Ian Sollom MP Newsletter - 23 September 2025

Welcome to my latest newsletter with the work I have been doing over the past couple of weeks.

After some important debates in Parliament since we returned at the beginning of September, we’ve now moved into the conference recess period. Hearing the government’s response on SEND provision and indefinite leave to remain for Hong Kongers and other affected communities - issues that matter deeply to many in St Neots and Mid Cambridgeshire - we are left with warm words but little in the way of firm commitments. I will keep pressing the government on both issues.

Over the last weekend I’ve had a rare weekend out of the constituency at the Liberal Democrat Party Conference in Bournemouth where I’ve been  championing our new policies on skills and training opportunities. In our constituency - and indeed the across the whole country - it’s vital that people get proper pathways to opportunity. You can read more about these policy developments here.

Now I’m looking forward to getting out in the constituency hearing more from residents about the issues that matter to you - just like those below.

Supporting Neurodivergent People and Children with SEND

Since my election, I have heard from dozens of worried parents who have felt compelled to write to me about their struggles with Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) support for their children. In fact, a recent petition on SEND support and assessment garnered over 300 signatures just from people in St Neots and Mid Cambridgeshire. When the petition came to Parliament, I had planned to go down and to represent my constituents in the debate, telling their stories and calling on the Government to set out plans for SEND reform as a matter of urgency. 

In Westminster Hall it was busier than I had ever seen it, with standing room only and a strict time limit on speeches – the sheer number of MPs wishing to speak, to share the concerns of their constituents and their ideas for reform, clearly lays bare how urgent the situation is. Although I did not get the chance to speak due to this, I have repurposed my speech into a blog post which you can read here.

In a debate the week before, I was proud to celebrate the work of Switch Now, an organisation based in St Neots that provides alternative education and training to neurodivergent young adults. Switch Now focuses on the individual, their needs and skills development, and ensures they have the appropriate work experience required to help them into a career for life. If we are serious about creating opportunity for all, organisations like Switch Now, and the young adults they teach, need urgent support from the government – a one-size-fits-all approach to training and skills is not an option.

Rail Fares – Disruption, Cancellations and Soaring Prices

In the last edition of my newsletter, I shared that I had joined the Liberal Democrat call for the Government to introduce a rail fare freeze amid soaring prices. This prompted a variety of messages from constituents, some supporting the policy, and others simply reaching out to share stories of how delays and price hikes have impacted them.

Owing to this, I raised the issue with the Secretary of State for Transport, pressing her on how she justifies poor service at an incredibly high price to my constituents. Though she says that the Government has not yet confirmed pricing for next year’s fares, it seems inevitable that prices will go up if inflation continues to be as high as it is now.

The Secretary of State is, at least, on record saying that fares will be a “balance between affordability and what is fair for the taxpayer”, and I certainly will be holding her to account on this when prices are set for next year.

Hong Kongers & Skilled Worker Visas – Proposed Government Reforms to Indefinite Leave to Remain

Over the past few months, I have received many messages from constituents who are concerned about the potential changes to Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) that were laid out in the Government’s immigration white paper back in May. If you are unfamiliar with the process, ILR is the UK’s settlement status that allows someone to permanently reside in the country and provides a route to British citizenship, should that person eventually want it. Under current rules, you can apply for ILR if you have lived in the UK for at least 5 years – typically this comes after having worked under a Skilled Worker visa, sponsored by an employer. Under the Government’s new proposals, this 5-year qualifying period may extend to 10 years, and this has left the long-term plans of numerous residents completely up in the air.

In particular, Cambridgeshire has a large community of Hong Kongers with British National (Overseas) status, many of whom have been in touch with me about the proposed changes and the impact they will have on families’ ability to afford healthcare surcharges and university education for their children – not to mention the fear of being forced to move back to Hong Kong where they may face growing oppression from China.

I attended a debate in Parliament to hear the Minister’s response to calls for clarity on the changes and was pleased that he seemed to recognise the points of many MPs who raised concerns on behalf of Hong Kongers. However, recognition is not enough. We need urgent clarity on what the changes might mean, and I will continue to push for answers for the community.

