Contributions
94 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARD Child Contact ArrangementsI thank my hon. Friend for bringing this debate to the House and for mentioning the so-called experts. We know that accusations of so-called parental alienation are too often used…10 Jun 2026HANSARD Children: Development of Essential SkillsIt is a pleasure to serve under your chairship, Dr Allin-Khan. I thank my hon. Friend the Member for Bracknell (Peter Swallow) for securing this debate. I feel it is my duty as…02 Jun 2026HANSARDTopical QuestionsT3. Short waiting lists for cataract surgery are a success story, thanks in part to the partnership between the NHS and providers such as SpaMedica, headquartered in my…14 Apr 2026HANSARDVictims and Courts BillIt is a pleasure to speak in today’s debate. I first spoke on this Bill on Second Reading, when I said that victims in Bolton had waited far too long for a system that truly works…25 Mar 2026HANSARDTopical QuestionsI am currently supporting a constituent who, after leaving her abuser, was locked out of her home, left with thousands of pounds of arrears that had been run up in her name, and…23 Mar 2026HANSARDTopical QuestionsAlthough I am proud of the steps that our Government have taken to advance online safety, we are merely playing catch-up. What more are the Government doing to ensure that we keep…18 Mar 2026HANSARDTopical QuestionsT1. If she will make a statement on her departmental responsibilities.18 Mar 2026HANSARD Child Maintenance ServiceAbsolutely. My hon. Friend raises yet another issue with the CMS and highlights just how badly the system is set up. Mothers struggle on alone, absorbing financial pressure…17 Mar 2026HANSARD Child Maintenance ServiceI beg to move, That this House has considered the effectiveness of the Child Maintenance Service. It is a pleasure to serve under your chairship, Mr Stringer. I declare an…17 Mar 2026HANSARD Child Maintenance ServiceThat is exactly why this debate matters. I will come on to some of the points my hon. Friend raised. When a public service not only allows, but actively facilitates, the…17 Mar 2026HANSARD Child Maintenance ServiceAbsolutely. Even more troubling is that 45% of the parents in that research said that the CMS’s involvement had actually led to an increase in abusive behaviour. Those figures…17 Mar 2026HANSARD Child Maintenance ServiceAbsolutely. The system is fundamentally broken. Children must be at the heart of any decision made about them. It is important to recognise that many parents, particularly single…17 Mar 2026HANSARD Child Maintenance ServiceThe hon. Member is absolutely right. I will come on to that issue shortly. Surely we must ask whether this is really the standard we are willing to accept. Another fundamental…17 Mar 2026HANSARD Child Maintenance ServiceMy hon. Friend raises a particularly important point. I will come on to the collect and pay service and how that is also broken. The result of how the CMS deals with shared care…17 Mar 2026HANSARD Child Maintenance ServiceAs I mentioned earlier, there is a big issue with how the CMS communicates with both parents.17 Mar 2026HANSARD Child Maintenance ServiceI completely agree. These issues are not theoretical; I see them repeatedly in cases raised by my own constituents in Bolton. One constituent, who I will call Emily, left an…17 Mar 2026HANSARD Child Maintenance ServiceThat is such a powerful point, and I am really sorry on behalf of my hon. Friend’s constituent. Sadly, that is not an isolated case. Some say that they are asked to pay far more…17 Mar 2026HANSARD Child Maintenance ServiceAbsolutely; it is just another vehicle being used by perpetrators to continue that post-separation abuse. At its heart, this debate is about the lives of children growing up in…17 Mar 2026HANSARDCourts and Tribunals BillI recently met judges in Bolton who spoke about issues with prisoner transportation that are also causing serious delays. Does my hon. Friend agree that we should also look at…10 Mar 2026HANSARDCourts and Tribunals BillWill the hon. Lady give way?10 Mar 2026