Commons
Westminster Hall
6 January 2026
2 contributions
Therapeutic Play and Children’s Healthcare
Much like my hon. Friend the Member for Stratford and Bow (Uma Kumaran), my constituent Ambia has written to me to highlight the fact that funding has been withdrawn for her level 7 apprenticeship in play therapy. Does my hon. Friend the Member for Leyton and Wanstead (Mr Bailey) agree that if the G…
Recently, my daughter had an in-patient stay, and I saw a Starlight notice on the door of the playroom. Having met Starlight, it gave me quite a lot of confidence. In fact, thanks to the play therapist, the most traumatic thing about my daughter’s visit was when she had to leave, as she had such a g…
Commons
Ministerial Statement
16 December 2025
Planning Reform
This morning I accompanied my constituents Jacob and Mikey to No. 10 to make a heartfelt plea to the Prime Minister for accessible playgrounds. I welcome the Minister’s statement, especially the inclusion of play spaces and their importance for children and young people. Can he assure me that disabl…
Commons
Debate
15 December 2025
Violence against Women and Girls Strategy
I look forward to seeing the strategy in full on Thursday. In advance, I hope the Minister is able to give some assurances that the often overlooked issue of child sexual abuse in the home and in the family will be included in the strategy and addressed. As she is well aware, for many women who are …
Commons
Proceedings
11 December 2025
Business of the House
I would like to pay tribute to my constituent Henry Nowak, who sadly lost his life in an incident a few days ago. He was 18 years old, had just started university and had his whole life ahead of him. My thoughts, and I am sure those of the whole House, are with his family and those who loved him. Ma…
Commons
Ministerial Statement
10 December 2025
Resident Doctors: Industrial Action
My mum, a former shop steward, always drummed it into me that there are no winners in a strike. Never is that as stark as in the situation we are facing now. There will be healthcare workers in my constituency, already under tremendous pressure, who will be looking at the situation coming up in the …
Commons
Debate
4 December 2025
Camden Nursery Sexual Abuse Case
All our thoughts are with the families of the children affected by this appalling case. We cannot even begin to understand the impact it will have on those children throughout their lives. A whole load of support will need to be brought in to protect them and deal with the knock-on effects that they…
Commons
Westminster Hall
4 December 2025
4 contributions
Seafarers’ Welfare
I beg to move,
That this House has considered seafarers’ welfare.
It is a pleasure to serve under your chairship, Sir Christopher. The UK is an island nation. Our history and economy have been defined by maritime trade. That is certainly true in my constituency of Thurrock. Part of our local ident…
I thank my hon. Friend for her intervention. I will come on to talk at length about the charitable contribution made by organisations such as the Queen Victoria Seafarers Rest. I am familiar with its work in her constituency and in mine. I do not think we can overstate the contribution that organisa…
+2 more contributions in this session
Commons
Proceedings
2 December 2025
2 contributions
Budget Resolutions
The right hon. Gentleman is talking about two completely opposite ends. He says his party wants to invest in and find a way forward on social care, but he is opposing something minimal that will raise the living standards of those who work in the industry. Which one is it: does he want to invest in …
I thank my hon. Friend for giving way and for mentioning our campaign. As she said, we both care very much about the return of the Gravesend-Tilbury ferry, which is a vital part of local public transport infrastructure. Our plea is for a very small proportion of the projected toll of the lower Thame…
Commons
Ministerial Statement
2 December 2025
Angiolini Inquiry
I would also like to extend my sympathies to the family of Sarah Everard.
Like many people, I found that my trust in the police service was fundamentally shaken by the events that led up to Sarah Everard’s murder. That was reinforced later when I saw how badly the vigil was handled—or mishandled—by…
Commons
Prime Minister's Questions
Prime Minister
26 November 2025
Engagements
Q12. Last week, the covid inquiry reported that 23,000 deaths occurred in England in the first wave of the pandemic that could have been prevented due to the UK response being too little, too late. Those were not just 23,000 deaths; they were 23,000 people who had family and friends who loved them, …
Commons
Proceedings
30 October 2025
Business of the House
Last week I had the honour of joining the Commonwealth War Graves Commission and Jan and Len—AKA Team Pritchard—in West Thurrock cemetery in my patch to learn more about their work. Thurrock has 82 Commonwealth war graves, and Jan and Len have volunteered to take care of them and make sure that all …
Commons
Debate
20 October 2025
Post-16 Education and Skills Strategy
I strongly welcome this strategy today, particularly the commitment that the Prime Minister and the Secretary of State have made to guarantee all 16-year-olds a college place. However, will she commit to working towards closing the legislative gap, where children between the ages of five and 16 with…
Commons
Proceedings
16 October 2025
Business of the House
Thameside theatre in Grays is the only public purpose-built theatre in Thurrock. It is a vital cultural asset and has provided the first experience of the performing arts for a number of people, including myself, who trod the boards there for five years as a member of Thurrock’s local scout and guid…
Commons
Westminster Hall
16 October 2025
Health and Social Care Committee
I very much welcome the report and the leadership that my hon. Friend the Member for Birmingham Erdington (Paulette Hamilton) has shown throughout its production. I have the honour of serving on the Health and Social Care Committee, and this is one of the standout pieces of work that we carried out …
Commons
Debate
14 October 2025
2 contributions
Mental Health Bill [Lords]
Thank you very much, Madam Deputy Speaker—I will be as brief as possible. I will speak to new clause 37, which stands in my name and which seeks to support the Government in ending the scandal of the inappropriate detention of people with a learning disability and/or autism. I declare an interest as…
I will not, because I am aware that I am almost out of time.
