(2 weeks, 3 days ago)
Commons ChamberI thank my hon. Friend for bringing that matter to the House. I am sure that colleagues will have heard similar from some of their constituents. The Child Maintenance Service plays a vital role in supporting families, but the Government are clear that it can do more to deliver a fair and trustworthy service. He may know that last week there was a Westminster Hall debate on the effectiveness of the Child Maintenance Service, but I will draw his concerns to the attention of the relevant Minister.
It is six weeks since, at Prime Minister’s questions, I raised the case of my constituent who had three family members killed in a dangerous driving crime by a foreign offender, after which the Prisons Minister refused to act to prevent the offender’s deportation. I requested a meeting with the Minister on behalf of the family, who, as victims, want to explain the impact on them, but a month on there has been no reply. Will the Leader of the House use his office to remind Lord Timpson of the importance of timely responses to such requests?
Lord Timpson is a truly excellent Prisons Minister. I do not know the detail of what may have gone wrong in this case, but I will certainly draw the hon. Gentleman’s concerns to his attention.
(2 months, 1 week ago)
Commons ChamberThe Leader of the House referred earlier to mental health and Time to Talk Day; I will be running the London marathon in April for the 8:56 Foundation in North West Norfolk, which does important work on men’s mental health. Will he join me in paying tribute to charities across the country that are doing so much to improve people’s wellbeing?
I wish the hon. Gentleman well in running the London marathon, and indeed everyone who is involved in that and in raising money for such an important cause. I praise mental health charities, wherever they are—in his constituency and others; they are so important to our local communities.
(2 months, 4 weeks ago)
Commons ChamberLast year, 1,600 people were killed on our roads. May we have a debate on the Government’s road safety strategy and toughening driving offence sentences, including steps to protect horses and riders such as my constituent Emma and many others in North West Norfolk and across the country who feel increasingly frightened and unsafe due to dangerous and abusive driving on our rural roads?
As the hon. Gentleman implied, it is really important that the Government have brought forward a road safety strategy, which is the first in over a decade. We have an ambition to reduce deaths and serious injuries on Britain’s roads by almost two thirds by 2035. As he knows, there are a number of measures in that strategy. I will consider his request for a debate on these matters, because road safety has been raised by many hon. Members in business questions over the last few weeks and months.