Easter 2022 Update
I am pleased to bring you my Easter 2022 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,
Last month, we marked two years since the first national lockdown and it is welcome that in England, we have now reached a position where it has been possible to safely remove all remaining domestic Covid restrictions in law. It’s been said many times before, but this could not have been achieved without the sacrifices made by residents, our vaccination programme and the resilience of our key workers.
However, I appreciate this has been overtaken somewhat by events in Europe and the challenges posed by the cost-of-living crisis. I absolutely understand anxieties over the rising cost of living, and inflation, and know that these are affecting constituents differently. As such, I have ensured that local concerns on matters as varied as petrol and diesel costs, probate costs, and costs facing small firms, are raised with ministers as appropriate. I have been assured that the Government will continue to listen and to make sure that the policies in place help those who need it most.
Concerning the events in Europe, President Putin’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine is a premeditated and wholly unprovoked attack on a sovereign state. It has also sadly sparked a fresh refugee crisis across the continent, and I will talk more about the support in place to help those fleeing Ukraine in this newsletter. Along with colleagues across the House, I stand with the people of Ukraine and their President, whose defiance, courage and patriotism in the face of foreign aggression is inspiring.
With all that is going on, work has continued locally and in Parliament and I would like to share some of that work with you.
If you would like to see more of my latest news and updates, please do visit my website here, or my Facebook page here.
Serving constituents at one of my local surgeries at Caffé Casa Mia in Northwood
In the Constituency
Surgeries
In contrast to the first few months of 2021, I have been pleased to be able to meet with residents in person, safely, at my weekly surgeries, which I hold in venues across the constituency.
I would like to thank Maison du Soleil in Ickenham, Caffé Casa Mia in Northwood, Vito’s Café in Ruislip, Northwood Hills Library, Daisy’s in the Park in Pinner, Bucket List Coffee in Eastcote, Caffe Pascucci in Hatch End, Village Express in Northwood, We Love Coffee in Harefield and The Queen's Head in Pinner, for hosting me over the past few months.
If you are a local business who would be interested in hosting one of my surgeries, please do get in contact with my office. Residents who would like to make an appointment to speak with me should also get in contact with my office via the usual channels.
With Councillor John Morgan at my Northwood Hills Library surgery
Local Sports
I kicked off the new year by spending an afternoon at Preston Park, home to Harefield United, to watch their first team match of 2022 against Flackwell Heath, alongside Harefield Councillor Jane Palmer.
Prior to the match, it was great to meet with Chairman Gary South, who gave me a tour of the facilities. We also had a useful discussion about the club’s vision for the future and the issues they have faced over the last two years because of the pandemic and its impact on grassroots sports teams.
I was very impressed with the youth setup at the club, as well as the growing Ladies section and I look forward to seeing all sides of the club develop and progress in the future.
With Chairman Gary South and Councillor Jane Palmer at Harefield United
I also spent a sunny Saturday watching Northwood FC play at home against Bedfont Sports, alongside Chairman of the club, Ian Barry and Councillors Richard Lewis and Henry Higgins. We had a useful discussion about ways in which I and local councillors could help to support the club.
With Chairman Ian Barry at Northwood FC last month
It has been fantastic to see such enthusiasm from residents for local teams and to be reminded of the vital role grassroots sports play within our community. It is crucial that we have access to good sporting facilities in Hillingdon and Harrow and I took the opportunity to raise this issue during a recent DCMS Questions. I pressed the Minister, Nigel Huddleston, to join up grant funding schemes to support the work done by local groups.
In his response, I was pleased to hear of the work already being done to provide further support to grassroots sport and local authorities, like Hillingdon and Harrow, who are best placed to help local sports groups. You can watch that exchange with the Minister here.
Education
I recently wrote to the London School of Theology in Northwood to congratulate them on receiving the Department for Education’s School Capital Funding 2021-22 and was delighted to accept an invitation to visit the college.
On arrival, I was given a tour of campus by Admissions Officer, Manuela Mai, and Student President, Jude King, starting with the dining room. It was explained that students and staff usually dine together, which immediately exuded the inclusive and close-knit feel that runs throughout the college. I was also shown the Chapel, music rooms, accommodation for full-time and 'blended' residents, the student quad and wonderful greenspace surrounding campus, as well as the impressive library, which I was told was formerly a chapel. I was also interested to walk the 'alumni corridor' and to hear about the contributions former students are making around the world.
Following the tour, I met with the Principal, Mark Cartledge, and Director of Finance, Jonathan Mead. We had a useful discussion about plans for the London School of Theology and what support I, as local MP, can provide in achieving these goals.
