Speeches by Duffield.

“Our APPG on birth trauma report in 2024 was the first in Parliament on that subject. We heard from more than 1,300 women and families. The report was titled, “Listen to Mums”. I am glad that an independent maternity commissioner will finally be implemented, after our years of calls for one. Bill Kirkup’s headline findi…”

“Have any actions emerged that your Department will take? By the way, does anyone else want to come in on that?”

“It sounds as though you are trying to make it uniform across Departments, which is key, is it not? Do you have a response to calls—I do not know if you have even had these calls—to repeal the PSED?”

“Let us move on to the efficiency and enforcement of the public sector equality duty. What did you learn from your call in April 2025 for evidence on ensuring that public sector equality duty is met by all parties ensuring public functions?”

“My apologies for being late, Chair; I was in the Chamber for the Ockenden report statement just now. Secretary of State, you mentioned black maternal health in the light of the Ockenden review. The Health and Social Care Committee recently published a report on black maternal health. Is your Department working in conju…”

“In the 25 months since Theo Clarke and I produced the first ever parliamentary report on birth trauma, and nearly four years since we discussed the East Kent Kirkup report in this place, we have seen more and more reports, more and more scandals, more and more heartbreaking stories, and several Health Secretaries. Camp…”

“Last autumn, on the announcement of the trial of puberty blockers on children, a cross-party coalition of Members and peers assembled who have serious concerns and are campaigning together for the Government to reverse this terrible decision. These are Members from across the political spectrum—as diverse as the indepe…”

“The Secretary of State mentioned following the advice of clinical experts, but has he sought any meetings with whistleblowers, former clinicians at the now closed Tavistock clinic, detransitioners and psychologists such as James Esses and Marcus and Sue Evans, who are all campaigning to stop this trial and the testing …”

“T8. Whitstable’s latest drought was a few weeks ago during a heatwave, leaving many residents and local businesses high and dry. South East Water tells me and my neighbours that it cannot guarantee meeting current demand, so it will be unable to guarantee meeting additional demand from new homes. Has the Secretary of S…”

“Finally, your predecessor told us that she and her staff were very intimidated one day, particularly when they were holed up in your building and people outside staged what they called a piss-in, peeing outside in bottles. Do you and your staff feel safe now?”

“For a number of years, women who have sought to protect our legal boundaries have been vilified and humiliated. The “punch a TERF” rhetoric has been frightening and very threatening to many women, many of whom are frequently in contact with me. What advice do you have for women as a body that protects minorities and pr…”

“We have seen a number of MPs—including several members of this Committee—signing EDM number 240, which was tabled by one of our members and which calls for the EHRC code to be disapproved. They have also made statements in public on their websites and on social media saying things like, “The code of practice furthers t…”

“Q5. This week, Tom Kerridge and UKHospitality launched their “VAT’s the Problem” campaign, and yesterday my neighbour the right hon. Member for Herne Bay and Sandwich (Sir Roger Gale) and I hosted industry bodies, chefs Matt Tebbutt and Thomasina Myers and hospitality leaders from Manchester, Liverpool, London and Kent…”

“I thank the Minister, who has been engaged on this issue for a long time—she talks to me and my neighbours, and I know she really cares. My neighbours and I spend far too much of our time talking about the latest water shortages. Heat seems to equate to a lack of water in the taps. Whitstable has been devastated yet ag…”

“Does anyone else want to come in on any of these issues?”

“That makes sense. To what extent are you concerned about the current levels of statutory support for parents being a barrier for women in comedy? In our last session we heard that caring responsibilities made a huge difference and really stopped women carrying on that career progression. Do you agree with that?”

“I want to talk mostly to Kirsten and Jess about the pay issue, which we have touched on a little. Kirsten, you said that low pay was the single biggest barrier to women. What steps could be taken to overcome the gender pay equality gap in your industry?”

“That is really interesting. The question we prepared on this section is whether we need more transparency on the pay difference, but you are saying it is more important to get those bookings. It is kind of a circular thing, isn’t it? If those women are on the bill, they will get the same pay and they will get as much p…”

“Finding childcare in the evenings is an issue as well, because that is when most gigs happen, isn’t it?”

“Nina, do you think any of the organisations that you are involved with, such as Chortle or maybe even Equity, recognise any of this?”