March 2024 Update
I am pleased to bring you my March 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,
I am delighted to share that I have reached my fundraising target for this year's London Marathon, which I am running in support of the Alzheimer's Society. These generous donations will make a huge difference to the charity's work, and I am grateful for every contribution made. My page remains open, so if you are able to make a donation to this very important cause, you can find a link to my fundraising page here.
In Westminster this month, the Chancellor announced his Spring Budget. While the last few years have not been easy on the British economy, the Government has taken steps to halve inflation, and I welcome the series of measures aimed at further controlling this, while also ensuring that residents can keep more of their hard-earned money.
Locally, I have continued my regular engagements, including supporting constituents at surgeries, and have marked important events such as World Book Day and International Women's Day.
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
Helping residents is at the very heart of my work as an MP, and I am glad to have continued to provide this support at my regular surgeries. Thank you to the teams at Café Hills in Northwood Hills, Caffe Pascucci in Hatch End, Tag Drinks in Eastcote and Maison du Soleil in Ickenham for hosting me this month.
If you would like to make an appointment to meet with me, or if you are a business who would be interested in hosting a surgery, please email [email protected] or telephone 0203 545 2462.
At Maison du Soleil in Ickenham where I hosted one of my surgeries this month
World Book Day
Thursday 7 March marked World Book Day 2024, a celebration of reading for pleasure run by the charity World Book Day. I was honoured to be an MP ambassador for this year and the campaign to 'Read Your Way', which encourages children and young people to discover reading on their own terms, as a hobby.
Ahead of the day, I wrote to schools in the constituency to find out how they planned to celebrate. I was delighted to hear how many were taking part and some of the creative ways they were marking World Book Day. Dressing up, talks from various authors, quizzes and bake-off competitions are just a few examples.
As part of World Book Day, Northwood School welcomed children's author Cliff McNish to speak to pupils and to answer some of their questions. I was delighted to accept an invitation to this talk, and was grateful for the opportunity to speak with Cliff afterwards about the importance of reading.
With author Cliff McNish, author of 'The Doomspell' trilogy, at Northwood School
It was also a pleasure to be invited to judge the World Book Day bake-off competition at Vyners School in Ickenham. I was impressed by the creativity and imagination behind the story-themed cakes - and they tasted fantastic too.
Judging the World Book Day bake-off competition at Vyners in Ickenham
In Parliament, I attended the World Book Day drop-in, where I had the opportunity to speak with the team about their campaign. I was really pleased to be able to share the many ways in which local schools and libraries were getting involved and promoting the aim of reading for pleasure.
Showing my support for World Book Day at their Parliamentary drop-in
Harefield School
It was great to visit Harefield School earlier this month to see their new library, which launched on World Book Day and where students were invited to collect their £1 book.
As part of my visit, I was given a tour by the Deputy Head and two students, who shared with me some of their experiences of the school and its facilities. As a small school, there is a real sense of integration - for example, a number of recreational spaces to encourage pupils to play team sports, and an open layout cafeteria.
I also took the opportunity to have a catch up with Headteacher Katrina Boyle about a number of important issues, including funding, admissions and experiences with Ofsted.
Speaking with students and the Deputy Head at Harefield School
Let Girls Play - International Women's Day
This month, we celebrated International Women's Day. To coincide with this, a number of schools in the constituency took part in 'This Girl Can', a campaign launched in 2015 which encourages and celebrates the participation of women in sports and leisure activities.
Hatch End High School was one of the schools taking part, and it was great to be able to visit to see what they had planned. In addition to a range of activities, including cricket, boxing and yoga, a group of Year 11 students had organised a football session for some of the younger year groups. Speaking with some of the pupils, it was great to hear about the many opportunities offered by the school for females to take part in sport.
Speaking with pupils about girls football at Hatch End High School
Following this visit, I made my way over to Bannisters Sports Ground for another session celebrating the day, which had been organised by the Harrow Girls' Football School Partnership and Middlesex FA.
I was pleased to meet with Alex Young, the strategic lead for girls' football in Harrow, and Andy Perren, Participation Development Officer at Middlesex FA, to hear more about the work that is being done to promote the enjoyment of girls football locally.
I was really impressed to hear that 15 schools - and over 200 pupils - across the borough were taking part, including Grimsdyke and St Teresa's schools in my constituency. I am really pleased the event was so successful.
