Josh Dean MP: speeches

Speeches

• 8 Jul 2025 · Down’s Syndrome Regression Disorder · Hansard source

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  I am grateful to my hon. Friend for securing this important debate. My constituent Ruth’s son has DSRD, which has impacted his mobility, and means that he is prone to outbursts and is struggling to access education. It took a long time for Jude to be diagnosed. In the UK, I understand, no diagnostic or treatment plan is in place. Does my hon. Friend agree that research into the area is critical and that, were a neurotypical person to present with such regression, it would be treated as the medical emergency that it is?

• 7 Jul 2025 · Giving Every Child the Best Start in Life · Hansard source

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  I thank the Secretary of State for her statement and for her recognition that where people live should not dictate the support available to them when they are growing up, nor when they want to start a family. I really welcome the work that she is leading to support our young people’s mental health and wellbeing. She will recognise that younger and younger children are presenting with mental health issues. Will she set out how our Best Start family hubs will help to address the early drivers of mental illness for children and young people before they reach crisis point, and ensure that every child is supported to thrive from an early age?

• 26 Jun 2025 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  Last week at Bishop’s Stortford carnival, I met Katie from Blues pre-school and nursery, which is taking part in this week’s Small Charity Week. Any donations to the nursery, which will be matched by partners, will be used to upgrade its outdoor area so it can be used by the children in all weathers. Will the Leader of the House join me in wishing the nursery well as it raises funds, and in encouraging my residents to visit the donation page?

• 26 Jun 2025 · G7 and NATO Summits · Hansard source

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  I welcome the Prime Minister’s statement today, and the leadership that he is showing on the world stage in really uncertain times, which, beyond the confines of this place, I know are genuinely welcome in my community in Hertford and Stortford. As we mark Armed Forces Week, veterans and servicemen in my constituency will welcome the Government’s commitment to strengthening our national security, so for the benefit of my constituents, can the Prime Minister set out a little more how we are supporting our armed forces to keep us safe and honouring the service of veterans across the country?

• 24 Jun 2025 · Mental Health Bill [ Lords ] (Ninth sitting) · Hansard source

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  My hon. Friend is making a fantastic speech. In the really dire circumstances of a death in detention, we are dealing with the most difficult and, for family members and loved ones, the most devastating circumstances. Given that, does she agree that it is important to make sure that the circumstances are reviewed thoroughly and independently?

• 24 Jun 2025 · Mental Health Bill [ Lords ] (Ninth sitting) · Hansard source

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  We touched earlier on the safeguards around electroconvulsive therapy. Does my hon. Friend agree that when someone with an eating disorder is restrained, particularly in circumstances that involve the administration of nasogastric tube feeding, such safeguards are really important because of the invasive nature of the treatment and the potential restraint used in delivering it?

