January column published by The Hillingdon Herald
As we begin 2024, it is great to see that a vast number of residents will benefit from a tax decrease thanks to the Government’s reduction in national insurance contributions. This will be welcome news for many families and shows that the plan to reduce inflation creates the right conditions for reducing taxes.
I am sure that many residents will agree with me that the Post Office Scandal is one of the greatest miscarriages of justice in our nation’s history. The Government’s speed to bring forward legislation to quash all convictions as well as the introduction of an upfront compensation offer is welcomed, and I hope that justice is delivered to the many innocent people who have waited far too long.
Animal welfare is a topic that is important to my residents and is something that I am regularly contacted about. To represent these views in Parliament, I supported the Second Reading of the Animal Welfare (Livestock Exports) Bill which was passed.
Ensuring that all children and young people get access to a good quality education is important to me and I welcome the Conservative Government’s announcement of an extra £440m of investment to support Special Educational Needs & Disabilities (SEND) pupils in schools across the UK, including Uxbridge and South Ruislip.
Furthermore, the recent roll out of 30 hours a week of free childcare for children from aged 9 months demonstrates the Government’s support to working parents and the understanding that they are great assets to our economy.
In the Chamber this month, I had the opportunity to ask the Prime Minister if he would agree with me that the new state-of-the-art Hillingdon Hospital will enhance the health provision for residents of Uxbridge and South Ruislip. He agreed and hoped to visit in the future. In the meantime, I look forward to welcoming Health Minister Victoria Atkins to the project site in the Spring.
In the 2023 Autumn Statement, it was pleasing to see the Chancellor’s announcement of £12m funding to tackle domestic abuse, including £2m of payments directly to victims to help them leave their abusive relationships and rebuild their lives. Subsequently, the Home Office announced a monumental change to the Criminal Justice Bill, making spiking illegal, which puts perpetrators behind bars for up to 10 years. Alongside this, in 2024 there will be an increase in education for young people to raise awareness of spiking and its effects, as well as an online reporting tool. Police and venues will have trained door staff and self-testing toolkits. Under the Conservative Government, Uxbridge and South Ruislip is a safer place to live, work and socialise.
I recently met with the new London Fire Brigade Borough Commander for Hillingdon, as well as continuing to attend my regular meetings with the Police. Keeping our community safe is a priority for me therefore it was disappointing to see how the Mayor of London failed to commit to the future of Uxbridge Police Station at a recent London Assembly meeting where he was quizzed by Conservative (Greater London Authority) GLA members. I have since written to Sadiq Khan twice on this matter and demanded that he provide clarification on the future of Uxbridge Police Station (without the courtesy of a reply). Residents will recall the Mayor’s dramatic U-turn two weeks before the by-election in an attempt to support his inner-London Labour candidate. Residents can be assured that I will continue to hold the Mayor to his by-election promise/stunt.
As always, if you wish to contact me, please do so by email: [email protected]
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