November 2024 Update
I am pleased to bring you my November 2024 Update. As ever, if you would like to sign up to my mailing list, you can do so on this page or by emailing [email protected].
Dear constituent,
It has been another busy month in Westminster with the aftermath of the Chancellor's Autumn Budget. We saw farmers from across the country travel to London to protest against the proposed changes to Agricultural Property Relief (APR). I was proud to show my support for the many local family-run farms who have relied upon APR to safeguard them for generations. Labour's policy has the potential to completely devastate these businesses, jeopardising our food security and the sustainability of the rural economy.
Of course, it is not just farms that will be impacted by the Chancellor's measures. Small businesses in Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner will be lumbered with inheritance burdens, hikes to Employers' National Insurance and uncertainty over the future of small business rates relief. I will continue to stand up against the Government's irresponsible and damaging policies.
Locally, I have been meeting with residents at surgeries and catching up with businesses. This newsletter will update you on some of that work.
If you would like to keep up to date in between newsletters, I would encourage you to visit my website or Facebook page.
In the Constituency...
Surgeries
I have continued to meet with residents at my surgeries, and I am grateful to the teams at Café Pascucci in Hatch End, Bucket List Coffee in Eastcote and Cofix in Northwood for hosting me this month.
I give a special mention to Cafe 40-42 in Pinner for being wonderful first-time surgery hosts this month. It is great to see another small business contributing to one of our many fantastic local high streets in Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner.
If you would like to make an appointment to meet with me at a future surgery, or are a business who would be interested in hosting, please get in touch via 0203 545 2462 or [email protected]
The Pembroke Centre
This month, I met with the team at the Pembroke Centre in Ruislip Manor. This sits just outside of the constituency, but serves residents across the borough.
The visit facilitated some helpful and wide-ranging discussions about primary care estate and neighbourhood hubs. This is a topic in which I have engaged the Health Minister, Karin Smyth. Keen to see examples of effective collaboration between the NHS and local authorities in delivering out-of-hospital care in practice, I have written to the Minister, extending an invitation to visit the centre and meet with the team.
At the meeting, we also discussed the paediatric clinics Pembroke operates with Hillingdon Hospital, which I was grateful to be able to visit later in the month.
It is clear to see the benefits of this service on the wider healthcare network, notably the reduction in parents taking their children to A&E and shorter wait times for referrals.
I grateful to all for taking time to meet with me and for the useful discussions.
Litter Pick
Earlier this month, I joined a litter-pick and weapons sweep in Rayners Lane, conducted by the Pinner South Safer Neighbourhood team, local councillors and a group of fantastic volunteers.
The Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner constituency has recently inherited this part of Rayners Lane following boundary changes in July. Since then, residents have written to me raising some of their concerns around anti-social behaviour (notably street-drinkers), discarding of litter and fly-tipping in the area.
I was interested to learn of the collaboration between the local authority, police, residents and businesses to try and tackle these issues. As MP, I will support wherever possible to ensure we see the same high standard for Rayners Lane as we do elsewhere in the constituency.
Remembrance Day 2024
It is always a privilege to take part in Remembrance Day commemorations on behalf of residents in Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner.
This year, I attended local Remembrance services in Northwood and Harefield to honour those who fought to defend our freedoms. I also observed the two-minute silence on Armistice Day at the Pinner Memorial alongside local councillors.
In Parliament, I continued the tradition of planting a cross in the Constituency Garden of Remembrance to pay tribute to the sacrifices made by those serving in the UK and Commonwealth Armed Forces.
We will never forget them, or those who continue to serve our country.
Family Business Week 2024
It was a pleasure to visit Angela at Youngwood Farm on Ducks Hill Road as part of Family Business Week this month.
This is all about celebrating the central role family businesses play in supporting our local economy and community. The importance of this has been highlighted significantly following the Government's Autumn Budget, which puts businesses like Youngwood Farm in peril.
I had a useful discussion with Angela about the issues she is facing and the importance of protecting this piece of our local green belt, something else which is under threat under the new Government. It was also interesting to hear about Angela's background at Hillingdon Council and in building management and to meet some four-legged constituents.
It is vital that we protect our family-run businesses, including farms, and I will continue to support those in Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner.
UK Parliament Week 2024
UK Parliament Week is celebrated annually and each year, I write to those in the constituency who have signed up to take part to ask how I can support their planned activities.