• 19 Jun 2025 · Mental Health Bill [ Lords ] (Eighth sitting) · Hansard source

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  It is a pleasure to serve under your chairship once again, Mrs Harris. The Minister has set out in detail the function of clause 54, so I will not cover that in detail for reasons of time. I welcome the clause, which represents a step forward in regulating the placement of children and young people in adult treatment settings, and in ensuring their safeguarding. I welcome the fact that it recognises the need to review the existing safeguards available to young people. The independent review of the Mental Health Act made recommendations in this area, including that when an under-18 is placed on an adult ward, the CQC should be notified within 24 hours, and that the reasons for and the proposed length of the placement should be recorded. I would be grateful if the Minister would set out what consideration the Government have given to those recommendations, and whether they will form part of the review. I turn to the important matter of children and young people who are under 18 placed in adult treatment settings. I think we all recognise the extremely difficult context in which these detentions take place. We know that there is a serious shortage of specialist in-patient beds for children and young people, which means that places are often full or may not be available at a time of urgent crisis. When someone under 18 is placed in an adult treatment setting, they are more likely to witness or even experience high levels of restraint, be denied support from their peers, and lack access to educational opportunities. These placements can actually cause further harm to children and young people’s mental health, and therefore be detrimental to their recovery. I will be grateful if the Minister can assure me of the actions that the Government will take to further safeguard those children and young people who hit crisis point and find themselves in adult treatment settings because of the shortage of beds. How will we ensure that they are protected from being placed in inappropriate treatment settings? I do not wish to test your patience, Mrs Harris, but before I conclude I want to examine the point about children and young people a little further, given the interaction of clause 54 and associated new clauses with their treatment. I welcome the Government’s consistent restatement of the importance of getting the Bill right for children and young people. I know that the Minister takes such matters incredibly seriously, and I have listened carefully to what he has said this afternoon and throughout the Committee. The Minister has stated that a number of the reforms relating to children and young people will be addressed in the code of practice, but that contrasts with the approach of many of the welcome safeguards set out for over-18s in the Bill. Will the Minister clarify why these issues are being addressed differently when it comes to children and young people, compared to adults? Children and young people are a uniquely vulnerable group. On the point about the code of practice, I note that any deviation from that would need to be justified, but my understanding is that the code cannot impose duties on practitioners or require them to exercise their functions under the Act. I am concerned that putting safeguards for under-18s on a different footing from those for adults could make it harder for young people to access those safeguards. I welcome much of the work being done by the Bill, and I want to make sure that children and young people can also access its safeguards. I will be grateful if the Minister can address those points in his response. In conclusion, I welcome the step forward that clause 54 represents, because it addresses an important issue that we need to get to grips with. I look forward to the Minister’s response.

• 17 Jun 2025 · Mental Health Bill [ Lords ] (Sixth sitting) · Hansard source

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  It is a pleasure to see you in the Chair, Mrs Harris—when I wrote my speech, it said “this afternoon”, but it now says “this evening”. I rise to speak to clause 41 and schedule 3. I welcome the role that they will play in extending the right to access the services of an independent mental health advocate to voluntary patients in England not detained under the Mental Health Act, and ensuring that all detained patients are offered these services through an automatic referral, creating an opt-out system. Independent mental health advocates play an important role in supporting patients detained under the Act to understand their rights and participate in decisions around their care and treatment. Clause 41 and schedule 3 seek to ensure that the individual needs of each patient are taken into account, even where they may not be able to engage in decision making about themselves. In doing so, they recognise the patient as an individual. This provides for important safeguards for patients and reinforces the Bill’s principles of autonomy and least restriction, which is a crucial part of bringing mental health legislation into the 21st century. I similarly welcome Government amendments 42 and 43, which seek to further strengthen the important safeguards in the Bill. I hear the points that the Minister has made on children and young people admitted informally, but I would be grateful if he could address the matter further. As we know, informal patients are those who consent to an admission to a mental health hospital or whose parents consent to an admission on their behalf. Often, they are treated under the same or similar conditions as those detained under the Act. While detained patients will receive an automatic referral to advocacy services under the new opt-out scheme, my understanding is that that will not be the case for those admitted informally, meaning that informal patients would still be required to ask for the support of an independent mental health advocate. Children admitted informally are likely to experience the same conditions as another child detained under the Act, but without the parity of access to advocacy services through the opt-out system. Because a parent is able to consent to informal treatment on their child’s behalf, they are one of few groups, if not the only one, able to be admitted informally without their own consent. Therefore, there is a concern that children and young people admitted informally may continue to experience problems accessing the support of an advocate. I seek the Minister’s assurance that the Government have considered fully the provision of advocacy services for informally admitted children and young people, and how this gap might be addressed. I welcome how these parts of the Bill will embed those important principles of individuality, autonomy and least restriction, expanding the important safeguards offered by independent mental health advocates. I would be grateful if the Minister could touch on those points about children and young people in his response.

• 17 Jun 2025 · Mental Health Bill [ Lords ] (Sixth sitting) · Hansard source

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  Young people who have been through detention often report challenging circumstances following that detention. Rather than supporting them, that sometimes increases their trauma. Can the Minister assure me that, as part of the changes he just set out, we will still ensure that young people have the opportunity to feed their experiences back? What specific work will the Government undertake to gather those views from young people?

