🗣️ Speeches and Debates
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I thank the Minister and all those who spoke and brought their fantastic experience of this really difficult problem. Let me say two very simple things. We need to imprint on healthcare workers the idea “Think domestic abuse”, so that we do not miss it. If someone presents, we must have in the back of our minds the question, “Is this domestic abuse?” That will help to identify victims...
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I beg to move, That this House has considered the role of the NHS in preventing domestic homicides and domestic abuse-related deaths. It is a pleasure to serve under you, Sir John. I am grateful to the Backbench Business Committee for giving me the opportunity to open a debate on the role of the NHS in preventing domestic abuse and dealing with it when it presents to the NHS. I thank my hon....
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I know that my hon. Friend is invested in trying to help women subject to domestic abuse. Coercive control is very important as it often stops women presenting to healthcare workers. As I have said before, one key thing as a clinician is that we have to be brave and ask the man to step out so that it is possible to have a proper conversation. They can often resist that and can get violent as...
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I am a bit surprised by the mock rage coming from the Opposition, given that, over the past decade and a half, thousands of pubs have closed. I thank the Minister on behalf of Stroud publicans for agreeing to review the system so that we can get a really practical solution for pubs. Can I confirm that all business rates, including those on the high streets, will be reviewed, so that we can...
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In Stroud, we have 4,000 council houses; we need at least double that. Will the Minister look again at the constraints that councils are under and see whether the Government can enable them to build more council houses?
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I will be very brief. I thank my hon. Friend the Member for Leyton and Wanstead (Mr Bailey) for securing this fascinating debate. All play is therapeutic, and I emphasise that the Government have put £18 million into new playgrounds. My constituent Tom Williams is a proponent of adventure play, which is incredibly good for kids. It reduces anxiety, it burns more calories than sport and,...
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On international medical graduates, I commend the Secretary of State. It is something we have discussed in the past, and bringing forward emergency legislation is absolutely crucial here, so I thank him for that. I also want to mention trainers in the NHS. I can reassure the Conservatives that we will make this happen. I have been a GP trainer for 25 years. We will work to make this happen;...
More of Simon Opher's speeches and debates
✍️ Written Questions and Answers
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To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many Integrated Care Boards include further education colleges as partner institutions in their place-based partnerships, clinical strategic plans and Neighbourhood Health Plans; and if he will publish that list.
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To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to the Association of Colleges' report entitled From treatment to prevention: how colleges can build a healthier society, published in December 2025, what discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on supporting further education colleges to deliver programmes for young people not in education, employment or training due to...
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To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to the Association of Colleges' report entitled From treatment to prevention: how colleges can build a healthier society, published in December 2025, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of access to further education colleges' adult community learning programmes on supporting public health outcomes for...
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To ask the Secretary of State for Education, when her Department will resume approvals for applications made by schools to attain purchasing power agreements for the installation of solar panels.
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To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer to UIN 94508, how many of these unique applications were made by people currently outside the UK, compared to those already based in the UK.
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To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps his Department is taking to support (a) small and (b) start-up businesses.
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To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether the modelled projections in the 10 Year Workforce Plan will include projections for medical specialties.
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To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps he is taking to build more social and affordable homes in Stroud.
More of Simon Opher's written questions