With Alex Young and Andy Perren at Bannisters Sports Ground
Northwood and Pinner Cottage Hospital
I know that residents have raised concerns about the future of the Northwood and Pinner Cottage Hospital site. Having spoken with the NHS Development Trust, I understand that amendments to the original planning application have been proposed and are currently awaiting approval from Hillingdon Council. These changes have arisen from findings during the work undertaken to prepare the building for refurbishment, and I would like to assure residents that these are material and will not affect the overall use of the health centre or accommodation.
Following this conversation, this month I visited the site along with the NHS Development Trust to see the progress that has been taking place inside the building and what the plans are for the next stages. I am grateful to the team for their efforts in working to deliver the new health centre that will serve my constituents.
Looking at the next stage of planning at the Northwood and Pinner Cottage Hospital site
Pinner Rotary
This month, I was pleased to accept an invitation to speak at one of the Pinner Rotary Club dinners at Pinner Hill Golf Club. This was an excellent opportunity to catch up with Cllr Janet Mote and the wonderful members of the Pinner Rotary. For those who may not be aware, the club supports the local community through activities and events such as the Pinner Village Show, usually held in September.
It was interesting to speak with residents about the issues on their mind and to hear more about the work they are continuing to do to raise funds for good causes - locally, nationally and internationally. As ever, it was a great evening, and I am grateful for the invitation.
Speaking with Cllr Janet Mote at the Pinner Rotary Club meeting
Conflict in the Middle East
We are approaching six months since the atrocities of October 7 and the humanitarian crisis that has since unfolded in Gaza. I am continuing to receive an exceptionally high volume of emails espousing a multiplicity of concerns and viewpoints under the vast umbrella of this issue.
In addition to continued engagement with local police and CST volunteers, my regular surgeries are also an opportunity for further dialogue with residents about their thoughts and concerns. Something that was raised with me this month was the impact of Pro-Palestine marches in London and the intimidation some people feel about travelling into our capital when these are taking place. The Home Secretary has made it clear that he expects the police to use the full force of the law against displays of support for Hamas, other proscribed terrorist groups or attempts to harass and intimidate British Jews, which I hope offers reassurance.
This month, I also attended a meeting hosted by a local vicar with members of Salam London, a group formed locally in response to the devastating situation in Gaza. I was interested to hear their thoughts and experiences, particularly from one member of the group as a British Palestinian. While not all of our views align, it is important - especially in these circumstances - to listen, understand and have compassion for different perspectives, as we can always learn something from them.
Lastly, please note that in a conflict situation there is a limit to what light I, as an individual MP, can shed on each and every development, or each claim and counterclaim. As mentioned, I am receiving an exceptionally high volume of emails on this matter, and your patience while my team and I work to respond to these various campaigns, while also ensuring urgent assistance is provided to residents who need it first and foremost, is greatly appreciated. I would also advise checking my website for published statements which seek to address the most raised concerns.
Discussing the humanitarian crisis in Gaza with members of Salam London
HS2 Update
Thankfully over the last few months, we have seen the local impact of HS2 gradually ease as the Tunnel Boring Machines (TBMs) continue their methodical progress Eastwards. At present, the TBMs are fast approaching the border with Ealing and their destination at Greenford.
Despite the gradual easing, a number of constituents close to West Ruislip and the Colne Valley continue to face disruption. Those near the West Ruislip site will still have been disturbed by the occasional lorry deliveries of TBM segments, as well as the ongoing noise generated by train deliveries and the operation of the conveyor belt.
Further West at the Copthall tunnel site, work is still underway and despite the welcoming reopening of Harvill Road, work is still underway. Residents have reported disruption while the construction of walls, the roof and bridge decking still requires heavy machinery and earth displacement.
As always, if you have concerns about the disruption being caused by HS2, please get in touch with my office who will always do everything we can to assist.
Crime Survey: Results
Thank you to those who completed my local crime survey, the aim of which was to better understand the experiences, concerns and priorities of residents across Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner. Some of the key findings included:
- Burglary, anti-social behaviour and vehicle theft rank highest amongst the crimes residents are most concerned about locally.
- 62% of residents are either 'unsatisfied' or 'very unsatisfied' with the visibility of policing locally.
