Commons
Westminster Hall
16 October 2025
Ada Lovelace Day
It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Ms Furniss. I congratulate the hon. Member for Morecambe and Lunesdale (Lizzi Collinge) on securing this fantastic debate marking Ada Lovelace Day, which I am delighted to contribute to as the Lib Dem spokesperson for science, innovation and technol…
Commons
Oral Questions
14 October 2025
2 contributions
Reducing Energy Bills
21. What steps he is taking to reduce energy bills.
Carol from Harpenden is one of many constituents who are worried about energy costs. At 70, she stressed that she never imagined that she would have to scrimp and save in the way that she does just to get by. The warm home discount is a temporary lifeline, so will the Government commit to long-lasti…
Commons
Debate
13 October 2025
Digital ID
I thank Secretary of State for advance sight of this statement, but I am quite frankly disappointed that this is how we are starting the conversation on digital ID in Parliament. We Liberal Democrats believe that freedoms belong to citizens by right, but the Government’s plans for digital ID for eve…
Commons
Ministerial Statement
13 October 2025
Manchester Terrorism Attack
I thank the Home Secretary for her statement, and I join her in expressing solidarity with the Jewish community following the horrific attack. Does the Home Secretary agree that we must urgently address online spaces where hatred is radicalised and amplified? Will she work with the Secretary of Stat…
Commons
Westminster Hall
15 September 2025
Children with SEND: Assessments and Support
From the SEND rally to the petition and the Lib Dems’ SEND summit in Hertfordshire today, those voices are being heard. I thank the Minister, who met Rachel and Siouxsie from my constituency today. Siouxsie has developmental language disorder and often feels invisible. Will the Minister guarantee th…
Commons
Debate
10 September 2025
Bus Services (No. 2) Bill [Lords]
I absolutely support the reduction of the price cap to £2. However, in my constituency, where the Conservatives cut bus routes by more than 50% over the past decade, people often have to get several buses, so for a couple of constituents I have, going to the Jobcentre costs them £12, even though a p…
Commons
Oral Questions
Science, Innovation and Technology
10 September 2025
Online Safety Act 2023: Effectiveness
I, too, thank the previous ministerial team and welcome the new one—I very much look forward to working together.
Following the roll-out of the Online Safety Act, there is evidence that harmful content is still being algorithmically shown to young children and that artificial intelligence technolog…
Commons
Proceedings
4 September 2025
Business of the House
I am afraid I cannot follow that, Madam Deputy Speaker.
I have a growing number of constituents who have reached out with concerns about cancer care, including one family in Berkhamsted in which the father, who has since sadly passed away, struggled to access consistent cancer care support and even…
Commons
Statutory Instrument
2 September 2025
Draft Online Safety Act 2023 (Qualifying Worldwide Revenue) Regulations 2025
Keeping children and vulnerable people safe online is vital. For far too long, the online world has been a wild west, where children are subject to a torrent of harmful content, from pornography to suicide promotion. The call for this measure has come not only from parents, teachers and experts, but…
Commons
Debate
22 July 2025
Sir David Amess Summer Adjournment
Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker. I join the House in thanking you for your work as Chair.
It is an honour to speak in this debate, held in memory of Sir David Amess. His legacy reminds us what it is to be an MP—to show up and champion the concerns of the people we represent. That is the spirit I have …
Commons
Ministerial Statement
22 July 2025
Music Streaming: Label-led Principles
Britain’s musicians have long been our most beloved cultural treasures. In the crowded field of excellence in our creative sectors, our musicians are some of our proudest exports. They are part of a £124 billion industry that drives our economy, so support for our legacy and session musicians is com…
Commons
Debate
21 July 2025
Extending the Ukraine Permission Extension Scheme
I have a Ukrainian guest who says they feel safe and settled in Berkhamsted and cannot return, and is asking for a long-term solution. Does my hon. Friend agree that we need to look at examples of solutions, such as that in Poland, through which we can provide certainty for the Ukrainians here?
