This week includes an important subject matter in a session this afternoon organised by Tonia Antoniazzi the MP for Gower in South Wales “e-petition 608237 relating to prescription charges for people with chronic or long-term health conditions” The e-Petition was entitled “Free prescriptions for those with a long term and/or chronic condition.” So far, this petition has collected 20,258 signatures. 1,000 signatures of this figure came from Sussex with the largest area for signatures being Brighton and Hove. There were more signatures in Brighton Pavilion than anywhere else in the UK. The petition includes the initial comments;

We recognise the impact of chronic illness. 89% of prescription items dispensed in the community in England have no charge. Those not exempt may save money with a prescription prepayment certificate. The Government understands the immense challenges faced by those living with chronic or long-term conditions, often having to limit their lifestyles through no choice of their own, as well as the impact on their loved ones. We recognise that many patients with these conditions may need many prescription items to manage their health needs. While not everyone qualifies for free NHS prescriptions there are a broad range of NHS prescription charge exemptions in place in England to help those patients with the greatest need, to ensure that prescriptions are affordable.

On Tuesday one of the Committee’s taking place is the Education Committee which involves Caroline Ansell. The discussion is about the “Impact of industrial action on university students” This relates to a session that took place in November;

Universities marking boycott’s impact on students – Education Committee launches new inquiry” they go on to state “The Education Committee has launched a new inquiry to investigate the impact that this year’s industrial action by university staff had on students.

On the same day as the event involving Caroline a session in the House of Lords organised by a Green Peer member called Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb. The session is “Additional government measures in response to Met Office belief that 2023 was the second hottest year on record” so it will be interesting to find out what Jenny Jones will contribute tomorrow. These two items appear to be the only listed discussions available on the Government website for this week. Last week’s e-petition “Call an immediate general election” was noticed by only a very few MPs and none from Sussex.

During January there were a total of thirty six votes and nearly all of them were determined by the Government but some of the Government items were proposed by the Labour Party. However, there were a couple of unusual voting patterns last month. Back on the 16^th January there were a number of votes which were about the Safety of Rwanda Bill and all of the Sussex MPs participated in the vote. However, there was also a session organised by the SNP entitled “Scotland (Self-Determination)” and apart from the SNP the others who voted were the Plaid Cymru and Caroline Lucas and one Conservative MP so only forty-eight MPs. There were two hundred and twenty-six MPs that rejected it most of which were Labour MPs and only a few Conservatives some Liberal Democrats and the DUP. Most of the Sussex MPs did not contribute at all but Tim Loughton from East Worthing and Shoreham, Sally-Ann Hart from Hastings and Rye and Lloyd Russell-Moyle from Brighton Kemptown did oppose the SNP idea of self-determination.

A few days later on the 23^rd January there was initially a so called ‘Miscellaneous’ event and nearly all of the Sussex MPs voted for that item apart from Caroline Ansell from Eastbourne and Peter Kyle from Hove. After that event there was another vote introduced which did actually get submitted by the Labour Party. It was called “Protecting Steel in the UK” and along with the Labour Party which included Lloyd Russell Moyle the Labour MP for Brighton and Caroline Lucas for the Green Party there was also SNP, Liberal Democrats, DUPs and Plaid Cymru MPs. It was significant because 224 MPs voted with literally no MPs voting against it.

The opening discussion was began with Jonathan Reynolds who is the Labour MP for Staylbridge and Hyde and he stated amongst other words he stated

I beg to move, That this House recognises the need to decarbonise steel production; appreciates the pride that local communities have in their historic steelworks; regrets that the Government has pushed through plans for decarbonising steel in the UK which will result in thousands of steelworkers losing their jobs and risk leaving the UK as the first developed country in the world without the capacity to produce primary steel

Along with Jonathan and many other people who did speak prior to the vote the Government introduced a Minister who was Nusrat Ghani, the MP for Wealden. She spoke fifteen times and her first comment began with

First, I want to express my sympathies for the employees of Tata Steel during what is undoubtedly a difficult, tumultuous time. I recognise that Tata Steel’s recent announcement means significant uncertainty and upheaval, not just for them but for their families, the people of Port Talbot and other impacted sites.

It was fascinating that despite these words and the very clear endorsement from many other party groups that the Government did not vote at all and that none of the other Sussex Conservative MPs did not vote ‘Aye’ or ‘No’.