MP’S UPDATE FOR BRENTFORD AND ISLEWORTH RESIDENTS NOVEMBER 2022

 

YOU CAN FIND PREVIOUS REPORTS OF MY WORK ON MY WEB
SITE; WWW.RUTHCADBURY.ORG.UK [1]  I ALSO REPORT REGULARLY ON MY FACEBOOK
PAGE [2] AND VIA TWITTER AND INSTAGRAM @RUTHCADBURY.

YOU CAN SEE FULL DETAILS OF MY QUESTIONS AND SPEECHES IN PARLIAMENT, AND
GET REGULAR UPDATES ABOUT MY PARLIAMENTARY ACTIVITIES THEYWORKFORYOU
[3] (VOTES) IN HANSARD [4] (SPEECHES) AND ON YOUTUBE. [5]

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  [6]FOR INFORMATION ON LOCAL AND NATIONAL SERVICES.

 

So now we're on the third Prime Minister in three months and I've lost
track of the various Ministers I've dealt with over recent weeks. The
previous two PMs left the country and my constituents worse off than their
predecessors, and Sunak looks to be no better. Rather than being on the
side of working people he boasted that he personally ensured that money was
moved away from deprived areas to wealth places. Instead of the
Conservative party's revolving door of chaos, the British people need an
election and the chance to compare the Tory's 12 years of failure with
Labour's plans to rebuild the country for a fairer, greener future.

MY PARLIAMENTARY ACTIVITY IN SEPTEMBER

On the RISING THREATS BY THE REGIME IN IRAN, I asked the Foreign Office
Minister how the UK is building relationships with civil society in Iran as
these people may go on to lead the country. I got a fairly positive, but
unspecific response. At a second Urgent Question session I asked whether
the Government would remove study visas from the family members of regime
members living here far from the restrictions in Iran, and particularly
those imposed on women. Again, nothing specific in response, but you never
know!

A debate on SEWAGE DISCHARGES enabled me to express horror at Thames
Water's continued pollution of the Thames, and condemned the failures of
the Government, OFWAT and the water companies in addressing this growing
national problem.

I led for Labour on a debate about the lack of opportunity for SCRUTINY OF
TRADE DEALS by Parliament and stakeholders. Climate change, animal welfare
and human rights issues, not to mention the impact on UK businesses, are
all essential issues in trade negotiations which mean trade deals need
adequate scrutiny throughout the process. I said this Government fails to
strike ambitious trade deals that support British business, British values
and economic growth here.

London by-laws mean there is a default BAN ON 'PAVEMENT PARKING',
and I know it works. MPs and Council across the rest of England have long
demanded a similar law, and I challenged the Transport Secretary to deliver
a plan. "When Parliamentary time allows" was the response.

Local councils such as Hounslow have a statutory duty to ASSESS AND CARE
FOR UNACCOMPANIED ASYLUM-SEEKING CHILDREN placed in local hotels by the
Home Office. Many of these children are clearly 13 or 14 years old, and on
one day alone 72 arrived in hotels in the borough. I asked the Levelling Up
Housing and Communities Minister what meetings he had had with affected
boroughs about the additional support they need to meet their statutory
duty to these vulnerable children.

I wrote to the Health Minister about PRESCRIPTIONS FOR GLUTEN FREE FOODS
being removed from the NHS lists, after a constituent with a severely
gluten-intolerant child wrote to me.

Constituents from Armenia are increasingly concerned about the CONFLICT
WITH AZERBAIJAN, so I wrote to the FCDO on their behalf.

ONGOING ISSUES ON THE HOUNSLOW LOOP LINE led me to write to Network Rail
about ongoing engineering work and the disruption it is causing.

Over 100 constituents wrote to me concerned about the Government's plan TO
SELL CHANNEL 4, so I demanded a rethink from the Culture Secretary - which
seems to have worked!

MEETING LOCAL BUSINESSES

SMEs (small and medium sized enterprises) make up over 99% of UK
businesses, three fifths of employment and around half of turnover in the
UK private sector. Over the month I met local independent businesses in
Chiswick, Brentford and Isleworth to hear first-hand about the challenges
they face. Most are still getting over the disruption and downturn of
Covid, and now face pressures from rising costs and a downturn in custom as
the cost of living affects customers. Those in catering are seeing food
prices rising 40%, energy up 70%. Many businesses struggle with finding
enough staff with appropriate skills. Businesses such as printers, and
lighting and plumbing supplies are finding that guaranteeing supplies for
specialist items is full of uncertainty. For some, Covid loans still need
to be paid back and any defaults lead to high interest charges.