• 12 Jun 2025 · Mental Health Bill [ Lords ] (Fourth sitting) · Hansard source

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  It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Mr Vickers. I start by recognising the extremely difficult circumstances that the provisions deal with. I will speak to clauses 15, 17 and 18 and the Liberal Democrat amendment. I welcome the additional safeguards set out in these provisions by the Government, particularly clause 15 and the role it plays in ensuring that the approved clinician can decide whether a referral for a second opinion appointed doctor is required. I note that there is a slight contrast, as the Opposition spokesperson touched on, with 57A, but I believe that recognises the unique circumstances of ECT, and that is important. Clause 17 is important because of the way in which it—like these clauses generally—respects patient choice, embedding the central principles of choice and autonomy into this form of treatment and building on the framework set out earlier. I also note that clause 18 inserts a particular safeguard on certification that is really key to ensure that ECT therapy is administered according to strict safeguards. That is key in the context of the type of therapy that we are talking about. I commend the spirit of amendment 13 and the intention behind it, and I really welcome the positive cross-Bench engagement on this issue. It is one of the most challenging circumstances and types of therapy that a patient will experience, but I echo the Minister’s points that such provisions have been covered elsewhere, particularly the changes in some of these clauses. To make a brief point about invasive treatment generally, I note that we are talking specifically about ECT, but I would be very grateful if the Minister could set out what consideration the Government have given to additional safeguards on nasogastric tube feeding, for example, which is another type of extremely invasive treatment. While I would not seek to draw an equivalence between the two, I would be grateful if the Minister could touch upon that in his response.

• 12 Jun 2025 · Mental Health Bill [ Lords ] (Fourth sitting) · Hansard source

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  We have touched already on the stark racial disparities in the use of CTOs and the Mental Health Act more generally, so I welcome these reforms. I appreciate that we will come to this point later in the Committee, but can the Minister set out what interaction the advance choice documents will have in reducing the number of CTOs, particularly for those groups that have seen them used disproport-ionately?

• 5 Jun 2025 · Free School Meals · Hansard source

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  Today, I am thinking of the teacher from my constituency who told me that they had to keep cereal bars in their office for children who came to school hungry. That is the legacy of the Conservative party, and I am not surprised that Conservative Members have not turned up to face the music. Research shows that people living with mental health conditions are twice as likely to be living in food-insecure households. Does the Minister agree that this announcement will make a huge change to our young people’s mental health, and that that is exactly what people voted for when they voted Labour?

• 5 Jun 2025 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  I recently visited the fantastic repair café in Sawbridgeworth, which renews our everyday products and stops them going into landfill. As we mark Volunteers’ Week, will the Leader of the House join me in thanking the volunteers at that repair café and all the volunteers across Hertford and Stortford for their hard work?

• 5 Jun 2025 · EU Relations · Hansard source

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  4. What steps he is taking to improve relations with the EU.

• 5 Jun 2025 · EU Relations · Hansard source

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  After years of closed doors under the Conservative party, I warmly welcome this Labour Government’s landmark deal with the European Union and the opportunities that it will open up for our young people again. I welcome in particular the commitment to working towards a youth experience scheme and to exploring a return to the Erasmus programme. Will the Minister set out what progress the Government have made on the talks thus far, and will he reassure the young people in my constituency that we will move at pace to deliver?

• 22 May 2025 · Topical Questions · Hansard source

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  T8. As this Labour Government deliver a national youth strategy and open a network of Young Futures hubs, what assurances will the Minister give that the Department will learn from the best practice of charities such as the Thirst Youth Café and FUTUREhope in my constituency? Will she join me to meet them and find out more about how they deliver for young people in Hertford and Stortford?

• 20 May 2025 · UK-EU Summit · Hansard source

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  I thank the Prime Minister for his statement, and I warmly welcome this landmark deal with the European Union. I welcome in particular the commitment to work towards a youth experience scheme to once again allow our young people to live, work and travel freely in Europe. Does the Prime Minister agree that although this Labour Government are taking important steps to open up opportunities that will shape our young people’s future, the Conservatives are dangerously stuck in the past?

