Jen Craft MP: speeches

Speeches

• 11 Feb 2026 · Woodland Creation · Hansard source

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  It is a pleasure to serve under your chairship, Ms Lewell. I congratulate my hon. Friend the Member for Milton Keynes North (Chris Curtis) on securing the debate. Like many Members, I am a lover of woodlands, both ancient and new. As my hon. Friend the Member for Cannock Chase (Josh Newbury) said earlier, “You can’t have too much of a good thing”, and the creation of new woodlands—and the Government’s ambition to do so—should be celebrated. Just adjacent to my constituency, we have a 400-acre site that mixes ancient woodland with relatively new parkland. The old favourites of oak, ash and thorn are around the place, and I have spent many hours walking in those woodlands, greeting ancient oak trees as old friends. I am a self-confessed tree-hugger—I literally will hug a tree—and there is something to be said for the calmness that this brings; the understanding that we are feeling sometimes centuries of life coursing beneath our fingers. I strongly support the transfer of that from one generation to the next. Our woodlands are a key feature in the protection and preservation of wildlife. They support creatures big and small, and knowing and naming those creatures is a pure joy for anyone who is, like myself, a keen amateur naturalist. I remember hearing a nightingale in our local woodlands, which was the real highlight of a walk. Sadly, as Members will be aware, that is a vanishingly rare thing to hear and see. Supporting the creation of woodlands will ensure that we keep these native creatures for generations to come.

• 29 Jan 2026 · First 1,000 Days of Life · Hansard source

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  It was a pleasure to serve under the chairmanship of my hon. Friend during our Committee’s inquiry into the first 1,000 days of life. I was particularly struck by how, at this crucial period in a child’s lifetime—for those who are not aware, the 1,000 days begins at the moment of conception and goes up until they are two years old—so many services that should basically be placing a hug around the family and around the child have instead been decimated. Those services come at a critical stage. I am grateful that the Minister for Early Education, my hon. Friend the Member for Reading West and Mid Berkshire (Olivia Bailey), is on the Front Bench to hear the statement. Does my hon. Friend the Member for Birmingham Erdington (Paulette Hamilton) agree that if the Government does not grasp the scale of this challenge or accept our Committee’s recommendations—I urge them to do so in full—we run the risk of undermining some of our reforms in special educational needs and disabilities? By investing in the early years and by taking the action that that my hon. Friend has outlined—we must ensure early intervention and that we rebuild the health visitor network, so that the families who need extra support and care are identified early and can be got into the network of family hubs to receive that support—the rest of our reforms, including to the SEND system, can go ahead. Without that investment, and without the Government taking heed of what our Committee has recommended, we run the very real risk of all that work being undermined.