The common messages from these businesses that I can now raise in
Parliament are; Business Rates need to be replaced with a fairer system and
VAT needs reforming. The Government needs to provide certainty over energy
costs beyond next year and the shortage of skilled staff needs addressing.

Many thanks to Chiswick Lighting, Fosters Bookshop, Chiswick Gift Company,
Feather & Heart, Elvis & Ivy, Snackeroonys, Vanilla Moon and ColourZone,
and finally Shameen at Cinnamon Lounge who brought four business-owning
friends along.

MOGDEN SEWAGE TREATMENT WORKS AND SEWAGE DISCHARGES:  Along with
Councillors and residents' groups I attended the regular liaison meeting
with Thames Water. We all had serious concerns that Thames Water will
continue to discharge dilute sewage into the Thames every time it rains
heavily for many years to come. I've spoken several times in Parliament
about this and will continue to do so. We can also expect ongoing road
works on Rugby Road as Thames Water contractors lay a pipe to take biogas
from the works to link to the main gas pipes.

YET ANOTHER LEASEHOLD MANAGEMENT SAGA, this time at Brentford Lock, about
First Port, the national firm of managing agents about which I've had
previous complaints from leaseholders in other blocks. I met Brentford Lock
leaseholders who told me how they are faced with unannounced service charge
hikes without adequate documentation and building managers that don't do
basic maintenance such as repairing lighting and lifts. I put them in touch
with Leasehold Knowledge Partnership and the National Leasehold Campaign,
and will add their voice to the many others locally when I next get an
opportunity to raise the failure of the leasehold system with Ministers.

 

COMMUNITY UPDATE

With more and more local people unable to afford to buy food, Rowan Joyce
at South Street cafe has started A FOOD BANK where anyone can pick up
basics from the shelf just inside the door. To fund this work, Rowan and a
team of volunteers have set up a charity shop in a space provided by Sunvil
Travel just across the road, where I cut the ribbon at the grand opening.

Constituents tell me they want better NEIGHBOURHOOD POLICING, and regret
the almost halving of the local neighbourhood teams under the Tory cuts of
ten years ago. I was really glad that the new Met Commissioner Mark Rowley
has included neighbourhood policing among his key strategic aims (along
with rebuilding the trust of Londoners, and responding to crime). I met
Chief Inspector Anthony Bennett who is responsible for neighbourhood
policing across the 3-borough command to discuss the local challenges and
opportunities. They are now recruiting police officers and PCSOs and really
want to see more applicants from across London's different communities.

BOROUGH FIRE COMMANDER Peter Clarke and I met to discuss the key fire risks
locally. It was good to hear that Hounslow has relatively few serious
fires, however grass fires during hot dry spells became a new threat this
summer. This has led to the need to purchase specialist equipment and suits
and focus on education as too many of the local fires were set
deliberately. I was glad to hear that all high-rise residential blocks are
regularly inspected and their owners are told of the fire risk and the
mitigation needed.

The JAIN COMMUNITY in Hounslow has been raising funds and volunteering for
Hounslow Community Foodbox. At their Oshwal Centre in Hounslow I was
delighted to receive their cheque for £5000 to pass on to Foodbox

I sponsor Brentford FC Manager Thomas Frank's kit, which entitled me to a
TOUR OF THE NEW STADIUM. It was brilliant to be able to sit in the dressing
room, the press room, and to walk out through the tunnel. And of course, to
hold the replica Championship play-off final winners' cup!

OUR BARN is a wonderful local organisation that runs community-based skills
and social activities for local young people with learning disabilities or
autism. Their 10 year anniversary gala dinner gave us all a chance to dress
up, and I was delighted to receive a "Runner Bean" award for my London
Marathon Fundraising

CONTACT  ME

If you need my support or help please email me: [email protected], or
phone: 020 8581 3646 or Write: Ruth Cadbury MP House of Commons, London
SW1A 0AA. Let us have a quick summary of the issue, and include your
address as I am only able to directly assist my constituents. Please also
include relevant reference numbers.

I hold regular surgeries, usually on Fridays, which can be in person,
on-line or by phone; please contact my office to make an appointment.
However many issues can be dealt with more quickly by email or a phone call
which saves waiting for the next available surgery.

For my Diary and Parliamentary Office email [email protected] 020
219 8590

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Printed from an email sent by Ruth Cadbury MP 367 Chiswick High Road
London, LON W4 4AG
United Kingdom




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