Bobby Dean

I join the Leader of the House in his reflection on the Aberfan disaster. Our thoughts are with all those affected and, indeed, the whole community. It was deeply concerning to hear a US envoy last night describe Vladimir Putin as a “humanitarian”, as Russia continued to bomb Ukraine. I sincerely hope that the Government will move quickly to condemn those comments and will make time to progress the Russian Frozen Assets (Seizure and Aid to Ukraine) Bill, brought forward by my hon. Friend the Member for Bicester and Woodstock (Calum Miller). Closer to home, the NHS Alliance sparked a row among health professionals this week when it said that up to 20 maternity units may have to close in England. The alliance made the case that the shortage of doctors and the increase in C-sections means that consolidation will be necessary to keep mothers and babies safe, but obstetricians and midwives are saying that having maternity services close to home is critical and that workforce issues must be addressed in a different way. In my constituency of Carshalton and Wallington, the women’s health unit, including the maternity unit, is facing closure not due to clinical reasons but because of ageing pipework and issues with the water quality. That is particularly stinging for our local community because we have known about issues with the building for years, and the promise of a new building keeps being delayed. Can the Leader of the House organise for a debate on the future of maternity services in this country? I am aware that there is an Adjournment debate on this issue today, but that does not give MPs across the House an opportunity to explore this issue in full, so I hope he will make Government time to have this debate in full.