Weekly Update - 28 March

Dear John

Spring Statement

This week, the Chancellor delivered her Spring Statement to kickstart economic growth, protect working people and keep Britain safe. The Office of Budget Responsibility has revealed that people will be on average £500 a year better off from 2029, and the economy will be 0.2% larger in 2029-30 – worth around £6.8 billion in today’s money – growing to 0.4% over the next ten years. Kickstarting economic growth is the number one mission of this government, putting more money in people’s pockets. We are not satisfied with the short-term growth figures, so the Government has announced we are going further and faster to improve this. We have announced a further £13 billion of capital investment over the Parliament to go further on growth. This will deliver the projects needed to catalyse private investment, boost growth and drive forward the UK’s modern industrial strategy. You can read more here. In the Spring Statement, I asked the Chancellor if she agreed with me that the Conservatives clearly don’t understand the link between their failure to build houses and infrastructure and the economic constraints we face today. You can watch my intervention below.

Construction

We have announced that we are investing £600 million to get young people into the construction industry, allowing experienced workers to pass on their skills and support employers to offer industry placements. The West Midlands already has a proud record of construction jobs, with 173,292 working in the sector – around 5.7% of the total regional workforce. Our investment will get Britain building, training a further 60,000 more construction workers and breaking down the barriers to opportunity for thousands of young people. You can read more here.

Housing

On Tuesday, the Government announced a new investment of £2 billion to support the biggest boost in social and affordable housebuilding in a generation. This investment will support the construction of up to 18,000 new social and affordable homes, helping hard working families to get safe and secure homes and kickstarting economic growth. This investment comes as a down payment from the Treasury ahead of more long-term investment in social and affordable housing planned later this year, as part of our plan to build 1.5 million homes and tackle the housing crisis. Read more here.

Community-led Housing

The Government is investing to accelerate the delivery of community-led housing. A £20 million package for community groups, such as community land trusts and housing co-operatives, has been confirmed by the Housing Minister that will directly support the construction of more than 2,500 new homes over the next decade. These housebuilding projects will be led by communities to specifically address local needs in their area. You can read more here.

Planning and Infrastructure Bill

This week, the Planning and Infrastructure Bill had its Second Reading in Parliament. Making this Bill law will be key to get Britain building and drive economic growth. Significant reforms will be introduced through the Bill to speed up planning decisions, remove unnecessary blockers and challenges to housing development and major infrastructure projects like windfarms, while at the same time delivering for the environment through the new Nature Restoration Fund. You can read more about our Bill here. This week, the OBR has also concluded that our planning reforms will bring housebuilding to its highest level in 40 years by the end of the Parliament. Read more here.

Tobacco and Vapes Bill

The Tobacco and Vapes Bill is a landmark piece of legislation that will deliver a world-leading smoking ban to stop the cycle of addiction and protect children. It will also stop vapes and other consumer nicotine products from being deliberately branded and advertised to appeal to children and ban the sale of vapes in vending machines. These measures will help to stop the next generation from becoming hooked on nicotine. The promulgation of dangerous illicit vapes in shops, schools and on our streets is also a real concern. In Birmingham, trading standards and the police led raids on retailers under Operation Cloud, where they seized nearly £6 million pounds worth of illicit vapes, tobacco and drugs. On the Conservatives’ watch, children were being sold vapes marketed as 0% nicotine, which were found to actually contain nicotine, and vapes that contained dangerous chemicals like anti-freeze and lead. I welcome the Government introducing a testing regime and a licensing regime for vapes, to protect our children and keep consumers safe. The government is also introducing £200 on the spot fines for retailers selling products to people under-age, a policy I suggested during the last Parliament. Read more here.

Defence

Our world is changing, and Britain must be ready. Europe is facing a once-in-a-generation moment for its collective security, with conflicts overseas undermining security and prosperity at home. That’s why we are bringing in a new era of security and renewal, with a further £2.2 billion in defence spending committed for 2025/6. This raises spending on defence to 2.36% next year and will be invested in fitting Royal Navy ships with Directed Energy Weapons five years earlier than planned, providing better homes for military families and modernising His Majesty’s Naval Base Portsmouth. You can read more here.

Procurement

This week, a major £1.6 billion equipment contract was agreed with British defence firm Babcock to support British defence jobs. British Army equipment, including tanks and armoured vehicles, will receive world-class maintenance and spare parts. This contract will also sustain 1,600 UK skilled jobs, including over 400 in Telford and over 250 in Dorset. Read more here.

Access and Culture

The Government has announced that museums and libraries are set to receive a share of over £30 million of funding to improve access to arts and culture. This money will be dedicated towards maintenance repairs and upgrades to their buildings, ensuring they can continue to tell the story of our nation’s rich history and providing spaces for people from all walks of life to access books, work and learn. You can read more here.

Grassroots Sports Clubs

Grassroots sports clubs are at the heart of communities across the country. We are investing £100 million into grassroots sports clubs across the UK to deliver funding for pitches and related facilities. Labour will remove barriers to an active lifestyle and increase opportunity for all, so that wherever people live, they can access high-quality sports facilities and experience the joy that sport brings. Read more here.

NatWest Event

It was brilliant to join businesses last night at the NatWest Accelerator Hub in Birmingham. It was inspiring to see entrepreneurs based in the West Midlands pitching their innovative business ideas. Small and medium sized businesses are the driving force of our economy, both at a local and national level. Our Labour government will support businesses to kickstart growth in every region across the country.

Local News

NHS Consultation

We are currently designing our 10 Year Health plan to make our NHS fit for the future. We are proposing three shifts – hospital to community, analogue to digital and sickness to prevention – to create a health service that delivers for you. Help us make this a reality by telling us what you think about some of the emerging ideas for change. There are five sections, each with a video introducing the ideas, and some questions for you to answer. Please complete the survey, here, before 14th April. Buses Consultation

People in the West Midlands deserve a bus service that is safe, efficient and reliable. Transport for West Midlands are running a consultation on the future of our bus service and its plans to bring the service into public control. Have your say before 30th March, here. Restore the Music School Visit

It was really great to see how Restore the Music, who provide schools with funding to help them buy diverse and relevant musical instruments, can support students across the UK to explore their interest in music. I visited students at Lordswood Boys School in my constituency who have benefited massively from investment in their music department.

Best wishes,

Preet Kaur Gill MP Member of Parliament for Birmingham Edgbaston, covering Bartley Green, Edgbaston, Harborne, North Edgbaston and Quinton Promoted by David Evans on behalf of the Labour Party, 20 Rushworth Street, London SE1 0SS

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