Dear John,

I hope you have had a good January and February so far – it has been busy across Westminster and Harrow, where I have been leading Labour’s Front bench response to the Trade (Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership) Bill (more on that below), as well as taking up hundreds of cases on behalf of local residents and helping to organise Careers and University Fairs with Harrow Schools. I wish families an enjoyable half term break this week, as we get to the last couple of weeks of winter - longer days will be here soon.

A huge thank you to everyone that played a part in making last month’s Careers Fair with Rooks Heath a success; from the NHS and police to the Civil Service and Channel 4’s own Gary Gibbon and many more. Thank you for supporting some of Harrow’s future alongside the excellent staff at Rooks Heath School!

Locally, I am proud to represent a constituency with one of the largest Tamil populations in the country and it has been a joy to celebrate Tamil Heritage Month over the past month. I was honoured to join Pongal celebrations in temples and in the House of Commons too. I remember, just over a decade ago, taking part in one of the first Pongal celebrations in Harrow. Back then we would not have imagined international cities like London or Toronto recognising the achievements and contributions of the Tamil people in such a way. I look forward to many more Pongal celebrations in Harrow and Westminster.

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, Twitter and Instagram.

I’m grateful to be holding my next surgery at the Beacon Centre at the end of the month. This is open to all Harrow West residents, so please give my office a call (on 02072194243) if you would like to attend and raise any concerns or issues with me!

Last year, I held at least one surgery in every ward of Harrow West, collecting hundreds of cases in surgeries across local churches, temples, mosques and community centres.

If you have a suggestion of where you would like me to host a surgery in 2024, do please drop me a line. I also continue to run my regular advice surgery, taking on casework at my constituency office at 132-134 Blenheim Road, this surgery is appointment-based and appointments can be made by calling my parliamentary office on 020 7219 4243.

UNIVERSITY & APPRENTICESHIP FAIR

On Monday, February 26th from 3:30 - 6pm – I’m hosting my seventh annual University and Apprenticeship Fair, in partnership with the excellent Whitmore High School. The University Fair is one of the only events in Harrow’s calendar where students from local Harrow state schools have the opportunity to engage with 30 of the UKs leading universities including Oxbridge. Harrow has excellent schools with an estimated 63% of local school students going onto Higher Education.

Until seven years ago there wasn’t an opportunity within the borough of Harrow for these students to speak with representatives of the leading UK Universities prior to submitting their UCAS applications. All the big private schools across the country organise their own University Fairs giving their students a significant advantage in the UCAS process as well as ensuring that they have all the information necessary to make the decision that will define their future for at least the next three to four years if not longer. With this event, in partnership with Whitmore School, I aim to even out the playing field a little to provide our school students with some of the same opportunities as their privately educated peers. This year, alongside the universities, there will be a number of excellent companies present here to discuss apprenticeship schemes with students.

CAMPAIGN FOR A NEW SEND SCHOOL IN HARROW

As regular readers are aware, Harrow recently lost out on its THIRD application for a SEND school, despite meeting the criteria for one. This is a funding crisis that impacts many Harrow schools, with SEND education often an untold part of the story. Across the country, families and Local councils (Conservative and Labour) are struggling to cope.

In a meeting with the Education Secretary and Department of Education, I recently shared details of my campaign for more SEND funding, backed by hundreds of parents and school staff in Harrow. As I raised in Parliament, this is an issue that must be addressed in the forthcoming budget. You can watch my full intervention here: https://youtu.be/PqDPd3MrN58 and you can join my campaign here: https://www.gareththomas.org.uk/new-send-school-for-harrow/ 

SOUTH HARROW BANK HUB CAMPAIGN

Last year, following the closure of the last two banks on Northolt Road, hundreds of local residents signed my petition calling for a Bank Hub in South Harrow. The Labour Party have now announced that in Government, we will accelerate the roll out of banking hubs across the country.

Along with James Murray, MP for Ealing North, over the last six months I have been working to put forward our argument for a banking hub in South Harrow. This has involved meeting with the organisation, LINK, on a number of occasions. LINK is a crucial organisation when it comes to banking hubs as they are the UK's access to cash and ATM network as set out in the Financial Services (Banking Reform) Act 2013 and are the ones that assess whether there is a need for a banking hub.

