of the University of East Anglia to open a new dental school.
As you are aware, the University of East Anglia has secured accreditation from the General Dental Council, its new facilities will be completed this year, and it is prepared to recruit its first cohort from May 2026, with teaching due to commence in September 2027. The remaining barrier is the confirmation of funded undergraduate places, without which the school cannot begin teaching.
As I have raised on a number of occasions, the Norfolk and Waveney catchment area continues to experience some of the poorest access to NHS dentistry in England, with at least 3,000 patients for every dentist carrying out any NHS work, compared with around 2,220 patients per dentist nationally.
This is both a cause and a symptom of a wider structural problem: the East of England remains the only region without a dental training institution. This entrenched shortage makes the case particularly compelling for directing new training capacity towards areas of greatest need. I therefore welcome your indication that the Office for Students will play a role in allocating places and that ministerial advice will inform how those decisions are made.
Given the scale of unmet need in Norfolk and Suffolk, I would be grateful for further clarity on the expected timetable for decisions on the allocation of funded places for the University of East Anglia.
Expanding training capacity must also be accompanied by measures to ensure that graduates are supported to remain in underserved areas and within the NHS. As I have previously highlighted, this will require targeted incentives to encourage retention, alongside meaningful progress on reform of the NHS dental contract to make long-term NHS practice financially sustainable.
I would welcome your response setting out when funding for undergraduate places at the University of East Anglia is likely to be confirmed, and what advice will be provided to the Office for Students to ensure regional need is properly reflected in the allocation process.
UEA Dentistry School
-
The Hon Stephen Kinnock MP
Minister of State for Care
Department for Health & Social Care
39 Victoria St
London
SW1H 0EU
10 February 2026
Dear Stephen,
I am writing to follow up on my recent remarks in the Adjournment Debate on NHS Dentists [5 February 2026] regarding the acute shortage of NHS dental provision across East Anglia and the readiness of the University of East Anglia to open a new dental school.
As you are aware, the University of East Anglia has secured accreditation from the General Dental Council, its new facilities will be completed this year, and it is prepared to recruit its first cohort from May 2026, with teaching due to commence in September 2027. The remaining barrier is the confirmation of funded undergraduate places, without which the school cannot begin teaching.
As I have raised on a number of occasions, Norfolk and the Waveney Valley continue to experience some of the poorest access to NHS dentistry in England, and the East of England remains the only region without a dental training institution. This entrenched shortage makes the case particularly compelling for directing new training capacity towards areas of greatest need. I therefore welcome your indication that the Office for Students will play a role in allocating places and that ministerial advice will inform how those decisions are made.
Given the scale of unmet need in Norfolk and Suffolk, I would be grateful for further clarity on the expected timetable for decisions on the allocation of funded places for the University of East Anglia. Expanding training capacity must also be accompanied by measures to ensure that graduates are supported to remain in underserved areas and within the NHS. As I have previously highlighted, this will require targeted incentives to encourage retention, alongside meaningful progress on reform of the NHS dental contract to make long-term NHS practice financially sustainable.
I would welcome your response setting out when funding for undergraduate places at the University of East Anglia is likely to be confirmed, and what advice will be provided to the Office for Students to ensure regional need is properly reflected in the allocation process.
Yours sincerely,
Adrian Ramsay MP
Palantir and Peter Mandelson
-
Adrian Ramsay MP co-signed this letter along with Sian Berry MP, Carla Denyer MP and Dr Ellie Chowns MP.
Dear Cabinet Secretary,
We are writing with deep concern to urgently call for an immediate inquiry into the Government’s current contracts with US-based spy-tech giant Palantir and the influence that Peter Mandelson had on these contracts.
Last week, by his own admission, we learned that the Prime Minister was aware of Mandelson’s close ties to Jeffrey Epstein when he appointed him as British Ambassador to the United States of America.1 Given what we know now, and what the Prime Minister knew then, we believe this appointment should have never happened. Mandelson was forced to resign in disgrace, permitted to maintain his Labour party membership and position in the House of Lords for several more months, and now a criminal investigation has been launched into his conduct in public office.
This all could have and should have been avoided. And still, the lingering effects of Mandelson’s corruption remain, especially in the Government’s contracts with Palantir. As you know, Mandelson co-founded a lobbying firm, Global Counsel, to help private companies procure massive contracts with governments. Palantir hired Global Counsel as a client, and even though Mandelson resigned from his post at the firm when he became ambassador, he retained a large stake in the company, reportedly around 21%. 2
As reported by the New York Times, the US Justice Department releases of the Epstein files revealed that Peter Thiel, the co-founder of Palantir, maintained a close financial and personal relationship with Jeffrey Epstein. Epstein invested $40m into Valar Ventures, a firm that Thiel co-founded. There are many questions and ethical concerns about the web of connections between Thiel, Epstein and Mandelson.3 Last year, Mandelson’s team arranged a meeting for the Prime Minister to visit Palantir’s offices in Washington D.C. at which Mandelson was also present in his official role as ambassador and seemingly his unofficial role as Palantir stakeholder. This meeting was not initially listed on the PM’s register of visits, and later last year, the Government awarded Palantir a £240m Ministry of Defence contract through a direct award, meaning without any competition.
