Isle of Wight ferry issues raised in East MP's first Parliament speech

Joe Robertson Isle of Wight East MP urged the government to extend their plan for transport reform to ferries as well as buses and rail travel.

He said: "If the government fails to intervene on ferry services, my residents on the Isle of Wight risk becoming the only community in the United Kingdom entirely reliant on foreign-owned, private, unregulated, debt-laden companies for essential travel for health, to see their relatives, to access work and other essential services not available on the Island.

Read more: Isle of Wight East MP reveals his pick in Tory leadership race

"That cannot be allowed to happen and I urge the government to intervene."

Joe Robertson MP made his maiden speech in the House of Commons (Image: Office of Joe Robertson MP)

Isle of Wight ferry firms Wightlink and Red Funnel have both said they will meet with Joe and Isle of Wight West MP, Richard Quigley.

Wightlink was recently named as Best Ferry Operator at the National Transport Awards in London.

As well as ferries, Joe spoke about how he hoped to contribute to help mounting pressures in health and social care.

He said: “However long I’ve got on these benches, be it long or be it short, I hope to make my own significant contribution.

"Particularly, I think to the most pressing issue of our day, which is dealing with the pressures in health and particularly social care.

"The biggest reform the NHS needs is dealing with the pressure in social care which relieves pressure on our hospitals.

"This government has said some good things about what it would like to achieve, and I urge it to act quickly."

Joe also paid tribute to his predecessors Bob Seely and Andrew Turner, as well as congratulating Sir Ben Ainslie's INEOS Britannia team on qualifying for the America's Cup.

The MP spoke about the community spirit of the Island and spoke about visitor attractions in his constituency, including Brading Roman Villa and Havenstreet Steam Railway.