That this House is deeply alarmed by the temporary suspension of births at North Devon District Hospital from 11 August 2026, and the redirection of pregnant mothers across Northern Devon and Cornwall to other hospitals; expresses great concern for the safety of babies and mothers travelling up to two hours to give birth, despite the risk of medical complications; recognises the staffing shortfall and recruitment challenge faced by NHS maternity units across the country, particularly in remote and rural areas; notes that maternity services in Barnstaple deliver more than one thousand local births each year, and highlights the added pressure on maternity provision at the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital during the suspension; expects the Government to ensure that every family in the UK is within 45 minutes travel time of a fully operational maternity unit; urges the Royal Devon University Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust to expedite hiring procedures to fill vacant consultant roles in gynaecology and obstetrics, to undertake a review of the suspension and work to improve workforce resiliency; and calls on the Board to approve a plan to resume births at North Devon District Hospital at the earliest possible date it is safe to do so.

That this House is deeply alarmed by the temporary suspension of births at North Devon District Hospital from 11 August 2026, and the redirection of pregnant mothers across Northern Devon and Cornwall to other hospitals; expresses great concern for the safety of babies and mothers travelling up to two hours...

That this House congratulates Ilfracombe, Isle of Bute, Lerwick, Sandown, Strabane, Stockton Town Centre Ward, Corby, Great Yarmouth, Leith, Pontypridd, Port Talbot, Basildon, Birkenhead, Grimsby and Rotherham on being shortlisted for the first UK Town of Culture competition; applauds the creativity and hard work of volunteer groups and organisations such as One Ilfracombe in championing their communities; believes that culture and the arts enrich people's quality of life while adding more than £8.5bn to the UK economy each year; and supports efforts to strengthen local pride in towns across Britain.

That this House congratulates Ilfracombe, Isle of Bute, Lerwick, Sandown, Strabane, Stockton Town Centre Ward, Corby, Great Yarmouth, Leith, Pontypridd, Port Talbot, Basildon, Birkenhead, Grimsby and Rotherham on being shortlisted for the first UK Town of Culture competition; applauds the creativity and hard work of volunteer groups and organisations such...

That this House congratulates Encompass South West on winning a GSK IMPACT Award in conjunction with The King's Fund; recognises the Barnstaple-based charity's exemplary efforts to tackle homelessness, poverty and hardship across northern Devon; credits the charity's work in supporting nearly 2,000 people during 2025, more than 10% of which were young people; asserts that homelessness and a shortage of affordable housing remains a serious challenge for communities right across the UK, that social problems can be complex and deep-rooted; and champions an holistic approach to helping those in the greatest need to rebuild stable lives.

That this House congratulates Encompass South West on winning a GSK IMPACT Award in conjunction with The King's Fund; recognises the Barnstaple-based charity's exemplary efforts to tackle homelessness, poverty and hardship across northern Devon; credits the charity's work in supporting nearly 2,000 people during 2025, more than 10% of which...

That this House congratulates South Molton Pannier Market on winning Britain's Favourite Market in the Great British Market Awards 2026 for the fourth consecutive year; recognises the hard work of traders, farmers, and the loyalty of local shoppers in supporting thriving small businesses across the South West; celebrates the market's long heritage and ongoing reinvention as a centre for food festivals, as the heart of community outreach, and as the first ever indoor section of the Tour of Britain cycle race; and reaffirms the deep importance of indoor markets to towns across the country.

That this House congratulates South Molton Pannier Market on winning Britain's Favourite Market in the Great British Market Awards 2026 for the fourth consecutive year; recognises the hard work of traders, farmers, and the loyalty of local shoppers in supporting thriving small businesses across the South West; celebrates the market's...

That this House commends volunteers and trustees of Earth Action North Devon, formerly Plastic Free North Devon, for their exemplary environmental leadership during 2025; applauds more than fifteen hundred community volunteers who collected more than 2.4 metric tonnes of discarded plastic and other waste across more than forty community clean-ups; supports ongoing grassroots efforts to engage local businesses, schools and community organisations in tangible action to protect the environment; notes the publication of the Earth Action North Devon 2025 Impact Report, the growing success of local repair cafes, the need to embed better environmental decision-making into the fabric of society; and calls for Government policy that champions sustainability to actively protect our planet for future generations.

That this House commends volunteers and trustees of Earth Action North Devon, formerly Plastic Free North Devon, for their exemplary environmental leadership during 2025; applauds more than fifteen hundred community volunteers who collected more than 2.4 metric tonnes of discarded plastic and other waste across more than forty community clean-ups;...

That this House commends the exemplary charity work of Julie Whitton, Swimbridge community champion and fundraising officer for the Royal Devon Hospitals Charity; recognises her instrumental role in NHS fundraising appeals that delivered the £3m Seamoor Chemotherapy and Day Treatment Unit, re-equipped Special Care Baby Unit, and £1.5m Fern Centre, at North Devon District Hospital; applauds her crowning achievement as Project Leader for the £630,000 community-led effort to rebuild Swimbridge Jubilee Hall between 2007 and 2015, which won the Prince of Wales Award; notes her tireless work to raise more than £2m supporting countless local charities and good causes across North Devon over many years; and wishes her well in retirement.

