Michelle Welsh
MP for Sherwood Forest · Labour · United Kingdom
“Q6. The Donna Ockenden and Baroness Amos reviews have exposed some uncomfortable truths: that justice is not brought about by a system, a law, a protocol, a regulatory authority or NHS England, but by bereaved and harmed families having to speak up, over and over again, about the most horrific and traumatic experience of their lives just…”
“I welcome Baroness Valerie Amos’s review, and I thank her and her team for their commitment to this vital work. Once again, this review confronts us with a very uncomfortable but real truth.”
“We need fundamental reform of the wider system of oversight and accountability. Regulators, NHS bodies and inspection regimes must change. Reviews do not save lives, but action does. We need strong leadership; big, bold decision making; and a determination to implement change, rather than simply to recommend it.”
“I thank the Secretary of State for his statement. For openness and transparency, I note that I have been campaigning on this for six years and I am a harmed mother at Nottingham University hospitals NHS trust. I start by thanking the brave families—my friends—and Donna Ockenden and her team.”
“That does not signify a system that is working. The report identified avoidable deaths, harm and profound failings. The publication of this report is simply not enough. What is required now is action, accountability and change.”
“I absolutely agree. In fact, some of the accounts that I have been given by prison staff, particularly women prison officers, are deplorable. The inspectorate notes: “There had been two self-inflicted deaths in the previous two years and support for those at risk of self-harm was weak.” The rate of self-harm had increased by 50%, and the…”
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“Q6. The Donna Ockenden and Baroness Amos reviews have exposed some uncomfortable truths: that justice is not brought about by a system, a law, a protocol, a regulatory authority or NHS England, but by bereaved and harmed families having to speak up, over and over again, about the most horrific and traumatic experience of their lives just to be heard. Does the Prime Minister agree that the system is not only failing but cruel, and if we are to restore public trust then we must finally introduce the Hillsborough law in full, so that families can get the justice and accountability they need and deserve?”
“We need fundamental reform of the wider system of oversight and accountability. Regulators, NHS bodies and inspection regimes must change. Reviews do not save lives, but action does. We need strong leadership; big, bold decision making; and a determination to implement change, rather than simply to recommend it.”
“I welcome Baroness Valerie Amos’s review, and I thank her and her team for their commitment to this vital work. Once again, this review confronts us with a very uncomfortable but real truth. The reality is that this inquiry and the Donna Ockenden inquiry did not come about because of a system, NHS England or a regulatory authority; it came about because families have to keep on speaking up, over and over again, about one of the most horrific and traumatic things ever to happen. All the while, there is a culture within of mutual protection, and a code of silence, which has enabled some staff to shield each other from consequences. I welcome the recommendation on the national maternity and neonatal commissioner—a strong, independent voice with the power to challenge—but we know that one appointment alone will not solve the problems.”
“That does not signify a system that is working. The report identified avoidable deaths, harm and profound failings. The publication of this report is simply not enough. What is required now is action, accountability and change. Can the Secretary of State therefore assure the House that there will be a plan with robust oversight and questioning of regulators and senior staff? Will he work with Nottinghamshire families and Nottinghamshire MPs to ensure that justice is truly and fully delivered?”
“I thank the Secretary of State for his statement. For openness and transparency, I note that I have been campaigning on this for six years and I am a harmed mother at Nottingham University hospitals NHS trust. I start by thanking the brave families—my friends—and Donna Ockenden and her team. What has happened is horrific: bullying, cover-ups, racism, discrimination and appalling practice. The way babies have been treated at birth and then at the end of their life is a national disgrace. One of the most uncomfortable truths in this report is that it was not a regulator, a policy, a protocol, a law or a Government Department that brought us this inquiry; it was families—bereaved families, harmed families—having to speak again and again about their most horrendous and traumatic experience for more than a decade.”
“I thank the Minister for visiting HMP Lowdham Grange recently after I raised concerns with him. As he will be aware, the inspectorate released its report just yesterday, following the most recent inspection. It is reassuring to see some progress in areas such as visible leadership, improving health services and security relating to drugs. However, I remain deeply concerned about ongoing problems relating to self-harm and suicide.”
