"My Lords, I congratulate my noble friends and noble Lords on their excellent maiden speeches. I look forward to those to come and welcome them to the House. I thank the chair and the witnesses and contributors who helped produce this excellent and detailed report. I share the disappointment that …..." Baroness Hughes of Stretford - View Speech
"I thank my noble friend for that Answer. She will know that the Conservatives promised to halve maternity mortality by 2025. Instead, as the report shows, it has risen substantially, with stark disparities for older women and those from BME and disadvantaged backgrounds. Between 2021 and 2023, over 600 women …..." Baroness Hughes of Stretford - View Speech
"To ask His Majesty’s Government what action they plan to take in response to the finding in the MBRRACE-UK report Maternal mortality 2022–2024, published on 8 January, that the maternal death rate in pregnancy rose by 20 per cent between 2009–11 and 2022–24...." Baroness Hughes of Stretford - View Speech
"I thank my noble friend for her Answer. In response to mounting evidence of and concern about the poor nutritional and high sugar content in commercial baby foods, despite their being marketed as a healthy substitute for home-cooked food, the NHS has issued new guidance advising parents not to use …..." Baroness Hughes of Stretford - View Speech
"Does my noble friend agree that we have a crisis now with the number of children and young people trapped in bed and breakfast accommodation, in totally unsuitable conditions, which will have an important and deleterious effect on their well-being? On the strategy she outlined, can she say more about …..." Baroness Hughes of Stretford - View Speech
"I thank my noble friend for that Answer and support the Government’s initiative. Does she agree that all young people need access to positive out-of-school activities with trusted adults, to develop confidence and resilience and to reach their own potential? For so many, such opportunities are limited through disadvantage, disability, …..." Baroness Hughes of Stretford - View Speech
"I thank my noble friend for that Answer. I know she will agree that the previous Labour Government made significant progress in improving the well-being of our youngest children and reducing the early attainment gap through Sure Start parenting and family programmes. The Institute for Fiscal Studies has shown recently …..." Baroness Hughes of Stretford - View Speech
"To ask His Majesty’s Government what plans they have for reducing inequality and closing the early years educational attainment gap for pre-school children...." Baroness Hughes of Stretford - View Speech