Following a review of South Harrow, LINK have deemed that it currently would not be appropriate for a banking hub. When making this decision, they believe that the main reason South Harrow is currently not appropriate is its proximity to Harrow Town Centre and the banks there. Whilst this is disappointing, mine and James’s belief remains that people in South Harrow, Rayners Lane, North Greenford, Northolt, and surrounding areas deserve easy access to face-to-face banking services. 

We believe that the current criteria for banking hubs are framed around the geography and population of rural areas, and whilst this is also important, there is little focus for banking hubs in urban areas. The Financial Conduct Authority who set the criteria for this are currently consulting on this criteria which would widen it. If you are interested in learning more about this consultation or taking part in the consultation, you can do so at:

Residents can help us make the case for a change in rules here: https://www.fca.org.uk/publications/consultation-papers/cp23-29-access-cash

For a number of reasons, we believe there is a unique and unmeasured impact of the closure of banks for this land area of 70,000 people and 147 retailers (South Harrow), as well as for neighbouring wards with no banks (North Greenford, Northolt Mandeville, Sudbury, Rayners Lane, Harrow on the Hill, West Harrow).

The Labour Party has now announced that in Government it will accelerate the roll out of ‘banking hubs’ which help people deposit and take out cash as well as get support and help with wider banking services. Labour will work with banks and, where necessary, bring in new powers for the Financial Conduct Authority to stop people being left in ‘banking deserts’ guaranteeing communities access to face-to-face banking services.

Gareth Thomas MP said: “Many people feel that banks are pushing them to use online banking and removing face to face banking services.

“But there are lots of people that only bank in branch and don’t feel comfortable with online banking. Local businesses also need somewhere to go to access funding and deposit cash that isn’t miles away.

“I believe it is incredibly important for banks to play their part in maintaining a vibrant local economy with essential services available to all. Lloyds and Barclays were the last remaining national bank branches in South Harrow and their closures marginalise a significant number of people in this community.

“Labour’s plan will bring banking services back to communities who have seen them disappear over recent years, meaning more people across the country will be able to access the services they need closer to home.”

While the Conservatives have delivered just a handful banking hubs, Labour’s plan could see at least 350 banking hubs established on local high streets and, as hubs are shared by the major banks, customers from almost every bank can use the hub.

The plans come as Labour reveals the shocking lack of banking services available on British high streets. Almost half of bank branches in the UK have shut since the Conservatives won their majority in 2015, with Harrow losing nearly two thirds of bank branches.

Alongside the plans to bring back banking to communities Labour will also back the great British high street with plans to:

• Give councils the power to tackle shuttered up shops
• Tackle antisocial behaviour and shoplifting through dedicated police patrols
• Replace business rates with a fairer system
• End late payments to support small businesses.

MEASLES

I am very concerned by the rise of cases and the Government’s failure to maintain vaccination rates.  

Measles is a serious and extremely infectious disease, with a reproduction rate five times of COVID-19. It starts with a high fever and a rash which normally clears within ten days, but complications can include pneumonia, meningitis, blindness, and seizures, and can be life threatening.  

The World Health Organisation recommends 95% vaccine coverage to effectively protect the population and prevent the spread of the disease. In the UK our reach for the first dose of the measles MMR vaccine is 89.3%. There are 3.5 million children under the age of 16 who are not protected by vaccines. 

The Government is setting up additional pop-up clinics and vaccine buses to target communities with low vaccination rates.  I agree that these are vital steps. But I believe that we should never have reached this point. Five years ago, the World Health Organisation considered measles eradicated in the UK. Since then, vaccination rates have plummeted. Complacency on vaccinations has led to the current situation.  I urge the Government to confront this crisis head on. 

PRESSURE ON NORTHWICK PARK HOSPITAL

Our Health Service is under immense pressure. Despite the incredible efforts of staff, there are record waiting lists, lengthy waits in A&E departments and longer waiting times for cancer patients. Not surprisingly, waiting times in Northwick Park A&E have rocketed, having not met the target of seeing 95% of patients within four hours of arrival since before 2016. Given that Northwick Park has the busiest A&E department in London, clinicians have identified that a 50% expansion in intensive care beds is now essential. 

