I am deeply saddened by the announcement of the passing of Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II. My constituency has a special royal connection, containing the Royal Burgh of Rutherglen, one of Scotland’s oldest royal burghs. Her Majesty was, throughout her seventy-years as monarch, entirely dedicated to public service. Her sense of duty and the strength … Read more
The House returned after a short recess on Monday, kicking off with DWP Oral Questions. I had the opportunity to highlight the approximate 4,300 households in my constituency affected by automatic deductions from their Universal Credit awards, and the impact that has on children. You can read a transcript of my question, and the Minister’s … Read more
Monday started with Oral Questions to the Department for Education, where I asked whether the Government were supporting the initiative set up by universities across the UK and universities in Ukraine, to both provide courses virtually but also ensure that the physical university buildings are still there once the war is over. You can read … Read more
Monday kicked off with Oral Questions to the Department for Housing, Levelling Up and Communities, where I asked the Secretary of State what discussions he had had with the Culture Secretary about improving broadband connectivity across the UK, a key component of the Levelling Up Agenda. You can read a transcript of my question in … Read more
This week saw the House return from prorogation on Tuesday, with the State Opening of Parliament and the Queen’s Speech, which was delivered by the Prince of Wales this year. The Queen’s Speech set out the UK Government’s legislative priorities for the new term, and saw the formal announcement of the Bill of Rights, the … Read more
On Monday the Secretary of State for Defence delivered a statement to the House, updating on the situation in Ukraine. I took the opportunity to ask him about the International Atomic Agency’s mission to Chernobyl, prompted by concerns that gunfire at the site could trigger a major radiation leak. You can read a transcript of … Read more