MP’s UPDATE 

APRIL 2024

You can find previous reports of my work on my web site; www.ruthcadbury.co.uk  I also report regularly on my Facebook page and via Twitter and Instagram @RuthCadbury. 

 

If you would like to raise issues with me as your MP Please email on [email protected] with your address, a quick summary of the issue (and relevant reference numbers).   

 

See my Web page for information on local and national services.

MY PARLIAMENTARY ACTIVITY IN MARCH

For full details of my questions and speeches in Parliament, get regular updates about my Parliamentary activities TheyWorkForYou (votes) or see Hansard (speeches) & on YouTube

In the Chamber I;

• Told the Chancellor in the budget debate that his budget would impact badly on my constituents. Jacking up their taxes and their overall cost of living while doing nothing to address the housing crisis they are facing, nor the low-growth weakened UK economy.
• On that basis, at Business Questions the next day I demanded that the Leader of the House (Penny Mordant) call a general election.
• I raised concerns about the ability of the already overstretched probation service to cope with the additional pressures they face from the Government’s attempts to cut prison overcrowding
• I spoke from the front bench in a Westminster Hall debate on the distressing case of Terence Radford who was killed by a mentally ill man just released from prison. I exposed the crisis in the probation services’ ability to adequately assess the risk of convicted prisoners being released into the community.
• I made a long speech in a Private Members Bill debate about ULEZ – opposing the Bill which sought to revert the ULEZ back to the previous ULEZ boundaries.

I also;

• Wrote to the Environment Agency opposing plans to allow a café in Hillingdon to dump sewage into the River Crane, which flows through Hounslow Heath and Isleworth.
• After meeting volunteers at the Covid Memorial Wall opposite Parliament, I wrote to the Government to support its permanent status

 

I received a response from the Government to my letter raising concerns about the use of physician associates in the NHS. This was an issue about which a number of constituents who are doctors contacted me – fearful that PAs are increasingly being used for tasks they are not trained to do.   Needless to say the reply did not address the concerns.

I was delighted to host an event with the Schools Consent Project in Parliament to demonstrate their work to other MPs.  For nearly 10 years, Kate’s network of legally trained volunteers have educated over 45,000 school aged children on issues of consent. This is important as sexual violence is endemic, so empowering young people to make better informed decisions is vital.   It was good to see members of Brentford FC Women’s team as well as staff from Chiswick and Isleworth & Syon Schools, Kingsley Academy, Gumley House School, Gunnersbury Catholic School and The Green School for Boys at the event.

In my front bench Prisons role, I visited HMP Durham and met staff and prisoners who talked about what they do and how they spend their time. It was good to see that prisoners seem to be out of their cells for more time than in some other prisons.

The Wise Group arranged the visit, and with the Purpose Coalition, also organised a really useful roundtable on the challenges of ensuring that prisoners get, and keep, jobs on release.

With three more banks closed recently in Chiswick and none open in Isleworth and Brentford, I wrote to the Chancellor Jeremy Hunt to raise the need for the Government to tackle 'banking deserts' that now exist in many urban areas. I’ve also written to the banks directly, but it's clear we need national action because residents and local businesses continue to need to be able to access banking services locally.

I went with a cross-party group of MPs led by the Shadow Northern Ireland Secretary, Hilary Benn, to Belfast to learn more the current situation with the Peace Process, Brexit and the Devolved Institutions.

We visited Stormont, and also met key people in the business, public and third sectors.  We heard first-hand from those whose family members were murdered or disappeared during the Troubles at the WAVE Trauma Centre, and we toured the iconic Harland and Wolff Shipyard.  

I was surprised that, in parts, the two communities in NI are still very much divided; the Peace Walls are still there, separating working class loyalist and nationalist communities. But it was good to also visit an integrated school and meet their students. We had a tour of the Harland & Wolff shipyard, now building ships again.

At the now re-opened Stormont we met Assembly Members who are back fully representing their constituents.   The visit brought home how our constituents share issues such as the Cost of Living, public sector cuts and climate change, but there are also differences.  In NI the legacy of the "Troubles" remains; there are delicate political balances and post-Brexit brings different challenges, and some opportunities, for the economy.

 

As a UK legislator this visit was a privilege and gave me a much better understanding of the current issues facing Northern Ireland and politicians there.

Hounslow Council appear to have succeeded in ensuring that the families awaiting asylum decisions and living in Home Office hotels locally will only be moved locally in West London and not round the country so children can remain at the schools they’ve been at for at least a year (my news last month).  However I am disappointed to hear from teachers worried about one family, that once getting refugees status, Hounslow Council is rehousing families hundreds of miles away.  I have raised this concern with the Council, and am glad that that family will be staying locally.

COMMUNITY UPDATE

Steve Curran: I was so saddened when Hounslow’s former Council leader passed away last month.  I miss Steve, not only as a friend, but as such an effective leader of Hounslow Council. His legacy on our area includes the transformation of  Brentford and Hounslow High Streets, the construction of hundreds of new Council homes, and the bringing together of Council and voluntary services through the innovatory Community Hubs.  I was glad that he was awarded honorary Alderman of the borough at a ceremony at Hounslow House before he passed away.

 

Former Councillors Mel Collins, Corinna Smart, Paul Lynch and Barbara Reid were also granted Alderman status at the same event.

Brentford Waterman Arts Centre has been run by Hounslow Arts Trust, and gave users and staff just 3 weeks notice to say it is to close its doors on 11 April after 40 years.  I was as shocked as anyone; having happy memories of taking my children years ago and I occasionally go to the cinema. I met with the

Trust Director, Councillors and community groups to understand better the situation and what could happen to retain the arts centre in Brentford.  The Director told me that with costs way exceeding income the Trustees decided that closing the centre avoids insolvency, so they can continue with the community arts programme for which they receive funding from the Arts Coucil and Hounslow Council.   I know that some local people are keen to keep the centre open in some way, which the Council are open to.  In the long run we need an  arts centre fit for the future, so I hope the plan to build a new arts centre on the Police Station site granted planning permission in 2020, and funded from the redevelopment of the Watermans site, goes ahead before too long.

On International Women’s Day I went to Cranford School, firstly to see the FA’s #LetGirlsPlay initiative in action. I met Orchard Primary School year 2&3 students who told me about their love of football and how the Lionesses have inspired them. The next Government must remove the barriers to opportunity for girls and close the gender play gap by providing equal access to sport at school.

I also attended a packed Inspire Inclusion Day organised by Hounslow Council – where we heard from some truly inspitational local speakers about the role of women across society and how we can work together to support each other.

A2Dominion are responsible for a large number of leasehold and social rent homes in the borough. Their tenants and leaseholders have had a “less than ideal” service from the Housing Association – something the Directors acknowledge.  Ian Wardle was appointed to turn the situation around a couple of years ago, and when I met him for a catch-up he told me of the extensive work he has done to address the problems – both financial and cultural.  I have noticed less complaints about A2D coming to my office, but there is still a long way to go.  

The Brentford Spoon Project is a quirky exhibition now at Boston Manor House until September.  Local ceramicist Claire Ireland encouraged 150 people (including me) from far and wide to make a spoon during Covid lockdown; she also made a set of 366 spoons herself.  The wide variety of spoons are a brilliant expression of the many ways something as simple as a spoon can be interpreted.   

 

With best wishes

 

 

PS: Do let me know what you think of these updates!

Printed from an email sent by Ruth Cadbury MP