This morning I joined officers from the Colchester Community Policing Team for a patrol in the city centre. Essex Police work every day to prevent and tackle serious violence, drug and knife crime in our communities to help keep us safe.…
This week's debate in Parliament on War Graves gave me the opportunity to reflect on one of the constituency cases that I am most proud of during my time as a Member of Parliament. Politics is about making a difference and working with…
Yesterday in Parliament I asked my successor at DHSC, Andrew Stephenson MP to confirm that in relation to the WHO pandemic accord, the UK will not sign up to any treaty or instrument that would compromise our ability to make domestic…
Yesterday evening I met with Hugh Adams and Karen Noble from Brain Tumour Research alongside my parliamentary colleague George Freeman MP to brainstorm how we can be innovative and do things differently to turn the dial on brain tumour…
It was a pleasure to pop into the city centre this lunchtime to join RAMA (Refugee, Asylum seeker & Migrant Action) for the presentation of the King's Award for Voluntary Service. This prestigious award, often referred to as an 'MBE' for…
Last week I attend the launch of the RNID’s ‘It does matter’ campaign in the Houses of Parliament. RNID’s research of 8,151 people found that more than a quarter (27%) of deaf people and people with hearing loss are ignored by most people…
It was a pleasure to meet with representatives from Essex & Herts Air Ambulance (EHAAT) to thank them for the amazing live saving work the charity does locally and to discuss improvements needed to helicopter landing pad provision at…
It was a pleasure to join Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) Minister Jo Churchill MP visiting Colchester Jobcentre Plus to meet the team and thank them for the hugely valuable work they do supporting people into work and progressing…
I'm passionate about ensuring the UK's Life Sciences Sector flourishes. Today I asked Minister of State for Health (and my successor) for a progress update on commercial clinical trial recruitment. I was delighted to hear that monthly…
I took part in the House of Commons debate on hospices and hospices funding. This gave me the opportunity to raise a number of issues but importantly to also praise the work of both St Helena Hospice and EACH.
This afternoon, in the House of Commons, I asked a question at DLUCH Questions about homelessness and rough sleeping. I am concerned about proposals as set out in the Criminal Justice Bill that in my view risk criminalising rough sleepers.…
It was a pleasure to meet with Alison Andreas at Colchester Institute today for a catch-up and to discuss some of the challenges and opportunities ahead.
It was good to catch up with the Secretary of State for Health, Victoria Atkins MP this week to talk about a number of health issues including my recent debate on Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR).
I was pleased to have been able to secure a debate in Westminster Hall today on AMR (anti-microbial resistance). An issue, which during my time as Minister of State for Health and Social Care, I found extremely concerning and one which I…
It was a pleasure to host Cancer52 in Parliament today for the launch of their pre-election manifesto: The Other Half. The link to which you can find below.
Yesterday I visited the NHS-Galleri trial mobile clinic in Colchester. Over 18,500 volunteers from the East of England area have been enrolled and are now returning for their final appointments. I would like to thank all the trial…
Last week I attended Marie Curie’s Great Daffodil Appeal event in Parliament, I met with Marie Curie ambassador Chris Kamara and Marie Curie Healthcare Assistant Cherry to celebrate the UK’s leading end of life charity’s 38th Great…
In #BrainTumourAwarenessMonth I am supporting Brain Tumour Research and their manifesto call to do things differently, improve options for #braintumour patients and get us closer to a #braintumourcure
At Treasury questions today, I took the opportunity to again raise the proposed changes to wine duty which will add huge cost and complexity to wine businesses. The easement due to end on 1st February should be made permanent, I asked the…
This morning I visited the new Community Supermarket in Greenstead which opened on 1st March offering affordable food and household essentials to local residents. The new supermarket is open Thursday to Saturday from 09.30am until 12.30pm.…
Today I asked my first Prime Minister's Question since re-joining the backbenches on the importance of passing legislation as quickly as possible to deliver justice to sub-postmasters across the UK.
Today the Chancellor made his Spring Budget Statement in the House of Commons and I was really pleased that he confirmed that the Household Support Fund, which was due to end this month will continue at its current level for another 6…
Yesterday I secured a debate in Westminster Hall on wine excise duty after Majestic (who have a large branch in Colchester) contacted me raising their concerns.