• 15 May 2025 · Youth Services · Hansard source

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  I thank my hon. Friend the Member for Croydon East (Natasha Irons) for securing the debate. Far be it from me to come to the Chamber and speak only about myself, but I want to share my personal experience. I have often said that, had it not been for the youth workers in my community, I would not be stood here as the Member of Parliament for Hertford and Stortford. I dropped out of sixth form at 17 and went straight to work in Hertford town centre. I wanted to find my path, but I was left feeling directionless, struggling to connect with the right opportunities. I cannot put into words the difference that the support of local authority youth workers—like Russell, who I have mentioned in the Chamber before—made to me, as a young person who could not see the way forward. A young person in the same position today will not have access to a similar level. Why is that? It is not because our youth workers are any less passionate or determined to support our young people. No, it is because when the cuts came under the last Government, youth services were first on the chopping block, leaving a generation of young people behind. In Hertfordshire, there has been a 50% real-terms cut to youth services spending since 2010-11. One in eight young people are not in employment, education or training. They are at the sharp end of crises in mental health and in provision for children with special educational needs and disabilities, with charities and voluntary organisations straining every sinew to fill the gaps and ensure that our young people do not miss out. That is the legacy of the Conservative party when it comes to young people, and it is a real disappointment to see Conservative Benches so empty this afternoon. In my remaining time, I would like to pay tribute to the Thirst youth café and the FUTUREhope group—charities and voluntary organisations that have provided fantastic support in our community. It was a pleasure to visit them when we were hosting consultations in my constituency on the national youth strategy. I hugely welcome the work that this Government are undertaking to support our young people, and I hope to play a role in that.

• 7 May 2025 · Educational Opportunities in Semi-rural Areas · Hansard source

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  I beg to move, That this House has considered the matter of tackling barriers to educational opportunities in semi-rural areas. It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Sir Edward, and it is a privilege to secure this debate on behalf of young people in Hertford and Stortford, along with our school leaders, teachers and support staff. It is the honour of my life to represent the community where I grew up and where I call home, Hertford and Stortford. Ahead of today’s debate, I reflected on my journey through the education system. I did not follow a traditional route into politics; I left school at 17, dropping out of sixth form to work in Hertford town centre. I felt that traditional education was not for me and wanted to follow a different path, but I was left feeling directionless, struggling to connect with the right opportunity. For too long, young people in semi-rural communities such as mine have been overlooked and the challenges that we face have been left unaddressed. Since my election, I have visited almost half of the 50 schools in my constituency. I have held two roundtable discussions with secondary headteachers here in Parliament, and I will shortly be hosting similar discussions with heads from local primary schools. There is no end to the ambition of our teachers to deliver a thriving education for our children, but I hear regularly from school leaders about the challenges they face in recruiting and retaining staff. In semi-rural communities such as Hertford and Stortford, the high cost of living makes it difficult for primary schools to attract early-career teachers. This challenge is reflected across the education sector in our community. Spiralling house prices and a lack of single-person properties or starter homes for young families offer little incentive for early-career teachers to settle in our community and teach in our schools, which presents an acute challenge for communities like ours. Our secondary schools and sixth forms are key to connecting our young people with opportunity, and it has been a privilege to visit many of them and to welcome some of their students here to Parliament.

• 7 May 2025 · Educational Opportunities in Semi-rural Areas · Hansard source

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  I thank my hon. Friend for his intervention; I completely agree that this presents an acute challenge in many semi-rural areas like ours. Spiralling house prices and a lack of single-person properties are a real challenge, and our sixth forms and secondary schools are key to connecting our young people with opportunity. I have had many conversations with school leaders about the erosion of external services under the previous Government, which decimated services previously provided by the local authority, including mental health and family support services. This has left our teachers picking up the shortfall. They are now on the frontline of providing that essential support, taking on responsibilities well beyond their job description. I know from my own experience that a traditional path through education is not always the right one, but a lack of post-16 provision in semi-rural communities can also hold young people back. I am proud that my community is home to Hertford regional college’s Ware campus, which I have had the pleasure of visiting a number of times since I was elected. However, it is the only further education college in my constituency, and I understand that Bishop’s Stortford is the largest town in the country without an FE college. Similarly, limited access to apprenticeships, work experience and industry placement opportunities holds our young people back. That is a particular challenge for T-level students, whose placements have to be subject-specific, but it also applies to subjects such as digital, science and engineering. That lack of provision leaves many young people limited in choice and struggling to connect with the right opportunity for them. I turn to three specific challenges facing semi-rural communities in Hertford and Stortford. The first is transport and connectivity. In Hertford and Stortford, the cost and frequency of public transport presents an ongoing barrier to our young people’s access to educational opportunities.