The Government has still so far refused to share details of this meeting. Until it does, it would seem highly plausible that Mandelson could have used his position and influence with this Government, and his connections gained from being part of Epstein's network, for his own financial gain - and that the Government both knew about and permitted this to happen. While also employing Mandelson’s Global Counsel, Palantir was awarded an NHS contract of over £330m by a previous Conservative Government in 2023. We do not know the extent to which Mandelson influenced the procurement of this contract. Moreover, as Green Party leader Zack Polanski pointed out to Wes Streeting in a letter last week, the workers who keep our NHS running have misgivings about this contract, not least because of the risk of long- term vendor lock-in leading to increasing costs and price gouging. We join the British Medical Association and others who have called on the Government to scrap the contract.
Palantir technology has reportedly been used by U.S. immigration authorities to profile and target migrants and has been used by the Israeli military in Gaza - it has no place in our NHS or any of our public services.
Our concerns with Palantir are not just moral and ethical, important as those are. They are also strategic.
Palantir is now deeply embedded in the NHS and Ministry of Defence - and the longer they are in place, the harder and more expensive it becomes to remove them and the more the risk of poor value for money increases. There are already long-term risks to UK sovereign decision-making from dependencies on US-based tech giants like Microsoft, Amazon, and Oracle. The UK’s reliance on Palantir risks making it even more difficult for the UK to confront or even publicly disagree with the US administration, adding to pre-existing challenges posed by increasing belligerence over software access, tariffs and trade.
The risks of sanctions and data exploitation by the US through tech giants are well established and has led to firm action from France, Denmark and others.4567 Parliament and the public deserve clarity on how the Palantir contracts were awarded, what alternative suppliers were considered, and what assessment was made of long-term dependency risks, sovereign capability impacts, and whole-life value for money.
We are therefore calling on the Government to:
Conduct an internal and independent inquiry into Mandelson’s involvement in contracts between the UK Government and Palantir and publish the findings, including whether Mandelson shared privileged information with Palantir and the extent to which he used his role in Government for personal gain
Scrap its NHS and MoD contracts with Palantir at the earliest opportunity
Review UK dependence on contractors such as Palantir to secure the UK’s digital sovereignty
Our democratic institutions depend on transparency, oversight, and accountability. We thus look forward to your prompt attention to these issues of national interest and the highest standards of transparency in all matters relating to Palantir.
Adrian Ramsay MP co-signed this letter along with Sian Berry MP, Carla Denyer MP and Dr Ellie Chowns MP.
1 https://hansard.parliament.uk/Commons/2026-02-04/debates/C63E8C34-DFCA-499D-8E13-
515C58BEA3DA/Engagements?highlight=mandelson#contribution-A5818A02-A078-494E-9AA9-
05A58ED97B3B
and-ends-dividend-payments
3 https://www.nytimes.com/2025/06/04/business/jeffrey-epstein-peter-thiel-
estate.html#:~:text=Epstein's%20Inner%20Circle-
,Jeffrey%20Epstein%20Invested%20With%20Peter%20Thiel%2C%20and%20His%20Estate%20Is,asset%20sti
ll%20held%20by%20Mr
it-seeks-to-embrace-digital-sovereignty
5 https://apnews.com/article/europe-digital-sovereignty-big-tech-9f5388b68a0648514cebc8d92f682060
6 https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/policy-solutions/checking-presidents-sanctions-powers
7 https://columbialawreview.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/Schwartz-
LEGAL_ACCESS_TO_THE_GLOBAL_CLOUD.pdf
Flawed recommendations in the Nuclear Regulatory Review
-
The Rt Hon Ed Miliband MP
Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero
3-8 Whitehall Place
London
SW1A 2EG
Sent by email
9
th February 2026
Re: Flawed recommendations in the Nuclear Regulatory Review
Dear Secretary of State,
We are writing with the support of the parliamentarians listed below to urge you not to take an
environmental policy misstep.
As DESNZ considers next steps for progressing the recommendations made by the Nuclear Regulatory
Review, we believe that three of the forty-seven recommendations are particularly flawed and would set
back nature protection, climate and clean energy progress if implemented.
Review recommendations 11 and 12 propose amending the Habitats Regulations to reduce the
requirement on developers to avoid harm to nature sites when they build nuclear plants.
Recommendation 19 proposes removing a duty on local authorities to further the conservation and
public access purposes of National Parks and National Landscapes, which the Review authors felt
imposed undue burdens on nuclear developers.