I am grateful to everyone for the warm welcome and look forward to visiting again in the future.
Walking the 'alumni corridor' at the London School of Theology with Manuela Mai (Admissions Officer) and Jude King (Student President)
At the beginning of the year, I also paid a visit to John Lyon School in Harrow-on-the-Hill which, though outside the constituency, is attended by some of those residing in Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner.
I was warmly welcomed to the school and it was a pleasure to meet with so many engaged young people from Year 10 through to Sixth Form and to take a variety of interesting questions on a range of pressing topics. It is clear that there are certainly some bright futures ahead, and I thank everyone for taking the time out of their day to meet with me.
At John Lyon School in Harrow-on-the-Hill in January
Visit to Hillingdon Hospital
I recently visited Hillingdon Hospital to meet with Consultant Paediatrician Dr Jide Manakaya. We had a useful discussion about the integrated care projects the hospital has been working on in the Children and Young Peoples’ department and talked about his role as a Director of the Early Intervention Foundation.
As somebody with a great deal of experience in the provision of services for children and children’s wellbeing from my time in local government, it has been something I am keen to continue focusing on in Parliament. Across government, it is encouraging to see that there is an increasing focus on early years and early years intervention, and those of you who have been following my work in Westminster may be aware that I have been working alongside a group of colleagues, led by Dame Andrea Leadsom, on early years development. You can read more about this in the 'In Parliament' section of this newsletter.
With Consultant Paediatrician Dr Jide Manakaya at Hillingdon Hospital
Pinner Rotary Club
The lifting of Covid-19 measures welcomes the return of in-person events for clubs across the constituency. I recently had a great evening with local residents and members of the Rotary Club of Pinner at Pinner Hill Golf Club.
I was interested to engage with members about several pressing local and national issues, as I am always keen to hear resident views. It was also great to hear about the good work going on with the Rotary Club of Pinner's international partners to support the people of Ukraine.
It was an excellent evening, and I am grateful for the invitation.
At the Pinner Rotary Club dinner with Rotarians Malcolm Mitchell and Tony Moore
HS2
As the Tunnel Boring Machines (TBMs) continue to be assembled on the West Ruislip Site, I know that many of my constituents continue to be affected by the necessary utility works. This is largely centred on Ickenham High Road, outside West Ruislip Station. I know, however, that works elsewhere in the area continue to affect many of my constituents.
In order to minimise the impact these works are having; I continue to contact the team at HS2 and to raise the concerns of my constituents directly with them. Having successfully worked with Hillingdon council to ensure that Ickenham High Road remains open for two-way traffic, I continue to monitor the situation to see how it can be improved.
Utility works have now begun further afield on Breakspear Road but I remain hopeful that once tunnelling operations begin, we shall find ourselves in a much better place. This is expected later this year.
As always, if you have concerns about the disruption being caused by HS2, please get in touch and my office, who will always do everything we can to assist.
Support for Ukraine
I know from corresponding with constituents how deeply affected we have all been by the situation in Ukraine. While the UK’s primary aim is to work alongside allies to support the Ukrainian Government and to restore peace and stability to the country, it is right that we also have a straightforward process in place to help those fleeing the country.
For those of you who may not be aware, my work at the Local Government Association was instrumental in making the Syrian Resettlement Scheme a success, and I take great pride in having led the political work with David Cameron’s government in developing this programme. Now, as Chair of the APPG on Migration, resettlement remains an issue close to my heart and I am continuing to work alongside colleagues to ensure that we uphold the UK’s history of welcoming those fleeing persecution and oppression.
I have been encouraged by the introduction of the Ukrainian Family Scheme by the Home Office, and while initially more practical steps were needed to make the scheme as accessible as possible, I am glad this has now been achieved. There are no limits to how many refugees are able to enter under this scheme and the Homes for Ukraine scheme.
As we heard from the Ukrainian Ambassador, when talking to the Parliamentary Select Committee, however, those fleeing Ukraine will want to stay closer to home and it is the preference of the Ukrainian Government for the main refugee support effort to be in countries neighbouring Ukraine. As I mentioned, the aim is to restore peace and stability to the country and for people to be able to return to their own homes as soon as possible.
I would like to take a moment to share some positive feedback that I have received from a constituent, who got in touch with my office for assistance in helping to bring a family member over from Ukraine. This perfectly exemplifies the UK’s efforts in providing humanitarian support.
I am writing to express my profound appreciation of your prompt and committed efforts to accelerate the issue of a UK visa to my [family member], who was obliged to flee from [their] home and to see to join [their] family in Britain. You were responsive and proactive, and your efforts were very effective.