• 27 Jan 2026 · Medical Training (Prioritisation) Bill · Hansard source

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  People are the backbone of our NHS, and I am incredibly grateful to the healthcare staff who work in it, particularly in Thurrock, and who care tirelessly every day, often in difficult conditions, for my constituents. As a lifelong Thurrock resident, I have experienced their excellent care as a patient, and now as an MP I see at first hand when visiting services in our area that they perform all the time to a high level despite the immense pressure they are under. This Bill is about supporting our excellent NHS workforce, prioritising home-grown talent to ensure there is a pipeline for the next generation of fantastic doctors and nurses. It is right that it is introduced as emergency legislation, because the former Government left the NHS in a critical condition. The Tories’ botched policies on immigration saw students and junior doctors who study in the UK competing against the world for foundation and specialty roles. Visa and immigration changes meant that thousands more international workers applied for coveted training positions in the NHS. In 2019, there were 12,000 applicants for 9,000 specialty training places. That figure has now soared to nearly 40,000 applicants for 10,000 places, with twice as many overseas-trained applicants as UK-trained ones. Those bottlenecks mean that we are losing home-grown talent. We are losing people who grew up in our communities, studied at our schools and universities, and know our NHS back to front from personal experience, because they move to jobs abroad or in the private sector. The Bill begins to correct those mistakes. It implements the commitment in our 10-year plan for health to put home-grown talent at the front of the queue for medical training posts, ensuring that UK graduates are prioritised for foundation and specialty training places. It is a signal of this Government’s intent to improve terms, conditions, and opportunities for doctors. It is a downpayment on the tangible progress offered in the deal that the BMA unfortunately rejected in December, and it marks a critical step in supporting long-term sustainable workforce planning for the NHS, ending our—let’s face it—unethical addiction to hiring from abroad. There is also an economic case. Each year, we spend £4 billion on training medical students and doctors, only to not offer those graduates a training place to continue their careers in NHS. By ensuring that we retain that talent, we will ensure that patients in the UK benefit from the investment, which is better for local doctors and the taxpayer. Retention of staff is particularly vital in Thurrock, where we have a critical shortage of GPs and an acute hospital trust ranked among the bottom in the country. It has always been difficult to recruit doctors to our area, not least because if staff get a job 10 miles down the road—even one mile down the road, in some cases—they can earn significantly more because they will benefit from London weighting. Last year, I held a roundtable with local GPs to ask them why they chose to work in our area and how I could encourage more young doctors to make it their base. Many young people growing up in Thurrock say that they would like to return home after medical training. They are ambitious to improve our NHS and they want to serve their community. They want to live and work in the area where they grew up. Ensuring that those graduates are prioritised to local places and have local career training, advancing their ongoing professional development, is key to unlocking a sustainable long-term workforce for our area. I urge the Secretary of State to use the opportunity afforded by both this Bill and the upcoming workforce plan to ensure that the right professionals are in the right places geographically, in order to fill historical gaps in provision. I also urge the Secretary of State to use the workforce plan to ensure that training, recruitment and retention in all professional areas is considered and planned for, particularly in those vital professions that are often overlooked. Allied health professionals, such as speech and language therapists, physiotherapists and occupational therapists, spring to mind and must feature in the plan, particularly those working in paediatric care, where waits for diagnosis are often felt acutely. I add a personal plea for the unique and important role played by learning disability nurses, who are already under strain. The charity Mencap, among others, warns that the role could collapse in three years’ time without urgent Government action. Those nurses are crucial in ensuring that some of the most vulnerable people in our society receive safe, effective healthcare, and in avoiding preventable deaths. I welcome that the Secretary of State has brought this Bill forward, and the efficiency and speed shown in turning the legislation around at pace. I urge him to use the same efficiency and speed to bring forward the workforce plan, in order to set the right direction of travel to recruit, train and retain home-grown talent. I encourage him to bring forward the workforce plan as soon as possible, to ensure that those gaps in vital provision are addressed and to support our communities through our fantastic NHS well into the future.

• 27 Jan 2026 · UK Bus Manufacturing · Hansard source

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  Ensignbus, which operates in my constituency, is not a bus manufacturer per se, but it repurposes buses and is looking to get into the repowering of buses that have finished their natural life, usually in London, which will aid the switch to zero emissions. Will my hon. Friend join me in encouraging and supporting it in that endeavour, and in urging the Minister to look into what we can do as a Government to support enterprises such as this?

