Business and Trade: Late Payment: Small Businesses
“Small businesses are at the heart of Altrincham and Sale West, and when I meet them, often alongside the Altrincham district improvement board, they tell me that one of the biggest problems they face is late payments. Can the Minister explain further how this Government’s action on mandatory interest rates and to force large firms to pay up within 60 days is a win for my high street?”
Spoke in 24 debatesAsked 5 questions
Healthcare
Maternity Nurses, Nannies and the Infant Sleep Industry
“Being a parent is the one of the greatest joys we can have in life, but let me be clear, it is also one of the hardest things we ever do. I remember the first year of my son’s life and the happiness those precious early moments brought me and my partner, but I also remember the less precious moments, with the daily battle every new parent has with their own anxieties as they ask themselves, “Why are they crying? Why are not they sleeping? Am I doing something wrong?” Those questions swirl around our heads at a time when we are sleep deprived, emotionally drained and totally unsure of ourselves—in other words, we are vulnerable. What do we do in that situation? We seek out help, expertise and people we think we can trust. In the majority of circumstances, that is absolutely the right thing to do—health visitors and the vast majority of nannies who provide responsible care give parents vital support that helps them get by—but what if, when we turned for help, the person who responded was not someone we could trust? What if they were not the expert they claimed or seemed to be? What if they had no qualifications, no training and no accountability? When that happens, we run the risk of unimaginable tragedy.”
