Ian Roome

Ian Roome

Liberal Democrat — North Devon

Speaking in the House of Commons on 13 November 2026

Debate

Coastal Communities (Health) Bill

Contribution

I greatly appreciate my hon. Friend the Member for North Norfolk (Steff Aquarone) for bringing forward this Bill on behalf of coastal communities around the country. Hundreds of families in North Devon have now spent three months without an operational maternity unit, and more than 200 births have been redirected over two hours inland to Exeter. It is not acceptable that an expectant mother in coastal towns such as Ilfracombe, Combe Martin or Lynton should have to travel so far to reach a hospital. It clearly amounts to a massive inequality in NHS healthcare. Many of my constituents feel that if this crisis had struck in Exeter, Bristol or London, things would be very different. We would not have just warm words of sympathy from the Prime Minister and the Secretary of State; we would already have a solution. Many women have told me that the anxiety and worry that the travelling time has caused them is not acceptable and that it has caused many families to feel that the worst could happen while travelling, especially because our areas have a heavy volume of tourists and the roads are narrow.

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