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MP’S UPDATE JULY 2020

I provide regular updates on my work.

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]

SEE MY SPECIAL CORONAVIRUS WEB-PAGE [8] FOR INFORMATION ON

LOCAL AND NATIONAL SERVICES, HELP-LINES AND VOLUNTEERING;

 AND TO SIGN UP FOR HOUNSLOW COUNCIL’S DAILY UPDATES.

After four full months of lock-down, we continue to be as busy as ever,
responding to issues thrown up by Covid but also concerns about legislation
going through Parliament, Black Lives Matter events and much else besides.

The country is still dealing with the existing crisis while "planning" for
the impact of the inevitable economic downturn, caused not only by the
pandemic, but potentially the entirely avoidable and potentially even more
damaging No-Deal Brexit. Hounslow borough is the second worst-hit London
borough economically as three of the sectors most affected by Covid are
major employers here; aviation, hospitality and the creative arts. Up to
one in three families in the borough could be affected by job losses at
Heathrow alone. Heathrow Airport Ltd is now following BA and is now
threatening its staff with a "fire and rehire" offer involving a loss of
pay and conditions. Countless other local people have already lost their
jobs or fear doing so once furlough comes to an end.

I've had many hundreds of emails and calls from people worried about their
jobs and their businesses, including very many freelancers. Last month I
reported on meetings I'd had with airport unions,and as a member of the
Transport Committee I challenged BA's Willie Walsh. Since then, in
Parliament, I have called on the Aviation Minister to work with local
authorities & businesses to deal with the social & economic impact of
Heathrow job losses. I've asked the relevant Cabinet Ministers to provide
investment and flexibility to ensure a future for the affected sectors that
have such a significant presence in and around Hounslow. I welcomed the
announcement about the Arts, but at the time of writing, we are still
waiting for the details. Hospitality is now going to be getting the "Meal
Deal" in August, but the Chancellor's statement said nothing about
aviation.

And loss of work for most people means signing on for benefits. Already too
little live on, the benefit cap of £27,000 means many round here will have
nothing left after the rent is paid. It's a sad indictment of just how mean
our benefits system is that we hail as a victory the fact that children who
are eligible for free school meals will now be able to continue to get food
vouchers through the summer holidays. It took a dogged campaign by
premiership footballer Marcus Rashford to achieve this ,along with those of
us who spoke up in Parliament. It's also good that our further pressure has
ensured that children in families with no recourse to public funds,
(ineligible for benefit as they are waiting to gain permanent residency)
will now also be included in the scheme. Their parents have lost their jobs
and cannot afford to feed their children. Meanwhile I have been discussing
with Hounslow how the council can better support people on low incomes in
future. The Council plans to provide additional support to Citizens Advice
and community-based groups that provide advice. Meanwhile, Local MPs,
business organisations, colleges and Councils are working together on a
strategy to ensure Government support for economic recovery here is
tailored to the specific needs on our area.

CONTACTING ME AND MY TEAM

Although I am no longer able to meet with you in person for the time being,
my team and I are still working to assist you. Please understand that we
will have to deal with the most urgent situations first and then any
relating to COVID-19. Other emails and calls may take longer to receive a
response. Please email [email protected] including your full contact
details (& any relevant reference numbers e.g. DWP. Home Office, and/or my
ZA reference) if we've responded on the same issue before. Without all the
above information, there may be a delay processing your enquiry.

Phone: 020 8581 3646 between 10am - 2pm Monday - Thursday and we will do
our very best to assist you or 020 7219 8590.