- Over two thirds of residents feel the Mayor of London does not give enough priority to policing in the suburbs.
- Over half of residents feel the Mayor does not understand policing priorities in Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner 'at all', with just 6% believing he understands them 'very well'.
- There was no support for the Mayor's plans for further police station closures, with 78% of responses 'very unsupportive' of the policy.
For those who might be interested, I have included a further breakdown of these results here. I will be writing to the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, and Deputy Chairman of the Police and Crime Committee at City Hall, Susan Hall, to share these concerns, and endeavour to keep residents updated on the response.
In Parliament
Parliament has now risen for Easter recess, yet prior to our departure from Westminster MPs had the opportunity to scrutinise a range of legislation. With a number of bills heading for their final stages, it is more important than ever to examine the Government’s proposals. With an election looming this year, the next few months will be vital as we finish outstanding legislation that was promised in our 2019 manifesto.
Spring Budget
The most important event this past month in Westminster was undoubtedly the Spring Budget.
Towards the beginning of the month, the Chancellor of the Exchequer set out the last budget of this Parliament. As expected, he outlined a series of welcome announcements aimed at further controlling inflation rates while ensuring that constituents could keep more of their hard-earned money. It is through the sensible decisions of the last 18 months that inflation has halved, wages have risen, and debt has fallen. We now have an economy that is outperforming our European neighbours and it has given us room to implement tax cuts.
The most notable measure announced in the Budget was a reduction in the amount paid in National Insurance Contributions. From April, my constituents will see the savings in their paychecks. 27 million working people will save up to £900 a year when combined with cuts made in the Autumn Statement. This is welcome news and there are also provisions to cut taxes for two million self-employed people who will save around £650 a year when compared to this time last year.
This is only one of the measures the Chancellor announced that will benefit constituents in Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner. With a freeze on fuel duty and a freeze on alcohol duty, the Chancellor has protected many from increasing costs. The average car driver will save £50 this year as the 5p cut and freeze to fuel duty is maintained until March 2025, while pubs, breweries and distilleries will benefit from a further freeze to alcohol duty until February. The freeze on fuel duty is especially welcome residents who rely on their vehicles for work, travel and accessing public services and have been impacted by the Mayor’s decision to expand ULEZ last year.
In the following Budget debate, I had the chance to address a number of measures that were much welcomed. In particular, I talked about the efforts to increase productivity in the public sector. With the Chancellor’s decision to support the Public Sector Productivity Plan, the NHS among other bodies will receive significant funding increases. The NHS in England will receive a £2.5 billion day-to-day funding boost for 2024/25 and £3.4 billion in capital investment over the forecast period to help unlock £35 billion in productivity savings over the next Parliament. Productivity savings have already benefited private businesses, like Sharman’s Pharmacy in Northwood, and it is right that the public sector looks at using technology in a similar manner.
If you would like to watch my full contribution to the debate, you can do so here.
National Insurance Cut
Perhaps the measure that residents will welcome most is the cut to National Insurance Contributions (NICs). In order to ensure that people can keep more of their money sooner, the Government pressed ahead with a Bill to cut the rate of tax paid.
This cut has been made possible by the careful work of the Prime Minister and Chancellor to steer the UK through a difficult two years. As a Conservative, I strongly believe in a culture of tax cuts and living within our means. Effective management of the economy means that not only is the Government increasing spending on the NHS but it is now looking at reducing the tax burden.
The National Insurance Contributions Bill cuts NICs by two percentage points to 8% on earnings between £12,570 and £50,270 from 6 April 2024. That will cut taxes for over 27 million employees. The average worker on £35,400 a year will save £450 a year, and the majority will see the benefit in their payslips at the start of the new tax year. Taken together with the cuts to NICs in the autumn statement, this tax cut is worth some £900 a year to the average worker.
For families on lower incomes, this saving will make a significant impact on their standard of living. As I referred to in my speech, these savings come at a time when households face higher household bills. £8 a week accumulated over a year is a valuable contribution towards a better standard of living.
When combined with the cuts previously announced, this is a cut worth almost £20 billion per year—the largest-ever cut to employee and self-employed national insurance. Because of the Prime Minister’s plan for the economy, the average earner in the UK now has the lowest effective personal tax rate since 1975.