Environmental groups have highlighted that these recommendations were primarily made based on just
one nuclear case study in the review, that of the Hinkley C nuclear project. This case study included
incorrect statistics which understated the environmental impact of the project and overstated the cost
of environmental mitigation measures. It also omitted to set out the marginal role that environmental
matters have played in the escalating costs and delays to the project, due largely to mistakes made by
the developer. These result of these inaccuracies, and the extrapolation of the one flawed case study to
wider development, has been the erroneous portrayal of nature protection as a significant blocker to
nuclear energy requiring a sledgehammer solution in the form of recommendations 11, 12 and 19.
Acting on this flawed premise would have detrimental consequences for nature, climate and energy.
This will especially be the case if the recommendations are applied beyond nuclear development to all
infrastructure, as was suggested in December. Nature in England is in decline, and the Office for
Environmental Protection has this month warned that the Government ‘remains largely off track to meet
its environmental targets and obligations, including legally binding biodiversity targets set under the
Environment Act’. Recommendations 11, 12 and 19 would allow more damage to be inflicted to
protected sites and landscapes, putting Environment Act targets decisively out of reach. Such a collapse
in nature recovery would impact net zero efforts, reducing the number of healthy natural habitats
needed to sequester large amounts of carbon. All three recommendations would require legislation to
put them into effect, resulting in a controversial new planning bill that will take up considerable
parliamentary time and Government capacity. This would be at the expense of other, better-founded
reforms which will more effectively hasten the delivery of energy infrastructure.
Such a blow to nature protection, net zero and clean energy delivery is not yet Government policy. It
can still be avoided, if you decide not to progress the three flawed recommendations in the Nuclear
Regulatory Review. We urge you to follow the evidence, reject the three recommendations and prevent
unnecessary and hugely damaging environmental regression.
Your sincerely,
Craig Bennett, Chief Executive, The Wildlife Trusts
Hilary McGrady, Director General, The National Trust
Beccy Speight, Chief Executive, RSPB
Darren Moorcroft, Chief Executive, The Woodland Trust
Roger Mortlock, Chief Executive, CPRE
Dr Rose O’Neill, Chief Executive, Campaign for National Parks
Kyle Lischak, Head of UK, ClientEarth
Richard Benwell, Chief Executive, Wildlife & Countryside Link
Letter also signed by:
Chris Hinchliff MP
Toby Perkins MP
Pippa Heylings MP
Clive Efford MP
Cat Eccles MP
Helen Maguire MP
Ian Sollom MP
Ellie Chowns MP
Bell Ribeiro-Addy MP
Neil Duncan-Jordan MP
Julia Buckley MP
Ian Byrne MP
Wera Hobhouse MP
Dr Peter Prinsley MP
John McDonnell MP
Kate Osborne MP
Terry Jermy MP
Cat Smith MP
Olivia Blake MP
Jenny Riddell Carpenter MP
Adrian Ramsay MP
Jon Trickett MP
Barry Gardiner MP
Mary Glindon MP
Rebecca Long-Bailey MP
Kim Johnson MP
Imran Hussain MP
Simon Opher MP
Zarah Sultana MP
Andrew George MP
Brian Leishman MP
Iqbal Mohamed MP
Carla Denyer MP
Siân Berry MP
Abtisam Mohamed MP
Tom Morrison MP
Nadia Whittome MP
Grahame Morris MP
Rachael Maskell MP
Alex Sobel MP
Jeremy Corbyn MP
Clive Lewis MP
John Milne MP
Manuela Perteghella MP
Alex Easton MP
John Whitby MP
Richard Burgon MP
Andy McDonald MP
Martin Rhodes MP
Ian Lavery MP
Mary Kelly Foy MP
Richard Quigley MP
Steve Witherden MP
Irene Campbell MP
Steve Darling MP
Vikki Slade MP
Richard Foord MP
Lord Randall of Uxbridge
Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer
Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb
Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle
Lord Thurlow
Lord Bradshaw
Professor Lord Krebs Kt FRS FMedSci ML
Baroness Manzoor MA CBE
Baroness Bakewell of Hardington Mandeville MBE
Baroness Lister of Burtersett
Lord Teverson
Lord Taylor of Goss Moor
CC:
Rt Hon Emma Reynolds MP, Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Chris Stark, Head of UK’s Mission for Clean Power
Emily Shukburgh, Chief Scientific advisor at DESNZ
Anjali Goswami, Chief Scientific advisor at Defra
Ruth Davies, Foreign Secretary’s Nature Envoy
Tony Juniper, Chair of Natural England
Alan Lovell, Chair of Environment Agency
Letter on the Deteriorating Security Situation in North-East Syria
-
Adrian Ramsay MP co-signed this cross-party letter initiated by Luke Akehurst MP.
