Parts of Oxfordshire have been badly hit by flooding since the New Year. Although we have seen some damage in Banbury, it has not been to the same level that many of us will recall in 1998 when more than 350 people were forced to flee their homes after the River Cherwell burst its banks. After a similar flood in 2007, it was decided that a flood alleviation scheme in Banbury was needed.

I was pleased to get the opportunity to visit this month along with the Environment Agency’s Thames Area Director, Anna Burns, and her team. Consisting of a 2.9 kilometre embankment with two flow control centres, the scheme protects homes and businesses in Banbury from flooding when the River Cherwell’s water level rises. At full capacity, the storage basin can safely hold back 3 million cubic metres of water – equivalent to 1200 Olympic-sized swimming pools.

Since its completion in 2012, the scheme has been tested a number of times. Given the levels of flooding we have seen elsewhere, we are very thankful to have such an effective scheme in place in Banbury. The embankment and flood plain also prove to be a popular walking destination for local residents, with a direct path connecting to the town and Banbury Country Park.

This month's Jobs and Support Fair in Banbury was a resounding success, with dozens of employers and charities on hand to help those looking for work or to move jobs.

The Town Hall was a real hive of activity with lots of familiar faces from sectors including education, care, hospitality and customer services present.

Although we can be proud of our extremely low rate of unemployment in Banbury, it is important that regular jobs fairs are held locally to help people discover the many opportunities available.

I joined a meeting with Chiltern Railways and other route MPs to discuss their recent performance and future plans. It is clear that tackling current overcrowding issues is their top priority. I was pleased to hear they have a plan for addressing this with short, medium and long-term improvements.

I will continue to work with colleagues, Chiltern and the Department for Transport to get these improvements delivered as soon as possible.

Flooding has been causing real issues for Banbury United this season, leading to the cancellation of several matches. The Puritans are an important part of our town and the Board have been doing a brilliant job despite all that has been thrown at them.

I was pleased to get down to the ground on Friday to meet Chairman Ronnie Johnson and Community Director Lisa Dixon. I am going to speak to the Environment Agency, our local authorities and my colleagues in Government to see what more we can do to support the club and secure its long-term future.

I enjoyed a visit to the brilliant North Oxfordshire Academy where I met the school’s interim principal, Ellie Jacobs.

Ellie took me on a tour of the school where I was able to call into a number of lessons including English, Geography, Physics and Psychology. The students were all clearly engaged and I was really impressed with the subject offering.

I later sat down with a group of pupils to discuss their time at the school as well as their future plans. I was particularly pleased to hear than many were considering a career in law!

I was pleased to invite local honey producers Viktor and Lucy Zaichenko to Parliament. Viktor and Lucy have been producing their delicious Honeymakers wildflower honey on their farm in Swalcliffe for many years now, but have concerns about current challenges in our domestic honey industry.

I was glad to facilitate a meeting with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Minister Mark Spencer to discuss what more can be done to support UK honey producers.

I was pleased to hold a constituency surgery at Banbury Town Hall. Surgeries are a great way for constituents to raise issues with me in a safe space. If you think I can be of any help, please contact my office at [email protected].

It was brilliant to welcome the Warriner School to Parliament this month. The group enjoyed a tour of the Palace before I got some time to speak to them in Westminster Hall. They had a busy day ahead with a visit to the Churchill War Rooms to follow.

Anyone wishing to come to Parliament for a free guided tour should get in touch with my office.

It was lovely to visit Hardwick Primary School on Friday. I was delighted to be asked to present pupils with certificates at their Celebration Assembly after a tour of the school. I also had the chance to sit down with a group of KS2 children to discuss life at school.

It is clear to me that Headteacher Hannah Zebrowski is doing a fantastic job and continues to drive extremely high educational standards.

Apprenticeships are a brilliant way to earn qualifications while learning on the job. To mark National Apprenticeship Week, I was pleased to celebrate the contribution of apprentices working in the hospitality sector, our country’s third largest employer, in Parliament.

I met Andrew Thomas who is currently undertaking an apprenticeship at the Hook Norton Brewery. I was delighted to award Andrew with his certificate of recognition for all of his hard work and enjoyed hearing about how he has been getting on.

This month, Rishi Sunak addressed the NFU Conference. The Prime Minister set out his plan to support our farmers and strengthen our food security.

He announced a package of measures which included the largest ever grant offer for farmers to invest in farm productivity, innovation, slurry management, barn-top solar and animal welfare, the doubling of the Management Payment of SFI, which will benefit smaller farms especially, and a commitment to publishing an annual Food Security Index, which will be put on a statutory footing.

The Prime Minister is standing up for our farmers at home and in our trade negotiations abroad. This Government will always back British farming, and I will continue to work closely with colleagues to deliver for our farmers across north Oxfordshire.

Read the Prime Minister's speech in full here.

NHS dentistry was hit hard by the pandemic and, in many parts of the country, is still in recovery. While services have been improving with 23% more treatments delivered last year compared to the previous year, there is still progress to be made.

The Prime Minister recently announced a swathe of new measures to ensure easier and faster access to NHS dental care across England. NHS dentists will be incentivised to take on new patients and mobile dental vans will target rural and isolated communities. Building on the reforms from two years ago, it is estimated that these changes will unlock 2.5 million extra appointments.

I know this will come as welcome news to my constituents, some of whom have written to me in recent months to share their concerns about appointment availability locally. I will continue to work closely with our Integrated Care Board to ensure we see improvements to our primary care offering in north Oxfordshire.

For more information click here.

The Government has launched the Disability Action Plan which includes 32 measures to improve the daily lives of people with disabilities. To read more on this click here.

Earlier this month I visited Israel and Occupied Palestinian Territories. Both Israelis and Palestinians have been severely affected by the terror attacks on 7 October and their aftermath.  

At Kfar Aza Kibbutz, I saw the remains of hideous atrocities perpetrated by Hamas, within sight and sound of ongoing fighting in Gaza. This is a site of terror, murder and kidnapping. Hostages from this Kibbutz continue to be held by Hamas. The suffering and trauma of this community, and many others across Southern Israel, is immense.

Palestinian civilians in Gaza are facing a devastating and growing humanitarian crisis. I heard from those working with communities in Gaza about the serious humanitarian situation and stressed the UK’s position that more must be done, faster to get aid to those who need it.

During my visit to the West Bank, I visited a Bedouin village where villagers are unable to graze their sheep on their land, or access schools or medical clinics owing to a real fear of settler violence and illegal settlement expansion. The UK has already sanctioned extremist settlers involved in violence. Israel must take stronger action to put a stop to it.

At home these events are also causing real pain and anguish. All parties need to conduct themselves in line with International Humanitarian Law and minimise the terrible and unnecessary suffering of Israeli and Palestinian civilians.

I welcomed my friend Ukrainian Prosecutor General Andriy Kostin to London. A clear message from legal roundtables, cross-party meetings with Parliamentarians and a conference where we spoke on accountability for Ukraine. The UK stands with Ukraine in its fight for justice.