Business of the House
Debate between Euan Stainbank and Lucy Powell(1 week, 5 days ago)
Commons ChamberRead Full debate Read Hansard Text Read Debate Ministerial Extracts
Lucy Powell
Absolutely, I join my hon. Friend in congratulating Jess and Georgina on their opening. She is right that local businesses on our high streets, especially creative businesses, are vital to the future of our town centres.
Euan Stainbank (Falkirk) (Lab)
Zoe is a bright and exceptionally politically engaged young woman in Falkirk. She has had to seek private diagnosis for postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome, or POTS, following admission to hospital on several occasions for symptoms consistent with POTS. No national guidelines for POTS exist and, alarmingly, no dedicated clinical pathways for its treatment are available for patients such as Zoe. Will the Leader of the House support a debate to discuss the creation of national clinical guidelines for POTS patients?
Lucy Powell
I am really sorry to hear about Zoe’s experience. The situation in Scotland with the NHS is particularly worrying under the Scottish Government. The majority of services for POTS in England are commissioned by integrated care boards, but I will raise this matter with Health Ministers—they have all just taken their seats on the Front Bench for the forthcoming statement, so they will have heard his question.
Business of the House
Debate between Euan Stainbank and Lucy Powell(2 weeks, 5 days ago)
Commons ChamberRead Full debate Read Hansard Text Read Debate Ministerial Extracts
Lucy Powell
I absolutely join my hon. Friend in congratulating and thanking all those from the Ogwen Valley mountain rescue team for the fantastic work they do. It is a shame that they need to do it, because we really need people to take more seriously a common-sense approach to enjoying our beauty and not to put themselves at risk.
Euan Stainbank (Falkirk) (Lab)
Residents of the Upper Braes villages in Falkirk have been campaigning for five years following the failure of not-fit-for-purpose heating systems that has led to poorly heated homes and extraordinarily high household bills. A gentleman I spoke to in Slamannan is spending �300 to �400 a month on energy for his two-bedroom house simply, as he put it, to �keep the frost off� his nose. Does the Leader of the House agree that those involved in that failure should be held to account and that those who have suffered deserve a fair solution?
Business of the House
Debate between Euan Stainbank and Lucy Powell(1 month, 2 weeks ago)
Commons ChamberRead Full debate Read Hansard Text Read Debate Ministerial Extracts
Lucy Powell
I congratulate my hon. Friend on holding more Change NHS consultations in her constituency than any other Member has held in theirs. As a result of those meetings, she has raised the important issue of free prescriptions. I will raise her concerns with the relevant Minister and ensure that she gets a full response.
Euan Stainbank (Falkirk) (Lab)
Dates-n-Mates is a fantastic charity that operates across Scotland, including in Falkirk. It provides hundreds of events every year that offer friendship and opportunities for adults with learning disabilities. The real asset of the charity is its workforce, including John Clarke, who started as a service user and is now the Falkirk director, and some 40% of the workforce of Dates-n-Mates are adults with learning disabilities. When I met John, he spoke to me about the challenges that adults with learning disabilities find in the workplace. From interviews to starting a new job, even those with years of expertise, like John, often struggle to be taken seriously and are deprived of suitable opportunities. Will the Leader of the House support me in securing a debate in Government time on what the Government can do to level the playing field for adults with learning disabilities in the workplace?
Lucy Powell
I join my hon. Friend in thanking John Clarke for all the work he has done over the years to raise awareness of these issues through Dates-n-Mates, which is a great name for an organisation. My hon. Friend will know that we are actively encouraging employers to create disability-inclusive workplaces. I will ensure that he and the rest of the House are kept up to date with those matters.
Business of the House
Debate between Euan Stainbank and Lucy Powell(3 months, 1 week ago)
Commons ChamberRead Full debate Read Hansard Text Read Debate Ministerial Extracts
Lucy Powell
Absolutely. I know from my constituency what a shocking scandal this is. As my hon. Friend knows, the Government are committed to full leasehold and commonhold reform; the Minister for Housing and Planning is sitting next to me nodding his head. We will consult next year on proposals to strengthen the regulation of managing agents.
Euan Stainbank (Falkirk) (Lab)
A constituent recently shared with me his experience of applying for his dream job with Border Force. Initially, he was told that he would be placed on a reserve list three months after completing the recruitment process. Six months later, he was offered the role, which would require him to relocate to England. He was informed two days later that due to his past employment as a holiday rep, he would no longer be considered. Five months later, his case was flagged for review and he was told that roles in Scotland would be available to him. Recently, while recovering from cancer, he was chased for a response, and he re-engaged with the process, only to be told—two and a half years after applying—that he would no longer be considered. Will the Leader of the House support me in requesting time to discuss recruitment practices for our increasingly important Border Force, so that we do not deter enthusiastic, trained and empathetic young people from joining?
Lucy Powell
My hon. Friend is absolutely right. It is important that our border security force is staffed by the brightest and the best who want to work with it, and I will ensure that the Home Secretary gives my hon. Friend a full response on this case.