Commons
Proceedings
14 July 2026
Future of Thames Water
Residents in Wokingham are absolutely sick of the failures of Thames Water’s management. In 2025 alone, Thames Water committed 74 sewage spills, for a duration of 684 hours. That means that Thames Water dumped sewage for the equivalent of 456 football matches, and there were certainly no clean sheet…
Commons
Oral Questions
Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
9 July 2026
River Pollution
In 2025, sewage was dumped into the Ashridge stream, Emm brook, Barkham brook and the River Loddon in my constituency. Residents are thoroughly fed up with Thames Water’s repeated pollution and lack of accountability. Will the Government introduce mutual ownership of water companies, professionally …
Commons
Oral Questions
Solicitor General
9 July 2026
Violence against Women and Girls: Prosecution Rates
Too many abusers escape justice in court, leaving victims, including my constituents, without proper justice. In May, I called for the mandatory involvement of independent domestic violence advisers in the family court process. In response, the Under-Secretary of State for Justice, the hon. Member f…
Commons
Westminster Hall
9 July 2026
Lobular Breast Cancer: Moon Shot Project
It is a pleasure to serve under your chairship, Mrs Hobhouse. I thank my hon. Friend the Member for Horsham (John Milne) for securing this important debate. I pay tribute to everyone who has campaigned tirelessly on this issue. When I met the Lobular Moon Shot Project team in April, their determinat…
Commons
Debate
6 July 2026
2 contributions
Payment Scheme
The Minister is being generous in giving way. I have met people in Wokingham who are affected by the scandal. It does not just affect the person infected; it affects their family as well. My constituent is adamant that the effect on their spouse must be recognised. Does the Minister agree that the G…
It is very clear that the Minister agrees that the infected blood scandal is a tragic disaster and a failure of public service. The Government must ensure that it never happens again and must strengthen any accountability measures that they can. Does he agree with me and many of the survivors that t…
Commons
Westminster Hall
29 June 2026
NHS Breast Screening
It is a pleasure to serve under your chairship, Mr Vickers. I thank the hon. Member for North Ayrshire and Arran (Irene Campbell) for presenting this important debate and the Minister for attending. I congratulate Gemma Reeves on organising this well-supported petition and her campaigning on this ve…
Commons
Westminster Hall
25 June 2026
4 contributions
National Lung Cancer Screening Programme
I beg to move,
That this House has considered the national lung cancer screening programme.
It is a pleasure to serve under your chairship, Sir Alec. I declare an interest as a governor of the Royal Berkshire hospital. A family member also holds shares in a medical company.
Lung cancer is a rapid…
I would just like to mention a few of the things that hon. Members have spoken about. The hon. Member for Strangford (Jim Shannon) was absolutely right to pay tribute to the Government for their work on lung cancer screening. That is an outstanding success, but screening still needs more support fro…
+2 more contributions in this session
Commons
Prime Minister's Questions
Prime Minister
24 June 2026
2 contributions
Engagements
Q1. If he will list his official engagements for Wednesday 24 June.
I associate myself with the Prime Minister’s remarks. His Government can be really proud of the national cancer plan. Cancer patients in Wokingham and across the country cannot afford for it not to be implemented or regularly updated. Will the Prime Minister leave a lasting legacy and support my pri…
Commons
Oral Questions
Education
22 June 2026
2 contributions
SEND Improvement Plans: Multi-academy Trusts
2. What assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of planned SEND reforms on the ability of local authorities to effectively co-operate with multi-academy trusts on the delivery of local area SEND improvement plans.
I thank the Minister for her answer. Without clear levers, accountability cannot be guaranteed and the Department cannot ensure that SEND reforms translate into consistent, high-quality support for children and their families on the ground. Will the Minister clarify what specific and enforceable pow…
Commons
Oral Questions
Culture, Media and Sport
18 June 2026
Topical Questions
Grassroots sports clubs such as Wokingham Town football club are at the heart of our communities, but many clubs struggle to find and maintain facilities and equipment. Would the Secretary of State consider convening twice-yearly meetings with grassroots sports governing bodies to strengthen collabo…
Commons
Oral Questions
Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
16 June 2026
Topical Questions
T5. Last month, two people were convicted of spying on Hong Kong dissidents in the UK on behalf of the Hong Kong Government. Alarmingly, one was a UK immigration officer. What is the Minister doing to better protect Hongkongers in Wokingham and across the UK who are concerned about growing Chinese i…
Commons
Westminster Hall
11 June 2026
3 contributions
Secondary Breast Cancer
I beg to move,
That this House has considered secondary breast cancer.
It is a pleasure to serve under your chairship, Mr Betts. I declare an interest as a governor of the Royal Berkshire hospital; a family member also holds shares in a medical company.
It is a privilege to speak in today’s debat…
I thank the hon. Member for putting his support on the record. This debate is very important: it gives us the opportunity to highlight the experiences of people living with secondary breast cancer and the action needed to support them.
