Shockat Adam MP: speeches

Speeches

• 9 Sept 2026 · Pharmacies: Government Funding · Hansard source

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  I thank the hon. Member for making that point about how much stress is put on pharmacists and small business owners. In the last year, there was a 2.3% increase in items reimbursed by the NHS, a 17% increase in service volumes, a 3% increase in inflation, and increases in operating costs such as national insurance and business rates. That all adds to the pressure when pharmacists should be concentrating on providing a vital service to the community.

• 9 Sept 2026 · Education and Skills Reform · Hansard source

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  I welcome much of the Secretary of State’s statement, especially how it acknowledges that one size does not fit all and highlights that 1 million of our young people are not in education, employment or training. One way out of that is through apprenticeship schemes, but apprenticeship providers are really struggling. That is especially true of my constituent Amanda, who runs an independent hairdressing business and is now playing £204,000 a year in employment taxes and VAT before she even pays her wages. We need entrepreneurs like Amanda, but current policies mean that she cannot afford to take on apprentices. What steps is the Minister taking to address that issue?

• 7 Sept 2026 · Economic Growth · Hansard source

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  I, too, am a bit concerned that the Minister is missing a page of her statement, because there has been no mention of the east midlands. The Prime Minister was right when he blamed Margaret Thatcher for picking winners and abandoning whole regions, and that appears to be happening to the east midlands this time. In my constituency, Leicestershire and Rutland receives a grand total of zero pounds in infrastructure investment. On skills funding, Leicester gets £11.30 per head, compared with £52.10 in Greater Manchester and £66.19 in the west midlands, which is six times more. Can she reassure me, the people of the east midlands and my constituents in Leicester South that we will not be left behind?

• 16 Jul 2026 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  I refer Members to my entry in the Register of Members’ Financial Interests: I am a practising optometrist. Children across England are living in a postcode lottery when it comes to vision screening. Only 50% of local authorities provide vision screening in our schools, which means that conditions such as amblyopia—lazy eye—get missed before the age of five. If we miss these conditions, children’s educational abilities and employment opportunities can be reduced. May we have a debate in the Chamber about this cost-efficient, proficient method of screening in all our schools?