In my remarks, I largely focused on the real-world impact of these fiscal changes. As I alluded to, statistics show that the largest increase in discretionary expenditure has been from lower-income working households. This is a positive endorsement of the Government’s fiscal strategy; with the Conservatives we have seen jobs created, unemployment slashed and foreign investment increased. I strongly support the Government’s measures and its plans for the future.
You watch my full contribution to the debate here.
Oral Questions
Readers will be aware that Oral Questions and statements present a great opportunity for me to raise the concerns of constituents directly with Ministers or to scrutinise Government policy. While I am unable to ask a question during every session of questions, I have had the opportunity over the last month to raise some important concerns.
Residents will know that I take a keen interest in education matters, having led children’s services on Hillingdon Council during my time as a councillor. For this reason, I am keen to scrutinise the Government’s education policy and their plans to support children and families across the country.
At a session of Education Questions this month, I asked the Minister at the Department about our plans for childcare provisions and what my constituents can expect.
Following my discussions with a constituent and owner of a small group of nurseries, Diane Bennett, I praised the allocation of £500 million of additional funding for childcare and early education. This is in stark contrast to the lack of plan posited by the Opposition.
Further afield, many constituents are concerned about the situation in the Levant. This is a deeply emotive issue amongst residents, many of whom have written to me on this subject since the attacks at the beginning of October.
There has naturally been a great deal of concern for the well-being of the innocent people in Gaza who are facing displacement as Israel seeks to free the hostages taken by Hamas. Since the beginning of the conflict, I have recognised the urgent need for increased humanitarian support and the protection of civilian lives.
Our armed forces are doing exceptional work in the region to ensure that aid can be delivered to Gaza by land, sea and air. In Defence Questions, I pressed the Secretary of State on what more we can be doing to ensure the free flow of aid that reaches civilians in need rather than hostile Hamas fighters.
The Secretary of State assured me that he recognises the importance of this challenge. I understand that to protect the delivery of aid, the UK Government is working with the British Red Cross, UNICEF, the UN World Food Programme, the Egyptian Red Crescent and others.
Parliament Drop-Ins
I am always pleased to show my support for causes important to residents in Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner. One way of doing this is to attend drop-in events held in Parliament.
This month, I went to the launch of the Brain Tumour Research 2024 manifesto. Also attended by Health Minister Andrew Stephenson, this is a significant step forward in the campaign to break down funding research barriers. Sadly, I know there families in the constituency who have been affected by this, and readers may recall that in 2022 I ran the London Marathon in support of local charity the William Low Trust. While I appreciate there is further to go, this is a welcome development. The manifesto can be found online here.
Turning to other matters, I was pleased to attend the Park Tennis Project reception in Parliament this month. This follows investment into park tennis courts across Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner at Motesole Playing Fields, Pinner Village Gardens, Churchfield Gardens, Northwood Recreation Ground and Swakeleys Park. The funding project is designed to improve accessibility to the sport, providing greater opportunities for children and adults to be active.
Animal welfare is another cause close to the heart of residents, and so I was pleased to pledge my support on the issue of puppy smuggling at the Dogs Trust parliamentary drop-in. The charity has campaigned tirelessly to bring an end to the suffering of countless numbers of dogs caught up in this abhorrent trade. I have been an advocate of their fantastic work and will continue to support the cause until the loopholes that allow this cruel trade are closed.
Lastly, I also attended the launch of the #Fight4Pharmacies campaign, which seeks to highlight the growing challenges faced by the sector. Through continued engagement with community pharmacy owners in Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner, I am keen to support and protect this vital service provided to residents.
St Teresa's School Visit Parliament
I have spoken before about the opportunity for residents to book free tours of Parliament through my office, and for schools to take part in workshops at the Education Centre.
This month, it was a pleasure to welcome Year 6 pupils from St Teresa's School in Harrow to Parliament. Following a guided tour of both chambers, I met with students at the Education Centre for an interesting Q&A session. I am grateful to all for their time.
Once again, for further information about the tours, please follow the links below:
Free 'Inside UK Parliament' Tours
Speaking with pupils from St Teresa's School at the Education Centre in Parliament
Parliament has now taken a break for the Easter recess period, but my office remains open for residents in need of assistance.
I wish readers a restful break and a very Happy Easter.
Kind regards,
David