• 7 May 2025 · Educational Opportunities in Semi-rural Areas · Hansard source

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  I thank all hon. Members for their very insightful contributions this afternoon. I attempted to list everyone’s constituency, but there are too many for the time I have, which is a nice problem to have in my first Westminster Hall debate. I thank everyone for contributing. I thank the Liberal Democrat spokesperson, the hon. Member for Frome and East Somerset (Anna Sabine), and the shadow Minister, the hon. Member for Reigate (Rebecca Paul), for their contributions. And I thank the Minister for his detailed and considered response to the issues raised in the debate, which I know will be much appreciated by children, young people and families in my constituency. Every young person, regardless of where they come from, should have the opportunity to thrive and live a fulfilling life. I look forward to continuing to work with colleagues as we seek to break the link between a child’s background and their ability to succeed, and to supporting the Government as they work to break down the barriers to opportunity. On a very brief personal point, as a young person who did not take a traditional path through education and who feels these issues very deeply when I speak to young people, children, teachers and school leaders in our community, and as the son of a special educational needs co-ordinator, I appreciate the thoughtful contributions this afternoon. It is a real pleasure to have secured this debate. Question put and agreed to. Resolved, That this House has considered the matter of tackling barriers to educational opportunities in semi-rural areas.

• 7 May 2025 · Educational Opportunities in Semi-rural Areas · Hansard source

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  I agree. I often talk about public transport in terms of not just getting people to places but connecting people with opportunity. That is absolutely how it should function. Issues around connectivity diminish the number of opportunities for our young people, making it harder for them to get to school and access work experience opportunities or apprenticeships. For many students, the extra activities outside the school day, such as clubs, trips or sports matches, are out of reach because they cannot get the buses they need to make it home safely. As we all know, those are the activities we remember most from school. They gave us the chance to develop our interests, explore culture, meet other students and expand our horizons. These opportunities should not be available only to those whose families can afford to drive them or pay for taxis. Secondly, we know that young people are at the sharp end of the mental health crisis. I remember the challenges that my peers faced in accessing appropriate mental health support at school. When I speak to young people and school leaders today, they say that the situation has only got worse. Isolation is a key driver of poor mental health. In a 2021 YoungMinds survey, a staggering 95% of children and young people from semi-rural areas cited feelings of loneliness and isolation. Child and adolescent mental health services in Hertfordshire are under huge pressure, leaving many young people facing long delays when trying to access desperately needed support. Schools are under huge pressure to keep young people safe and in school, but they are not always equipped to deal with mental health challenges such as emotional-based school avoidance, anxiety or obsessive-compulsive disorder. Thirdly, compounding the situation further, children living with special educational needs and disabilities face huge challenges, which are all the more acute in Hertfordshire, where only 40% of education, health and care plans were issued by the local authority within the statutory deadline in 2023, compared with 50% across England as a whole. That is largely due to a shortage of educational psychologists and a significant increase in the number of EHCPs and assessment requests. A shortage of specialist places leaves many children and young people waiting years for school places, and many SEND children are out of education for long periods. I recognise that these issues fit into the national context on SEND, but the problems are exacerbated in semi-rural communities. For example, transport guidance currently states that primary school-aged children should travel no more than 45 minutes, and secondary school-aged children should travel no more than 75 minutes, including pick-up times. It can be a real challenge in semi-rural communities to meet those timelines, and that often puts huge demand on children living with SEND, who may find travelling distressing or have specific medical needs. It can also leave children feeling isolated. They may attend schools many miles away from where they live and be separated from their peers, and their parents may struggle to access the natural support network that comes with schools. I welcome the work that the Labour Government are undertaking to break down the barriers to opportunity for children and young people in Hertford and Stortford and across the country. That includes the roll-out of free breakfast clubs to ensure that every child starts the day well fed and ready to learn, and the additional £1 billion of funding for SEND across the country, which is a welcome first step as we seek to fix the broken system inherited from the Conservative party. We have also committed to putting specialist mental health support into our schools. I was very grateful for the Minister’s recent answer to my question on that in the House. I recognise that there are no quick fixes to the challenges that I have set out facing semi-rural communities, but they must none the less be addressed to ensure that children and young people in communities like ours can find the right path for them and thrive. I know that the Minister takes these matters incredibly seriously, and I commend the Government on the progress they have made so far. I would be grateful if he addressed a few specific points in his response. Some of the issues I have touched on, such as the cost of housing or transport, sit outside the Department’s brief, but they have an impact none the less, so will the Minister confirm that the Government are taking a cross-departmental approach to address the challenges? Will he set out in further detail what progress the Department is making on rolling out specialist mental health support in our schools? And what consideration has been given in Government to open access early support hubs in semi-rural communities, to ensure that provision is accessible outside school, too? There should be no link between where a young person comes from and how far they can go in life. I welcome the Government’s work to tackle the barriers to educational opportunity for young people, and I look forward to hearing the contributions from the Minister and all hon. Members here today.