• 26 Jan 2026 · Key Stage 1 Curriculum · Hansard source

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  It is a pleasure to see you in the Chair, Mrs Barker. I extend my congratulations to the campaigners for securing this debate, and particularly to the 442 people in my constituency who signed the petition. As many Members have pointed out, play-based learning is not about lowering attainment or standards. Indeed, countries that prioritise learning through play, such as Finland, Norway, Sweden, Japan and New Zealand, consistently score highly in international rankings. That is echoed in their attainment levels at 16 and beyond, not just at key stages 1 and 2. Play-based learning has the ability to be truly inclusive learning. I understand that an inclusive schooling model is being strongly considered in the Government’s upcoming White Paper. A way to achieve that at key stage 1 is by incorporating play-based learning. Play-based learning supports early language development. The charity Speech and Language UK estimates that the needs of around 2 million children in the UK with a speech and language challenge are not always met. For about 30% of children with a SEND need, speech and language difficulties are the primary cause of that need. Play-based learning allows children with a speech and language challenge to take time to really come to grips with it. It supports their speech and language learning and allows them to develop the skills that will be crucial to them as they continue their journey through education and into employment, and throughout their life. There is a real opportunity to turn things around for those children. In the context of inclusive schools, play-based learning asks who we really want to see in the classroom. Who are classrooms for? They are not just for children who can sit still, rigidly listen to lessons and learn by rote. They are for all children—for all young minds. Play-based learning encourages curiosity and creativity, and therefore sends a signal to all children that they are welcome in our classrooms and our schools, and that however they learn they will be supported. I join the many Members who have made powerful statements about why play-based learning should be adopted. I urge the Government to use this moment, when we are looking at how our education system can best deliver for children, families and society, to grasp the nettle and embed play as learning in key stage 1.

• 13 Jan 2026 · NHS 10-year Workforce Plan · Hansard source

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  Unfortunately, my constituency is not unique in seeing long waits for diagnosis of neurodiversity. From 18 to 24 months is the expected waiting time in Thurrock, and some have to wait much longer. Given that, for a child, a wait of 18 to 24 months can sometimes be their whole lifespan or half their lifespan, will the upcoming workforce plan make sure that there is a plan for paediatric care, particularly for allied health professionals such as occupational therapists, speech and language therapists, and clinical physicians?

• 12 Jan 2026 · Social Media: Non-consensual Sexual Deepfakes · Hansard source

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  May I add my voice to those expressing shock at those somehow equating the holding to account of people who enable and profiteer from the production of sexual abuse images of children with the undermining of free speech? It is disingenuous and it does a disservice to everyone. I encourage the Secretary of State to continue to put pressure on Ofcom to make sure that it acts decisively and effectively against companies that break the Online Safety Act 2023.

• 6 Jan 2026 · Therapeutic Play and Children’s Healthcare · Hansard source

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  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 good time. That was in an inner-city hospital; we also have a regional hospital that does not have the same resources. Can the Minister say how play therapy can be rolled out across the country so that every child can benefit?

• 6 Jan 2026 · Therapeutic Play and Children’s Healthcare · Hansard source

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  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 Government want to see the savings related to therapeutic play that he talks about, they need to invest up front?

• 18 Dec 2025 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  A merry Christmas to you, Madam Deputy Speaker, and to everyone who works in the House. [In British Sign Language: Merry Christmas.] Last Sunday, I had the absolute pleasure of joining the Mar Dyke Valley Rotary club and volunteers from Re-engage on their annual Santa run through Aveley. I am assured that the Santa who accompanied us on the run is the real one—he is a constituent of mine, and he is open to suggestions about who should be on the naughty and nice lists—but Mar Dyke Valley is just one of the more than 1,000 Rotary clubs in the UK doing similar things up and down the country throughout the Christmas season, bringing festive joy to young children and raising thousands and thousands of pounds for local good causes. Will the Leader of the House join me in offering our thanks to all those who give up their time on cold wintry nights to go out and raise money for their local community?

• 16 Dec 2025 · Planning Reform · Hansard source

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  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 disabled children and their families will be consulted on how to make these play spaces accessible?

• 15 Dec 2025 · Violence against Women and Girls Strategy · Hansard source

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  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 victims of rape and sexual violence, a criminal justice outcome is not always the desired outcome, so will cross-Government working be involved to ensure that, for example, the Department of Health and Social Care ensures that rape and sexual violence services are properly commissioned?

• 11 Dec 2025 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  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. May I ask the Leader of the House what the Government are doing to support victims of knife crime, and whether he will find time for a debate on this important matter?

• 10 Dec 2025 · Resident Doctors: Industrial Action · Hansard source

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  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 next few weeks with dread. That includes resident doctors who will be looking at that uncertainty and wanting some surety as to where they should go. The Secretary of State has been incredibly reasonable and has set out a plan that I plead the leadership of the BMA to get on board with. Call off these strikes to get us through winter and through this difficult period for the benefit of patients and for the whole NHS. Will the Secretary of State join me in echoing that plea?

