Paula Barker MP: speeches

Speeches

• 3 Sept 2026 · Children in the Social Care System: England · Hansard source

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  We begin with the Select Committee statement. Peter Swallow will speak on the publication of the second report of the Joint Committee on Human Rights, “Human Rights of Children in the Social Care System in England”, HC 161, for up to 10 minutes, during which no interventions may be taken. At the conclusion of Peter Swallow’s statement, I will call Members to put questions on the subject of the statement, and call Peter Swallow to respond to them in turn. Questions should be brief and Members may ask only one question each. I call Peter Swallow on behalf of the Joint Committee on Human Rights.

• 14 Jul 2026 · Support for Bereaved Parents · Hansard source

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  The death of a child seems to violate the natural order of things, leaving parents shocked, grieving and in unimaginable pain. The charity Love, Jasmine in my constituency was founded by Rob and Kathy Lapsley in 2016 after the death of their daughter Jasmine to support other bereaved parents on Merseyside through counselling, support groups, advocacy and practical advice. Since then, it has helped over 900 families and received a constant stream of NHS referrals but without any commissioned NHS funding. It now faces a funding crisis after the loss of its National Lottery funding due to new criteria, which has left it operating a limited service and under threat of closure, while families face longer waiting times for support elsewhere that is less designed to their needs. Will the Government consider carefully the strong case for NHS commissioned funding for the kind of specialist support for bereaved parents that Love, Jasmine offers, so that this service—so trusted by the NHS across the north-west—is not lost?