This week in Parliament

A good final week in Westminster before the Easter recess, here’s a snapshot of what I’ve been up to:

𝗠𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗳𝗶𝘁 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗱𝗶𝘁 𝘂𝗻𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀

The government’s commitment to credit unions and fair access to finance will help millions across our country, I am really pleased to see this. This commitment is only possible thanks to such a strong co-op party presence in this government, Labour’s sister party which I am proud to Chair.

𝗜𝗻 𝗜𝗿𝗲𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗕𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝘀𝗵-𝗜𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗵 𝗣𝗮𝗿𝗹𝗶𝗮𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝗔𝘀𝘀𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗹𝘆

Backbench MPs contribute to representing the UK Parliament on a range of bodies, and I’m pleased to have been nominated to sit on the British-Irish Parliamentary Assembly. This meant the week began on Sunday in County Kerry, Ireland for the 68th plenary meeting in Tralee . It was good to discuss a range of issues which affect both our nations and we can learn from each other on such as Votes at 16, growth of the co-operative sector, and the war in the Middle East.

𝗣𝘂𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗯𝗶𝗿𝘁𝗵 𝗿𝗲𝗴𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻

Following a meeting at one of my regular advice surgeries I am supporting the calls of constituents Cassie & Ryan Claydon for parents of stillborn babies to be able register remotely, as they can already in Scotland. it was encouraging to hear in response to my question to the Leader of the House about this that the General Register Office is considering options for registering births and deaths over the telephone or online to minimise the burden on bereaved families.

𝗩𝗶𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗺𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗖𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘁𝘀 𝗕𝗶𝗹𝗹

Members voted on Lords amendments to our Victims & Courts Bill as it reaches its final stages of the legislative process in Parliament before becoming law. The changes in this bill will put victims at the heart of the justice system by forcing criminals to attend sentencing hearings, as well as protecting survivors of rape & abuse through restricting parental rights for child sex offenders and strengthening the Victims’ Commissioner’s power to hold agencies accountable.

𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗕𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗻 𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗼 𝗰𝗼-𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗵𝗼𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴

Great to join my friend Angela Rayner as the Co-op party launched our latest report ‘Yes In Our Backyard, which celebrates the role of community-led housing in delivering not just houses but real homes. From one end of the country to the other, communities are building their own answers to the housing crisis.

𝐌𝐢𝐥𝐞𝐬 𝐛𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫!

This week I also received news that our campaign to update the HMRC mileage rates had been heard by the Treasury, who have now committed to reviewing the 15 year old 45p rate to bring it up to date. With the work of Unison and RAC Foundation it’s a win to chalk up and I’m hopeful we’ll get a good result.

We are now in Easter recess. I’d like to wish all Christian constituents a wonderful Easter.