“I beg to move, That this House has considered safety in prisons. It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Sir Jeremy. Since I was elected nearly two years ago, my office and I have been inundated with letters and calls from staff, prisoners and members of the public about the conditions at HMP Lowdham Grange in my constituency. I have heard repeated reports from prisoners of self-harm, deaths in the prison and instances of discrimination. I have also been contacted by staff sharing the impact of these incidents and the pressures on them, such as staffing and violence. These unsafe conditions are deeply concerning not only in their own right, but as a reflection of the wider challenges facing our justice system. To truly improve safety in our justice system, we must tackle the drivers of this violence.”
“On the occasions when we do speak to the officer, we are reassured that a welfare check will take place, but we have found that those checks often do not take place or that, when they do, an officer simply looks through the door before moving on. These concerns are reflected in the inspectorate’s findings. Care plans under assessment, care in custody and team procedures were judged to be poor, with most prisoners not engaged in education, training or work, and with few meaningful activities identified to support them.”
“My team and I have frequently found ourselves guiding operators through the appropriate steps or being placed on hold while advice is sought from a supervisor. In some cases, we have been asked to leave a voicemail, with a response promised within 24 hours. That is for somebody who is threatening to take their life, I hasten to add. If a prisoner is actively attempting to take their own life, I think we can all agree that 24 hours is far too long. When we are put through to the orderly officer’s line, there have been numerous occasions on which no one answers and we are forced to leave a voicemail on a separate line.”
“I absolutely agree. In fact, some of the accounts that I have been given by prison staff, particularly women prison officers, are deplorable. The inspectorate notes: “There had been two self-inflicted deaths in the previous two years and support for those at risk of self-harm was weak.” The rate of self-harm had increased by 50%, and the number of serious incidents requiring hospital had doubled. The risks cannot be allowed to continue. More must be done to support prisoners and to support staff in addressing these issues. I am also concerned that the processes for notifying the prison of a risk to life are wholly inadequate. The information that is publicly available directs individuals to the Safer Custody line, yet there appears to be insufficient training for operators handling potentially life-threatening situations.”
“Although numbers remain unacceptably high, the rate of assault and serious assault on staff has reduced. I also welcome the fact that the Government have now increased the number of staff stab-proof vests from 750 to 10,000, and that 500 officers will be trained on the use of tasers for the most serious incidents of violence. However, I support the Prison Officers Association in calling for protective equipment to be available to all officers, not only to those in high-security settings. Prison officers put their safety on the line every day to protect the public. The least we can do is ensure they have the protection they need. Can the Minister tell me whether there are any plans to make protective equipment available to all officers?”
“Absolutely. I thank the hon. Member for his intervention. Access to appropriate healthcare is another shortcoming. Prisoners often do not have access to their prescription medication or mental health services, and their medical or religious dietary needs are not met. The inspectorate also raised concerns about “prisoners with disabilities living in neglectful conditions”. Discrimination has no place in our society, and no place in prisons either. I urge the Minister to treat this as a matter of urgency. I fear that if action is not taken quickly, an incident of self-harm will lead to another preventable death. Let me move on to the subject of staff. I very much welcome the fact that the Government have taken steps to reduce the threat posed to our prison officers.”
“Time and again, when I speak to residents and the local police force, I am told about the endless cycle of incarceration and offending that is plaguing our streets. The local police and shop owners in Hucknall in my constituency know exactly who the offenders are who steal from businesses. The police do all they can—they collect evidence, they make arrests and they bring offenders to trial—but they know that in a year’s time those individuals will be back on the street committing the very same offences in the very same community. This is not a sustainable system. Discussions about rehabilitation and treatment of prisoners are often overlooked or trivialised, but access to addiction support, healthcare and education is essential if offenders are to break the cycle of crime.”
“One would think my hon. Friend could read my speech over my shoulder, because that is the next thing I will talk about. There remains a staffing crisis across our prisons, with officer numbers falling and many leaving the profession after only one or two years. I therefore ask the Minister, as my hon. Friend has done, what steps the Government are taking to improve staff retention, given its direct impact on prison safety. Our prisons are losing out on experienced members of staff, meaning that officers who often do not have the necessary experience or training have to handle situations for which they are dangerously unprepared. Finally, I would like to raise the impact of the safety of prisons on the wider public.”
