I am delighted that Bedford college has been named one of 10 new construction technical excellence colleges, backed by £100 million of Government investment, to train the skilled professionals that the UK needs for housing and infrastructure. I also welcome today’s measures to strengthen vocational …
Only one in five children leaves school with their dyslexia identified. A constituent of mine told me that, although he was diagnosed with autism in lower school, it was not until upper school—thanks to the excellent support at Grange academy in my constituency—that teachers truly understood his nee…
CommonsOral Questions11 September 20252 contributions
15. What steps she is taking to ensure that the transport system supports economic growth.
There is an exciting proposal for a Universal Studios resort in Bedford. The resort is projected to attract 8 million people every year, and the development is a golden opportunity for modern transport planning. What assurances can the Secretary of State give that in the infrastructure planning, pub…
Benjamin Netanyahu’s extrajudicial killings against a sovereign western ally expose his rejection of peace and deliberate escalation of atrocities in a clear violation of international law and diplomacy. He has destroyed the peace talks and acts with impunity. The UK Government have rightly condemne…
CommonsOral QuestionsScience, Innovation and Technology10 September 20252 contributions
4. What steps her Department is taking to hold technology companies accountable for the content on their platforms.
I welcome the Minister to his position.
On World Suicide Prevention Day, I welcome the Government’s action requiring online platforms to proactively protect users from illegal and harmful content, but charities like the Molly Rose Foundation remain concerned about whether major platforms are fully …
I thank Carers UK and all those fighting for the rights of carers—they are too often hidden in society, but some of them are here in the Public Gallery. I will speak about the impact of changes to the adoption and special guardianship support fund in Bedford, where children’s services are already un…
CommonsOral QuestionsWomen and Equalities3 September 20252 contributions
4. What steps she is taking with Cabinet colleagues to help improve the quality of maternity care for women.
Sadly, Bedford hospital’s maternity services were downgraded to “inadequate” last year, and its gold standard home birth service has recently been reduced. Will the Minister ensure that the review examines why choices for birthing services are still being cut? Will he guarantee improved outcomes in …
I welcome the Government’s focus on prevention through the roll-out of Best Start family hubs. In Bedford, we have seen the benefits of integrated services building on the Sure Start legacy, with the Allhallows family hub set to open soon in Bedford town centre. I invite the Secretary of State to vi…
I share the deep concerns of my constituents about the loss of the winter fuel payment, which the Minister will know I relayed to the Department. I am glad that the Government have acted on those concerns and reviewed the threshold so that the majority of pensioners will receive the payment this win…
The proposed imminent loss of two public swimming pools in my constituency of Bedford, citing unaffordable repairs and running costs, is a matter of significant concern for myself, residents and local representatives.
The Oasis and Trinity pools—one run by the local authority and the other managed …
10. What steps her Department is taking to support the growth of creative industries in Bedford constituency.
Huge congratulations to the Department on securing the Universal Studios park—it is a major investment in Bedford. With the creative industries rightly a priority for growth, does the Minister agree that this success must also support grassroots venues such as Bedford’s iconic Esquires, which is now…
Ten days ago, this House stood united in condemning the attacks on civilians on both sides of the conflict, yet since then, the violence has tragically escalated, with more innocent lives lost overnight as a result of an Indian attack on civilians in Pakistan and Azad Kashmir. While we all want to s…
The Israeli Government have publicly declared their intent to occupy Gaza indefinitely, and are systematically denying Gaza’s entire population access to the most basic needs for sustaining human survival. This is a war crime, so does the Minister agree that, alongside France, the UK Government must…