Speeches by Twist.

“I am glad to have my hon. Friend’s support in this campaign. As a police officer in Durham constabulary, Maya’s auntie Gemma is well acquainted with these laws and their pitfalls. That is why she and the family are campaigning for Maya’s law, a child risk disclosure scheme modelled on the existing frameworks of Sarah’s…”

“Some cases are now being listed for 2029, which is completely unacceptable. How is the Secretary of State undoing the harm inflicted by the Conservative party not only on the justice system but to trust that justice will be found?”

“7. What steps his Department is taking to reduce the Crown court backlog.”

“I thank the shadow Minister for his comments. There is no question but that we all want to work together to achieve the best outcome. May I remind him, however, that the £10 million voluntary services grant was a one-off grant and that the last Government failed to renew the funding—the £57.1 million that was mentioned…”

“I start by thanking my hon. Friend the Member for Doncaster East and the Isle of Axholme (Lee Pitcher) for securing this important debate just one day after World Suicide Prevention Day, and for speaking so movingly about his personal experience. It does not take much scratching below the surface to find out that many …”

“School holidays are great, but they can be a really tough time for some families. Programmes such as the holiday activities and food programme help to bridge the gap by providing not only meals, but opportunities to build social skills and confidence with age-appropriate activities and a side serving of fun. This year …”

“Today is World Suicide Prevention Day. It can be scary to talk about suicide, but we need to. So many of our constituents will know or love someone who has taken their own life, or they may have suicidal thoughts themselves. But suicide is not inevitable; it is preventable, and everyone has a role to play in saving liv…”

“15. What progress she has made on establishing the better futures fund.”

“Our North East Mayor, Kim McGuinness, is taking child poverty seriously, with the recent announcement of £28.6 million for the north-east child poverty action plan, including funding for a local pilot to expand specialist youth provision and support to open up pathways to future employment opportunities. How will the C…”

“21. What steps he is taking to improve the welfare of armed forces personnel.”

“One of Labour’s key manifesto commitments was to give our armed forces greater representation through the creation of an Armed Forces Commissioner—a promise that we have made good on with the passing of the Armed Forces Commissioner Act 2025 last week. How does the Minister expect that to improve the lives of our servi…”

“Next Wednesday is World Suicide Prevention Day. People can be nervous of talking about suicide, but it affects so many people in our communities. This year, Samaritans is sharing this message: “If you think someone might be suicidal, take action, interrupt their thoughts and show them you care.” There are events taking…”

“It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Mr Stringer. I commend my hon. Friend the Member for Bishop Auckland (Sam Rushworth) for securing this important debate. I know that the subject matters a great deal to constituents who have contacted me about defibrillators over the years. I recently met a young woman…”

“It is a pleasure to serve under your chairship, Sir Desmond. I thank my hon. Friend the Member for Isle of Wight West (Mr Quigley) for organising this important debate. I come to this debate through my work with the all-party parliamentary group on suicide and self-harm prevention. There is a clear link with eating dis…”

“I recognise that it is a privilege to speak high up the list in this important Sir David Amess debate. Just over a year ago, we welcomed not only a new Labour Government but the creation of the new Blaydon and Consett constituency. It is fair to say that there was some bemusement locally about our new boundaries. The n…”

“4. What steps she is taking to improve mental health support in schools.”

“I thank the Minister for his reply and for last week’s publication of the new relationships, sex and health education—RSHE—curriculum guidance. I was pleased to see that secondary schools are now being asked to talk about suicide prevention in an age-appropriate way. Andy, Mike and Tim, the 3 Dads Walking, have campaig…”

“12. What steps he is taking to support high street businesses.”

“I thank my hon. Friend and her Committee for highlighting the challenges we face in scrutinising powerful technology companies. As she knows, I am particularly concerned about suicide and self-harm-related content. In 2022, more than three quarters of the individuals surveyed by Samaritans said that they first saw self…”

“This morning, we heard the incredible news that a novel in vitro fertilisation procedure, developed at Newcastle University, has resulted in eight babies being born free from mitochondrial disease. That is life-changing for families affected by this devastating and previously incurable condition. My hon. Friend the Mem…”