Ukraine is a parliamentary democracy, but it is not structured on a constituency basis. When I told [family member] that I had requested the help of ‘my own’ Member of Parliament [they] were incredulous that such a thing was possible, as [they] said, ‘just for me’. I think there is no better testament to the strength and efficacy of our Parliamentary constituency system.
Furthermore, I know that residents are continuing to make great efforts to support those who have been forced to flee their homes in Ukraine. I have provided an update from Ministers at the FCDO and DCMS on the best ways to do this, which can be found on my website here.
In Parliament
Ahead of the Parliamentary Recess, Westminster has been busy as several important Bills move towards finishing their progress and become law. While a number of Bills will continue into the next Parliamentary session, the next few weeks will see important changes to our laws as the Government gets on with delivering on its manifesto commitments.
Over the last few months, I have continued to raise important matters in Parliament, and I want to update you on what I have been up to in Westminster.
Police, Crime, Sentencing, and Courts Bill
I welcome the Government’s Police, Crime, Sentencing, and Courts Bill (PCSC) that is nearing the conclusion of its parliamentary passage. This Bill is an important update to existing legislation that protects the rights of my constituents. However, it has generated many headlines recently and is often misunderstood.
In March, the Bill came back to the House of Commons following its passage through the House of Lords. With provisions now in place to address concerns about the Vagrancy Act, I focused my remarks on what I see as being two aspects of the Bill that are most important to my constituents.
The first relates to unduly disruptive noise disturbances which regularly threaten the peaceful enjoyment of individuals across Ruislip, Northwood, and Pinner. This has generated a lot of correspondence to my office, and I welcome measures to update ageing legislation to give police the powers to tackle noise. These new powers also extend to disruptive protests that unfairly prevent individuals and families from going about their daily lives.
The other issue, that I know is an issue of concern locally, is the problems faced by Harrow and Hillingdon when it comes to tackling unauthorised encampments. While it is important to recognise that the vast majority of the travelling community only occupy legal sites, I know from my time serving on Hillingdon Council that ever year hundreds of thousands of pounds of taxpayers’ money is spent on cleaning up once an illegal encampment has been moved on.
The Bill is now going through its final stages of scrutiny before it becomes law, but if you would like to see my whole speech, you can do so here.
Nationalities and Borders Bill
This is an area that many of my constituents will know I am keen to remain active in. The unfolding situation in Ukraine has once again put the plight of refugees and asylum seekers front and centre of the national debate. I have long called for reform to make sure that the immigration system is fair as well as to protect legal routes for those escaping war and persecution across the world.
This is a sentiment that I know many of my constituents share and I thank all of them that have taken the time to contact me about the Nationality and Borders Bill.
The Nationality and Borders Bill is quickly approaching its final stages in Parliament. The Bill is the cornerstone of the Government’s commitment to reform the immigration system, which for too long has seen vulnerable asylum seekers pushed into the hands of traffickers who operate dangerous routes across the English Channel in boats which often are unable to make it the whole way across.
I was therefore delighted to take part in a recent debate on this important Bill following its passage through the House of Lords. I chose to focus my remarks on the need to ensure that people make asylum applications while overseas. While there is concern about the cost of offshoring, it is clear that it is a practical solution to breaking the vicious cycle of trafficking in the channel.
Concluding my remarks, I reiterated my desire that individuals arriving in the UK on asylum visas have the ability to work. While there has been some progress on this matter, I hope to continue to push the Home Office to allow individuals to contribute towards our economy.
You can see my full speech here.
Speaking on the Nationality and Borders Bill in Parliament last month
Animal Welfare Bill
We are a nation of animal lovers and I know that we are all passionate about protecting our exceptional wildlife and countryside. Throughout my time as a MP, I have sought to champion animal rights as well as to represent the wishes of farmers in the constituency. That is why I was delighted to speak in favour of the Animal Welfare (Sentience) Bill brought forward by the Government.
As I set out in my speech, Ruislip, Northwood, and Pinner is proudly a suburban constituency which bridges the gap between urban London and rural Hertfordshire. We have over 80 farms and fishery along with countless families with much-loved pets. There is a fine balance to be struck here that protects high animal welfare standards without risking the heritage of different communities.
I had the privilege of supporting several amendments to the Bill that ensured this balance was achieved. The amendments, which I supported, included one proposed by Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown. This amendment introduced clauses to the Bill explicitly protecting historical conservation and the livelihoods of different communities across the UK.
The Bill has now returned to the House of Lords for further scrutiny but if you would like to see what I said in this debate you can do so here.
