MP’s UPDATE FOR RESIDENTS
November 2021
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I plan to restart face-to-face surgeries by appointment soon. Meanwhile I am happy to meet constituents either by phone, or on-line, to discuss your concerns. Please email me on [email protected] with your address, a quick summary of the issue and relevant reference numbers.
See my Coronavirus Web-page for information on local and national services, helplines and volunteering; and to sign up for Hounslow Council’s daily updates.
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Sir DAVID AMESS. Thank you to all who messaged me following Sir David’s senseless killing, carried out while doing his job. In the chamber I heard many tributes from colleagues who reminded us that we share more in common than what divides us. Sir David’s family, his constituents and Parliament have lost a man who was diligent, kind, committed and working hard for positive change on so many causes. Meanwhile MPs and Councillors will not be deterred from doing the most important part of our role as elected representatives; meeting and listening to constituents. You can
be assured that my team and I are making a few adjustments to ensure we remain safe, but I will continue to attend community events and meet constituents, week in, week out.
THE BUDGET. After a decade of Conservative rule, Sunak has been forced to acknowledge the damage to public services of 11 years of austerity. On top of that all commentators are agreed that Brexit and Covid have meant that UK growth is going to be around 6% behind where it should be. With the cost of living rising, the Chancellor hiked taxes, Council Tax and national insurance for most, while cutting taxes for banks and Amazon.
I shared the shock of so many, at the lack of mention of the Climate Crisis, and how we’re to achieve Net Zero. Instead, the Chancellor cut taxes on domestic flights, which are already cheaper than equivalent rail fares. Rachel Reeves’ analogy of the banker sitting on the plane sipping champagne, was an apt description of this Government’s priorities.
SEWAGE DISCHARGES INTO THE THAMES With Mogden Sewage Works discharging sewage into the Thames every time it rains more than a drizzle, I naturally voted against efforts to weaken the regulation of sewage pollution in the Environment Bill. However this was defeated by the Government. That same week I attended a community liaison meeting hosted by Thames Water at Mogden Sewage Works. I learned from the representative of Thames Water that, whilst it will take time and be costly to stop these discharges, it can be done and the Water Companies are willing to do it. So why are the Government so keen
that these discharges are not regulated against?
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MENOPAUSE - PRIVATE MEMBERS BILL Following her own experience of being mis-diagnosed and prescribed anti-depressants for 11 years, Carolyn Harris MP brought a Bill seeking a fair deal on HRT prescription charges and wider awareness of the many and varied ways the menopause affects women. From the despatch box, the Government Minister agreed that HRT would now have a single annual prescription charge, that the Menopause would feature in the forthcoming Women’s Health Strategy, and that Carolyn would jointly chair the Government’s new Menopause Task Force. TV celebrity Davina McCaul was one of many
campaigners celebrating Carolyn’s incredible success in changing Government policy, from Opposition.
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OTHER PARLIAMENTARY ACTIVITY
- I wrote to the Chancellor, Rishi Sunak to ask him to use his role to take action on climate change before COP26 (he clearly didn’t read it before writing the Budget statement!)
- I questioned the Business Minister Greg Hands on their newly announced heat and building strategy. Whilst the delivery of new heat pumps is a start, the need for expensive insulation makes them unaffordable to most people.
- I supported Barry Gardiner's private members bill to end the awful practice of Fire and Rehire. I wasn't able to speak in full as I had hoped to speak about the impact that fire and rehire has had locally, where we've seen British Airways, British Gas and Heathrow all use the threat of fire and rehire. I intervened during the debate, highlighting that the Government did not understand the impact that these tactics had on staff. As the Government talked the Bill out, it goes no further.
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I Visited Look Ahead Supported Accommodation for young people in Chiswick. What the residents share is their lack of family support, and staff from Look Ahead help them with managing their finances, getting work and into training and education. The young people told me how they were really concerned about the £20 cut in Universal Credit, and how the lack of financial support to stay in education beyond level 3 made studying for better qualifications very difficult.
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Staff at Sainsbury's Chiswick told me how recent changes to national insurance and universal credit would affect their incomes. They also told me too about their experiences dealing occasionally with violence from customers, and finally how the pandemic had affected their family. We also talked about the bike parking and electrical vehicle charging for customers at the store.
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It's a national disgrace that the Government have done nothing to tackle food poverty across the country, and that in the UK in the 21st century, so many have to rely on free handouts to eat.
I visited Hounslow Community Foodbox and met with volunteers who are working tirelessly to support 13,000 people locally with food & other essentials.
Their referrals increased by 400% during the coronavirus pandemic.
If you can help with donations of food, toiletries, money or time it would make a huge difference for families locally.
Find out how you can support Foodbox; Click Here
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I joined the food bank at Holy Trinity Hounslow, where volunteers provide food three times a week to anyone in need. I also heard from them about their concerns about how the cut to Universal Credit will increase demand for food.
For information on food-banks and other free food, visit the Hounslow Council website here.
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As a result of GSK announcing they are splitting into two separate companies, they expect to have moved out of their iconic HQ building on the Great West Road by the end of 2023. I met one of their senior executive to express my sadness at this decision, as so many local people work there. GSK are working with Hounslow Council to identify a suitable stand-alone HQ building for the pharma & vaccines company “locally”, while the consumer healthcare company will move to GSK’s existing site at Weybridge.
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St Mary’s Church, Osterley hosted an eco-church event. Members and leaders from local churches discussed their role in both making their churches more environmentally sustainable, as well as working on community action. We heard reminders of the importance in Christian teaching of protecting the world and loving our neighbour, especially those impacted most by climate change.
(The angel’s wings are made of soft plastic, which cannot by put out for recycling in Hounslow.)
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Brentford Football Club Community Sports Trust grew from holiday clubs Lee Doyle, now the CEO of the Trust, and I started for children on Brentford Towers and Haverfield estates over 30 years ago. Now with a large staff including many volunteers, BFCCST is based in the new Sports Hub in Gunnersbury Park and supports hundreds of children and adults every week with sport, healthy living, confidence building and skills-based learning. Much of their work is targeted to areas where anti-social behaviour bahaviour among young people is an issue, and these programmes are free.
I gave awards to a group of youngsters who had been learning leadership skills through football on the new pitches in Gunnersbury Park.
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Finally - My Marathon Fundraising on 6th November
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Last Saturday I ran the Thames Meander Marathon, from Kingston to Putney and back again. I was raising funds for two local charities. One is Macmillan, and the other, is a local charity, Friends of Cathja, a creative workshop for adults who are vulnerable to severe and enduring mental health issues. FoC are based on the Cathja, a Dutch barge on the Thames in Isleworth.
Do support my marathon fundraising you can!
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KEEPING IN TOUCH
Twitter: @RuthCadbury Web: www.ruthcadbury.org.uk Facebook: “ RuthCadburyMP”
Casework: for issues to raise with me as your MP, please contact my office: [email protected]
Tel: 020 8581 3646 or write: Ruth Cadbury MP, House of Commons, SW1A 0AA.
Diary: I welcome the opportunity to attend community events and to meet residents or party members, concerned about issues affecting the area or specific groups of people. Please do get in touch with by emailing [email protected] or phone 020 7219 8590
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Printed from an email sent by Ruth Cadbury MP 367 Chiswick High Road
London, LON W4 4AG
United Kingdom
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