Rt Hon Valerie Vaz MP has written to the Education Secretary to raise concerns about use of standard face masks in schools for deaf children

Responding to the Business Statement on Thursday 28 January 2021, I urged the Government to reconsider amendments to the Environment Bill that ban bee-killing pesticides and asked for a statement on the current condition of our flood defences. You can read my full speech below: 

On Wednesday 27 January 2021 we commemorated Holocaust Memorial Day. I attended a ceremony in Parliament led by the Speaker of the House. Mr Speaker lit a candle to symbolise the triumph of light over darkness.

On Tuesday 26 January 2021, Parliament voted on the Report Stage of the Environment Bill 2019-2021. This Bill is extensive and covers a wide range of new duties and legal requirements. These include providing for environmental targets, environmental principles and a new environmental watchdog; changes and new legal requirements covering air pollution, water resources, water management and quality, waste and recycling, biodiversity, nature recovery and conservation covenants

The second Opposition Day debate held on Monday 25 January 2021 was on employment rights. Earlier this month it was reported by the Financial Times that the Government was seeking to bring forward a package of deregulatory measures to make amendments to worker protections enshrined in the EU “working time directive”.