MP’S REPORT TO 

RESIDENTS: MARCH 2020

I provide regular updates on my work to local residents.

You can find previous reports of my work on my web site;
www.ruthcadbury.co.uk [1] I also report regularly on my Facebook page [2]
and via Twitter [3] and Instagram @RuthCadbury [4]. You can see full
details of my questions and speeches in Parliament, and get Regular updates
about my Parliamentary activities on TheyWorkForYou [5]in Hansard [6]and on
YouTube [7]

HEATHROW DECISION

The Court of Appeal has ruled that the Government should have taken the
climate change implications of the Paris Agreement into account when
drawing up the National Policy Statement which outlined its plans for a
third runway. The Court has not said there will be no third runway but is
inviting the Government to reconsider and amend the NPS in order to take
account of the Paris Agreement. It is widely assumed that Prime Minister
Boris Johnston, a long-standing opponent of Heathrow, will amend the NPS to
kill off a third runway. The Government has made it clear that it will not
appeal against the appeal court decision to the Supreme Court. Whilst
Heathrow Airport will do so, it might struggle to overturn the judgment if
it does not have Government backing.

Whilst I believe that Runway 3 is increasingly unlikely to happen, we
havn't stopped Heathrow's insatiable appetite for more flights. I have no
doubt that Heathrow are already working on option B - to try to get more
flights on the existing two runways. In the last but one consultation
Heathrow offered the option of putting additional flights on the existing
runways as an interim measure while Runway 3 was being built; by using IPA
(Independent Parallel Approaches). This means having additional flights
joining the approach path later (from the north over Acton etc and from the
south over Kingston & Richmond).

My take is that they will now go for this option as their way of getting
more flights in, without the hassle & cost of another runway.

This will mean we lose the current night flight regime, which effectively
means we currently have no flights between 11.30pm - 4.30am and only 16
flights 4.30-6.00 am. We would also lose the alternation regime, which
gives those living under the existing flight paths 8 hours respite (for the
70% of the time the planes are landing on Westerly operation).

So we must continue the fight by saying “NO Expansion” for all the
reasons we have been opposing the third runway; climate change, additional
noise, additional communities affected, more road congestion, more air
pollution......

MEANWHILE; CONSULTATIONS ON NIGHT FLIGHTS AND AND AVIATION WHITE PAPER ARE
STILL AWAITED

For more information, the AirportWatch website is full of up-to-date
information: [link removed] [8]

In February The NEW ECONOMICS FOUNDATION published an excellent report
“Baggage Claim [9]” about how building Runway 3 draws jobs, passengers
and economic opportunities away from the UK regions towards London. This is
the opposite of the “levelling up” that the Government is trying to
achieve. This a a time when Heathrow has hundreds of job vacancies, and the
“Better not Bigger” slogan means our focus must be on improving terms
and conditions for Heathrow workers now.

I am pleased to be back on the Transport Committee - after a five month gap
we will be up and running again this month.

In a major debate on Transport & Decarbonisation I tackled the myths about
electric planes and sustainable fuel and called for a frequent flyer levy

Following a meeting in Isleworth with Managers of local pre-school
nurseries, I wrote to Education Secretary Gavin Williamson urging more
funding for nurseries

At a rally outside Parliament I supported self-employed contractors who are
faced with uncertainty and massive loss of income through the roll-out of
IR35

Following Health Secretary Matt Hancock’s statement on the coronavirus,
on behalf of a constituent’s mother, I asked if the Government would
extend the visas of visitors from Wuhan. (I am pleased to report that the
Government has now agreed this!)

[10]

I co-signed letters; to the Home Secretary to stop the Deportation flights;
to the DWP to end 5 week wait and 2 child limit on Universal Credit

When the PM brought a statement to the House on Transport infrastructure I
asked how much will be spent on cycling and I didn’t get a clear answer.
I also wrote a Guardian article on the issue

I signed Early Day motions: on the conduct of Judge Tolson in the Family
Court; asking DWP to review the use of Foodbanks; on Animal Cruelty; and on
assaults on shopworkers.

LOCAL UPDATE

I am pleased that Brentford will soon have a Post Office Counter again,
based at Costcutter near the canal bridge. Good news locally, especially
for local group Brentford Voice who had started a petition. But I am still
pushing the Post Office on their criteria that should ensure that no
community is without an accessible PO counter. These provide key services
that are particularly important to elderly and disabled residents, and to
small businesses.

Taking questions from children at Smallberry Green Primary School

Visiting Paragon flats, Brentford –significant building faults needing
major repairs

Awusu is one of Fullers’ apprentices, training as a Commis Chef

UNSUBSCRIBE [11]

Printed from an email sent my Ruth Cadbury MP 367 Chiswick High Road
London, LON W4 4AG
United Kingdom




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