Speeches by Craft.

“I beg to move, That this House has considered the statutory framework for home-to-school transport for children with SEND. It is a great pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Sir Mark. I am delighted to have secured this debate on 3 December, which is the International Day of Persons with Disabilities. I am please…”

“I thank Members from across the House for their contributions this afternoon, particularly those from rural areas who highlighted the additional complexities of home-to-school travel there. I thank the Minister for her considered response. I recognise that the challenges to the SEND system are immense and will take a l…”

“I would just like to make a little more progress. When I think about my child’s journey through education, I do not see it in stages. The journey for my daughter and for every disabled child is a lifelong one. We need a statutory framework that reflects that and that provides stability, security and reassurance for dis…”

“I will make some headway. The requirement for free transport returns for 19 to 25-year-olds with complex needs and an education, health and care plan, to support those who need longer in education or training to achieve their outcomes. The guidance itself says: “It is critical that, from year 9 at the latest, local aut…”

“Thurrock Lifestyle Solutions in my constituency is an excellent example of good practice in helping disabled people enter and stay in the workplace. It is particularly successful because it embodies the maxim, “Nothing about us without us”, as it is run by, led by and designed by disabled people themselves. Will the Se…”

“The Dartford crossing linking Essex and Kent is a key piece of transport infrastructure in my constituency. However, since moving to a new charging system last year, there have been serious failings in the administration of the Dart charge. Problems include credit not being carried over from the old system. Cars have i…”

“10. What steps she is taking to improve transport infrastructure.”

“Specifically, you touched on more serious implications for children and young people not being seen in a timely manner. You mentioned childhood being precious, and it being eaten away by being on a waiting list, which is unacceptable. I wondered whether you would like to expand further. Is there perhaps a strong argume…”

“Briefly, another thing that emerged from the report seemed to be a recurring theme: the lack of responsiveness to the patient voice in terms of quality of care. That is where there have been fairly serious issues with maternity services, learning disability care for adults and, again, mental health care. Do you see tha…”

“What are the blocks to that happening on a wider basis?”

“You mentioned that community pharmacy has a key role to play in reducing the burden on primary care services. How do you see that going forwards, and what further, more clinical, role could community pharmacies potentially play?”

“Is there an appetite in the pharmacy sector to do more work on preventing ill health?”

“I would like to move on to a slightly different area, but again it is about where you see the sweet spot between more investment in prevention work and dealing with what is quite a significant backlog of acute treatment, and it is in the area of mental healthcare access. You highlight that it is particularly acute for …”

“This week I attended the funeral of Margaret Jones, who, among her many other achievements, became the first mayor of Thurrock in 1974. I am sure that colleagues across the House will join me in expressing gratitude for more than half a century of dedicated public service. When I asked those closest to Margaret how she…”

“This Budget will make a real difference to the lives of my constituents. It is designed to fix the foundations of our economy, to turn the page on the failed policies of the previous Government, and to deliver the change that people across the country and in my constituency voted for. As hon. Members on both sides of t…”

“Many early years providers struggle to meet the needs of children with SEND. Lack of funds, lack of training and lack of specialist staff often mean that those that do provide a good or excellent service quickly become over-subscribed. What steps is the Department taking to reassure parents and carers of children with …”

“7. What steps she is taking to make childcare more accessible.”

“I congratulate my hon. Friend on securing this important debate. I will keep my intervention brief; suffice it to say that my constituents perhaps do not support the lower Thames crossing quite so wholeheartedly as he does. Does he agree that the crossing will mitigate the problems he has set out for only five to 10 ye…”

“I thank my hon. Friend for being so generous in giving way a second time. I want to clarify the claim that the lower Thames crossing is a piece of green infrastructure. Does he agree that the more roads we build, the more people will use them? That will lower our air quality, particularly in Thurrock and the surroundin…”

“Q8. Two years ago, Thurrock Council was led into effective bankruptcy by the then Conservative Administration, in no small part due to an investment of hundreds of millions of pounds in a solar farm scheme run by a conman. Given the Prime Minister’s commitment to integrity in public life, will he support my call, and t…”