This week started strong, with the Prime Minister attending the House to provide an update on the situation in Ukraine, where Russian troops are gathered on the border, and there are concerns of invasion. I was grateful for the opportunity to put a question to the PM, and I asked him what support the UK would provide to innocent Ukrainian civilians. You can read a transcript of my question in Hansard, or watch it on ParliamentTV.
Just before that I had attended a Westminster Hall debate on the Cost of Living, a deepening crisis that is being felt across the UK, and within my constituency. In my speech I spoke to the record level of inflation we have seen in thirty years, and the associated impact on low-income families. I talked about the rising numbers of workers facing poverty and urged the Government to act quickly to support families before the crisis worsens. You can read a transcript of my speech in Hansard, or watch it on ParliamentTV.
On Thursday at Environment questions, I asked the Minister about the UK Government’s policy on fly-tipping, a blight on the nation that must be treated with due seriousness. You can read a transcript of my question in Hansard, or watch it on ParliamentTV.
At Business questions, I congratulated Dickson Chemist in Rutherglen, for becoming the first Scottish pharmacy to offer hyperbaric chamber services. While the cost remains quite high for now, there are numerous health benefits, and I asked the Leader for a debate on how provision of this equipment can be improved across the UK. You can read a transcript of my question in Hansard, or watch it on ParliamentTV.
Finally, we ended the week on a rather more sombre note. 27th January marked Holocaust Memorial Day 2022, and I joined a number of colleagues in the Chamber to pay my respects and to speak to the importance of learning from history. In keeping with this year’s theme of ‘One Day’ I spoke to the Albanian code of honour, Besa, and a story of an Albanian shopkeeper who saved the life of a young Jewish man. You can read a transcript of my speech in Hansard, or watch it on ParliamentTV.
