Commons
Westminster Hall
6 July 2026
2 contributions
Ceramics Industry
I thank my hon. Friend the Member for Lichfield (Dave Robertson) for his excellent opening speech. My remarks today will be at a slightly different level. They are focused on studio pottery—ceramics made on an individual basis, where each piece is unique and handmade. Studio pottery is growing in po…
Developing young potters is essential for the ceramics industry in general, and particularly for studio pottery.
As a GP, I know that the therapeutic effects of clay are well documented. I introduced arts in my surgery in 2001, using ceramics and clay, led by Karen Hilliard, to relieve stress in pa…
Commons
Debate
22 April 2026
Sudden Unexpected Death in Epilepsy
I thank the hon. Gentleman for bringing this really essential debate to the House. My constituent Emma Taylor tragically lost her daughter at the age of 19 and she now campaigns tirelessly for SUDEP Action as a policy champion. Does the hon. Gentleman agree with her on the need for the Government to…
Commons
Westminster Hall
25 March 2026
Public Baths and Lidos
I thank my hon. Friend the Member for Peterborough (Andrew Pakes) for securing this debate. Lidos are important to us all—particularly to me, because I learned to swim in Grange-over-Sands lido, which is a saltwater lido that is currently closed but will hopefully be reopening shortly, and my first …
Commons
Westminster Hall
18 March 2026
Social Enterprises and Community Ownership
The new community right-to-buy model has been transformative, and community ownership is at the heart of what we do in Stroud.
What I have noticed, and other Members have already pointed out, is that each organisation has to go through the same learning process to get funding. And the other thing I…
Commons
Oral Questions
16 March 2026
GP Contract
I declare an interest as a working GP in the NHS. I probably would not be standing here if general practice had not been decimated over the last 14 years. I welcome the £485 million of extra funding, and I also welcome the fact that the capacity and access money is being channelled back into emergen…
Commons
Westminster Hall
24 February 2026
9 contributions
Gaza Healthcare System
I beg to move,
That this House has considered Government support for the healthcare system in Gaza.
It is a privilege to serve under your chairmanship, Sir Jeremy, and I thank the Minister for attending. I also thank the Backbench Business Committee and the co-signatories of my application for the…
Indeed, and many of us have campaigned on the medical evacuation of young people. The Minister has delivered on that, although there have been some problems recently, which he may address. A key issue in Gaza to which I will return is that currently the medical evacuation of anyone to East Jerusalem…
+7 more contributions in this session
Commons
Oral Questions
Defence
2 February 2026
2 contributions
Support for Defence SMEs
1. What steps he is taking to support small and medium-sized businesses in the defence sector.
Impcross, a company in my constituency of Stroud, is the sole supplier of flight-critical parts to the Typhoon aircraft and a key supplier for the Vanguard submarine fleet. It is on the verge of collapse, and His Majesty’s Revenue and Customs is filing to wind it up, after the owners were prohibited…
Commons
Oral Questions
Work and Pensions
26 January 2026
Topical Questions
T9. In Stroud, we have secured £90,000 in funding for a scheme that places employment social prescribers and occupational therapists into GP practices. They support people who are out of work and in receipt of benefits to return to employment, improving their health and reducing their reliance on we…
Commons
Westminster Hall
20 January 2026
3 contributions
Domestic Abuse-related Deaths: NHS Prevention
I beg to move,
That this House has considered the role of the NHS in preventing domestic homicides and domestic abuse-related deaths.
It is a pleasure to serve under you, Sir John. I am grateful to the Backbench Business Committee for giving me the opportunity to open a debate on the role of the N…
I know that my hon. Friend is invested in trying to help women subject to domestic abuse. Coercive control is very important as it often stops women presenting to healthcare workers. As I have said before, one key thing as a clinician is that we have to be brave and ask the man to step out so that i…
+1 more contribution in this session
Commons
Proceedings
19 January 2026
Business Rates: Retail, Hospitality and Leisure
I am a bit surprised by the mock rage coming from the Opposition, given that, over the past decade and a half, thousands of pubs have closed. I thank the Minister on behalf of Stroud publicans for agreeing to review the system so that we can get a really practical solution for pubs. Can I confirm th…
Commons
Oral Questions
Housing, Communities and Local Government
12 January 2026
Topical Questions
In Stroud, we have 4,000 council houses; we need at least double that. Will the Minister look again at the constraints that councils are under and see whether the Government can enable them to build more council houses?
Commons
Westminster Hall
6 January 2026
Therapeutic Play and Children’s Healthcare
I will be very brief. I thank my hon. Friend the Member for Leyton and Wanstead (Mr Bailey) for securing this fascinating debate.