As one of the regular participants, it was great to visit sixth form students at Bishop Ramsey School in Ruislip, where I took part in a lively Q&A debate. The students had some interesting questions about my role as MP and how that has changed since being in opposition. There was also a discussion about the Assisted Dying legislation, the ongoing conflict in Gaza and the new leader of the Conservatives, Kemi Badenoch.
It is great to see a group of students so engaged in current affairs, and I look forward to welcoming them to Parliament in the near future.
Hillingdon Hospital
It was great to catch up with Patricia Wright, Chief Executive of Hillingdon Hospital.
We had a useful and wide-ranging discussion about what health issues are impacting the community, as well as areas where I can offer my support, particularly around diagnostics. Of course, we discussed the redevelopment of Hillingdon Hospital and the need for the work we know has started at the site to recommence as soon as possible.
Patricia did also share some positive insights around elective care performance, which was encouraging to hear. I look forward to catching up with her again soon.
Tesco Winter Food Collection
It was great to join the team at Tesco in Pinner Green to promote their Winter Food Collection, which took place between 28 and 30 November.
This is an annual event, and I am always glad to support such an important cause which sees charities the Trussell Trust and FareShare providing food to those facing hardship this winter.
A special thank you to the volunteers who make this all possible.
Baby Loss Awareness
Last month marked Baby Loss Awareness Week, a special opportunity for anyone touched by these painful experiences to remember the lives lost, raise awareness of baby loss and remind them that they are not alone.
In response to this, I engaged with constituent Monica, who runs Sleeping with Angels. This is a recently established voluntary group who would be grateful for any support residents are able to offer. I am sharing the below from the group. Please feel free to get in contact directly, or via my office.
We recently established a voluntary group making angel (burial) gowns/cosies/wraps etc. for babies who are miscarried or stillborn in hospital. Brides generously gift their wedding gowns to us, and we repurpose these to make burial gowns which we then donate, free of charge, to hospitals. The gowns are used to wrap the baby before being passed back to their parents to say their final goodbyes.
Every hospital has its own set of criteria in respect of these items and we work closely with them to ensure we understand these and then strictly adhere to their requirements when making our gowns.
The gowns are created using sewing, knitting and crochet techniques. If you are interested in getting involved and would like to join us in helping to ensure a baby is given as much dignity as possible, whilst making their final journey, please direct message us and we will be happy to provide more information.
The loss of a baby has a profound effect on parents and their extended families for many, many years and the topic has long been considered taboo. Whilst not everyone who gets involved in creating these gowns will have lost a baby, for those that have, it is our hope that it will provide an opportunity for them to talk about and share their experience with others.
In Parliament
November has been a particularly crucial time in the scrutiny of government plans. We have dealt with the fallout of October’s Budget, which only served to reinforce the view that this Labour Government is simply not up to the task of governing in the interests of all.
As I set out in my newsletter last month, the Budget unfairly attacked pensioners, farmers, and workers. Now we know that the Government intends to go further by attacking our pubs and high streets.
This has been a busy month in Westminster as I lodged urgent questions, scrutinised legislation and even attended a protest.
Council Tax Increases
Following October’s Budget, we knew that local government finances were in an uncertain state. The Government set out its intentions to increase spending power by £3.7 billion, funded by £1.3 billion of grants. This left the glaring £2.4 billion blackhole, that we simply couldn’t ignore.
I know from my own time in local government that financial uncertainty at this late stage of the year is unwelcome for councils looking to finalise their budgets. To determine the facts, I tabled a series of written questions over the last month pushing Ministers on this point. I was told to wait for the Local Government Finance Settlement, a point that the Prime Minister repeated in Prime Minister’s Questions when asked about it.
I was disappointed to learn that the Prime Minister’s spokesperson then decided to announce this critical policy via the press. This undermines the role of Parliament and is considered discourteous to MPs who represent their constituents.
The Speaker, therefore granted me an Urgent Question, allowing myself and MPs to scrutinise Ministers and establish the facts of the matter.
What became evident is that the Government expect to raise the additional funding through increasing council tax. This directly breaks a Labour Party commitment to freeze council tax. The 5% hike will add additional pressure to my residents, and I know that Hillingdon and Harrow are working hard to reduce the impact on residents' budgets.
