When a constituent contacted me over Easter asking me to raise HRT shortages in the House of Commons I did not quite expect to hit the nerve I clearly did. However, in Business Questions last week three Members all raised the issue of HRT and then the perimenopausal and menopausal women of the UK let us all know the scale of the problem.
I always say the House of Commons is at its best when we work on a cross party basis to solve real problems our constituents face. I have been proud to work alongside the Labour MP for Swansea East Carolyn Harris who is a real menopause warrior, and together we have secured the first ever HRT Tsar (or should that be a Tsarina).
It was also a real privilege to be part of a cross party and very consensual debate on Tuesday afternoon about childhood cancer outcomes, led by fellow Hampshire MP Caroline Dinenage. One of her constituents Charlotte Fairall had shared her family's experience of losing their daughter Sophie to cancer, and across the House we all supported her call for a Childhood Cancer Mission, whilst highlighting the heart wrenching local cases we know of. Here in Romsey many of us are familiar with George's Trust, set up following the tragic death of George O'Brien, which has raised so much for the Teenage Cancer Unit at Southampton General Hospital, for immunology research and to support young musicians in our town.
Although an incredibly difficult subject, and many MPs were visibly moved, it served to remind me that MPs can be there to highlight the issues that matter to their constituents, and work together to achieve common objectives.