Commons
Ministerial Statement
21 July 2025
Independent Water Commission
I very much welcome the proposals. Today’s announcement is a step forward in tackling the sewage crisis, but of course the details will be in the delivery. That is important, especially as the River Ver, a precious chalk stream in my constituency, has received nearly 5,000 hours of sewage in the las…
Commons
Oral Questions
8 July 2025
2 contributions
Legal Aid: Rural Areas
4. What steps she is taking to help provide access to legal aid to people in rural areas.
From the lack of a rural crime strategy to reduced access to legal aid, our rural communities are being left behind. In Harpenden, one farm alone has reported 56 fly-tipping incidents in five years, with the injustice that the most recent incident is costing the farmer around £40,000. Proper legal s…
Commons
Prime Minister's Questions
Prime Minister
2 July 2025
Engagements
Q12. The rushed changes to the welfare Bill not only left Parliament with whiplash, but more importantly left many vulnerable people living in limbo, such as Chris and Emma in my constituency who are set to lose the PIP that they rely on for work. Chris has already lost a vital carer through all t…
Commons
Oral Questions
Science, Innovation and Technology
25 June 2025
Artificial Intelligence: Legislative Proposals
First, I echo the congratulatory comments about the hon. Member for Newcastle upon Tyne Central and West (Dame Chi Onwurah)—they are absolutely deserved.
Donald Trump’s proposals to ban US states from regulating AI for 10 years have been condemned by Microsoft’s chief scientist, showing that we can…
Commons
Ministerial Statement
23 June 2025
UK Modern Industrial Strategy
I welcome that we finally have an industrial strategy for this country; that is very exciting. On driving innovation, I absolutely support that larger British Business Bank and making sure we invest in scale-ups, although we need to make sure that it is about long-term investment and that there are …
Commons
Oral Questions
Work and Pensions
23 June 2025
Topical Questions
T7. Emma from Tring is one of my constituents who has said that these changes to disability benefits will mean that they will have to come out of a career in the NHS. What does the Secretary of State have to say to those who are terrified about losing their work after changes to disability allowance…
Commons
Oral Questions
Work and Pensions
23 June 2025
2 contributions
Personal Independence Payment
5. What assessment she has made of the adequacy of the personal independence payment application process.
The response to my recent written question on disability benefits applications listed the 18 most common disabilities and health conditions and showed that hundreds of thousands of people were awarded fewer than four points in all living activities and will miss out on the daily living component of …
Commons
Westminster Hall
18 June 2025
Businesses in Rural Areas
It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Mr Western. I congratulate my hon. Friend the Member for North Norfolk (Steff Aquarone) on securing this excellent debate. In preparation, I surveyed local businesses to hear from them directly. What came through loud and clear is that rural busines…
Commons
Debate
12 June 2025
Covid: Fifth Anniversary
My hon. Friend speaks passionately about an issue that also affects constituents of mine, such as Anna in Harpenden, a 12-year-old who lives with long covid. She has headaches and stomach issues day in, day out. Does he agree that we need to have a covid register and care pathway to ensure that thos…
Commons
Debate
12 June 2025
SEND Funding
I congratulate the right hon. Member for Beverley and Holderness (Graham Stuart) on securing this vital debate. I would like to start with the words of Berkhamsted student Hermione:
“I believe, without a doubt, that the school system needs to change. But more than anything, it needs to change for S…
Commons
Proceedings
12 June 2025
Business of the House
Emma from Tring lives with a rare genetic connective tissue disorder as well as comorbid conditions, which means that she lives in pain every day. Despite that, she has worked hard to build a great career in the NHS. Although she understands that reform to disability allowance is needed, the changes…
Commons
Oral Questions
Business and Trade
12 June 2025
Support for Small Businesses
Charlotte from Harpenden and her family run Gatwards, one of the oldest family-run jewellers in the UK. It is a small business that has been there for so many years, but it has been hit by the rise in national insurance contributions and changes to business property relief and inheritance tax, meani…
Commons
Westminster Hall
11 June 2025
Space Industry
It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Mr Betts. I thank the hon. Member for Wyre Forest (Mark Garnier) for his passionate and expert input today; he certainly got my cogs turning. I am sure that the Minister has been taking notes.
Every day, 18% of Britain’s economy depends on technolo…