• 1 May 2025 · Parkinson’s Awareness Month · Hansard source

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  I thank my hon. Friend the Member for Dunfermline and Dollar (Graeme Downie) for securing this important debate and for his eloquent speech. There was not a word that I would disagree with. As he described, Parkinson’s is the fastest-growing neurological condition in the world and around 153,000 people live with the condition in the UK. In April, we marked World Parkinson’s Day and Parkinson’s Awareness Month. As part of Parkinson’s UK’s event here in Parliament, I had the opportunity to hear directly from people affected. I am especially grateful to Angie, from Parkinson’s UK, for taking the time to share her experience with me, and discuss how we can improve care and support for people living with Parkinson’s disease. It is for people like Angie in Hertford and Stortford that I wanted to contribute to today’s debate. For me, as I know will be the case for other hon. Members, it is personal. Through the experiences of friends and loved ones, I have seen at first hand the impact of a Parkinson’s diagnosis. I would like to briefly share their stories today. First, the mum of one of my closest friends was diagnosed with Parkinson’s in 2018, a person whom it would be no exaggeration to describe as one of the warmest, kindest and most generous people you could meet—the kind of mum who makes you feel like part of the family and always insists you stay for dinner. She, too, has benefited hugely from the Movers and Shakers group. With the support of Parkinson’s UK, she and a group of friends—all working-age people diagnosed with Parkinson’s—set up the Herts Parkinson’s wellbeing directory. Working with the NHS and other local organisations, their work ensures that Hertfordshire residents diagnosed with Parkinson’s can quickly and easily find information and access local support to help them manage their condition. Residents can access their directory by visiting hertfordshire.parkinsonsuk.group. I thank them for their inspirational work supporting others with their diagnoses. I also want to talk about Andy. When I first met Andy, he was introduced to me as the husband of my local Labour party’s long-standing—or perhaps long-suffering—election agent, Brenda. I was about 19 at the time, standing in a local council election, in what used to be true blue Hertfordshire, that I was destined to lose. Little did I know just how important Andy and Brenda would be to me by the time I was elected to this place in July last year. In so many ways, I would not be stood here today as the Member of Parliament for Hertford and Stortford were it not for Andy and Brenda. When I was preparing for this debate, I reflected on the fact that I could not pin down when or how Andy had told me about his Parkinson’s diagnosis. That is a testament to Andy’s innate ability to turn topics that others might find difficult to discuss into everyday conversation—indeed, I learned much about myself through simple conversation while travelling from visit to visit with him during the general election—but it is also a testament to his willingness to speak openly about his Parkinson’s, breaking down the stigma for others with a diagnosis, and knowing that it does not define him and that it can make it easier for others to talk about their condition. Today, Andy Pellant is not just a mentor to me, but a friend. It is my privilege to put his name on the record in this debate. I would like to take this opportunity to pay tribute to Julie Walker, who has been writing her regular “Parkinality” column in our local newspaper, the Bishop’s Stortford Independent , for the past seven years to help people to better understand life with Parkinson’s. Diagnosed aged 44, every year Julie does something to mark Parkinson’s Awareness Month in the hope that a cure will be found and that there will be no need for another. This year, Julie has compiled all the poems she has written about living with the condition into a book, with the proceeds going to Parkinson’s UK and Cure Parkinson’s. I encourage everyone in Hertford and Stortford, and in this Chamber, to support her work. I would like to take this opportunity to highlight some of the positive work being done in our community to support those living with Parkinson’s. I was really pleased to read this week that Everyone Active is partnering with Parkinson’s UK for the fourth year running to provide residents with Parkinson’s with free