It has been a great honour to serve as the Forest of Dean’s Member of Parliament for the last 19 years. Although I am disappointed to have missed out by just 279 votes at this General Election, it has been a respectful campaign and I would…
I am pleased to see that the new Forest of Dean Community Hospital in Cinderford has now fully opened this week. It has modern facilities which means more services can now be provided in the Forest rather than only after a journey to…
Last week, the Prime Minister hosted the second UK Farm to Fork Summit, showing our continued commitment to the farming and food sectors which bring over £120 billion to the economy every year. We are the first Government to host a summit…
Yesterday I had a lovely opportunity to visit the Severnbank housing development at Newnham with the builders of the site, MF Freeman. MF Freeman is a local family run business that has been providing good quality housing since 1966.
On Tuesday, the Prime Minister hosted the second UK Farm to Fork Summit, showing our continued commitment to the farming and food sectors. We are the first government to host a summit of this kind, which brings together farmers, food…
As a Government, we want a welfare system which supports everyone to fulfil their potential and to live dignified, prosperous, and independent lives. Over the last 14 years, we’ve made significant steps to reform the broken system we…
Mass migration is unsustainable and unfair on the British people, which is why earlier in the year the Government introduced the toughest-ever reforms to our migration system that will cut the number of people coming to the UK by 300,000…
Every day, Britain’s armed forces are on active service around the world. They put themselves in harm’s way to defend our values and interests and keep our people safe.
I am pleased to hear that following a competitive procurement process, the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology has recently signed a £23 million contract with the broadband supplier FullFibre to deliver gigabit-capable…
I have been contacted by a number of constituents about the safety of Broadwell Crossroads, following two road traffic collisions (RTC) in the last few weeks.
Every day, Britain’s armed forces are on active service around the world. They put themselves in harm’s way to defend our values and interests and keep our people safe.
As many will be aware, last Tuesday the Tobacco and Vapes Bill received its second reading in Parliament and was voted on by MPs. The Bill will make it an offence to sell tobacco products to anyone born on or after 1 January 2009, aiming…
Last week was National Coach Week. Promoted by the Road Haulage Association, this week long celebration focuses on the fantastic work of our coach industry. They have an important role in getting children to school or college and play a…
As many of my constituents will be aware, the election for Gloucestershire’s Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) will be taking place on the 2nd May. Gloucestershire’s current Conservative PCC, Chris Nelson, is seeking a second term in the…
While regularly using our local roads over the last few months, it has been clear to see that there has been a big increase in the number of potholes. I experience them myself, just like my constituents, and while out canvassing most…
Thanks to the long-term decisions taken by the Conservative Government, this April has seen an exciting package of tax cuts, pay increases and cost of living support that will benefit people across the Forest of Dean. I wanted to update my…
On the 22nd of March, I announced in my role as Secretary of State for Transport that Gloucestershire County Council will be receiving £5,900,000 to introduce 58 brand-new zero-emission buses across the County. This means that more than 20…
As some of my constituents will be aware a housing developer named Glynchbrook has recently put forward a proposal to create a new “village”, arguably large enough to be a small town, also called Glynchbrook, comprising up to 3,000 homes…
Last week Vaughan Gething was confirmed as the new First Minister of Wales after a vote in the Welsh Parliament, succeeding Mark Drakeford. Whilst I congratulate Mr Gething on this achievement and wish him well as he takes on the task of…
Coordinated by VisitEngland and taking place from Friday 15 – Sunday 24 March, English Tourism Week is an annual celebration of the tourism industry, highlighting its importance to local economies and promoting the innovation, quality and…
As the Forest’s MP one of the most consistent issues that constituents have raised with me over the last few years is the quality of their internet connection and the work the Government is doing to improve rural connectivity. I know this…
Last week I had the pleasure of attending the Home Builders Federation’s (HBF) ‘Skills Showcase’ hosted in Parliament. The event highlighted the ongoing efforts of the HBF and local companies such as MF Freeman to develop the workforce…
Since the beginning of 2023, the Government has been working on five priorities, three of which are economic. To halve inflation, grow the economy and reduce debt.
As many will know the Forest of Dean constituency contains the council ward of Highnam with Haw Bridge, which falls within the Tewkesbury Borough Council area.
The last few years have not been easy for the British economy. We have faced the legacy of Covid, war in Ukraine and the Middle East. These challenges have made life tough for people in Britain.