The Government published a white paper titled 'International development in a contested world: ending extreme poverty and tackling climate change' on 20 November 2023 setting out this Government's approach to international development to 2030. The white paper says the Government is "increasing the number of UK development diplomats".

At Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office Questions on Tuesday 12 December 2023, I asked the Minister for International Development and Africa Andrew Mitchell MP a question: "The White Paper also talks about development diplomats. How many will be trained and what will be the cost?"

The Minister for International Development and Africa answered by saying: "Yes, the right hon. Lady is quite right: we are increasing the number of development diplomats—I thought she mentioned something about water, but I may have misheard. The point about the White Paper is that it sets out very clearly the aims and aspiration that Britain has to drive forward the sustainable development goals and ensure that we increase climate finance at this critical time. She will be pleased to have seen that and will note that we are now driving forward that agenda."

On Monday 11 December 2023 I attended the "Eyes Have It" event in Parliament hosted by Marsha De Cordova Reed to launch a report setting out the key issues facing people affected by sight loss and the actions policymakers can take to overcome them.

The report includes recommendations across the following themes: 

1. Data, connectivity and real world evidence

NHS England should work with commissioners, clinicians and industry to increase IT connectivity and digital clinical image interoperability within and between primary and secondary care providers through the deployment of a single, consistent mechanism for image sharing. 

2. Prevention, diagnosis and early intervention in an integrated system

Integrated Care Partnerships (ICPs) should undertake an eye health needs assessment of the population – as part of Joint Strategic Needs Assessments – to feed into public health plans and inform local commissioning and pathway development.

3. Equity of access, support and patient empowerment throughout the patient pathway

ICBs should commission Eye Care Liaison Officers (ECLOs) and implement an eye care support pathway, providing consistent patient information, communications and support at all stages of the patient pathway.

4. Eye care workforce 

Building on commitments in the NHS Long Term Workforce Plan, DHSC and NHS England should increase the number of ophthalmology specialty training places in line with current and future patient need and fully resource trainers to deliver this expanded programme.

5. Using new technologies and treatment models

NHS England should ensure the system has the necessary underlying infrastructure and processes in place to support consistent roll out and application of new technologies and treatment models across the country.

6. Investment into research for future treatments

Government should double funding for sight loss research, taking total public investment to at least £50 million per year by 2030 across the country (for common and rare diseases), and continuing to expand research funding sustainably thereafter.

7. Availability of treatments 

Incorporating more up to date utility measures that recognise the value of preserving vision/stopping the deterioration of sight loss, both in its own right, and in terms of its impacts on social inclusion and comorbidities (e.g. fewer falls, better mental health and higher mobility).

Below are statistics about Walsall South:



Find out more by visiting: eyeshaveit.co.uk

I caught up with Minette Batters the President of the National Farmers Union (NFU) on Monday 11 December 2023 at the NFU Christmas Event to discuss the latest farming manifesto. The NFU highlighted four main policy priorities the public think would show greater respect to farmers:

a long-term plan for food and farming;
a more powerful grocery regulator to ensure that farmers and growers are treated fairly;
prioritising British domestic food production in the budget; and
ensuring that more food in our schools and hospitals comes from British farmers.

The NFU undertook a survery of the public, food and farming came second to only healthcare and pharmaceuticals. The survey showed: 

What the public said:

91% think that farmers are important to ensuring supermarket shelves are stocked with food.
89% say farmers have an important role to play in protecting our countryside and natural environment. 
86% say farmers are very important to the future of rural communities.

84% think food production targets are either important or more important than environmental targets for farming.
82% say it would be a good idea for the government to set targets to increase British food production
79% think farmers have an important role to play in tackling climate change and balancing carbon emissions. 
75% think the creation of a SAGE (Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies) committee for food, farming and agriculture is a good idea to help the government better plan and navigate food and farming emergencies in the UK. 
71% say that rural crime should be treated more seriously by the police.
71% say farmers don't get enough credit for keeping food on our shelves. 

This is a very important sector.  you can find out more by visiting: nfuonline.com

The Disability Employment Charter was launched by UNISON one of six founding member organisations for a new Disability Employment Charter which was produced as a response to the government’s long-awaited national disability strategy published in July 2021. Unison held a reception in Parliament on 5 December marking 150 employers signing the Charter.

The Charter was collated by a group of nine organisations, including Disability Rights UK and the Business Disability Forum. UNISON is the only trade union involved.

The Charter includes calls for mandatory disability pay gap reporting and time off for trade union equality reps. It also calls for a two-week deadline for employers to respond to requests for reasonable adjustments. In a UNISON survey of disabled members in 2019, nearly a quarter of respondents waited a year or more for reasonable adjustments to be put in place, while many never even had the courtesy of a response from their employer.

To find out more visit: disabilityemploymentcharter.org

I attended a Winter Reception hosted by the All Party Writers Group in Parliament on Tuesday 5 December 2023 where the Authors’ Licensing and Collecting Society (ALCS) introduced a report to be published in 2024 that found earnings from freelance journalism have stagnated over the past five years.

The APPG discussed the need for a Freelancer Commissioner to be appointed to the Government to represent the interests of freelance creatives.

During the pandemic, 3.1 million freelancers did not receive the support they needed, and the creation of a Freelancer Commissioner would be a step forward for creatives and especially writers. Newsrooms rely increasingly on freelancers who have been affected by waves of redundancies and not being paid enough or not being paid on time.