Business of the House

Debate between Andrew Snowden and Alan Campbell

Thursday 20th November 2025 Commons Chamber

[Sir Alan Campbell]

I join my hon. Friend in thanking KeTech for its contribution over so many years, and I also thank her for her assiduous work for the people and businesses in her constituency. We have consulted on further procurement reforms to boost domestic supply chains and create more opportunities for local businesses. She could seek a debate on this, but as I have said in response to many questions today, we have four days of Budget debate in which some of these issues will be particularly relevant.

[Mr Andrew Snowden (Fylde) (Con)]

The 1 to 7 December is Crohn’s and Colitis Awareness Week, which is run by Crohn’s & Colitis UK to raise awareness and generate conversations about what it is like to live with the condition. Many Members in this House will know people—and they will certainly have constituents—who suffer with this condition but never talk about it, because of the stigma around talking about things relating to our bowels. Most people dismiss it as an irritable bowel or something to do with diarrhoea, when in fact it is crippling internal ulcers that generate internal bleeding and blood clots. I have watched my brave wife battle this condition for over 10 years, including two life-changing surgeries, the last of which required nine hours in theatre. This disease is crippling and debilitating, and awareness of it is still, sadly, very low. Would the Leader of the House be willing to work across Government to look at how we in this House and the Government can work with Crohn’s & Colitis UK on its awareness week, so that we can all play our role in raising awareness of what this condition really is?

[Sir Alan Campbell]

I am grateful to the hon. Gentleman, who is absolutely right to raise this subject on the Floor of the House. This debilitating condition affects a large number of people across our constituencies. We will join him in any cross-party work to highlight the condition during that week, but I can also offer him a meeting with Ministers so that he can speak to them directly, not just about the scale of the problem but about what we are doing to tackle it.

Business of the House

Debate between Andrew Snowden and Alan Campbell

Thursday 23rd October 2025 Commons Chamber

[Sir Alan Campbell]

My hon. Friend has been a fierce campaigner on healthcare issues and I pay tribute to her for that. As she points out, we are committed to a neighbourhood health service, ensuring that more care is delivered in local communities and open six days a week. I do not know the answer to her question about how she gets a hub, but I will make sure that the appropriate Minister hears it and we will get back to her.

[Mr Andrew Snowden (Fylde) (Con)]

Lancashire county council has started a consultation on the future of adult social care. Critically, it includes a consultation on the future of 10 critical care homes across Lancashire. It says it has not made its mind up about the consultation, yet there is already a timeline for when those care homes would be closed down should the decision be made. They include: Milbanke in Kirkham, Thornton House just up the road, and Grove House in Adlington in the Chorley constituency. Will the Leader of the House use his good offices to ask the relevant Minister to organise a cross-party meeting between myself, the Labour MPs affected and you, Mr Speaker, so we can hold this Reform-led county council to account for the decisions it is making?

[Sir Alan Campbell]

The hon. Gentleman is absolutely right to raise this issue on behalf of his constituents, and it goes much further afield than his constituency. We all know the concern about the possible closure of care homes. I will therefore speak to the relevant Minister in the hope that we can get the meeting he requests.