👨‍🔬 Since the start of the 2nd lockdown, I’ve received 100s of messages from constituents asking about the science behind new Covid-19 Lockdown restrictions. On Tuesday I put your questions to Sheffield University public health expert, Dr Andrew Lee, and will be sharing his answers over the next week.

📧 Following the unacceptable stats on youth unemployment in Hallam, I wrote to Chancellor Rishi Sunak, calling on him to fix the holes in the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme so that Sheffields’ young people don’t fall further through the gaps. I spoke up about this issue on BBC Radio Sheffield.

🌎  This week the Labour Party published it’s green economic recovery plan, including a National Nature Service, to help confront the challenges of the climate crisis and the spike of unemployment caused by the pandemic. I’ve written a piece about the importance of a National Nature Service to improve access to quality local green spaces up and down the country and create secure, unionised, green jobs rooted in equality and diversity.

🏫  In my role as chair of the Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) All Party Parliamentary Group, we are holding an inquiry into the impact of COVID 19 on young people with SEND. On Wednesday we heard from young people and parents (including Sarah, a parent from Yorkshire) about the social, emotional, and mental health difficulties associated with educational transitions. We’ll use their experiences to continue to hold the government to account over these important issues.

💰 A few weeks ago, I questioned the government over the selection process for their £3.6 billion Towns Fund, which saw some Conservative swing seats in Yorkshire receive a pre-election funding boost. This week our cross-party report was published, raising concerns that the process was politically motivated. You can watch me questioning the department here. I will continue to hold the Government to account for how it has used taxpayers’ money in the Towns Fund and throughout the Covid-19 crisis, starting yesterday when I questioned Treasury officials over their jobs support package during the Covid 19 pandemic.

😷  I’ve heard from many constituents about the difficulties they’ve had with visiting care homes to see their friends and family with dementia. I’ve written to Matt Hancock, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, calling on him to take the measures set out by the Alzheimer’s Society to designate one family carer a key worker, with access to training, COVID-19 testing/ vaccinations and PPE. You can read my full letter here.