Renters' Rights Bill
Constituents will be aware that I have served as the Shadow Minister on the Renters’ Rights Bill as it went through its committee stage. This is often the most important stage of parliamentary scrutiny and as the Shadow Minister, I had the important task of ensuring that Ministers have considered the real-world implications of the legislation.
I have a great deal of sympathy for the Minister in charge of this legislation. His party has managed to augment the original intentions of this legislation into a damaging package that undermines the private rented sector.
After hearing from expert witnesses and going through each line of the legislation, I am feeling more optimistic about the Bill. The Minister and their team have, for the most part, been receptive to criticism and have gone away to consider some of the ramifications of the Bill.
Attack on our High Streets
Not content with depriving pensioners of their heating allowance, raising the cost of tuition fees or stopping farms from passing on their agricultural land to the next generation, the Labour Government is now going for our treasured town centres.
The choices made in the Budget and afterwards have scared investors, driving up inflation and increasing borrowing costs. To balance the books, the Labour Government is driving up the costs of doing business on our high street.
Through misguided ideology, this Government is waging a war against the bedrock of our town centres, cutting the support for independent retailers and hospitality venues across the country. The Non-Domestic Ratings Bill that we debated this month will be devastating for our town centres that are only now beginning to surge after the pandemic.
This Bill also attacks schools in Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner.
The Conservatives left office with investment in our schools at a record level and this government is now looking to undermine that progress. By punishing independent schools, the Government will push thousands of students, including special needs students into the state sector without providing the support it needs. This Bill was the Government’s chance to outline its plans to support the transition to the state sector yet all it did was confirm that schools will not be given more support.
Closing for the Opposition, I was able to introduce our reasoned amendment. This amendment, which the Government rejected, would have saved local retailers, and protected our progress on education.
As I set out in my closing remarks, which you can watch here, the Government is choosing to punish local business, punish our pubs and punish our education sector.
Assisted Dying Vote
Many of my constituents will be aware that at the end of this month, Parliament debated the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill brought in as a Private Members Bill. This is a deeply sensitive issue, and I am grateful to all my constituents who have taken time to share their views on this issue.
Having listened to constituents and considered the legislation before us, I found myself unable to support this bill.
I remain concerned about the safeguards in place to ensure the bill would not be misused or lead to unintended consequences. It is crucial that any such legislation includes robust protections for the vulnerable, which is why I welcomed the vote after the bill passed, allowing for the taking of evidence.
It is, however, disappointing that the Government has shown a lack of interest in the bill, which reduces the opportunity for a broader consultation on what these safeguards would mean in practice. A thorough examination is necessary to ensure we are making the right decisions for both individuals and society.
As the bill progresses, I will continue to monitor its development closely. When it reaches its next stage in the House of Commons, I will carefully consider the evidence presented before deciding how to vote.
Tours of Parliament
It was a pleasure to welcome the Northwood Police & Security Squadron to Westminster this month and to meet with the group after their tour of Parliament.
Pupils from Pinner Wood School, BWI Primary School in Ruislip and Holy Trinity School in Northwood also visited Parliament this month, and I was able to meet with them all.
If you are interested in booking a tour of Parliament or visiting the gallery, please contact my office for assistance. Please note, there is a wait list for PMQ tickets.
Parliamentary drop-ins
In amongst the various debates, I managed to attend a number of Parliamentary drop-ins this month, including the Battersea Cats & Dogs Home reception.
In addition to the event being an opportunity to celebrate the benefits of pet ownership, I was also able to speak with the team about some of their priorities and concerns ahead of upcoming legislation, in particular the Renters' Rights Bill.
In my shadow ministerial capacity, I have called upon the Government to go further on the Renters' Rights Bill to extend the opportunity of pet ownership across the country, and I will continue to advocate on behalf of Battersea and other animal charities.
Also this month, it was great to be part of the Summer Reading Challenge’s 25th anniversary celebrations in Westminster.
The benefits of reading at a young age are extensive and growing and are highlighted in particular in areas such as mental wellbeing, confidence and creativity.
These tools should be accessible to all children, no matter their background, and so I was pleased to learn that the Summer Reading Challenge has created over 15 million children’s reading journeys.
This is a milestone the Summer Reading Challenge team should be proud of and a remarkable achievement in reading.
If you require any assistance from my office, please do not hesitate to get in contact.
Kind regards,
David