All play is therapeutic, and I emphasise that the Government have put £18 million into new playgrounds. My constituent Tom Williams is a proponent of adventure play, whi…
Commons
Ministerial Statement
10 December 2025
Resident Doctors: Industrial Action
On international medical graduates, I commend the Secretary of State. It is something we have discussed in the past, and bringing forward emergency legislation is absolutely crucial here, so I thank him for that. I also want to mention trainers in the NHS. I can reassure the Conservatives that we wi…
Commons
Oral Questions
9 December 2025
2 contributions
Support for NHS Patients
19. What fiscal steps she is taking with Cabinet colleagues to support patients in the NHS.
I thank the Chancellor for investing in our community care. In Stroud, the two beating hearts of our community—GP surgeries and our village pubs—reduce social isolation. Today, the publicans are meeting at Stroud Brewery to discuss the impacts of business rates. May I invite the Minister to discuss …
Commons
Westminster Hall
9 December 2025
6 contributions
Creative Education
I beg to move,
That this House has considered creative education in schools.
It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Mr Stuart. I welcome the Government’s curriculum and assessment review, which recognises the need for a broad and balanced curriculum and recommends the removal of the En…
I totally agree. In fact, there is evidence that creativity outside is even more effective for people than inside. This is clearly about access to natural spaces.
I am chair of the all-party parliamentary group on creative health. There is really strong evidence that creativity reduces mental healt…
+4 more contributions in this session
Commons
Debate
2 December 2025
Domestic Energy Efficiency (Call for Evidence)
I beg to move,
That leave be given to bring in a Bill to require the Secretary of State to issue a call for evidence relating to the promotion and funding of the installation of domestic energy efficiency measures; to require the Secretary of State to publish a response to the evidence received; an…
Commons
Debate
25 November 2025
English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill
I thank the Minister, who is not in her place, for taking the time to meet me to discuss my amendments 107 and 108, which concern the community right to buy.
This Bill is one of the most exciting and empowering pieces of legislation to come from this Government. For the first time, communities will…
Commons
Westminster Hall
17 November 2025
Parkinson’s Disease
In Stroud, 295 people have Parkinson’s disease, yet we had 960 admissions for it. Although we have a good turnout for the debate today, I believe that Parkinson’s gets less attention than other degenerative diseases. That must change, because it is much more common. As a GP, I would say that diagnos…
Commons
Oral Questions
Women and Equalities
5 November 2025
Topical Questions
T4. In Stroud, a fantastic volunteer group—the Night Angels, started by Chrissie Lowery—patrols streets and trains to provide safety for young women. Will the Minister support this group and would she like to join us on a patrol, donning the trademark pink fluorescent jacket?
Commons
Oral Questions
Women and Equalities
5 November 2025
2 contributions
Violence against Women and Girls
7. What steps she is taking with Cabinet colleagues to help tackle violence against women and girls.
Last week, I met “Loose Women” presenters in Parliament and heard about their “Facing It Together” programme. First, will the Minister support the “Facing It Together” programme? Secondly, will she support a plan we have hatched to get a poster about it in every GP surgery in this country?
Commons
Oral Questions
4 November 2025
2 contributions
Topical Questions
T1. If she will make a statement on her departmental responsibilities.
I am proud that the Government have invested £250 million in putting solar panels on schools and hospitals. In Stroud, we have a programme whereby, through community energy funding, we will put solar panels on every school in the area. I was going to ask the Chancellor about Treasury rules that were…
Commons
Westminster Hall
28 October 2025
2 contributions
Obesity and Fatty Liver Disease
I thank my hon. Friend the Member for Worthing West (Dr Cooper) for securing this very important debate. I also thank the British Liver Trust and the Foundation for Liver Research for providing me with a lot of data and information. As a GP, I have learned quite a lot from preparing this speech—we w…
It is on 20 November, with Jonathan Pie, and it is on investigating men’s health.
Commons
Westminster Hall
27 October 2025
Statutory Maternity and Paternity Pay
My son Jake and his partner Amber are about to have a child, and I am very proud, but he is taking out a loan so that he can have six weeks off work, because he believes it is important. In Spain, people get 17 weeks of fully paid leave, and in Denmark they get 24 weeks. What are we doing in this co…
Commons
Westminster Hall
11 September 2025
Non-surgical Aesthetic and Cosmetic Treatments
As well as botox, I would also like to talk about the dangers of fillers. A patient in my constituency, Alice Webb, lost her life due to a procedure called a Brazilian butt lift. We owe it to her, as a Government and as a Parliament, to prevent that happening again and to protect people in this coun…
Commons
Prime Minister's Questions
Prime Minister
10 September 2025
Engagements
Q12. Vaccinations were invented in Berkeley in my constituency 230 years ago and, as a GP, I have jabbed literally thousands of children and adults. Will the Prime Minister update the House about our new roll-out of chickenpox vaccinations, which will further protect our children? Will he also join …