I tabled a question for the Secretary of Defence at Defence Questions and was called at No. 8 on the Order paper. The question was: "What steps he is taking to ensure the UK meets its obligations to NATO."

The Minister for Armed Forces answered: "Our commitment to NATO is unwavering. We have strengthened our force posture in Estonia, stationed a light cavalry squadron in Poland, provided the NATO mission in Kosovo with personnel, surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities, and provided specialist personnel to the NATO mission in Iraq. The national flagship, HMS Queen Elizabeth, sailed over the weekend, and will shortly fly the NATO flag as the NATO flagship while on operations in the Euro-Atlantic. We contribute to every NATO mission, declare our nuclear deterrent to NATO, and consistently spend at least 2% of gross domestic product on defence. We will maintain our leading position in NATO over the decades ahead."

My follow-up question to the Minister's reply was: "I place on record my condolences to the current Defence Secretary, and my thanks to the former Defence Secretary, whom we wish well in whatever he undertakes to do. I thank the Minister for his full response. He will know that NATO’s obligations are to work with partners, so can he say what discussions he has had with his counterparts in NATO about working with the African Union to ensure stability and security in that region?"

The Minister for Armed Forces answered: "Colleagues have rightly offered their condolences to the new Secretary of State, and remarked on the anniversary of 9/11, but the thing that has maybe fallen through the cracks is for us to send our regards to the former Secretary of State, with whom I had the great pleasure of working for three and a half years. His effort and contribution to defence was quite extraordinary, and I think he will be remembered in history as one of the great Secretaries of State. He should be very proud of everything he achieved. The right hon. Lady is absolutely right that NATO’s southern flank, Africa, is of enormous importance to Europe and the security of the Euro-Atlantic. It will not surprise her to know that, in the wake of the coups over the summer in both Niger and Gabon, conversations among European Defence Ministers and NATO Defence Ministers have been regular and urgent as people seek to understand what the response could be. It does not look like it is one in which NATO would be to the fore, but it is clearly in NATO’s interests that a European response in Africa to these coups is forthcoming."

On Wednesday, 6 September 2023, HM Opposition held an Opposition day debate on the Safety of School Buildings. There was a major issue with RAAC in school buildings. The Secretary of State has written to me to say that none of the Schools in Walsall South had been affected and one was still investigating. The motion tabled by the Opposition asked for the papers to find out what was known at the time. This issue of the safety of schools must be addressed by the Secretary of State and the Government must provide the money for schools to make the repairs or take action. 

The Motion :

"That a humble Address be presented to His Majesty, that he will be graciously pleased to give directions that there will be laid before this House by 13 September 2023 the following papers –

(a) submissions from the Department for Education to HM Treasury related to the spending reviews in 2020 and 2021; and

(b) all papers, advice, and correspondence, including submissions and electronic communications (including communications with and from Ministers and Special Advisers) within and between the Cabinet Office (including the Office of the Prime Minister), the Department for Education and HM Treasury relating to these submissions concerned with school buildings."

The Motion was defeated: Ayes: 175   Noes: 309.

There are schools in Walsall South which were allocated funds under Building Schools for the Future. Joseph Leckie was awarded £17million. I raised this with various schools Ministers since I became a Member of Parliament in 2010. Rt Hon Nick Gibb visited Joseph Leckie in 2016 and saw that funds were urgently needed, and since funding was granted some of the building has been rebuilt. However, more needs to be done such as the Dining Hall. Blue Coat Academy also required urgent funding for repairs to the roof. Schools that can show they need repairs should be given the money, and this must not come out of the schools' budgets.   

The Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Bill came back to the Commons on Wednesday, 6 September 2023. I voted against the Government's motion to disagree with 6 Lords amendments but in a vote of Ayes: 288 to Noes: 205 to Lords amendments 44D, 44E, 44F, 44G, 44H and 44J were disagreed. The Lords amendments would not remove the Commission’s ability to issue immunity to an individual who comes forward and gives truthful evidence about what happened. Lords amendment 44E is not a veto, but it would allow the families of those who were killed or seriously injured in the troubles to have a voice in the process.

On Tuesday, 5 September 2023, the House debated the amendments made by the Opposition to the Energy Bill [Lords]. There were 5  votes for the Opposition's amendments. The Bill makes provisions about energy production and security and the regulation of the energy market, including provisions about the licensing of carbon dioxide transport and storage; about commercial arrangements for carbon capture and storage and for hydrogen production and transportation; about new technology, including low-carbon heat schemes and hydrogen grid trials, etc. The 5 amendments which were voted down by the Government are:

Ayes: 192  Nos: 316 New Clause 12 negatived (lost) 

Ayes  235  Noes 306 - New Clause 39 negatived.

Ayes  188  Noes 310 New Clause 57 negatived.

Ayes: 223  Noes 310 New Clause 59 negatived.

Ayes 189   Noes 305 New Clause 61 negatived.

The Bill passed its Third reading 280 to 19. I abstained on that vote. 

I was a member of the Committee scrutinising The Draft Human Medicines (Amendment Relating to Original Pack Dispensing) (England and Wales and Scotland) Regulations 2023  on Tuesday 5 September 2023 relating to the  Human Medicines Regulations 2012 which set out when medicines need to be prescription only and the requirements of pharmacists selling or supplying prescription-only medicines. This draft statutory instrument makes two amendments to the Human Medicines Regulations. First, it enables original pack dispensing of medicine when original packaging is required. Secondly, it requires whole-pack dispensing of medicines containing valproate.

I asked the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, Maria Caulfield MP, "The Minister gave the example of 28 days or 30 days. Will pharmacists be able to explain to patients that they will not necessarily have to take them for 30 days?". My concern was that if extra tablets were included in although helping pharmacists, those taking them shoudl have it explained to them that they should only take those that are prescribed. The Minister confirmed the pharmacists will explain this to patients. 

The Minister responded by saying, "Absolutely, and pharmacists are very keen to do this. This will often be used for repeat medication. A GP may prescribe a month’s pack—which, depending on the supplier, will be for either 28 days or 30 days—but when dispensing the packs the pharmacist will be able to give advice to patients so that they are absolutely clear on the instructions, which will also be written on the pack."