MP’s UPDATE FOR  B&I RESIDENTS

MAY 2024

You can find previous reports of my work on my web site; www.ruthcadbury.co.uk  I also report regularly on my Facebook page and via Twitter and Instagram @RuthCadbury. 

 

If you would like to raise issues with me as your MP Please email on [email protected] with your address, a quick summary of the issue (and relevant reference numbers).   

 

See my Web page for information on local and national services.

You will not be surprised to know that I was incredibly pleased with the recent election results and particularly that Emma Yates was elected to represent Brentford West Ward on Hounslow Council following Lara Parizotto’s resignation from the Council.  I look forward to working with Emma on the issues that matter in Brentford.

So many people I meet in the street, on the doorstep, or socially ask me when the next General Election election will be. The truth is I have no more idea of when the General Election is going to be than the press do, as the decision to call it is in the PM’s hands alone.  Legally it must be by mid-January 2025 – though it’s more likely to be mid-July or the Autumn.  If Labour wins, as the outcome of the recent election results point to, and if I’m not reshuffled or shuffled off, I will be the minister for prisons probation and parole in the Justice Department.  I am therefore spending a lot of time learning about these aspects of our criminal justice system at meetings and visits.

MY PARLIAMENTARY ACTIVITY IN APRIL

For full details of my questions and speeches in Parliament, get regular updates about my Parliamentary activities TheyWorkForYou (votes) or see Hansard (speeches) & on YouTube

In the Chamber;

 

• Having met another shopkeeper who has faced thefts and assaults I called on the government to do much more to ensure shop staff are better protected.
• I demanded the Government do more to ensure humanitarian aid gets into northern Gaza
• At Health questions I described meeting a young woman recently at my advice surgery whose ovarian cancerwas not picked up until it had reached an advanced stage, only discovered when she had an emergency admission.  She’s now infertile and receiving aggressive treatment.  I demanded that female-specific conditions need to be taken seriously by the medical establishment, from basic training onwards.
• “What was it about the multi-millionaire, generous Conservative party donor that attracted the Prime Minister to the idea of giving him a knighthood?” was my question to Leader of the House Penny Mordaunt, after Russia-linked Mohamed Mansour got a knighthood on the PM’s surprise honours list, yet Horizon victim and campaigner Alan Bates didn’t.
• I led for the Labour front-bench in the ePetition-debate in Westminster Hall on Assisted Dying, following the campaign led by Esther Rantzen and the Express.  The petition of over 200,000 signatures demands that the Government allocates parliamentary time for a debate and a vote.  I was able to reiterate that this is Labour’s policy, and that as this is an issue of conscience, Labour in government would allow a free vote.  

In my shadow Prisons & Probation role I attended a packed public meeting about Wandsworth prison in a local church. Wandsworth is one of the worst four prisons in England & Wales, and local people are justifiably angry at the conditions there both for prisons and for staff.  We heard how

prisoners have little chance of rehabilitation because they’re locked up, two to a cell meant for one, often for 22 hours per day with inadequate food, clothing, education and most of all a complete lack of humanity from the regime.   We heard from former prisoners and mothers of youngsters currently incarcerated there, and from speakers from the Prison Reform Trust, the Howard League for Penal Reform and from people who have worked in that prison.  

As a contrast, the next day I sat in on a life-affirming group work session at Herts Probation office, part of NACRO’s personal wellbeing service which is successfully supporting men on probation to safely open up and grow together.  I also met a group of probation officers who told me about the pressures of their job, particularly in finding permanent housing for ex-prisoners.  They are actually having to give out sleeping bags as there is literally no suitable housing, particularly for those with complex needs.

COMMUNITY UPDATE

Supporting local people with the Cost of Living and Housing Crisis

There are several places locally where people struggling with debt, housing problems etc can get professional help and it was useful to meet two of them this month. At Citizens Advice their staff and

I realised we experience the same issues coming in from local residents, in particular debt, escalating rents, illegal evictions by landlords, and inappropriate responses from staff of Hounslow’s housing department.  Increasing numbers are being evicted because they cannot pay the rent hikes their private landlords demand.  I also visited Debt Free Advice in Hounslow – funded by charities to provide on-line support to help people dealing with debt.  The video kiosk system linking them to an advisor via a tablet is available to all job-seekers at Ingeus Hounslow.

It was a pleasure to attend the Annual Dinner of Hounslow Pakistan Welfare Association – founded in 1966, PWA is one of Hounslow’s oldest organisations serving one of the diaspora communities

Topaz Apartments - Yet another building safety challenge!    Residents and their contractor showed me round their block of flats in central Hounslow where flammable insulation & cladding needs replacing. They are ready to go with this major contract, but the residents and their contractors are

struggling to get agreements from the property owners each side to get access to install scaffolding needed for the work.

 

They have been successful in getting Building Safety Fund funding from the Government, but BSF makes no allowance for any complications or additional costs such as at this block. So the residents continue to fear a fire breaking out, and leaseholders cannot sell their flat.

I atttended the exhibition launch at the Great West Gallery in Brentford – it’s on until 7th June. The gallery champions both established and self taught artists using unconventional media and they also run workshops.

Isleworth resident Arthur Gray retired from the Metropolitan Police after 30 years of dedicated service as a PCSO in Ealing. He was rewarded with a special ceremony and award from Assistant Commissioner Louisa Rolfe, a letter from me and a mention in Parliament by James Murray MP, who represents Greenford where Arthur spent his most recent years working.  

Enterprise Car Hire has been based under the M4 flyover in Brentford for many years.  They invited me to their base where they told me about their  new 24/7 car club launched in Outer London.  This is similar to Zipcar but is available for those aged 19 and over.  Like many businesses trying to roll out EV vehicles for rent, Enterprise told me they struggle to find out if there is adequate grid capacity so they can install chargers at their sites.

I attended a showing of the film If the Streets Were on Fire followed by a roundtable discussion led by Astrid Edwards of AIM (Action Isleworth Mothers). The film is a documentary about BikeStormz where youngsters from across London came together for a regular bike ride through the City centre, providing 

safe and positive “space” for children at risk of crime and being drawn into gang activity.  The discussion afterwards was led by a panel of those youth leaders, the film makers, and a parent champion – one of the AIM team who provide a safe confidential space for mothers to share concerns for their children potentially ar actually involved in youth violence in the borough.

April is a month of cutural and religious festivals from around the world. Local people celebrate at festivals, services and other events, and it’s a joy to be invited to them; such as Sinhalese/Tamil New Year (top) and Ram Navami (bottom)

The Armenian Genocide that killed over 1m people in 1915/16 is remembered each year on April 24th. West London is home to many Armenians, and I attended the commemoration in Ealing with the Armenian Ambassador, fellow MPs and Councillors, and the Armenian Bishop, who I’m pleased has his community base and home in Brentford.

With neighbouring MPs, I met the Chief Exec of Thames Water, Chris Weston, to discuss the impact the TDRA (Teddington Direct River Abstraction Project) will have on the Ivybridge estate, with the loss of the play area and MUGA and the impact on road safety on Summerwood Road; as well as the

effect of tunnelling under neighbouring homes.

We challenged TW on the cost effectiveness of this expensive project when other alternatives to ensuring adequate drinking water supply during drought periods could be available. I also asked TW to consider continuing the funding for Hounlsow’s Mogden Odour and Mosquito complaints line.  

 

With best wishes

 

 

PS: I look forward to hearing your comments on my monthly updates

Printed from an email sent by Ruth Cadbury MP