• 4 Dec 2025 · Seafarers’ Welfare · Hansard source

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  I thank everyone who has taken part in the debate. The 3 pm shift on a Thursday is not a great one, especially when we are low on numbers, so I am grateful to Members for being here. I offer my thanks to all those who go to sea. The hon. Member for Dumfries and Galloway (John Cooper) spoke eloquently about the call of the sea, but also its inherent dangers. My right hon. Friend the Member for Hayes and Harlington (John McDonnell) highlighted a specific example. The loss of James Elliott brings home the real dangers for those who make their living at sea and the debt of gratitude that we all owe them. My right hon. Friend also spoke about flags of convenience, which is a real problem and an issue when it comes to investigating crimes at sea. For example, sexual assault against female seafarers is on the increase, but women often fail to find the justice they need. Perhaps that is something we can pursue. I thank my neighbouring MP, my hon. Friend the Member for Gravesham (Dr Sullivan)—we are separated by only a body of water—for raising the work of the RNLI. I am incredibly grateful for the work that it does saving lives at sea. Without its vital voluntary contribution, I am sure the lives of many more who make their living at sea would have been lost. I welcome what the Minister said about looking at how we can promote the levy system and take it further. That is one thing that would make a real difference to onshore welfare provision for seafarers. The Minister also updated us on some of the work he has been doing internationally, particularly in looking at reducing the pay differential between UK-based seafarers and others. I look forward to working with him and colleagues to make sure that those who make their living on the sea, to whom we all owe a debt of gratitude, receive proper remuneration and thanks from the nation. Question put and agreed to. Resolved , That this House has considered seafarers’ welfare.