Dear Yvette,
Re: The Deteriorating Security Situation in North-East Syria
As a group of cross-party MPs and Peers, we are writing to you to express our concern about the rapidly deteriorating security situation in North-East Syria, where Kurdish communities face a real and imminent threat of violence.
Over the past few days, forces under the direction of President Ahmed al-Sharaa have escalated their presence in North-East Syria, following the withdrawal of the Western-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). Credible reporting indicates severe risk to civilian life, with local authorities also reporting that more than 150,000 people have been displaced. Syrian authorities have confirmed that thousands of civilians have fled the area, amid warnings of landmines and unexploded ordnance.
The SDF’s withdrawal comes as a direct response to attacks from Syrian Government forces, including units linked directly to Hayat Tahrir al-Sham. These include the Hamza Division, the Sultan Murad Division, and the Sultan Suleiman Shah Division, all of which are designated under the UK’s sanctions regimes for their role in violent attacks against civilians.
Unfortunately, the current violence risks inflicting even more harm on innocent civilians, and particularly on the local Kurdish population. Early reports indicate indiscriminateattacks against Kurdish communities.
Of particular note is the SDF’s withdrawal from Al-Hol Camp, where the ISIS-linked families were being held, due to ongoing shelling and attacks by Syrian Government forces. Similarly, the SDF was forced to withdraw from Al-Shadadi Camp, where a reported 2,000 ISIS fighters were being held. The subsequent uncertainty over what will now happen to these ISIS fighters is deeply concerning, given the potential implications for regional and national security.
For Kurdish communities, consistently some of the UK’s staunchest allies in the region, the ongoing escalation foreshadows a return to the days of widespread ISIS terror in Syria. Given the incredible resolve that Kurdish communities displayed in defeating ISIS in Syria, the UK owes Syrian Kurds its support.
These developments demand more than expressions of concern, and calls for de-escalation. The UK must now work closely with its partners, both in the region and beyond, to coordinate a response which protects Kurdish communities in North-East Syria, and ensures a long–lasting and sustainable settlement for the region. It must do so rapidly, given how quickly the situation is evolving, and it must do so decisively. In particular, we urge the Government to:
1. Make clear its position against violence against civilians, and in favour of a long-standing political settlement in Syria which respects the rights of all minority groups;
2. Consider targeted sanctions against individuals and entities found to be responsible for violence against civilians;
3. Intensify its diplomatic efforts with both regional and global allies, to prevent further military escalation and to protect civilian populations;
4. Ensure that sufficient humanitarian aid is provided to communities in North-East Syria, and that this aid is safeguarded as it is delivered.
A failure to act quickly and decisively risks enabling a further escalation of violence, and puts Kurdish communities in Syria at risk. The safety of Kurdish communities – and of minority populations in Syria more broadly – is a matter of deep concern for the UK.
We eagerly await your response, and for a clarification on what the Government intends to do to prevent this situation from deteriorating even further. This country owes a debt of gratitude to the countless Kurdish men and women who have stood bravely against ISIS terror over many years. The very least that we can do to repay them is to take action in this hour of grave need.
Adrian Ramsay MP co-signed this cross-party letter initiated by Luke Akehurst MP.
Luke Akehurst MP
Dr Rosena Allin-Khan MP
Dr Scott Arthur MP
Richard Baker MP
Alex Ballinger MP
Paula Barker MP
Sian Berry MP
Chris Bloore MP
Dawn Butler MP
Maureen Burke MP
Ruth Cadbury MP
Sarah Champion MP
Bambos Charalambous MP
Feryal Clark MP
Dr Beccy Cooper MP
Daisy Cooper MP
Stella Creasy MP
Steve Darling MP
Carla Denyer MP
Jim Dickson MP
Mary Kelly Foy MP
Daniel Francis MP
Andrew George MP
Terry Jermy MP
Kim Johnson MP
Ben Lake MP
Peter Lamb MP
Chris Law MP
Noah Law MP
Siobhan McDonagh MP
John McDonnell MP
Llinos Medi MP
Navendu Mishra MP
Grahame Morris MP
Brendan O’Hara MP
Chi Onwurah MP
Kate Osborne MP
Toby Perkins MP
Adrian Ramsey MP
Marie Rimmer MP
Oliver Ryan MP
Liz Saville Roberts MP
Jim Shannon MP
Sarah Smith MP
Alex Sobel MP
Ian Sollom MP
Kirsteen Sullivan MP
Henry Tufnell MP
Derek Twigg MP
Chris Webb MP
Nadia Whittome MP
Gavin Williamson MP
Sean Woodcock MP
Lord Alton of Liverpool
Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle
Baroness Carberry
Lord Cashman
Lord Doyle
Lord Elliott of Mickle Fell
Baroness Foster of Aghadrumsee
Baroness Goudie