My new clause would ensure that the Government have to set out, within six months of this Bill receiving Royal Assent, a road map that engages in a co-productive way with people with learning disabilities or autism, their advocates and or…
Commons
Westminster Hall
15 September 2025
2 contributions
Children with SEND: Assessments and Support
It is a pleasure to see you in the Chair, Dr Huq. I am grateful to have the opportunity to speak in this clearly popular debate.
As many Members will know, I have the privilege of being mum to two incredible girls, one of whom has additional needs. Like many parents of a disabled child, I feel keen…
Absolutely. It is crucial that those with experience of the system are heard. The only way we can fix it is by taking the approach of those who have experienced it. My interest in my child does not stop at the school gates; it is holistic, looking forward to her life as she goes through childhood in…
Commons
Debate
22 July 2025
3 contributions
Changing Places Toilets
I want to add a personal note of thanks to my hon. Friend for being such an outstanding advocate for families such as ours. We share a strong union on that point. Does he agree that it is not enough just to have a Changing Places facility, because it is also important for staff in those areas to hav…
Will my hon. Friend give way?
+1 more contribution in this session
Commons
Oral Questions
22 July 2025
Topical Questions
Last Friday I brought together GPs, housing developers, the local authority, the ICB, and anyone else you care to name, to try finally to solve the issue of our having one of the most under-doctored areas in the country for primary care. Among the many issues raised was a particularly niche one: tha…
Commons
Oral Questions
21 July 2025
SEND: Education, Health and Care Plans
On Friday I had the privilege of spending a good few hours with SEND parents in my constituency, talking about what does not work under the current system and what we would like to see changed. There was a lot of frustration and a lot of tears. They were honest and open about their upset at the curr…
Commons
Westminster Hall
8 July 2025
4 contributions
Down’s Syndrome Regression Disorder
I beg to move,
That this House has considered Down’s syndrome regression disorder research.
I am honoured to serve under your chairship, Sir Jeremy.
Down’s syndrome regression in a mild form is not uncommon among people with Down’s syndrome. It represents the loss of previously acquired developme…
Without wishing to get ahead of myself in my speech, I very much agree with my hon. Friend. I also add my thanks to Ruth for sharing her and Jude’s story. It had a significant impact on me when I heard it.
As I was saying, the condition is truly horrific, and it has been largely under-researched an…
+2 more contributions in this session
Commons
Ministerial Statement
7 July 2025
Giving Every Child the Best Start in Life
Frankly, I am shocked that Opposition Members seem to be suffering from collective amnesia when it comes to figuring out how we got into this state in the first place. As a SEND parent, when I was struggling over the past seven years I would have welcomed some of the concern they are showing today f…
Commons
Debate
3 July 2025
2 contributions
Gravesham: River Crossings
I thank my hon. Friend the Member for Gravesham (Dr Sullivan) for securing this debate. We call each other our sisters across the river, as we are separated by a small stretch of the River Thames. I want to very briefly add my contribution on the importance of the Tilbury ferry, as we call it on my …
On that specific point, my hon. Friend and I have asked in the past whether it would be possible to use some of the bus funding, which has received an uplift, to fund the Tilbury ferry. The answer has been that it would not be possible, because it is not a bus—it is fairly obvious that it is not a b…
Commons
Ministerial Statement
3 July 2025
NHS 10-Year Plan
Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker. The heart, soul and lifeblood of our NHS are the people who work in it. I doubt there is anyone in this House who does not owe a personal debt of gratitude to a health care worker. Can the Secretary of State reassure me that the fingerprints of NHS workers are all over …
Commons
Ministerial Statement
3 July 2025
Business of the House
A couple of weeks ago, I held a meeting in my constituency with the new owner of the State cinema in Grays town centre. This is a wonderful art deco building that has been closed for the best part of my life. I have never, unfortunately, set foot in it, despite turning 40 a couple of weeks ago and d…
Commons
Oral Questions
Church Commissioners
3 July 2025
2 contributions
Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme
10. What assessment the Church Commissioners have made of the potential impact of the £25,000 cap in the listed places of worship grant scheme on levels of church repairs.
The changes to the grant scheme, and the uncertainty over its future, present significant challenges for historic churches in need of maintenance, as my hon. Friend has just set out so well. These include the grade I listed St Nicholas church in Ockendon, in my constituency of Thurrock, which, as th…