News

I was delighted to visit Old Church C of E Primary School in Darlaston and to speak to the School Council on Friday 3 March July to mark World Book Day 2023. I was welcomed by Mrs D Clacy the head teacher. The School Council asked me questions about my work.

World Book Day is celebrated on 2 March 2023 and World Book Day changes children’s lives through a love of books and reading. The mission of World Book Day is to promote reading for pleasure, offering every child and young person the opportunity to have a book of their own. I was delighted to pick up a handful of books to give to one of the Schools in Walsall South. Thank you to the Publishers Association for organising the event in Parliament enabling MPs to speak to publishers about how we can promote World Book Day every day. 

The House voted on amendments to the Social Housing (Regulation) Bill [Lords] in its report stage on Wednesday 1 March 2023.  Through the Bill’s measures, the Government intends to strengthen the regulatory regime to change the behaviour of social housing landlords to focus on the tenants’ needs. It also aims to ensure landlords are held to account for their performance.

A leaflet has been sent out by the Government that sets out the additional support provided by the Energy Bills Support Scheme. The scheme is now open to applications. This scheme applies to those who are not already receiving an automatic discount, such as: wholly or partially funded care home residents, homes on heat networks, residents of park homes, tenants in certain private and social rented homes and more.

Today, 1 March 2023, I attended the Marie Curie drop-in event in Parliament. Marie Curie is the leader in end of life experience in the UK and Marie Curie works hard to provide a better life for people living with terminal illness, and their families. Marie Curie offer expert care across the UK in people’s own homes and in our nine hospices. Last year Marie Curie provided direct support to more than 66,000 people.