It’s been another jam-packed week in Westminster. On Tuesday, I led a Westminster Hall debate into regulation of online sales of electrical products. This is an issue that’s very close to my heart, and I’m determined to make this Government take action so that sites such as Amazon Marketplace, Ali Baba and others are forced to act more responsibly when selling electrical products.
On Wednesday, I chaired another meeting of the Gambling Related Harm APPG, where we heard evidence from GambleAware, the NHS and leading academics and specialists in gambling treatment.
On Thursday, I was on the front bench in my role as a shadow minister, holding the Government to account in Women and Equalities Questions. And on Thursday afternoon, it was good to get out of Westminster and visit Nelson Trust in Gloucester, as part of the Industry and Parliament Trust scheme. The Trust provides a comprehensive residential programme of care and support for people recovering from drug and alcohol addiction, and I was really pleased to meet staff and service users from their women’s centre.
Today has been another busy day in the constituency. I held my regular advice surgery this morning. I really value the time I spend talking to constituents who come to along to surgeries to ask for help – although sometimes the stories they tell can be heart breaking. It never fails to remind me why I became an MP in the first place – to help some of the most vulnerable people in our community.
I’ve also spent some time this morning at Matthew’s House – where homeless and vulnerable people in Swansea can access facilities and services to help them get back on their feet. They also have a café run by the Real Junk Food Project – which intercepts food waste destined for landfill and feeds people in need on a ‘pay as you feel’ basis, and the organisation also distributes ‘Dignity Packs’ containing tampons/pads, wet wipes and tissues, underwear and socks, small underarm sprays, mints, gum and lip balm to those people in need. Initiatives like this are so important in helping people who find themselves at rock bottom feel just a bit better and more positive about life, and I was delighted to be able to spend some time there today and see the important work they do.
Over the course of today, I’ve also met with First Cymru to discuss a number of services changes that affect constituents, including the removal of vital services to Morriston Hospital. Following on from the Guide Dogs drop in event I attended last week, I was also keen to see what First can do to make sure their services are as accessible as possible for passengers.
I’ve also met with fellow MPs and AMs across the whole Swansea Bay region to discuss the appalling way Virgin Media have handled their redundancy process since the announcement that they were pulling operations from Swansea. The workforce have endured so much over the last year, and we’re determined to secure as much support for them as possible.
I hope you all have the chance to enjoy a relaxing weekend with your families and get out in the sunshine.
