NEWS
£20M RADCLIFFE INVESTMENT
I am delighted that our hard work has paid off and Radcliffe town centre has been awarded 20 million pounds from the Leveling Up Fund. There will be a new Radcliffe Hub with library and swimming pool together with regeneration of the Market Hall. All these things will create new facilities for local businesses and public services. The project is a key part of wider improvements to the town centre, which will include affordable housing and better leisure, skills and employment opportunities.
NEW HIGH SCHOOL
At long last the government has approved our bid for a new high school in Radcliffe. The proposal for the new facility was submitted by Star Academies and backed by Bury council. The town has been without a high school since Radcliffe Riverside closed in 2014, meaning hundreds of local students have been forced to travel to attend schools in other areas. The former Radcliffe Riverside site is a possible location for the new school, which will accommodate 750 pupils and open by 2024.
74TH ANNIVERSARY
We had a wonderful time celebrating Israel's 74th Independence Day. It was an honour to be invited to join the celebrations on 4th May, immediately after the Memorial Day for fallen soldiers and victims of terrorism. I also attended the raising of the Israel flag at Bury Town Hall to mark the event. A few days earlier it was a very different mood as I visited Poland to learn more about the Holocaust in which 6 million Jewish people were murdered. We must never forget that evil and fight injustice wherever it appears.
FIGHT DWP CLOSURES
Proud to stand with PCS Union members affected by the the governments decision to close DWP offices across the country. This will almost certainly lead to job losses and service cuts. Please contact me if you share my concern at this worrying situation. The staff and customers effected have my full support. We need to stop these closures now, before it is too late.
ENDOMETRIOSIS
Pleased to have attended the Endo Support United conference to hear from experts and sufferers of Endometriosis (en-doe-me-tree-O-sis). The condition is very common and effects many women. It is often painful and causes tissue similar to that which lines the inside of the uterus (the endometrium) to grow outside the uterus. Endometriosis most commonly involves the ovaries, fallopian tubes and the tissue lining the female pelvis. We need more support and research for the condition to improve treatment.
SUPPORTING CIDER INDUSTRY
It was great to pledge my support for the cider industry by calling on HM Treasury to keep its word and make sure that cider duty changes are fair and support cider makers, farmers and pubs in Bury South. The industry employs hundreds of local people and we can be proud of the regions award winning success in producing some of the worlds finest cider.
KING DAVID SCHOOL VISIT
I was pleased to welcome students from King David School to Parliament for an education tour. After our tour we had a lively Q&A discussion on how MPs represent the electorate, make laws and oversee government. The students asked some very interesting questions about Ukraine, climate change and what it's like to be an MP. We all had a great time and the children where a credit to their parents and school.
UKRAINE SOLIDARITY
As Russian aggression continues, I signed the Parliamentary Book of Solidarity for Ukraine to show our support for the people of Ukraine. The Book of Solidarity will be sent to Ruslan Stefanchuk, Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada in the Ukraine. We must all do what we can to help the victims of this unnecessary and unjust war. Russian aggression must not be allowed to succeed.
VALPROATE/ANTI-EPILEPTIC MEDS
I was pleased to be reappointed as Vice-Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Valproate and Other Anti Epileptic Drugs (AEDs) in Pregnancy. For years, the healthcare system has failed to inform patients about the effects of valproate on unborn babies during pregnancy. These include physical malformations, autism and developmental delay. Women and children have been let down by the pharmaceutical industry and Governments. I hope one day compensation will be paid for these past failures.
BEER TAX
I met with the Society of Independent Brewers to discuss the impact of alcohol duty changes on small breweries. Many constituents have written to me about how these changes could hurt the competitiveness of small breweries in Bury, including Brightside Brewing Company and Tinhead Brewery. Alongside my work on alcohol harm, it’s important the new alcohol system does not make it more difficult for small breweries to compete against the large companies that dominate the market.
CHILDREN'S MENTAL HEALTH
It was fantastic to attend the
Children's Mental Health Week Parliamentary Reception. The charity Place 2 Be Suffering offers children’s mental health services to two schools in Bury South (Philips High School and
Parrenthorn High School). The government plans to roll out NHS funded counsellors in schools in around 25% of areas by 2023. This roll out ‘postcode lottery’ of new services means that our children will receive new resources depending on where they live. I call on the government to improve the situation and avoid some children going unhelped.
