My latest update from Harrow and
Westminster ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏


Dear John,

 

I hope you have started your October off well – the parliamentary
term has resumed albeit slowly in Westminster, as Political parties
lay out their visions at our party conferences. As many know, here in
Harrow I always aim to build campaigns around the issues that local
workers, families, charities and businesses raise with me. Just before
the end of summer recess, I was delighted to see that our campaign
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for more investment at Northwick Park Hospital had met some success.
This would not have been possible without the support of thousands of
Harrow residents and healthcare workers supporting the campaign. A new
32 bed ward will make a difference for patients, but more investment
is still essential if we’re to get our local healthcare services
back to where they should be.

Over the past couple of months, working through several hundred cases
from Harrow residents, a few outstanding issues have been at the
forefront of my local campaigns. For example, a consistently high
number of pupils with SEND (Special Educational Needs and
Disabilities) cannot have their needs met in Harrow schools and are
subsequently educated in independent schools at a high cost to Harrow
Council. This is at the same time our existing special needs schools
are underfunded and mainstream schools need more funding for special
education needs teaching in their schools too. You can sign my
petition to the Education Secretary here:
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Following the success of our long-run campaigns for step-free access
at Sudbury Hill and Harrow on the Hill stations, disability
campaigners agree step-free access would be a great modernisation for
so many passengers at our station in Rayners Lane. More on this in
months to come, I am grateful to Transport for London for meeting with
Krupesh Hirani AM and I to discuss feasibility studies taking place
around step-free access at Rayners Lane.

With the closure of the last two bank branches in South Harrow, my
campaign for a South Harrow bank hub has received hundreds of
signatures. Following the closure of Barclays, the branch committed to
me that they will continue to have a presence at Pentax House,
Northolt Road, South Harrow, HA2 0DU on Thursdays but I have written
to Barclays to ask for their support to serve customers again from a
Bank Hub.

Analysis from the House of Commons Library has shown that the number
of bank branches in Harrow have halved since 2010 with branches no
longer existent across the South Harrow, Northolt, Rayners Lane and
Sudbury areas.

You can sign my petition here:
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Below is my newsletter covering some of my work in Parliament and
locally in Harrow too – as always, through out the month, you can
find regular updates from me on FACEBOOK
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TOURS,  SURGERIES AND LITTER-PICKS

A pleasure to join the Harrow Litter Pickers alongside the Friends of
Harrow Rec last week for a big collection across Harrow Recreation
Ground. This Friends Group host a regular litter-pick as well as many
other excellent community events, you can find more here:
[link removed] [[link removed]] as well
as by searching them up on Facebook. If you have a suggestion of where
you would like me to organise/host a surgery or park clean-up next, do
please drop me a line!

My next walk-in surgery will take place at South Harrow Baptist Church
on Northolt Road on MONDAY, 23RD OCTOBER FROM 9:15AM - 11:15AM, this
is open to all Harrow West residents, no appointment needed.

 

I also continue to run my regular appointment-based advice surgery,
taking on casework at my constituency office at 132-134 Blenheim Road,
appointments can be made by calling my parliamentary office on 020
7219 4243.

It has been a privilege to show a number of families around Parliament
over the past few months – as always, great questions about
political decisions in Westminster and the impact they have locally on
people in Harrow.

If you would like to join a tour, please fill out the form on my
website and my staff will be sure to keep you in the loop with future
tour dates, including during October Half Term:
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CLOSURE OF HARROW CROWN COURT

 

 

Whilst schools in the Harrow have thankfully been able to avoid the
closures that have occurred elsewhere, Harrow has been affected by the
issues surrounding reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC) as
Harrow Crown Court has been closed since the end of August, when
RAAC was found during improvement works.

 

Of course, safety must be our first priority. Guaranteeing that safety
is ultimately the responsibility of Government Ministers, and I am
concerned that their approach has left school buildings - and other
public buildings such as Harrow Crown Court - in poor conditions.

 

Despite the risks of RAAC already being known in 2010, the Government
cancelled the programme that was in place to help rebuild schools.
When in July 2018, a school ceiling in Kent collapsed as RAAC gave
way, it took Ministers almost four years to send out a survey about
that type of concrete.

 

I challenged Ministers on this issue in the House of Commons earlier
this year, you can see the clip here
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recently, I asked Ministers
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timescale on when the court will be fully repaired and reopened. The
current estimate is 6 – 9 months. Let’s hope it’s no longer.
The backlog of criminal cases in London is already incredibly high
with many victims of crime waiting years to see justice. I will
continue to follow this issue very closely.

