Petitions

In the House of Commons debate, Sir John Hayes, the Conservative MP for South Holland and The Deepings, presented a petition on behalf of his constituents regarding the proposed development of the Mill Field in Market Deeping. The petition, signed by nearly a third of the town's population, calls on the House of Commons to urge South Kesteven District Council to reconsider its plan to develop the 11-hectare green field site, which has been used by the community for various purposes for generations. Sir John argued that the Mill Field is an intrinsic part of the rural character of the local area and should be protected as a designated green space, rather than being subjected to an unwanted development that the local community opposes. The Labour and Co-operative MP for York Central, Rachael Maskell, then presented a petition on behalf of her constituents and others regarding the NHS dental crisis. The petition, signed by 1,707 residents, calls on the government to discontinue the current "unworkable" NHS dental contract and instead bring dental services fully back into the NHS through a National Dental Service. Maskell highlighted the significant issues facing NHS dentistry in York, with less than 40% of adults accessing NHS dental care in the past two years, and the need to address workforce shortages, including through the establishment of a dental school at the universities of York and Hull. The debate that followed covered a range of topics related to the two petitions. The discussion surrounding the Mill Field development focused on the importance of protecting green spaces and respecting the wishes of local communities, while the debate on NHS dentistry centered on the need to reform the current system, increase funding, and address workforce challenges to improve access to dental care across the country.