fitness memberships. That means patients in our community will be able to access gym facilities, swimming pools and exercise classes at Hartham leisure centre in Hertford and Grange Paddocks leisure centre in Bishop’s Stortford, alongside up to three of their carers. I encourage any residents in Hertford and Stortford living with Parkinson’s to take advantage of that support. I welcome the work that this Labour Government are undertaking to deliver the 10-year health plan for England, which will radically reform how people in Hertford and Stortford with long-term conditions like Parkinson’s are treated on the NHS. With hundreds of thousands of patients in England still on the waiting list for neurology services, and almost half waiting for more than 18 weeks to start their treatment, I similarly welcome how the elective reform plan will help to deliver more neurology appointments every year. No one should lay awake at night worrying that their condition is getting worse while they wait to see a specialist. By providing extra appointments, scans and operations in the evening and at weekends, I know this Labour Government will clear the backlog for neurology appointments. However, we can go further, and I do have a few policy questions I would like to raise; I would be grateful if the Minister could reflect on them in her response. First, as other hon. Members have said today, a number of residents have written to me calling on the Government to implement the five steps set out in the Parky charter, which my hon. Friend the Member for Dunfermline and Dollar set out eloquently. The points around speedy specialists, instant information, a Parkinson’s passport, comprehensive care and a quest for a cure are incredibly important. I will touch on the Parkinson’s passport, because a number of constituents have written to me raising the matter of free prescriptions, to which people with Parkinson’s are entitled in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, but not in England. Supported by major Parkinson’s charities, delivery of the charter would help to deliver timely diagnoses, comprehensive care and dignity for all those living with Parkinson’s disease. I know the Minister takes these matters incredibly seriously and will have read the charter in detail, so I would be grateful if she could share what consideration she has given to it in her response. When I spoke to Andy ahead of today’s debate, he highlighted how almost everyone he has met with a Parkinson’s diagnosis recognised that with the benefit of hindsight, the signs of their condition were present years before they were diagnosed. Has the Minister therefore considered the potential benefits of a national education programme to help people to identify the early signs of Parkinson’s disease? I know that hon. Members across the House will have their own experiences or will have known someone with Parkinson’s disease. We have heard many moving speeches today, and I am sure we will hear more. The unity shown across the House today in support of those living with Parkinson’s and in support of finding a cure is to be commended, and I am grateful for the opportunity to have contributed to the debate.

• 1 May 2025 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  Next week, residents will be turning out at events across Hertford and Stortford to mark the 80th anniversary of VE Day, and I am looking forward to joining them. As we approach VE day, will the Leader of the House join me in remembering the service and sacrifice of those from Hertford and Stortford and across the United Kingdom who gave so much for our freedom? Will she encourage as many of our residents as possible to support VE day events in our communities?

• 29 Apr 2025 · Irish Republican Alleged Incitement · Hansard source

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  The comments made by this group are chilling and disgusting, and they risk dragging our politics and our country to a very dangerous place. I echo the comments of my hon. Friend the Member for North Durham (Luke Akehurst). When I go to schools in my constituency, the message I take to young people is: “You have a place in politics. You can represent your community. You can make a change.” Does my hon. Friend agree that incitement to violence, and violence against MPs, have a chilling effect, particularly on people from under-represented groups in our country? They push those people not to get involved in politics, which is deeply wrong.