National Campaigns

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Every day, I receive dozens of campaign emails from constituents concerned about a huge variety of national issues. Whilst most individual constituency enquiries will be answered by email or letter, due to the vast increase in the volume of campaign emails now being generated, I can no longer guarantee replying to these individually and will therefore be posting my responses on this section of my website. You may also be able to find the information you are looking for on the website of the relevant Government department.

Early Day Motions (EDMs)

Early Day Motions (EDMs) are something that I regularly get asked to sign.  EDMs are used to put on record the views of individual MPs or to draw attention to specific events or campaigns.  I do not sign any EDMs at all, however much I may sympathise with the cause they are highlighting. The administration around EDMs is costly to the taxpayer and they rarely have any influence on the legislative process. 

 

Children and smartphones

A large body of research has linked the amount of ‘screen time’ such as watching television, playing computer games, and using smartphone apps with negative outcomes for children of all ages.

Global Plastics Treaty

The UK is a founding member of the High Ambition Coalition to End Plastic Pollution, a group of over 60 countries calling for an ambitious and effective treaty.

Calls for a Palestinian visa scheme

I understand that there are currently no plans to introduce a bespoke Palestinian visa scheme, or a bespoke family reunion scheme, for people arriving from the region who do not hold permission to come to the UK. However, immediate family members of British citizens, and those settle

Import of Fur

My ministerial colleagues and I are committed to upholding our high standards in animal welfare.

Abortion

The approach to abortion in Great Britain is set out in the Abortion Act 1967, which states that two doctors must certify that, in their opinion, a request for an abortion meets at least one and the same ground laid out in the Act.

Food Waste

Each year 4.5 million tonnes of edible food is wasted in UK households, enough to fill 3,600 Olympic-sized swimming pools.

WASPI campaign

Thank you for contacting me about changes to the State Pension age (SPa). When the contributory State Pension was introduced in the 1940s, it had a differential SPa – 65 for men and 60 for women.

Catapults

Thank you for contacting me about catapults. I am aware that under the provisions in the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, the Wild Mammals (Protection) Act 1996 and the Animal Welfare Act 2006, there are a range of offences around injuring and inflicting unnecessary suffering on wildlife.

Gaza

Thank you for contacting me about the situation in Gaza.