• 4 Dec 2025 · Seafarers’ Welfare · Hansard source

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  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 organisation makes to the welfare of seafarers, and to maintaining the shipping industry as a whole. Mental health among crews is at a low and, tragically, suicide rates are higher among seafarers than among the wider population. We must do a much better job of supporting seafarers and ensure that they receive the same support as our domestic workforce. The Government have a key role to play in that. The Employment Rights Bill is a critical step, paving the way for a legally binding seafarers’ charter that will help to root out poor practice in the industry. It aims to limit maximum periods of work at sea, improve safety training and strengthen laws around mandatory rest. Importantly, the Bill also combats unacceptable fire-and-rehire cycles. Trade unions such as the RMT have shone a light on these issues and stood up for British workers when they have been at the sharp end of the practice in the past. The challenge now is to ensure that our interventions make a real difference for workers. If international partners are able to sidestep their obligations, UK nationals will lose out. We must not allow a situation in which the welfare and pay protections afforded to British seafarers put them at a competitive disadvantage. It is encouraging to see our Government working to combat the issues, teaming up with signatories to the international maritime convention to drive up standards together. Tackling abuse and malpractice in the seafarer sector will, however, require a co-ordinated international approach. I would welcome any update from the Minister on engagement with our international partners to that effect. Next year, new amendments to the international maritime convention come into force, including measures to strengthen repatriation rights. They will be critical for seafarers. Across the world, ship owners who face legal disputes or financial challenges are abandoning vessels in ports. Crew are left without pay, food or access to vital medical equipment. The issue has grown increasingly severe, and 2024 was the worst year on record, with more than 2,000 seafarers left to fend for themselves. Many have family at home who rely on their income. When a ship is abandoned, whole communities suffer. The issue is more common abroad, but the UK has been affected on several occasions. Even when vessels are not abandoned, seafarers may find themselves stuck for weeks following ship arrests. This has happened several times in my constituency, with a notable incident at Purfleet-on-Thames last year that also highlighted why port-side support services are so important. Several charities do excellent work in this space, including the Queen Victoria Seafarers Rest and the Merchant Navy Welfare Board. I offer my thanks for their tireless efforts, and for the tireless work of their volunteers—especially those who serve in my constituency at the Queen Victoria Seafarers Rest in Tilbury. I am incredibly impressed by their support for seafarers who come into port. They offer a brilliant service, including port transport, free wi-fi and fresh food. They also run a bar, host social events and assist with safeguarding concerns when necessary. The latest Seafarers Rest project, wrapping 3,000 Christmas presents for seafarers, is well under way. I was pleased to lend a hand last month. Every seafarer receives either a hat, scarf or pair of mittens; SIM cards so that they can contact their family; a little bit extra and a chocolate bar. Importantly, they all receive a handwritten card thanking them for their efforts, on behalf of the people who are on the receiving end of all their hard work. For many people, this is the only Christmas present they will get. While I was at the Seafarers Rest, one of the volunteers shared the story of a sea captain who came to visit. He was 17 the first time he went to sea, and he spent Christmas away from home. He was Norwegian, and he went to a similar set-up—not in this country but abroad—and was given a Christmas present. He still remembers it and still has the woolly hat that someone, somewhere knitted for him. He said it meant the world and lifted his spirits. So the efforts the volunteers put in do not go unnoticed, and we should all be grateful for what they do. Unfortunately, such support is not in place across the country. Facilities like the Queen Victoria Seafarers Rest in my patch exist at only about 40% of all UK ports. Where services are available, many face financial uncertainty. Meeting their running costs can be a challenge, with most sites needing £170 a day to keep the doors open. Their funding comes from a variety of sources: funds from the Government, donations from shipping companies or port authorities, and fundraising efforts by the centres themselves. Some welfare centres have strong partnerships with the local port, but that is not the case across the board. In practice, voluntary organisations bear most of the financial burden for welfare support, relying on fundraising efforts to fill the financial shortfall and subsidise the costs that should fall to shipping companies to care for their own workforce. There are long-term solutions that could be explored. A small opt-out levy charged to vessels entering UK ports could be a game changer. Just £50 per visit would make a significant difference. To put it in perspective, the cost of bringing a large ship into port often exceeds £100,000, so a small £50 donation would represent only a fraction of that cost. Throughout the country, 25 ports have already implemented similar schemes, with varying levels of success. Levies have been most effective where port owners communicate with shipping companies, emphasising the importance of independent welfare support. Humber port, for example, raised over £72,000 last year by being proactive with its levy system. However, in ports where intervention is more limited, ships that often pay £100,000 or more in fees will regularly refuse to make a £25 donation. Currently, the total income generated from levies represents only 3% to 4% of the funds that UK charities require. I urge the Government to look into the idea and to work with ports and shipping companies to explore how to scale up schemes across the country. Several other countries, including France, Germany and New Zealand, already have successful models in place. I encourage Members with significant ports in their constituencies to contact the local port authority to ask whether they would consider implementing an opt-out levy. For many vehicles, £50 represents less than 0.03% of docking costs. A levy would create a reliable, long-term funding stream for seafarers’ welfare. It would make a huge difference and give the organisations that work tirelessly to support them financial security into the future. The Government are making historic progress on seafarers’ welfare, but it is vital that we continue to build on that momentum in ports and at sea. I look forward to the implementation of the mandatory seafarers’ charter and the Employment Rights Bill, which will deliver significant change, but we can go further in supporting the seafaring community, whose needs are often overlooked. The Government have a key role to play, working with ports, shipping companies, trade unions and international partners to drive better employment standards and improve welfare support. We must all remember what seafarers do for our country: their contribution is invaluable and cannot be overlooked.

• 4 Dec 2025 · Seafarers’ Welfare · Hansard source

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  I extend an invitation to the Minister to visit the Queen Victoria Seafarers Rest at Tilbury with me in the near future, if possible.