One of the biggest challenges is the lack of reliable data. It …
+1 more contribution in this session
Commons
Proceedings
8 June 2026
Water Companies
In my constituency, sewage was spilt from the Arborfield treatment works 28 times last year, and in the last few days sewage has poured into the Emm brook. Given the numerous repeated sewage spillages in Wokingham and across the country, will the Minister back the Liberal Democrat proposals for a mu…
Commons
Oral Questions
Solicitor General
4 June 2026
Violence against Women and Girls
Too many abusers are escaping justice in family courts, and my constituents have suffered as a result. Kaleidoscopic UK in my constituency has long called for independent experts to help to spot and advise against the manipulative tactics used by abusers in family courts. When will the Minister comm…
Commons
Oral Questions
Energy Security and Net Zero
2 June 2026
2 contributions
Cost of Energy: Support for Businesses
9. What recent discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on the potential merits of providing further support to businesses with the cost of energy.
Surelock McGill, based in my constituency, is a world leader in the manufacture of door locking systems. It recently acquired a casting foundry to ensure that its manufacturing process proudly remains entirely in the UK, but the foundry is struggling with ever-increasing energy costs. What will the …
Commons
Oral Questions
Defence
1 June 2026
Topical Questions
Investment in the UK’s defence sector, especially defence SMEs, is desperately needed. What will the Government do to drive forward investment for defence procurement SMEs?
Commons
Westminster Hall
21 May 2026
2 contributions
Family Justice System: Domestic Abuse and Safeguarding
I beg to move,
That this House has considered domestic abuse and safeguarding within the family justice system.
It is a pleasure to serve under your chairship, Ms Furniss. The family courts make some of the most important decisions that any institution can make. They determine where children will …
The hon. Member is absolutely right: somebody should not be rewarded when they have been difficult for months and months—probably years—and then at the last minute change their mind to get a reduced sentence. The judge probably sees them as being helpful, but they have not been helpful for a long ti…
Commons
Oral Questions
Science, Innovation and Technology
20 May 2026
2 contributions
Topical Questions
T1. If she will make a statement on her departmental responsibilities.
Life science companies such as Becton Dickinson in my constituency play a key role in advancing the research and innovation that will help deliver the national cancer plan and transform cancer care. What is the Minister doing to increase funding on research and development for life science companies…
Commons
Westminster Hall
28 April 2026
2 contributions
Park Home Owners
It is a pleasure to serve under your chairship, Sir Alec. I congratulate the hon. Member for Rushcliffe (James Naish) for securing this important debate.
There are six park home estates in my constituency. They provide vital accommodation and a strong sense of community among residents who take pri…
I agree 100%. It is not a small administrative fee: it can amount to tens of thousands of pounds. That charge exists outside the protections that most homeowners take for granted. In the mainstream housing market, sellers are protected by competition and choice. Estate agent fees are negotiated. Ser…
Commons
Oral Questions
27 April 2026
Topical Questions
Twelve weeks ago, I raised four cases with the DWP, and I am still waiting for a response, despite chasing. These delays are upsetting for my Wokingham constituents. What is the Minister doing to address this backlog, and when can my constituents expect a response?
Commons
Oral Questions
16 April 2026
Business of the House
In February, it was announced in the national cancer plan that a rare cancers clinical lead and a rare cancers research lead would be appointed, but no time frame was given for these appointments. These new positions are key to progressing outcomes for people with rare cancers, who have been left ou…
Commons
Debate
15 April 2026
2 contributions
Pension Schemes Bill
I wish to speak to Lords amendment 15 and, ultimately, what it still fails to address: the long-standing injustice faced by almost 1 million pensioners.
The Chancellor’s decision last year diverted attention, with her announcement of the restoration of indexation to a quarter of a million pensioner…
For the pre-1997 pensioners in companies such as Hewlett Packard and many others, the trustees are not able to act on behalf of the pensioners because a board, usually in the USA, says, “No, we are not going to give you a pension increase, even though the trustees say you should have it.”
To ease s…
Commons
Oral Questions
Scotland
15 April 2026
2 contributions
Cancer Research
4. What steps the Government are taking with the National Institute for Health and Care Research to support cancer research in Scotland.
Cancer Research UK’s manifesto for cancer research and care in Scotland recommends that the Government should increase
“strategic institutional research and innovation funding…investing in and supporting the delivery of a new Scottish Health and Biomedicine Institute (SHBI) to deliver new innovatio…
Commons
Debate
14 April 2026
Crime and Policing Bill
I will speak to Lords amendment 312 on cumulative disruption. I am deeply alarmed by the amendment, which would require senior police officers to take into account any so-called cumulative impacts of frequent protests on local areas when considering whether to impose conditions on public processions…
Commons
Ministerial Statement
14 April 2026
Infected Blood Compensation Scheme
I join others in thanking the Minister for his update. I met a constituent in Wokingham last year who was one of the 30,000 people affected by this scandal. The Infected Blood Compensation Authority should have been life-changing for them and others affected by the scandal, but when an offer of comp…