Business of the House
Danny Chambers Excerpts(3 weeks, 6 days ago)
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Sir Alan Campbell
I am saddened to hear of Bonnie Tyler’s situation. She is an inspirational voice for a generation. I send our best wishes to her family and her fans. I join my hon. Friend in wishing Bonnie Tyler the very best and a speedy recovery.
Dr Danny Chambers (Winchester) (LD)
Women trying to flee domestic abuse are sometimes coerced into staying by their partner’s threatening to harm their pet, especially their dog or cat. May I pay tribute to organisations such as the Dogs Trust, which runs a dog fostering service for women while they find a new permanent home, so that they do not have to give up their pet permanently, and Trinity Winchester, which has opened new rooms for women fleeing domestic abuse, and lets them bring their pets with them? This is really needed; it breaks down another barrier that prevents women from fleeing domestic abuse.
Sir Alan Campbell
The hon. Gentleman raises a very important matter, and I pay tribute to the Dogs Trust and Trinity Winchester for their fantastic work. He is right to point out that there should be absolutely no barrier in the way of anyone fleeing domestic abuse, whether it be worry about a pet or anything else. The Government are absolutely committed to ensuring that victims in those circumstances get the support that they need, and that nothing stands in the way of their accessing that support.
Business of the House
Danny Chambers Excerpts(2 months, 2 weeks ago)
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Sir Alan Campbell
I thank my hon. Friend for raising this important matter and for how he has done so. I am sure the whole House will join me in recognising Cassie and Ryan’s campaign for this change after such a devastating experience. I understand that the General Register Office is considering options for registering births and deaths over the telephone or online to minimise the burden on bereaved families, but I will make sure that Ministers in the Home Office have heard my hon. Friend’s question and that he gets an update.
Dr Danny Chambers (Winchester) (LD)
I will bring up one more time the state of our roads, particularly in Hampshire. I was a horse vet before I was elected, so there is probably not a single road I have not driven down. Thankfully I had a 4x4, because I genuinely needed that for the roads, not just the farm tracks. Where I live in Shawford, they are not just potholes, but craters; it is like driving on the surface of the moon. Hampshire county council, run by the Conservatives, is saying that it has no money to fix the potholes. I know that council budgets are not the remit of central Government, but potholes have become such a problem. Is there the opportunity to have a debate or a review, so that we can have some emergency funding to fix these roads? It is not fair that our constituents need to pay for financial mismanagement.
Sir Alan Campbell
We are investing £24 billion in maintaining and improving motorways and local roads across the country, and a record £7.3 billion for councils over the next four years, but in some cases questions need to be directed towards councils on how they are using that money. As I said previously, the Secretary of State is very keen that it is spent in the right way, but I appreciate the concern of the hon. Gentleman’s constituents and, indeed, of the farmers he previously worked with. I am quite sure that they will all be keen to learn about the action we are taking not only to tackle potholes, but to tackle vets’ bills.
Business of the House
Danny Chambers Excerpts(5 months, 3 weeks ago)
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Sir Alan Campbell
First of all, I extend my sympathies to my hon. Friend and his family. I am pleased that the news is getting brighter. I absolutely join him in thanking staff at West Midlands ambulance service and Walsall Manor hospital, and all our NHS staff for their lifesaving work over the holiday season at what is, with the flu outbreak, a particularly difficult time.
Dr Danny Chambers (Winchester) (LD)
Merry Christmas to you, Madam Deputy Speaker.
One of the biggest issues I am contacted about in Winchester, by parents, schoolteachers, paediatricians and campaign groups, is children’s mental health, with particular reference to smartphones and social media. An emerging problem is the increased use of chatbots for mental health advice, especially by children who think that a chatbot is their friend or a cartoon character. That is causing some very dangerous outcomes.
The US has just brought forward the GUARD Act—Guidelines for User Age-verification and Responsible Dialogue Act of 2025—to regulate chatbots. Given that this is an emerging and urgent problem, will the Leader of the House consider providing Government time for a debate on the specific issue of chatbots? One third of adults have already used chatbots for mental health advice and therapy.
Sir Alan Campbell
The hon. Gentleman and the House will know that the Government take the matter of mental health, in particular children’s mental health, very seriously indeed, which is why we are looking to ensure that there is professional help in schools for them. He raises an issue and a specific point over which there is considerable debate. I suggest that I should arrange a meeting for him with Ministers, so he can expand on the points he has made. Following that, if the House seeks a debate we will see what we can accommodate.