Kinship Care
Shortly after my visit to Hillingdon Hospital, where I learnt about the leading neonatal work of Dr Menakaya, I had the privilege of debating the matters of Kinship Care in a Westminster Hall debate secured by Dame Andrea Leadsom.
Kinship care, we know, has long been an important provision within the care system in England and has a profound affect on a child’s wellbeing and development. Placing a child in a safe and familial environment can ensure that a child grows up in a stable and supportive environment while minimising the burden on the local authorities responsible for their wellbeing. Having been in local government for some time, I have seen the kinship care model develop into a viable system where we pay family members to provide the best care to members of their family.
While it may seem strange to pay family members to care for their own family, under current provisions, the cost of care on local authorities is enormously high and places a large burden on local taxpayers. As I outlined in my speech, the cost, on average, is in excess of £55,000 per year and rises to £130,000 per year if the child has a significant level of care needs.
It is clear that we should reassess the model of kinship care that can often be the best available option for a child’s care needs and efficient for taxpayers. This work is already underway in Hillingdon where Dr Menakaya’s team are working with the local authority through a local family hub to support children with care needs.
You can watch my whole speech here.
Speaking in the Westminster Hall Debate on Kinship Care in February
Early Years Funding
Those who read my last newsletter will know that, following the budget, there was a debate in Westminster dedicated to the Early Years Sector. At the time I was glad to report the positive steps already being taken to support the social development of children across the country.
Reflecting how important this topic is, there has been a further debate in Parliament on the funding of the Early Years Sector. Following up on remarks I have made previously, I focused upon the current shape of our funding systems. The current system unfairly allows large secondary schools to dominate the allocation of resources in every area.
I also used this opportunity to suggest that the Minister consider how we can join up the work already being done by local authorities across the country. This work, I believe, should align the principal goals of meeting local needs with the need for a stronger workforce, driving better outcomes for children in early years settings.
I know that this is already being done locally with excellent services provided by nurseries and childminders right across Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner.
You can see my full speech here.
Oral Questions and Statements
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 few months to raise some important concerns. These questions are on a variety of subjects whether they relate to funding for Afghan refugees or plans for Heathrow’s expansion.
In January, I drew the attention of Ministers to the level of funding allocated to Hillingdon to help support refugees coming from Afghanistan. Ensuring high level funding is fundamental to Hillingdon’s ability to provide excellent education to every refugee child that lives in our area.
Similarly, just a few weeks later I was able to raise the concerns of Hillingdon councillors in questions to the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster when it came to local government procurement operations.
Stepping away from the concerns of Hillingdon council, I continued to push the Government on the decision to expand Heathrow airport, something I have long campaigned against. I urged the Minister to revisit their airport strategy in light of the challenges and innovations that the sector has faced during the COVID-19 pandemic – urging greater focus given to regional airports away from London. I know this is something that many of my constituents wish for and I hope to see a review of the Government’s airport strategy.
I always ensure to publish what I am asking in Parliament, and I would encourage you to keep an eye on my social media platforms to stay up-to-date, alternatively you can visit my website here.
No Recourse to Public Funds
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Government made the right decision to extend the provision of free school meals to children who didn’t have access to public funds. With the expiration of emergency legislation, there was a real worry that this decision would be reversed and often vulnerable children who have been enjoying nutritious school meals over the last 24 months would once again find themselves excluded from this vital support.
In Parliament, I have been working with Government colleagues and other Parliamentarians to challenge this decision. Only a few weeks ago I was delighted to co-host a roundtable in Westminster to hear the voices of teachers, charities, local authorities, and children who had benefitted from recent support.
Chief among these voices was that of Kosa and his mother, whom I listened to with great interest as they described the effect this support has had on them. Not long after this event, I was delighted to learn that the Government had decided to continue the provision beyond the end of the pandemic – a move that I know is welcomed by many who have been campaigning on this issue.
Meeting with Kosa and his mother in Parliament
School Tours
Following around two years of disruption, the Houses of Parliament have been able to reopen their doors to the public. Recently, I was delighted to welcome pupils from Bishop Winnington Ingram school council to Westminster recently. There were lots of good questions and great to see how the children are contributing to the life of their school.
If you are a school who may be interested in visiting parliament, please get in touch with my office via the usual channels.
Welcoming pupils on the school council from BWI in Ruislip to Westminster
And finally…
Despite there being some tough new challenges ahead, I welcome that we have turned a chapter over the past few months. I hope that residents are able to enjoy some quality time with loved ones over the Easter period for the first time in two years.
Best regards,
David
