Last week, parliament broke up for summer recess, ending a tumultuous period which saw Labour suffer its biggest rebellion to date. Along with welfare, we tackled many other complex issues, including the sewage crisis, assisted dying, and dementia care, which I led a debate on in June.

Shockingly, despite being the leading cause of death in the UK, dementia is rarely spoken about in Westminster – in fact, cancer has been talked five times more often!

It was an emotional debate, with many colleagues sharing their own families’ experiences of dementia and highlighting the postcode lottery of care. This lottery is something that deeply impacts us in South Devon, with South Hams having the lowest diagnosis rates in the country at just 44%.

A diagnosis can change lives. It provides clarity, access to support, and the opportunity to plan. It has proven to help people live well with dementia, but without investment people are being locked out of vital services.

Improving diagnosis rates is something I urged the Government to do. I also called on them to prioritise dementia and increase emotional and financial support for carers.

Another debate I led recently was on residential estate management companies. The situation for both leaseholders and freeholders has become so bad that many estates are now commonly referred to as “fleecehold,” and I believe that without government intervention, the practices of these companies could become the next great scandal of our times.

Tales of excessive service charges, poor maintenance, and intimidation regularly come into my inbox, and clearly many of my colleagues given how well attended the debate was.

At the end of the debate, the Housing Minister pledged to expedite a consultation into the leasehold system in England & Wales. This month, he fulfilled that pledge.

The Government’s new 12-week consultation is asking for views on a range of issues, including legal costs, the application process for renters, and service charges.

In fact, the Government launched a flurry of consultations in the last month, including one on the NHS dentistry contract, which runs until Tuesday 19th August.

While the 700,000 extra urgent dental appointments announced by the Government were welcome, the truth is we do not have enough dentists to deliver them. Fixing the deep flaws with the existing version is vital if we are to bring NHS dentistry back from the brink.

I am looking forward to spending more time in South Devon this summer. Coming back to the constituency and meeting constituents is my favourite part of being an MP. I cannot wait to embark on my Summer Surgery Tour this August, where I will be travelling to over 50 communities across 6 days.

No appointment is needed, just simply turn up for a chat – it would be lovely to see you. But if you did want to share a specific topic you would like to talk to me about and find out the exact times and locations of each visit, please contact me at [email protected] or go to my website. See you there!