Monday began with Oral Questions to the Ministry of Defence. I raised concerns with the Secretary of State about the potential for a conflict over the sovereignty of Taiwan and the global consequences this would have. You can read a transcript of my question here in Hansard or watch it here on ParliamentTv.
Tuesday started with Oral Questions to the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office. I asked the Minister about the ongoing human rights situation in Tunisia and the actions of President Kais. You can read a transcript of my question here in Hansard or watch it here on ParliamentTv.
Later that day, I participated in a Westminster Hall debate on Single Parent Families. I made two interventions here. Firstly, to raise how scrapping the two-child limit on child benefit could help to reduce poverty in single parent households. Then to highlight the importance of considering the mental health and wellbeing of single parents who may face unique challenges with working. You can read transcripts of my contributions here and here in Hansard or watch them here and here on ParliamentTv.
On Wednesday, I participated in the Committee Stage of the Pensions (Extension of Automatic Enrolment) (No2) Bill. Here I made a brief speech to give my support to this legislation and my hopes that it can help to encourage pension uptake in currently hard to reach groups of people. You can read a transcript of my contribution here in Hansard or listen to the audio here on ParliamentTv.
Thursday was a particularly busy day, starting off with Oral Questions to the Cabinet Office. I asked if the uncapping of consultancy spending for Government departments during a cost-of-living crisis was the correct move and if the money would be better invested in developing talent within the civil service. You can read a transcript of my intervention here in Hansard or watch it here on ParliamentTv.
Then during topicals I asked the Minister what provisions were being made to reduce loneliness in the female spouses of serving personnel aged 30-49 years. You can read a transcript of my question here in Hansard or watch it here on ParliamentTv.
During Business Questions, I raised the issue of the need for sanitary bins in men’s toilets so that those suffering with the side effects of prostate cancer have a hygienic way to dispose of used products. You can read a transcript of my question here in Hansard or watch it here on ParliamentTv.
This was followed by an Urgent Question on Saudi Arabia’s Execution of Hussain Abo al-Kheir. I raised concerns that the Saudi regime was using the death penalty to silence dissenters and protesters and asked the Minister what steps were being taken to prevent the spread of misinformation. You can read a transcript of my question here in Hansard or watch it here on ParliamentTv.
Later that afternoon, I participated in a Westminster Hall debate on Relations with China and the Xi Jinping Presidency. Here I made a number of contributions, firstly to raise concerns about the efforts to control the Uyghur Muslim population through forced marriages, abortions and cultural and religious repression. Then, to share my concerns regarding the impact of Hong Kong’s national security laws on the right to peacefully protest. I made a third intervention to bring up the importance of the UK using it’s influence within the international community to help protect Taiwan’s independence. And finally, to again express concerns about Hong Kong’s national security laws and ask that Ministers seek clarity of the realities of living under such laws. You can also watch the full debate here on ParliamentTv.
This week the House sat on a Friday for the reading of several Private Member’s Bills. I participated in the Report Stage of the Hunting Trophies (Import Prohibition) Bill, where I gave a speech in support of the bill. You can read a transcript of my contribution here in Hansard, or watch it here on ParliamentTv.
Shortly afterwards, I made a speech in support of the Child Support (Enforcement) Bill during its remaining stages, highlighting the difficulties which my constituents have had with collecting owed child maintenance funds from absent parents. You can read a transcript of my contribution here in Hansard or watch it here on ParliamentTv.