“I absolutely agree. If the Minister has not been to Wandsworth, I ask him to go and see that model, which perhaps is something he can do going forward. Offenders cannot focus on rebuilding their life if they are struggling simply to survive or are experiencing thoughts of ending their own life. I hope that the Minister shares my concerns about the safety and wellbeing of prisoners and staff at HMP Lowdham Grange and that he will take immediate steps to support the prison, the prisoners and the safety of prison officers.”
“I met residents of the Hucknall colliery development in my constituency who have been left frustrated by high estate management charges, a lack of transparency and the appalling performance of managing agent FirstPort. Many cannot understand their bills or how they are calculated. Some are paying different amounts for similar properties, and many were led to believe that roads and public spaces would be adopted, only to find themselves facing ever increasing charges. They have been misled and ignored. Does the Minister agree that homeowners should not be trapped in these so-called fleecehold arrangements? Will he set out what action the Government will take to ensure that managing agents, such as FirstPort, are properly regulated, transparent and accountable to the residents who are ultimately funding them?”
“When I was a county councillor in Nottinghamshire, I asked the children and young people’s committee on a number of occasions where child exploitation was taking place in Notts, as well as what age groups and what genders it was affecting. However, I was denied that information both publicly and privately. Does my hon. Friend agree that child exploitation concerns should never be dismissed, that victims must be believed and that institutions must be willing to confront the truth, no matter how uncomfortable they may find it? Truth, transparency and accountability are how we protect our children.”
“Too often, children are exposed to harmful content online, with material promoting pornography and self-harm pushed towards them. Childhood should not be handed over to algorithms. As a mum, I know that parents are terrified that social media companies are putting profit before protection. Does the Secretary of State agree that not only should social media companies step up, but it is time to legislate to ensure that they take active steps to protect our children online?”
“For far too long, park home residents have been treated as an afterthought: paying more, getting less and having little power to challenge it. The 10% sales charge, high utility costs and poor services are a pattern of unfairness. I urge the Minister to introduce real reform, restore balances and give my constituents the dignity and protection that they need and deserve.”
“Although that arrangement can simplify billing by reducing the number of payments that residents need to manage, it can also make it difficult to understand how charges are calculated or to confirm whether bills accurately reflect individual household usage. It may sometimes be possible to request further information, but residents can be reluctant to do so in fear of retaliation or of a breakdown in relationships with site owners. No one should feel intimidated or isolated in their own home. I am concerned that the lack of transparency and risk of retaliation may disproportionately affect older and more vulnerable constituents. That is particularly worrying given the current uncertainty around electricity and gas prices.”
“It is a privilege to serve under your chairmanship, Sir Alec. I congratulate my hon. Friend the Member for Rushcliffe (James Naish) on securing this important debate. In my constituency, there are a number of park home sites, including in Rainworth, Calverton and Ollerton, and those sites often provide an affordable and accessible housing option for people later in life. Park homes in my constituency are situated close to local amenities, making them particularly suitable for vulnerable and older residents. However, the uncertainty that many park home owners face over their utility bills is a significant concern. In many cases, park home residents in my constituency purchase electricity, gas or water through the site owner rather than directly from a utility supplier.”
“This is not about blame; it is about building something better—a system that is accountable without fear, a system driven by data and early intervention, a system that listens to women, families and staff, and a system that acts when it matters most. Maternity care should never be a postcode lottery; it should never depend on where women live and it should never, ever come down to luck. Every woman deserves to be heard. Every baby deserves to be safe. Every family deserves dignity, compassion and answers. Yes, we need a maternity commissioner, but we need more than that: we need a system and a society that finally listen to women, finally act and finally put safety where it belongs—at the heart of every birth.”
“Thousands and thousands of women do not, and it is about time we started to face that reality, rather than using it as a political football. Our maternity services are systematically failing. Alongside that, we must recognise that there are profound examples of outstanding care across the country—dedicated midwives, doctors and other healthcare professionals going above and beyond every single day to keep women and babies safe. They are working under pressure and short-staffed and still delivering exceptional care. But they cannot do it alone. They need safer staffing and time to care. They need leadership and support. They need a system that works, a system that backs them, a system that protects them when they raise concerns and a system that enables them to deliver the care they know is needed.”
