NEWLY-elected Newport West MP Ruth Jones has spoken in Parliament for the first time.

Mrs Jones was elected to succeed Paul Flynn last week, and was sworn in on Monday.

And the Labour MP spoke in the House of Commons for the first time this morning, asking a question on 'county lines' - when drug dealers traffic their illegal products out of urban areas into rural towns and villages, often using children to transport them.

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Addressing leader of the house Andrea Leadsom, Mrs Jones said: "I am privileged to be able to speak in this chamber as the new Member of Parliament for Newport West.

"County lines is a growing issue across the UK – nowhere more so than my own constituency of Newport West.

"Can we have a debate in government time on how county lines is damaging our communities?"

Replying, Mrs Leadsom said: "Can I again welcome the honourable lady and congratulate her on her delivery of an excellent question.

"She will no doubt be aware this is a subject which is of great concern to honourable and right honourable members right across the house, and that the government has taken significant steps to try and resolve this appalling issue of county lines drugs dealing and the abuse of young people that’s leading to many being tackled violently and the increased use of knife crime and so on.

"It is an absolutely appalling problem that is faced in our society and she may be aware the government now has a serious violence taskforce and a consultation on treating serious violence as a public health emergency. We have a county lines effort by the police to tackle specifically the problem with county lines gang membership specifically to catch the leaders and to try and intervene earlier to try and get young people away from a life that leads to knife crime serious violence and county lines."