Commons
Westminster Hall
14 July 2026
3 contributions
Coastal Communities: Isolation and Hidden Deprivation
I beg to move,
That this House has considered isolation and hidden deprivation in coastal communities.
What a stupendous pleasure it is to serve under your incredible chairship, Mr Vickers. With so much discussion in recent weeks about the north-south divide, I thought that this debate would be th…
The hon. Member, my neighbour, is correct. He will not be surprised to know that I have already raised the issue at least once, if not several times, with the potential incoming Prime Minister.
It is not just islanders’ wallets that are impacted, but our council budgets, public services and ultimat…
+1 more contribution in this session
Commons
Oral Questions
Science, Innovation and Technology
1 July 2026
2 contributions
Social Media: Dangerous Content
4. What steps she is taking to help remove dangerous content from social media platforms.
I warmly welcome the Government’s plans to ban social media for under-16s. However, when it comes to content promoting eating disorders, the risks do not simply disappear at 16. The eating disorder charity, Beat, recently pushed ChatGPT to stop generating restrictive meal plans altogether, which it …
Commons
Debate
16 June 2026
3 contributions
Isle of Wight Dementia Patients: Discharge to Mainland Care Homes
I am grateful to have secured my first Adjournment debate as an MP on an issue that has resonated so deeply with many residents across the Isle of Wight, whether they are directly touched by dementia or not. I put on record my thanks to those across the island who have contacted me and are passionat…
I thank my hon. Friend for that timely intervention. Before I get into the deeply troubling accounts that have been brought to me, I pay tribute to Maggie Bennett and her team who run the Parklands Alzheimer’s café. While the café cannot offer overnight accommodation, it offers vital respite for car…
+1 more contribution in this session
Commons
Westminster Hall
21 May 2026
Family Justice System: Domestic Abuse and Safeguarding
Does the hon. Member agree that perpetrators should not be rewarded through the court process with reduced sentences when they change their plea to guilty at the last minute? It is just a continuation of the coercive and controlling behaviour that they have already displayed.
Commons
Oral Questions
Justice
19 May 2026
2 contributions
Family Court: Harassment of Domestic Abuse Victims
5. What steps his Department is taking to help prevent people convicted of domestic abuse from using family court proceedings to harass their victims.
While I welcome the steps the Department has already taken to prevent perpetrators of domestic abuse from using the family courts to continue coercive control, will the Minister look to ensure that legal aid is accessible to victims in pathfinder courts, particularly at decision hearings, given the …
Commons
Oral Questions
23 April 2026
2 contributions
Cross-departmental Working
21. What steps his Department is taking to improve cross-departmental working.
Happy St George’s day, Mr Speaker. My right hon. Friend may have heard me say what a fantastic place the Isle of Wight is to live, work and learn. Does he agree that our island is uniquely well placed to test exciting new policies and initiatives across all Departments to speed up national roll-out,…
Commons
Oral Questions
Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
21 April 2026
2 contributions
Interpol: Red Notices
2. What discussions she has had with international counterparts on the adequacy of safeguards governing Interpol red notices issued in respect of British citizens.
My constituent Ollie Bennett is wanted by Interpol for an alleged crime in Morocco three decades ago. Ollie has always maintained his innocence, and following a debate in this place, his crewmate was granted a full royal pardon for the same charges. Ollie, however, was not. In December, he was arres…
Commons
Oral Questions
Women and Equalities
11 March 2026
Topical Questions
T3. The wage gap between the Isle of Wight and the rest of the UK— [Interruption.] I know that Conservative Members love the Isle of Wight, but they did nothing about it when they were in power. The wage gap between the Isle of Wight and the rest of the UK leaves full-time island employees about £5,…
Commons
Westminster Hall
5 March 2026
World Book Day
May I say what an incredible pleasure it is to serve under your superb chairship, Mrs Hobhouse? I thank my hon. Friend the Member for Dulwich and West Norwood (Helen Hayes) for securing this debate.
As in so many other ways, I am proud to represent an area that truly punches above its weight in lit…
Commons
Prime Minister's Questions
Prime Minister
11 February 2026
Engagements
Q5. As the Prime Minister will have heard me say, the Isle of Wight is a fantastic place to live, work and learn, despite the Leader of the Opposition trying to give us to China. He will also be aware of some of the challenges we have in cross-Solent transport with reliability, frequency and price. …
Commons
Debate
10 February 2026
Eating Disorders (Training)
I beg to move,
That leave be given to bring in a Bill to establish a requirement for persons providing certain public services to undertake training relating to eating disorders and disordered eating; to make provision about the delivery and content of such training; and for connected purposes.