Its staff have done an impressive job in difficult circumstances but patients & their families deserve better. Investment in a new intensive care unit is urgently needed. Ministers should back the bid for a new ICU quickly and sort a plan to bring back Harrow’s Walk-In Centres and invest in social care.

Cancer services are also under intense pressure nationally and locally. The failure of leadership on cancer by the party in government is best epitomised by the continuing uncertainty around the future of one of Britain’s world famous cancer units, at Mount Vernon Hospital. With an independent review commissioned by the NHS describing the estate as “crumbling” and urgent resolution needed on the future location of the service.

You can view my speech in the Parliament on the pressure on Harrow’s hospitals here: https://fb.watch/oFF9HsiW2B/

TRADE

This month, I am working on the Opposition’s response to the Trade (Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership) Bill. This relates to the UK joining an Asia-Pacific trade bloc made up of 11 other countries, 9 of which we already have trade deals with, largely rollover deals from our time in the EU.

While I recognise the benefits of CPTPP accession, it is unclear whether the Government has achieved the best deal for Britain. For example, there are concerns about the use of secret investment courts, poor environmental and labour rights provisions and that the Government has no plan to help British businesses capitalise on this deal. 

While the Government has made big claims about the benefits CPTPP will bring, the OBR forecasts that it will add only 0.04% to UK GDP over the long run. It will not make up for the Government’s failure to deliver on the oven-ready Brexit deal or its broken manifesto commitment that 80% of the world would be covered by new trade agreements – including a trade deal with India.

You can read my speech during the debate in the Parliament on the Bill here

POST OFFICE AND HORIZON SCANDAL

A few years ago, I raised this case of a resident, sub-postmaster that had been impacted by the Horizon scandal. I am hopeful that due to intervention at the time, their review will begin to see some justice. Watch here: https://www.facebook.com/share/v/q8HRqsrEGr3qiwxP/?mibextid=WC7FNe

The ITV drama, “Mr Bates v the Post Office” has done a great job at raising awareness of the shameful treatment Sub-Postmasters faced, and the continued suffering they are having to endure.

This is a scandal that local people have felt a deep, and personal, impact from and more constituents have been in touch this week.

I welcome the commitment from the Minister in his statement for swift action to be taken on the compensation process and overturning of convictions.

There is some unity in Parliament to make sure we get this right and I will continue to work with colleagues across the House in the pursuit of justice.

FUNDED CHILDCARE

From April, eligible working parents of two-year-olds can apply for 15 hours of free childcare. However, across the country, thousands of parents have been warned by their nurseries they may be unable to access the free-childcare offer this year because of issues with the rollout.  

Early-years organisations have said many nurseries are still unaware how much they would be paid by local councils for each of the places on offer. There have also been repeated warnings about a staffing crisis in nurseries. 

The chief executive of the childcare charity the Early Years Alliance said that signing up to the new system was “financial suicide” for nurseries.  

I am very concerned that just weeks before its launch, those parents impacted cannot budget, plan for work or make arrangements with their employers. 

I will be following this closely, to ensure families in Harrow receive what they have been promised.   

SHARED PARENTAL LEAVE AND PAY (BEREAVEMENT) BILL

In the last month, I was proud to speak for the Opposition on an important Bill to help those who face the awful situation where a mother dies during or soon after childbirth.

This is thankfully a rare event in our country. The number of mothers who sadly passed away within 42 days of giving birth between 2019 and 2021 was 261. But this is 261 too many and each case is a tragic loss for their families and friends.

In most of these cases, the father or partner will be eligible for Shared Parental Leave because they meet the eligibility requirements and so can take time off work to care for their newborn child and grieve the loss of their partner.

However, in a small number of cases, the father or partner is not entitled to Shared Parental Leave – this could be because they have changed jobs or they are on a zero hours contract. 

I supported this Bill, which takes steps to close this loophole and help the families facing this nightmare situation.

In addition, Labour have committed to banning zero-hours contracts; ending fire and rehire; strengthening sick pay; ensuring a genuine living wage and a fair day’s pay for a fair day’s work.

You can read my speech in Parliament here.