 

 

SHOW RACISM THE RED CARD

In Parliament
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month I was pleased to join with MPs from all political parties
alongside cricketing and footballing legends, Monty Panesar and Paul
Elliot, and Scotland Rugby Union ace Andy Christie ahead of the 9th
annual Wear Red Day on FRIDAY, 20TH OCTOBER.

 

Every year, we wear red to show our opposition to racism and support
for education initiatives aimed at tackling it. Discrimination of any
kind, anywhere, is abhorrent and we must collectively work together to
end the prevalence of racism in sport on and off the pitch.

 

WATER CHIEFS CONDEMNED OVER SEWAGE IN THAMES

Many people have been in touch with me about the state of our
waterways. We are in a national dirty water emergency with sewage
pollution affecting our rivers, lakes and beaches.

 

The cuts to the Environment Agency’s budget led to drastic cuts in
monitoring, enforcement and prosecution and this has given rise to a
drastic increase in illegal discharges, damage to nature and tourism
and putting people’s health at risk.

I am aware of initial reports from the Office for Environmental
Protection (OEP) which indicate its belief that the Government and
water companies may have broken the law over sewage in waterways. This
is unprecedented, and I want to see action to put an end to this
appalling situation, bring water companies in line and clean up our
waterways. 

 

In London, our water bills have risen 11.6% this year and, if media
reports are to be believed, Thames Water are hoping for a further 20%
rise. I wrote recently to OFWAT to press them on how they intend to
ensure Thames is more accountable to its customers in the future. 

 

In my view, OFWAT has treated Thames Water like a favourite child for
too long, allowing excessive borrowing to fund dividends for its
owners and shocking levels of pay and bonuses for its most senior
staff. I hope to meet with OFWAT shortly to press this issue further.

 

You can view my letter here
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read the coverage in the Evening Standard here
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ROXBOURNE BROOK

For a number of years, residents living along the Roxbourne Brook have
been complaining about issues related to sewage, oil and other toxic
discharges in the Brook. After our first public meeting, I’m hopeful
for a bit of progress to begin untangling ownership of this issue and
a plan for some resolution. If you are impacted by the stream in any
way - please let me know via [email protected].

I was grateful to the Harrow Nature Conservation Forum
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Thames Water
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the Environment Agency
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Harrow Council
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officers and local residents for joining my meeting last month and I
hope that when we reconvene there will be a plan in place for cleaning
the Brook.

 

LABOUR’S NEW BUSINESS & TRADE TEAM

I was delighted to be reappointed Shadow Minister for Trade
in Labour’s new Business & Trade Team. Britain’s trading
potential has been held back by this government for too long.

 

In Parliament this month, I asked Ministers to explain why everyone
else is so much better at selling to our nearest neighbours. According
to the IMF, UK exports to France (-14%) and Germany (-17%) are down,
yet American, Canada and Italy's exports to France and Germany are all
up by over 20%.

 

Instead of putting up trade barriers, pushing away investment and
cutting business support, we need a government which backs British
exporters. We also need to ensure exporters in every part of the UK
benefit from trade deals and push for faster mutual recognition of
qualifications, so our services professionals are able to work abroad
more easily. You can see my speech in Parliament here
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FIREWORKS REGULATIONS

 

At this time of year, fireworks is always an issue that fills my
postbag. In my view, fireworks displays run by local charities and
organisations can provide a safe and organised way for people to enjoy
fireworks, while promoting community cohesion and raising funds for
local causes. 

 

However, I believe it is important to look at how we can better
protect people, animals and the planet from the misuse of fireworks,
and the stress and anxiety it can cause to smaller children, older
people and those who suffer from mental health issues, as well as to
pets.

 

Since January 2005, the sale of fireworks to the public has been
prohibited, except for from licensed traders. However, fireworks can
be sold by unlicensed traders for Chinese New Year, Diwali, Bonfire
Night celebrations and new year.  

 

Under the Fireworks Regulations 2004, it is an offence to use
fireworks after 11pm and before 7am without permission, except on
permitted fireworks nights, when the times are extended. 

 

I believe it is clear that the law has not kept pace with
developments, and the Government should look at the changing impact of
fireworks and whether any changes are needed. Ministers need, for
example, to consider the growing calls for fireworks use to be
permitted only in public displays or at certain times of year, as well
as to look at the current decibel level cap. 

 

As always, you can email me at [email protected] to let
me know what you think.

 

 

Promoted by David Evans on behalf of the Labour Party, Labour Central
Kings Manor, Newcastle, NE1 6PA, United Kingdom

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Promoted by David Evans on behalf of the Labour Party, Labour Central Kings Manor, Newcastle, NE1 6PA, United Kingdom
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