“A maternity commissioner must ensure that poor practice is not allowed to continue unchecked; that people cannot hop from trust to trust to trust when they have caused harm, but that that is followed and tracked; that warning signs are not ignored; and that families are not left to fight for answers after the harm has already been done. That is one of the most horrific things: families go through the most horrendous situation possible. I was lucky: I walked out of the hospital with my baby. But when my baby was born, he was not breathing. I nearly died as well, but I walked out of the hospital. When I did, I was told it was not known whether my son would have developmental delays. I was also told he was deaf, which was incorrect as well. It was the most horrendous situation, but I walked out of the hospital with my baby.”
“But we must also confront something deeper: we have to change societal attitudes towards childbirth. Too often, women are dismissed, their pain is minimised and they are told, “This is normal” when something is wrong. That culture then seeps into our systems, and when it does, it becomes dangerous. Listening to women is not optional; it is fundamental to safe care. That is why we need a maternity commissioner. This cannot be a figurehead role: it must have real authority and independence, and the power to act, access data in real time, identify patterns early and intervene when warning signs appear. We cannot continue with a system where tragedies happen, reviews are written and then we move on. Rising baby loss, serious incidents and repeated failings must trigger action immediately.”
“I stand here as the proud Member of Parliament for Sherwood Forest, but first and foremost—this was the path that brought me here—I was a harmed mother who was dismissed and told she did not understand her own body, and who is still living with the consequences. Through my work, I have spoken to over 1,000 families and hundreds of organisations with different stories and circumstances from different hospitals. The same themes come up again and again: women not being listened to, their concerns being dismissed and opportunities to intervene being missed. The message is clear and urgent: we need accountability without a culture of fear. We need a system where staff can speak up, families are heard the first time and learning drives improvement.”
“That is certainly true in Nottingham, where the Care Quality Commission failed, the Nursing and Midwifery Council failed and the General Medical Council failed. When the system fails, it is about not just frontline care but the structures designed to keep people safe. Inequalities are profound and, quite frankly, a disgrace. Black and Asian women are significantly more likely to have birth complications and poorer outcomes. If safe care is not equitable, we do not have any safe care at all. That must change. Maternity systems are failing, but this did not happen overnight. There is also a societal problem. When did childbirth and maternity became a second-class health service? Past Governments allowed it to become overstretched and underfunded. When did we, as a society, become so apathetic towards birth?”
“I do not want to pre-empt the findings of the Baroness Amos review, but I welcome the national taskforce—it is the first of its kind—and the work the Government are doing. Maternity services are systematically failing too many women and babies, and we cannot ignore what is happening across the country. Families having raised concerns for years and years, but those concerns were not acted on soon enough. It is not about one hospital or one failure, but about a pattern of women not being listened to, warning signs being missed, fathers and birthing partners being ignored, and poor practice continuing unchecked, sometimes for years. We must be honest about this: the system of oversight has failed.”
“It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Sir Alec. For complete openness and transparency, I am a harmed mother. I have been involved in the Nottingham inquiry, I sit on the national maternity and neonatal taskforce, and I am the chair of the APPG on maternity. I want to place on record my personal and sincere thanks to Louise Thompson and Theo Clarke. After the most traumatic and horrific birth trauma, they chose to speak out, not just for themselves—in fact, not for themselves at all—but for countless other women. That courage matters, because for every voice we hear, there are more still unheard. Courage after trauma should not be a necessity for change. That is why today’s debate is so important.”
“Does the hon. Member agree that working with the families to get the taskforce right, which has never happened before with any Government, is key? Getting the taskforce working and getting the right people on that taskforce is essential as well.”
“There are more than 2,500 families involved in the Nottingham inquiry, some of whose cases were never reported appropriately. Given that, does the hon. Member agree that it is important to get the taskforce right, because so many bad things happened under the previous Government’s watch that were not reported to the inquiry and are not in the statistics and data that she has spoken about?”
“Friend the Minister to extend the current support to all those who rely on heating oil, and ask the Government to do more specifically to help those in areas where they have no other source to rely on and to help the most vulnerable. In my constituency, it is mothers with babies who are really struggling at the moment.”
“These people do not qualify for other financial support, such as universal credit, but are not in a financial position to absorb such a hit as this financial crisis is causing. Let us face it: heating and water are not a luxury, but a necessity. I have been contacted by constituents in Blidworth who have been forced to turn off their heating and hot water to preserve their oil stock. They have told me of their worry about the risk that that will pose to their health, especially if they are unable to secure more oil. At a time when the duration of the conflict in the middle east remains uncertain with Trump’s reckless war, many people across Sherwood Forest who rely on heating oil are understandably anxious about the future, especially as heating oil prices continue to rise rapidly and individual stock levels are shrinking. I urge my hon.”
