I have been appointed to the House of Commons Work and Pensions Committee. The Select Committee, which is made up of MPs from all parties holds the Government, its Ministers and non-departmental public bodies to account on the expenditure, administration and policies of the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP).

The Committee, chaired by Labour MP, Frank Field, is currently carrying out inquiries into “the Future of supported housing”, “Victims of modern slavery” and “A citizen’s income” (also known as “a universal basic income”).

I am delighted to have been appointed to serve this on this Committee. The Government’s work and pension policies are keenly felt in Southampton and being a member of the Select Committee will allow me, along with colleagues, to closely scrutinise those policies.

The Committee has done some excellent work in holding the Government to account on how its policies impact working people and I am very much looking forward to playing an active role in current and future inquiries.