• 4 Dec 2025 · Seafarers’ Welfare · Hansard source

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  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 identity is shaped by our position as a key port in the Thames estuary—from the instrumental role Thurrock played in the D-day preparations to the arrival of the Empire Windrush at Tilbury to help to rebuild the nation in the post-war period. The shipping industry has driven economic growth. The port of Tilbury in my constituency, and the nearby London Gateway, act as key links in the supply chain that keeps our country moving, bringing significant investment and economic opportunity into the region. Some 95% of this country’s goods and services arrive by sea, with Thurrock’s ports receiving more than 65 million tonnes of cargo a year to quite literally keep our country moving. It is easy to forget the people at the heart of the industry: the seafarers who staff the ships to bring goods to our shores. Their impact in Thurrock and the country as a whole is profound. More than 160,000 seafarers work in the UK shipping industry. Without them, and international seafarers, our supermarket shelves would be empty within seven days. As we enter the run-up to Christmas, the busiest time of the year for the shipping industry, many of us will be opening presents brought here on ships. Yet the workforce are often overlooked. Seafarer charities call this phenomenon sea blindness—out of sight, out of mind. They remind us that welfare standards slip when no one is watching, particularly aboard deep-sea vessels. Many workers live in cramped conditions, performing physical roles with limited opportunities for rest. When crews are small, long shifts mean that sleep deprivation and chronic fatigue are common. This can be incredibly dangerous, especially when staff are handling complex machinery. It also drives poor mental health among crews. Loneliness and isolation are common, as they are separated from their families for often months at a time.

• 4 Dec 2025 · Camden Nursery Sexual Abuse Case · Hansard source

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  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 experience. It brings to mind a case that has been brought to my attention involving another group of extremely vulnerable individuals. These are older children with complex and severe learning disabilities. I cannot talk too much about it, because it is a live case, but a parallel that struck me was that serious safeguarding concerns have been identified and given weight in one setting, when the organisation is part of a larger chain. In the case before us, it is a chain of nurseries and in the case I am referring to it is a multi-academy trust. It raises questions as to whether the body can be trusted with safeguarding more widely. Are there plans in place to look at corporate responsibility and to look at these things across the piece, rather than just as individual isolated incidents? Another parallel is that I understand a whistleblower brought this case to the attention of the police in the first place. What measures will be introduced to protect whistleblowers in such cases, particularly when the person and the organisation to whom the whistleblower is reporting may be compromised?

• 2 Dec 2025 · Angiolini Inquiry · Hansard source

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  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 the Metropolitan police and how women who had gathered to grieve and show their solidarity and support for Sarah Everard’s family were treated compared with how a football celebration, predominantly attended by men, was policed. It filled me with rage, shook my trust and made me question who the police are operating for and whether they take seriously the concerns of women, particularly of women who face violence and sexual abuse. Since becoming a Member of Parliament, I have heard far too often from my own constituents that when they have approached the police, particularly with complaints about coercive control, they have felt dismissed, not listened to and not taken seriously. Will the upcoming violence against women and girls strategy look at the root cause of violence against women and girls, which is rampant misogyny in our institutions and society?

• 2 Dec 2025 · Budget Resolutions · Hansard source

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  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 social care or not?

• 2 Dec 2025 · Budget Resolutions · Hansard source

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  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 Thames crossing to be used to pay for the return of the ferry in perpetuity.

• 26 Nov 2025 · Engagements · Hansard source

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  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, and valuable lives that were cut short due to an abysmal failure of leadership by Boris Johnson and his Government. Those people were categorically failed by a Prime Minister who prevaricated, delayed and prioritised political expediency over making the tough decisions that could have averted tragedy. If the Prime Minister were to lead us through the next pandemic, would he value saving lives above all else?

• 30 Oct 2025 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  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 the names are visible so that the sacrifice of those men and women is properly remembered. As we come to the month of remembrance, will the Leader of the House join me in thanking volunteers like Jan and Len for all that they do to make sure that those who sacrificed so much for our country are properly acknowledged and that tributes are paid in the most appropriate way?

• 20 Oct 2025 · Post-16 Education and Skills Strategy · Hansard source

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  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 SEND can access home-to-school transport, as can those with SEND from age 19 to 25, but between the ages of 16 and 19 there is currently no statutory provision for them to have home-to-school transport. An estimated one in seven disabled young people, equating to 13,500 people, were unable to access college this year alone as a result.