“I thank the hon. Member for North Norfolk (Steff Aquarone) for securing today’s debate. Nearly 1,000 people across my constituency of Sherwood Forest rely solely on heating oil to heat their homes and provide hot water. The sharp increase in prices is having a particularly severe impact on rural communities—as we have discussed—such as Wellow in my constituency, where access to alternative forms of heating is often unavailable. I welcome the Government’s introduction of support schemes to assist the most vulnerable and the Government’s swift action on that. It is right that those most in need are supported first, but also we must recognise that many households risk slipping through the net and require more support.”
“I had to wait over 18 years for my diagnosis, all while trying to manage the symptoms by myself. GPs told me to take paracetamol and put a hot water bottle on my stomach, when I could not even stand up. A diagnosis cannot solve everything, but it unlocks access to the right treatments, and gives women the evidence they need to request reasonable adjustments in the workplace. It gives women an opportunity to do what is right for themselves. Until women’s pain is taken seriously—medically and professionally —true equality at work will remain out of reach for so many.”
“PCOS and similar conditions are chronic and multi-system, meaning that they do not affect just one part of the body or happen for a short period; they are lifelong conditions that require ongoing management and support, yet they are rarely recognised in workplace support frameworks. I am pleased that the Government have introduced the menopause action plan. I ask the Minister to go further and introduce a menstruation action plan so that workplaces can start to reflect better the lives of women and the range of conditions they face, and ensure an understanding of the effect of the pain and suffering. Portugal and Spain already have such policies; the UK should too. Another crucial part of this debate is diagnosis. Menstrual leave alone will not fully support women if it can take years for them to receive an accurate diagnosis.”
“It would also create an opportunity to improve awareness and understanding of the real impact that conditions like endometriosis and PCOS have on people’s lives. While symptoms vary, and some women may experience few or none, others suffer severe, debilitating pain that affects their ability to work, study and live their daily lives. For example, PCOS can involve fatigue, pain, irregular cycles and significant mental health impacts, affecting the ability to work. That was the reality for me: passing out at sixth-form college in the toilets on a regular basis, experiencing extreme pain to the point where I could not even stand up, suffering migraines, sickness and vomiting, and doing my GCSEs when I could barely see out of my eyes.”
“Some, like me, live with both. Introducing menstrual leave in the UK would be life-changing for so many women. It would allow them to prioritise their health without fear of losing income or facing repercussions at work. Just as importantly, it would send a clear message to employers that women’s health must be taken seriously. The reality is that women are still not equal in the workplace. They are expected to work through intense pain and fatigue, and remain just as productive, regardless of how unwell they are. Many women worry about the consequences of taking too much sick leave, including lost pay and being penalised or viewed negatively at work. By enshrining menstrual leave in law, we can ensure that employers are unable to penalise women for managing long-term health conditions.”
“It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Mr Mundell. I am pleased to take part in this debate and to stand with the 149 women in Sherwood Forest and the 109,000 people in total who signed this petition. Painful periods are often dismissed as something that women should simply put up with—an inconvenience that is not that bad and happens only once a month—but for thousands of women across the UK, that could not be further from the truth. Every day, women live with chronic pain and exhaustion caused by conditions such as endometriosis. While the petition focuses on endometriosis and adenomyosis, it is important that we also include other, often overlooked conditions that cause severe menstrual symptoms, such as polycystic ovary syndrome. Around one in eight women in the UK have PCOS, and one in 10 have endometriosis.”
“This is not just about understanding why a child died; it is about helping families with such a tragic loss. We owe it to those children and families to learn everything we can, to be honest about what we find and to ensure that no parent is left alone in their search for answers. We can, and must, ensure that no family is left in the dark. When a child dies, the silence that follows should never be from a system that was meant to provide the answers.”
“When this happens, families encounter a system that is broken and fragmented, investigations that take too long, communication that is unclear and support that falls away when it is needed the most. We must do better. We need a national plan and improved data collection to identify patterns and risk factors. Every unexplained death in childhood must be treated with the seriousness it deserves—not just as a case to be closed but as a life that mattered, with a family who need answers. That means timely, thorough and transparent investigations; clear communication with families at every stage; ensuring that bereavement support is not an afterthought but a core part of care; and providing training for healthcare professionals, coroners and the police.”