HOW PARLIAMENT IS WORKING

Apart from MPs who are shielding or self-isolating, the rest of us are back
in Parliament as usual. Social distancing rules mean we queue for about
half an hour for each vote in the Mogg conga. I feel this is a complete
waste of our working time when a perfectly secure on-line voting system was
established in the earlier part of lock-down, a system that is being used
by the House of Lords,

DURING JUNE I:

* Co-signed Dawn Butler MP's letter calling on Government to suspend riot
gear sales to the US after the crackdown on those protesting for BLM
* spoke against ending the hybrid parliament & asked what plans are in
place if an MP has Covid-19
* pointed out to the Health Secretary that Under 65s in care homes were
not able to get covid-19 tests - after being contacted by Certitude who
support people with disabilities. WIN! The Government has now begun rolling
them out
* wrote to Education Secretary, Gavin Williamson, raising concerns about
vulnerable pupils falling through gaps in support due to the pandemic
* and again; asking him for mandatory teaching of black/BAME history in
schools
* challenged the Housing Secretary, Robert Jenrick, on his conflict of
interest over the Westferry development
* challenged the Health Minister about the problems facing Fullers and
other pub owners and managers over the two-metre rule
* asked the Equalities Minister how the Government was going to regain
trust with BAME communities given the delays in the report on the
disproportionate impact facing BAME people from Covid-19
* wrote to the Culture Minister about the need for financial support for
the creative sectors, and in the Chamber asked about support for local arts
centres such at Watermans
* asked the Health Minister to ensure taxpayers get value from the
contracts with private hospitals set up to tackle the lengthening waiting
lists
* raised concerns about DFID abolition & asked what the Government is
doing to prevent aid being used for political or short term benefit such as
the Pergau Dam scandal in the 90s that led to the creation of DFID in the
first place
* sat on the Bill Committee for the Counter Terrorism & Sentencing Bill,
scrutinising line-by-line the Bill's clauses. It will now come back for its
final stages towards the end of July

COMMUNITY UPDATE

Following the killing of George Floyd by Police in the US, the message of
BLACK LIVES MATTER has touched us all. I sent a message of support to the
BLM events in Brentford and Chiswick. Seema Malhotra and I have also
written to secondary school students in Hounslow schools to seek their
experiences and their views on how, as a community, we can work together to
tackle racism.

WHEN AND HOW SHOULD SCHOOLS RETURN? I published a survey on local social
media and sent it to all those who receive my regular update and publicised
it on social media. Respondents were evenly split as to whether children
should be back in school now. However, parents of early years and year 7s
were more supportive of children returning. 80% of people who responded
thought that the Government should ensure all children of school age have
free access to a WIFI connection at home to support home learning. And 91%
thought the Government could do more so that disadvantaged children do not
go hungry.

Thank you to all who responded - I will ensure that I reflect your views in
parliament.

LOCAL COMMUNITY MEETING ON HEATHROW: Along with speakers from Trade Unions,
noise campaign group HACAN and Hounslow's Councillor Rajawat, I spoke at a
public Zoom meeting about the long-term implications on our areas from the
97% downturn in flights at Heathrow.xt block ready for your content.

On Sunday we celebrated the NHS's 72nd birthday. Founded after the
devastation of World War 2 by the Labour Government, it remains our
proudest achievement and is the envy of the world. We will always protect
it so that it can protect you. This year we particularly thank everyone who
works in the NHS for all they do to help us through the pandemic.

Thank you!

AFTER THREE LONG MONTHS OF LOCKDOWN - we are not out of the woods, but in
the days ahead many will be heading back to school or work. However, the
need for help and support for vulnerable people will, if anything,
increase, so if you have time, or money, please do support your local
community.

IF YOU CAN VOLUNTEER please do; with your local _Covid19 Mutual Aid Group
[9]_, or _Hounslow Volunteering Centre [10]_ to help a Hounslow community
organisation.

IF YOU CAN SPARE MONEY TO HARD-PRESSED CHARITIES - then please do that too.
Many vital charities may not survive the loss of income as normal
charitable giving collapses. And now there will be the exponential growth
in demand for some such as foodbanks, advice and information services and
domestic violence charities.

Here are some local ones: _Hounslow Community Foodbox [11]_ Ivybridge
Foodbank (_run by All Souls Church, St Margarets [12]_), _AgeUK Hounslow
[13]_, and _Hounslow Open_ [14] Kitchen

If you can - please give generously of your time or your money!!

You can get DAILY UPDATES about national and local information and services
from Hounslow Council here [15].

UNSUBSCRIBE [16]

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




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