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  I also report regularly on my Facebook page and via Twitter and Instagram @RuthCadbury. You can see full details of my questions and speeches in Parliament, and get Regular updates about my Parliamentary activities on TheyWorkForYou in Hansard and on YouTube

See my special Coronavirus Web-page 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. 

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.

 

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

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.

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, or Hounslow Volunteering Centre 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  Ivybridge Foodbank (run by All Souls Church, St Margarets),  AgeUK Hounslow, and Hounslow Open 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.

Printed from an email sent my Ruth Cadbury MP