I was delighted to close and thank all the speakers at the drop in of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Gardening  & Horticulture. We heard from Boyd Douglas Davis, who is the Chair of the Environmental Horticulture Group, Minister Daniel Zeichner (Food Security and Rural Affairs), the actor Jim Carter, patron of Greenfingers, a charity that creates gardens in children's hospices and of course, Alan Titchmarsh, formerly of Gardeners World and many other Gardenning programmes, Classic FM and I said the only thing left for him to do was a jeans ad. ! 

I remembered something I picked up which was to stand with your back to a flower bed and throw the bulbs randomly over your shoulder and then plant the bulbs where they fall. I mentioned that Jim and Alan where planted deep in our hearts and came up like strong bulbs in the nation's consciousness. They both have done amazing work for charity Jim with his cycle rides and Alan with helping people with their gardens.   

This event launched a report on 'The Economic Impact of Environmental Horticulture and Landscaping in the UK', by Oxford Economics. This was accompanied by 'Mission Green Growth', a strategic plan which Baroness Fookes, in her foreword, urged the Government to "read, learn and collaborate".

I also invited Paul Mason from Goscote Greenacres who met up with Alan Titchmarsh. 

The APPG on Gardenning andf Horticulture will be planning new events for next year. 

I attended the APPG for British Sikhs in conjunction with The Sikh Network and the Sikh Federation (UK) event to take part in the 8th Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji's Gurpurab celebrations on Tuesday 26 November 2024 .

Guru Nanak Dev Ji’s Gurpurab (birthday) celebration is a unique opportunity to share his universal message of One God, Truth & Equality. Guru Nanak Dev ji is the founder of the Sikh faith and first of the living Gurus. The 3 pillars of the Sikh faith and Guru Nanak Dev Ji’s teaching are:

Naam Japo - Remembrance of God by repeating and focusing the mind on His name or identity.
Vand Ke Chako - To share the fruits of one’s labour with others before considering oneself. Thus, to live as an inspiration and a support to the entire community.
Kirat Karo - To carry out good deeds and earn a honest, pure and truthful livelihood by exercising ones God given skills, abilities, talents and hard labour for the benefit and improvement of the individual, their family and society at large.

On 26 November 2024, I chaired an Evidence session of the Bill. We heard from Allen Simpson, deputy CEO UKHospitality, Neil Carberry, CEO, Recruitment & Employment Confed. Jamie Cater, Make UK, Jim Bligh, director, Food and Drink Federation; Gemma Griffin, VP global crewing DFDS, Martyn Gray, Director for Nautilus International, Mick Lynch, Gen Secretary, RMT. Paul Nowak, Gen Sec TUC; Maggi Ferncombe, Director, political strategy, and transformation for Unison; Dave Moxham, deputy gen sec STUC; Hannah Reed, Unite. Jemima Olchawski, CEO, Fawcett Society, and Joeli Brearley, founder and CEO of Pregnant Then Screwed.

I hosted and opened the Indo-UK Global Business Awards at the House of Commons on 21 November 2024 with a speech before the evening of  awards. In my speech I said: “It is vital for our community to come together andengage with Parliament, not only to hear from parliamentarians but also to facilitate meaningful exchanges with individuals visiting from India and members of the Indian diaspora in the UK. (picture with Virendra Sharma former for MP Ealing Southall.)  India’s growing global significance, with its rapid economic growth projected to outpace other nations in the coming years, underscores the importance of strengthening this partnership. Building friendships and maintaining open dialogue are crucial for fostering an exchange of ideas and perspectives. (Picture right all the award winners).  



These efforts will enhance trade opportunities and cultural collaboration, ensuring a deeper connection between the two nations. By bringing people together, we can create a platform for shared understanding, cooperation, and the celebration of our vibrant cultures." (picture left Neeraj Bansal Head India Global - KPMG in India)  All the awardees were inspiring both in terms of their entrepreneurship and their charity work. It was encouraging to see girls' education and social activism among the values celebrated, and I look forward to witnessing the growth of Indian and British relations in the years to come. 

On 19 November 2024, the House voted on amendments from the Lords to the Passenger Railway Services (Public Ownership) Bill. This Bill aims to make provision for passenger railway services to be provided by public sector companies instead private franchises.




The results were as follows: Lords Amendment 1 - Motion to disagree


The House divided:  Ayes: 344 Noes: 172   Lords amendment 1 disagreed to.







Lords Amendment 2 - Motion to disagree 
The House divided:  Ayes: 350 Noes: 108  Lords amendment 2 disagreed to.






Lords amendment 3 agreed to.



The amendments will now be considered before Royal Assent is given.