That this House commends the exemplary charity work of Julie Whitton, Swimbridge community champion and fundraising officer for the Royal Devon Hospitals Charity; recognises her instrumental role in NHS fundraising appeals that delivered the £3m Seamoor Chemotherapy and Day Treatment Unit, re-equipped Special Care Baby Unit, and £1.5m Fern Centre,...

That this House recognises the high cost of transport faced by those in the most rural areas; asserts the importance of the Rural Fuel Duty Relief Scheme which provides support to remote communities in Scotland, Cumbria, Northumberland, North Yorkshire, on Exmoor and the Isles of Scilly, via a 5ppl rebate to the customers of designated fuel retailers in specific geographic areas; notes that the rebate provided under the Scheme has not been increased in line with inflation since its announcement in 2010, and has lost around 35% of its original purchasing power during that time; stresses the need to harness economic growth in rural areas; and calls on the Government to review the value of the relief, and consider extending the Scheme to additional rural communities.

That this House recognises the high cost of transport faced by those in the most rural areas; asserts the importance of the Rural Fuel Duty Relief Scheme which provides support to remote communities in Scotland, Cumbria, Northumberland, North Yorkshire, on Exmoor and the Isles of Scilly, via a 5ppl rebate...

That this House celebrates 200 years since the construction of the North Devon Infirmary, North Devon's first public hospital, famously Supported by Voluntary Contributions and the predecessor of North Devon District Hospital; recognises that the latter has now been in place since 1978, supports over 160,000 people across Devon and Cornwall, and is itself long overdue for investment to modernise its surgical and critical care infrastructure; and reaffirms the founding principle of the National Health Service, of public healthcare available to everyone, supported by taxpayers and free at the point of use, which will relieve one's money worries in time of illness.

That this House celebrates 200 years since the construction of the North Devon Infirmary, North Devon's first public hospital, famously Supported by Voluntary Contributions and the predecessor of North Devon District Hospital; recognises that the latter has now been in place since 1978, supports over 160,000 people across Devon and...

That this House congratulates the regional winners of Library of the Year at the British Book Awards 2025, including Braunton Library in North Devon, winner of South West England's Library of the Year; recognises the important contribution libraries make to advancing reading and literacy skills among both children and adults, as well as the wider community functions libraries serve in hosting a vast range of community events, support groups, employment workshops, live music, arts and crafts activities, flexible working spaces, access to the internet and public records, among many others; notes that at least 190 libraries across the UK have closed in the past five years; and calls on the Government to support local councils in maintaining publicly-accessible spaces for community use.

That this House congratulates the regional winners of Library of the Year at the British Book Awards 2025, including Braunton Library in North Devon, winner of South West England's Library of the Year; recognises the important contribution libraries make to advancing reading and literacy skills among both children and adults,...

That this House pays tribute to the life and wartime service of the late Jim Squires, formerly of No. 50 Squadron, Royal Air Force, and a Lancaster bomber Air Gunner who survived more than 35 sorties during the Second World War; recognises an extraordinary life lived to 99 years of age; acknowledges the low survival rates and remarkable bravery of RAF bomber crews; honours the few remaining WW2 RAF veterans; and salutes those to whom so much is owed in defence of freedom.

That this House pays tribute to the life and wartime service of the late Jim Squires, formerly of No. 50 Squadron, Royal Air Force, and a Lancaster bomber Air Gunner who survived more than 35 sorties during the Second World War; recognises an extraordinary life lived to 99 years of...

That this House notes the bravery of the UK's Emergency Services in response to Storm Bert, which included more than four hundred water incidents that have taken place in Devon and Somerset alone over this past weekend; acknowledges that resources for emergency services remain under immense pressure; and believes that community resilience for severe weather should be a statutory duty with accompanying government funding in England and Wales.

That this House notes the bravery of the UK's Emergency Services in response to Storm Bert, which included more than four hundred water incidents that have taken place in Devon and Somerset alone over this past weekend; acknowledges that resources for emergency services remain under immense pressure; and believes that...

That this House congratulates the Corps of Royal Marines on their 360th anniversary; recognises their contribution to the rich maritime heritage of the entire South West region, including at RM Chivenor, RM Stonehouse, RM Norton Manor, and CTCRM Lympstone among others; acknowledges the essential role that the Royal Marines have played in the defence of the UK during countless military operations around the world; and thanks serving and former Royal Marines for their dedication to duty.

That this House congratulates the Corps of Royal Marines on their 360th anniversary; recognises their contribution to the rich maritime heritage of the entire South West region, including at RM Chivenor, RM Stonehouse, RM Norton Manor, and CTCRM Lympstone among others; acknowledges the essential role that the Royal Marines have...