“It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Sir John. I thank my hon. Friend the Member for Rossendale and Darwen (Andy MacNae) for securing this important debate. There can be no greater devastation than the death of a child, but for many families the pain is made even more unbearable by one word: unexplained. When a child dies without answers, the grief does not settle. It lingers, it questions and it haunts. Parents are left asking themselves the same questions over and over: “What happened, and why don’t we know?” I have spoken to a local family living with that reality—a family who are not just grieving, but searching for answers, understanding and peace.”
“In the UK, a child is reported missing every three minutes. These children are often the most vulnerable in society, as going missing can be a key warning sign of exploitation. Despite the clear connection, the term “child criminal exploitation” is not included in the Department for Education’s 2014 statutory guidance on missing children. Given the Home Office also holds responsibility for protecting missing children, does the Minister agree that Departments must work together to urgently update the guidance, so that relevant safeguarding partners can understand the risks, spot the signs and work together effectively to keep children safe?”
“T5. What urgent steps is the Minister taking to tackle antisocial behaviour in town centres such as Hucknall’s? We have had persistent disorder there, including a recent racist attack on a shop owner. This is impacting on community safety and confidence, and residents expect a visible police presence.”
“There is something fundamentally British about the idea that, six days a week, someone in a red and blue uniform walks our streets to deliver mail. For constituents in Clipstone, for my communities across Nottinghamshire and for Royal Mail workers across the country, I urge the Minister to act, and act now.”
“Over the years, those terms and conditions have been eroded. Posties in my constituency tell me that the job has become near impossible, with chronic understaffing, ever-changing regulations, different terms and conditions for people doing the same job, and top-down ideas that simply do not work on the ground. These posties are not people who want to see Royal Mail fail; in fact, they are quite the opposite. However, in my recent meetings with the Communication Workers Union, I was told that 50% of new Royal Mail staff leave within their first year, which amounts to 27,000 workers leaving since 2022. Royal Mail is not just another company; it is a proud British institution, part of the fabric of our communities.”
“As the proud daughter of a postie, I draw the House’s attention to my entry in the Register of Members’ Financial Interests. The performance of Royal Mail in parts of Sherwood Forest has been poor. Constituents in Clipstone have had no reliable postal service for over five months. At first, the Mansfield sorting office said that it was due to demand over the holiday period, but we are now in March. I have reached out nationally to Royal Mail, but had no response. As I said, this issue is deeply personal to me. My dad was a postie for over 30 years; I lost him on 6 September last year. It is clear that Royal Mail used to represent something more than it does now. It provided good, secure jobs; the jobs were tough, yes, but Royal Mail workers were respected, supported and had strong terms and conditions.”
“Of course, that must go hand in hand with protecting our green belt and embracing our future in a way that respects biodiversity and ensures that every one of my constituents can access the outdoors and the natural spaces that define our communities. Where a person grows up should not determine how far they can go. We have a duty to build connections that make that real. No young person’s future and wellbeing should be limited by a failing transport network.”
“Currently, there are more than 4,000 children living in poverty in Sherwood Forest. Parts of the constituency, a former coalfield community, are some of the most deprived areas of the country. Those people have never recovered from the decimation of their livelihoods, and that loss of potential continues a cycle of poverty and deprivation. It is vital that we connect rural communities to towns and cities such as Mansfield, Newark and Nottingham city, where many educational institutions and employment opportunities are based. As Oliver, the young person from Farnsfield, told me, people in our villages need bus routes that actually work for them. If we are serious about removing barriers to opportunity and unlocking the potential of the east midlands, we must invest in reliable public transport.”
“Others require residents to take multiple buses to simply travel across the constituency. In many other areas, it is a bus desert. At a coffee morning I held in Farnsfield at the weekend, I met Oliver Asher, a young man in my constituency who has mapped the bus provision in Nottinghamshire. There is a stark difference between 2014 and now. There is no clearer evidence of the under-investment in and neglect of such areas of the east midlands. Public transport is not a luxury in rural communities, but a lifeline. A young person who cannot reliably reach a college place, an apprenticeship or a first job risks being lost. Weak connections limit the ambitions of our young people and the productivity of our communities, but when people can travel easily, affordably and reliably, we unlock opportunity.”