Strong Local Voice, Strong Local Champion

Annette Brooke, MP for Mid Dorset and North Poole, has received responses from the Government to questions she asked in the wake of Bangladesh's Savar tragedy. The collapse of the eight story building in April saw over 1000 garment industry workers killed.

Annette tabled written questions to the Department for Business, Innovation, and Skills to ask what assessment had been made of the role of British businesses in ensuring the welfare of workers in factories abroad; and whether the Department would consider introducing a small levy on Bangladeshi garments sold in the UK, the proceeds of which could be put towards ensuring worker's welfare.

Annette Brooke MP has given her support for children with life-threatening and life-limiting conditions in Mid Dorset and North Poole at a Westminster event held by the charity Together for Short Lives. Annette met with Anna Gill OBE, a parent carer of a young person with a life-limiting condition, in addition to other representatives from the children's palliative care sector. She learnt about the important work that children's palliative care services - including children's hospices like Julia's House - do in communities across the UK. These services provide an important lifeline to children and families from the moment a child is diagnosed until their eventual death and continue supporting families for as long as they need it.

Annette Brooke, MP for Mid Dorset and North Poole, yesterday questioned Anna Soubry MP, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health, about her Department's plans to encourage women aged between 60 and 64 to attend cervical screenings.

Annette's question came during Cervical Screening Awareness Week (9-15 June) which seeks to publicise the importance of screenings for the prevention of cervical cancer. The initiative, which is led by Jo's Cervical Cancer Trust, aims to increase public knowledge of this vital issue, as 20% of women in the UK fail to attend cervical screenings despite advice from their GPs.

Mid Dorset and North Poole MP Annette Brooke has shown her support for children with Type 1 diabetes by backing a call by Diabetes UK for improved healthcare for children and young people living with the condition.

Ms Brooke attended Diabetes UK's parliamentary reception, held to help launch the charity's Type 1 Essentials campaign, which highlights the essential care and support that every child living with Type 1 diabetes needs.

Annette Brooke MP attended the launch of the Hearing Screening for Life Campaign in Parliament last week, which is calling for Hearing Screening to be brought in for everybody at the age of 65.

Hearing loss is a major public health issue affecting over 10 million people in the UK - one in six of the population. It impacts on communication, causing difficulties for people interacting with their family and friends, and can lead to social isolation and depression. It reduces the ability to access services including healthcare and can exacerbate or lead to other medical problems. In particular, new evidence suggests that there is a link between hearing loss and dementia.

Local Mid Dorset and North Poole MP Annette Brooke has joined forces with the Kennel Club for National Microchipping Month to spread the word about the forthcoming compulsory microchipping regulation due to come into force in England in April 2016 after research overwhelmingly found that dog owners are either unaware or confused about the upcoming legislation.

Annette Brooke, MP for Mid Dorset and North Poole, quizzed Don Foster MP, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, about his Department's plans for demonstrating successful examples of effective coordination between local councils and health services on Monday during CLG Oral Questions in the House of Commons.

MP for Mid Dorset and North Poole, Annette Brooke has this week become Chair of the Parliamentary Liberal Democrat Party. Annette was elected unopposed, and took her place as Chair of a meeting of Liberal Democrat MPs last night.

Annette's new role will involve the chairing of Parliamentary Party meetings, interaction with all colleagues, providing a communication channel to represent views where appropriate and providing a listening and supportive pastoral role to complement the work of the Liberal Democrat Whips.

Mid Dorset and North Poole MP Annette Brooke praised local residents' work to save the Scabious Bee - the area's 'iconic' bee

Bee-lovers have taken over 175 actions to save bees in Mid Dorset and North Poole as part of Friends of the Earth's Bee Cause campaign.

Actions include planting bee friendly seeds, signing petitions and building 'bee hotels' to replace lost natural habitat.

Annette Brooke, local MP for Mid Dorset and North Poole, is backing The National Autistic Society's (NAS) new campaign aimed at improving support for adults with autism in the constituency and across England.

One in every hundred adults has autism, meaning there are 300,000 adults in England with the disability.