Reopening of St Neots Fire Station & East of England Ambulance Service – Emergency Services Day

To mark Emergency Services Day – where we recognise the vital work that firefighters, doctors and paramedics, police officers, and call handlers do in our community – I attended the official reopening of St Neots Fire Station to see their newly-renovated facilities. The site is the first completely carbon neutral fire station in Cambridgeshire, making use of heat pumps, solar panels, and electric charging bays.

I was also pleased to meet dedicated staff members and volunteers of the East of England Ambulance Service NHS Trust (EEAST) at its ‘Stars of EEAST’ awards night in Bourn. During difficult times for the Trust, I know its staff members have continued to work hard to save lives and support residents in our area. Congratulations to all those who picked up awards!

Life Sciences Investment in the UK – Merck & AstraZeneca

I recently responded to an Urgent Question in Parliament on the worrying news that pharmaceutical company, Merck or MSD, had scrapped its £1bn plans to invest in the UK. Just a day after, a similar announcement came even closer to home, with AstraZeneca pausing their plans to invest £200m in expanding their Cambridge research site. This is hugely disappointing news not only for the UK’s ability to compete on an international scale as a leader in life sciences, but also for the hundreds of jobs now lost that these investments would have created.

We Liberal Democrats have long warned of situations like these, yet the Government still chose to increase National Insurance Contributions for employers and has done precious little to invest in critical skills and support the life sciences sector. We continue to call for the Government to make Research and Development investment 3.5% of GDP and create a long-term strategy that works directly alongside employers and universities to maintain the UK’s competitiveness.

Knit and Natter Bar Hill

After holding an MP surgery in Bar Hill this week, I was delighted to meet members of the Bar Hill “Knit and Natter” group at their regular social. It was clear straight away what a fantastic supportive community this is. Some of the members have lived in Bar Hill since the first houses were constructed in the late 1960s. It was great to hear how much pride they have in their community, and how they support many charities through their knitting and crochet and other fundraising projects. Thank you to the members of the group for their warm welcome and interesting questions as well as their offer of future knitting lessons!

Parliamentary Business

I always endeavour to represent residents of St Neots and Mid Cambridgeshire in Westminster on issues you care about. Thank you to everyone who writes to me each week, expressing your views and inviting me to attend various meetings in Parliament. Here is a taste of some of the work I have been doing in Westminster recently:

• Participated in a roundtable with Anglian Water, raising residents’ concerns about water resources and sewage capacity in our area, as well as to discuss recommendations for water regulatory reform to protect the environment.
• Voted for the Bus Services Bill, which will give powers to local authorities to franchise bus services and introduce socially necessary local routes, to pass. I supported the Liberal Democrat measure to remove time restrictions on the use of disabled concessionary travel passes, which was sadly voted down by the Government.
• Pressed the Minister for State at the Ministry of Defence to explain how the Government’s defence industrial strategy will integrate training with existing skills frameworks, and pushed for flexibility for the industry to develop new courses at pace.
• Voted for a parliamentary bill that proposes ending the two-child benefit cap and signed a Liberal Democrat letter to the Chancellor pushing the Chancellor on this, as it would lift hundreds of thousands of children out of poverty.

Surgeries and Further Information

Each week I have been holding both in-person and online surgeries to speak directly to constituents about their issues. If you feel you have a problem I could help with, or you have a campaign matter you would like to discuss with me, please don’t hesitate to contact me at ian.sollom.mp@parliament.uk to request a surgery appointment.

I will continue to keep you updated about my work to represent the constituents of St Neots & Mid Cambridgeshire. Please don’t hesitate to get in touch, volunteer, or get involved with our campaigns.

If you are writing as a constituent, I will need to verify that you reside in the St Neots & Mid Cambridgeshire parliamentary constituency to reply and deal with your case. Therefore, please ensure that you have included your full name and home address in your email.

I receive a significant volume of campaign and casework emails each day. Therefore, I ask for your patience as my team respond to new emails. Please know your messages are being received and we are working as fast as we can to respond to every inquiry.