Parliamentary Diary

Dear Friend,

With every Monday that goes by we're starting to see more of a sense of normality in Wales as lockdown restrictions are lifted carefully and cautiously. Rates of the virus in Wales are continuing to fall thanks to our efforts and sacrifice, which means we can carry on with our gradual, step-by-step lifting of restrictions.

And it was great to see those efforts in Wales recognised as the Leader of the Labour Party Keir Starmer praised our Welsh Labour Government's handling of the coronavirus crisis, in comparison to counterparts in the Westminster government.

In today's government briefing, the First Minister declared the worst of those fears we had at the start of the crisis have been averted because people have followed the rules. On Thursday, for the fifth day in the last 10 no Covid-19 related deaths were announced in Wales.

We all still have a role to play to keep Wales safe until the virus is eradicated or else find we could find our hard work over these past months quickly undone. Continue to stay safe and a
s ever, if you would like to get in touch with me please contact [email protected]. (mailto:[email protected])

With very best wishes,
Prime Minister's Questions
Fast Fashion:
Harming people & planet

Thank you to everyone who got in touch with me with their ideas for a question to to the Prime Minister last week. There were lots of fantastic ideas and I'd received many messages about the concerning modern slavery conditions in UK clothing factories like Boohoo.

The harmful exploitation of fast fashion on people and planet is a disgrace. But the Prime Minister was as dismissive upon answering my question as his government was when they rejected every Environmental Audit Committee recommendation on sustainable fashion.

Why won’t the Prime Minister call time on fast fashion?

View my question here:

[link removed]

Calling out government's staggering hypocrisy

It was great to make my debut at the despatch box at the last ever Department for International Development questions before the prime minister abolishes it in September. I called out the government's staggering hypocrisy on claiming to be climate leaders yet continuing to invest in fossil fuel projects overseas.

Continuing to pump billions into fossil fuel projects flies in the face of climate justice and undermines the very people the foreign minister’s job is there to protect. The government's own damning impact assessment on their controversial gas pipeline in Mozambique will:

❌ displace nearly 3,000 people
❌ strip means of livelihoods
❌ cause loss of natural resources
❌ cause food scarcity

Undoing the very resilience DfID is there to help build.

Our actions are contributing to the deterioration of our planet with devastating consequences for the poorest people & nations. This is not global leadership. This is trapping communities into fossil fuel projects, entrenching climate injustice & perpetuating inequality.

Watch more here:
[link removed]
Excluded UK

It was great to join the first All Party Parliamentary Group on Excluded UK ([link removed]) last week. Excluded UK is a newly formed non-profit NGO serving as a collective platform for the 3 million+ who have been excluded from the UK government's coronavirus support schemes.

This is an incredibly important issue and one which many Cardiff North constituents have been in touch with me about as they are impacted by this - as freelancers, newly self-employed etc. - and who feel left behind by UK government support schemes and feel they're being treated like collateral damage in this crisis.

I will continue to work across the political spectrum to push for change.

I also raised the desperate situation of the arts and culture sector. The show will not go on for many in the culture sector who, despite being at its heart and making this sector what it is, have been abandoned by UK Govt support schemes.

View my question here:
[link removed]
Our carers deserve every penny!
Keir Starmer was absolutely right to call out the Prime Minister's audacity to blame carers for his own failures at last week's PMQs.

Carers held the hands of our loved ones in their dying moments when we couldn’t. They stepped in to be family when we couldn't. Yet the UK Government are still holding out and won't make Welsh Labour Government's hero's reward of £500 tax free for all social care and domiciliary workers in Wales.

Our social care workers deserve every penny. Lining the pockets of the Treasury off the back of our hardworking heroes is shameful. I'll continue to push for this.
Chancellor's Summer Statement: Empty rhetoric & bluster

Both the Prime Minister's so-called New Deal and the Chancellor's summer financial statement were a bitter disappointment to any hopefuls eagerly waiting for the government to show it was serious about making a meaningful green recovery.

UK government's failure to harness this historic opportunity to drive environmental ambitions and rise to the scale of the climate crisis is staggering. The Chancellor touts a green recovery in one breath but invests in high carbon industry in another. We must stop financing failure and start financing the future or risk “build back better” becoming just another empty slogan.

This is certainly not what a green recovery looks like.
My comments to the Guardian ([link removed])
Further lockdown measures relaxed
From Monday playgrounds, outdoor gyms and community centres can reopen in Wales as lockdown restrictions ease further. This is the second in a three-week package of measures to re-open tourism, hospitality and leisure sectors in Wales as rates of the virus continuing to fall have provided the headroom to do so.

From the 16th August, Shielding in Wales will pause. The Chief Medical Officer for Wales Dr Frank Atherton has confirmed people in Wales who are shielding will no longer need to do so after 16 August.

Learner Drivers and Driving Instructors will be able to resume lessons from Monday with Theory tests restarting on Monday 3rd August and driving tests on Monday 17th August.
Velindre Development Update
It was great to speak to Save the Northern Meadow Campaign again today to discuss concerns about the Velindre development and what steps I am taking to represent your views.

At my request, I have been meeting Velindre Trust bi-weekly to ensure that the views expressed by local residents are reflected and concerns are answered. On Friday I met with Velindre again and raised key questions that had been highlighted, for example:

- Why not the Grange Hospital?
- Why not the Whitchurch Hospital Site?
- Has there been an independent clinical review?

Many constituents have also sent me a copy of a letter from Dr Ashley Roberts. I have requested detailed written responses to the letter from Velindre, as well as to the key concerns outlined by constituents and the Save the Northern Meadows campaign.

Responses to my letters to the Future Generations Commissioner and the Health Minister Vaughan Gething MS regarding the development can be found on
my website here ([link removed]) and I will update it with the written responses from the Trust once those are received.

Please remember that whilst the application deadline for public consultation has closed, as your Member of Parliament I am still able to raise concerns, so if you haven't already done so, please do not hesitate to get in touch with your views and I will ensure they're reflected in my formal submission to the Council.

Syrian aid lifeline lost

I am deeply disappointed that only one of two border crossings for critical humanitarian aid in Syria was secured by the UN Security Council last week. I have been working alongside NGOs, with Labour colleagues to push for the UK Government to step up negotiations and work with allies to secure border crossings and ensure medical supplies and aid reaches those most in need.

It is shameful that the needs of millions of desperate Syrians did not come before political point scoring as China and Russia vetoed resolutions which would have seen life-saving cross-border aid in Syria at a time when we should be united against Covid.
Cycleway Consultation

Cardiff Council are currently consulting on the proposed Cycleway which will run along King George V Drive, Allensbank Road, Whitchurch Road and Cathays Terrace.

If you have any question or would like more information, please book onto one of the online events below by emailing transportpolicy@cardiff.gov.uk:
Wednesday 22nd July, 4pm

To view the plans or to give feedback on the proposed Cycleway 1.2, please visit: [link removed] ([link removed])
Support our High Streets & Shop Local

Over the last couple of months I've been working with elected representatives across Cardiff North on a campaign to support our community businesses. As businesses start to open back up in Wales, we'd encourage you all to support our high streets and shop local wherever possible!

As always, please get in touch with your feedback!

Anna
MP for Cardiff North
AS dros Ogledd Caerdydd

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