As…
Commons
Oral Questions
10 February 2026
Businesses: Cost of Energy
I know that the Department is working hard with the Department for Transport to decarbonise shipping, but the current system works against businesses. One of our ferry companies is having to pay £12 million up front for a shoreside connection and then wait for up to seven years. Will the Minister co…
Commons
Debate
3 February 2026
Universal Credit (Removal of Two Child Limit) Bill
Listening to the shadow Secretary of State, the hon. Member for Faversham and Mid Kent (Helen Whately), is quite something—one would think that the recipients of this benefit were spending the money on soft furnishings for their second homes. They are not; they are spending it on food, rent and clot…
Commons
Oral Questions
Defence
2 February 2026
2 contributions
Naval Shipbuilding
13. What steps he is taking to support naval shipbuilding.
Wight Shipyard and Diverse Marine in my constituency do fantastic work and they thoroughly welcome the launch of the new dedicated unit to help ensure that small defence companies can access Ministry of Defence contracts. However, given the recent news that a £200 million contract has been awarded t…
Commons
Oral Questions
Work and Pensions
26 January 2026
Topical Questions
I wish you a speedy recovery, Mr Speaker—as I understand it, the other fellow came off much worse.
On the Isle of Wight, our NHS trust takes students who would otherwise have ended up NEET—not in education, employment or training—and puts them through a pre-apprenticeship scheme that gives them not…
Commons
Oral Questions
Work and Pensions
26 January 2026
2 contributions
PIP Review: Cancer Patients
2. If he will take steps to ensure that the Timms review of personal independence payment does not propose changes that would affect people undergoing cancer treatment.
I thank the Minister for his response. Many cancer patients receiving PIP and universal credit were alarmed by proposals put forward last summer suggesting that individuals undergoing active cancer treatment might be required to complete a work capability assessment before accessing those benefits. …
Commons
Oral Questions
20 January 2026
2 contributions
Tackling Forced Labour Practices
4. What steps she is taking with international partners to help tackle forced labour practices.
I thank the Minister for his response. However, the UK’s Joint Committee on Human Rights has warned that without stronger action, we risk falling behind the EU and the US, and even becoming a dumping ground for goods produced with forced labour. Will the Government commit to introducing legislation …
Commons
Westminster Hall
15 January 2026
Gambling Harms: Children and Young People
What a fantastic pleasure it is to serve under your chairship, Ms Lewell. I thank my hon. Friend the Member for Sittingbourne and Sheppey (Kevin McKenna) for securing this important debate, and for his wider campaigning on this issue.
Gambling is not harmless. For young people, whose minds are stil…
Commons
Westminster Hall
6 January 2026
Therapeutic Play and Children’s Healthcare
I thank my hon. Friend for securing this debate and for the important work that he and Starlight have done so far on this issue. Does he agree that ensuring there is effective play within children’s healthcare not only helps create happier, calmer patients but delivers real benefits for the NHS by e…
Commons
Oral Questions
2 December 2025
Topical Questions
T5. My constituent has expressed deep concern for his family and friends in Syria who belong to a minority ethnic group and he seeks reassurance. What steps is the Secretary of State taking to ensure that all minority communities in Syria are protected?
Commons
Westminster Hall
2 December 2025
3 contributions
Women and Girls: Isle of Wight
I beg to move,
That this House has considered Government support for women and girls on the Isle of Wight.
It is a fantastic pleasure to serve under your chairship, Sir Desmond, and it is of course a great pleasure to be here to advocate on behalf of the backbone of my constituency: the women and …
I thank the hon. Member for raising an important point. The numbers he mentioned should certainly terrify us all. Someone going through 50 incidents of abuse before reporting it is the hidden story. I thank him for his intervention and agree entirely with his point.
The barriers are exacerbated by …
+1 more contribution in this session
Commons
Westminster Hall
27 November 2025
3 contributions
Domestic Abuse: Children
I beg to move,
That this House has considered the matter of protecting children from domestic abuse.
You will be pleased to know what a marvellous pleasure it is to serve under your chairship, Ms Jardine. I would like to begin where we typically end our debates in Westminster Hall, and that is by …
There is very little I can add, other than to say that I wholeheartedly agree. That is a very important part of this debate, so I thank my hon. Friend sincerely.
That survivor’s story is, heartbreakingly, just one among many that I know will echo across our communities. In the year ending March 202…
+1 more contribution in this session
Commons
Westminster Hall
26 November 2025
Young People not in Education, Employment or Training
What a pleasure it is to serve under your chairship, Mr Dowd. I thank my hon. Friend the Member for Amber Valley (Linsey Farnsworth) for securing this debate.
Every generation says, “I’m glad I am not a child today.” That is often a cliché, but I am glad I am not a 16-year-old today trying to decid…
Commons
Oral Questions
Northern Ireland
19 November 2025
2 contributions
Community Groups: Northern Ireland and Great Britain
1. What steps he is taking to improve collaboration between community groups in Northern Ireland and Great Britain.
As an MP who represents an island that has a significant veteran community, with one in 10 homes in Isle of Wight West home to a veteran, I know how crucial and effective community relations funding is. Will the Minister commit to working with Cabinet colleagues to explore adapting successful Northe…
Commons
Oral Questions
18 November 2025
Topical Questions
T3. As Members all know by now, the Isle of Wight is a great place to live, work and learn, but it is not just getting ourselves across the Solent that is a problem, but exporting our green energy under it. Of the three subsea cables connecting us to the grid, two are at capacity and the third is de…