October 2012

Parliamentary Business

Victims and justice

I raised concerns about victims' rights in parole hearings in a recent debate.

Victims have the right for an impact statement to be read out at the parole hearing. However victims of crime, or their families, do not have the right to speak, or to have a lawyer speak for them, at the parole hearings of perpetrators.

For the family who have to live with the consequences of serious crime, the pain never goes away. It is important that impact is considered as part of the decision about whether to grant parole.

Energy tariffs

There has been much confusion over Government plans to make energy companies offer customers the lowest price.

The Prime Minister announced that the Government would be changing the law to ensure that private companies charged customers the lowest rate for energy.

The forthcoming Energy Bill seeks to reduce the complexity of tariffs, make it easier for customers to switch energy suppliers and improve the information provided to customers. But it falls short of what the Prime Minister promised.

The energy minister was called to Parliament to answer an urgent question from the Opposition on the issue.

I raised concerns about how the Government expects to ensure that the lowest tariff offered is low and affordable. I am concerned that if the law changed energy companies will respond by fixing their lowest tariffs at a price which ensures profit margins.

There are bigger systemic issues with the energy market which need addressing.

I am concerned that a number of constituents have written to me in the belief that their energy bills will be reduced as a result of the Prime Minister's statement. It is irresponsible to raise false hopes in this way.

Local audit

The Government has published a draft bill which will abolish the Audit Commission. The Audit Commission was set up in 1983 by Michael Heseltine to provide an independent audit of local public bodies including councils. It will replace the Commission with a system including local audit panels which will appoint the auditors who will come from private firms.

I am a member of the committee which will scrutinise this draft bill before it is formally debated in Parliament.

I am particularly keen to pursue how audit will work in the health service. I also want to be sure that a public interest audit can still take place and that there will not be an in built disincentive that requires the private auditor to pay for such investigations (which can run into millions of pounds).

Enterprise and Regulatory Reform Bill

The Enterprise and Regulatory Reform Bill went through report stage and third reading this month. Report stage is when all MPs have a chance to move amendments to the bill in the main chamber of the House of Commons.

This bill includes a number of proposals including legislation to water down employment rights. The bill will make it easier for employers to sack people and make it harder for employees to get help from employment tribunals.

In these tough economic times we should be helping people to get jobs not making those in work even less secure.

I voted against the bill at third reading. The bill was passed and will now be debated in the House of Lords.

Other matters

Childcare campaign

I am campaigning on the reform of childcare which the Government is considering as part of its childcare commission.

I am concerned that the Government's proposals will water down the quality of childcare by reducing childminders to 'glorified babysitters'.

Parents have stressed to me that they want affordable quality childcare not cheap, unregulated care. I am also concerned about cost and availability of childcare.

I have met with parents and carers at local children's centres, schools and nurseries including Comet, Wentworth, Ann Tayler and St Monica's school. It was useful to get opinions on the Government's proposals and to hear about local experiences.

If you have any experiences or views about local childcare provision as a parent or a child care worker, (or both) please email me on meghilliermp@parliament.uk.

InternAware

InternAware campaigns for an end to unpaid or expenses-only internships. There are an estimated 100,000 people working as unpaid interns or interns who only receive travel and lunch expenses.

InternAware argue that these internships favour the better off and exclude those from more deprived backgrounds who cannot afford to work for a year for nothing.

Unpaid internships can also encourage a who knows who culture favouring those with more exclusive contacts or friends and family who are well connected.

This puts those from more deprived backgrounds at a disadvantage as they are less likely to have these contacts.

I have hosted several events with young people and employers in Hackney to help them build these contacts.

In May this year Alan Milburn, The Government's independent reviewer of social mobility and child poverty, published a report on fair access to the professions. He concluded that internships were useful but that they should be paid. This month Alan Milburn published his second report which focuses on fair access to universities. For further information and a copy of the report, please click here

Threat to Kingsland Fire Station

I was shocked to learn of secret plans by the London Fire Authority to close Kingsland fire station.

The leaked report threatened to close this station which serves a large swathe of south Hackney. Hackney South and Shoreditch has higher than the average number of incidents across London.

The London Fire Authority is likely to consider the closures on 22 November.

Please click here to sign the petition to save the station and protect local people .

Badger cull

On 23 October Environment Secretary Owen Paterson MP announced that the controversial badger cull will be delayed until summer 2013.

I welcome the delay. I support a science-led approach to tackling bovine TB.

From 1998 - 2007 there was a £50m randomised badger cull trial. The results of this scientific study suggested "that badger culling is unlikely to contribute effectively to the control of cattle TB".

The Government should focus on a badger vaccination programme and should build alliances in the EU to get restrictions on vaccinating cattle lifted.

Child protection for African families

I was pleased to launch a manual produced by AFRUCA (Africans Unite Against Child Abuse) on child protection for African parents in the UK.

AFRUCA's manual is a very useful guide for parents about how to protect children in the home. It also covers the role of schools, tackling bullying in schools and staying safe on the Internet.

The packed meeting included many parents who were keen to see local parenting support forums set up.

For copies of the manual or for further information about AFRUCA please click here.

Hackney Issues

Hackney foodbank

A new Hackney foodbank has opened a distribution centre in Hoxton.

The food bank provides food packages to individuals and families in serious need.

Schools, churches, businesses and individuals donate non-perishable, in-date food to the Hackney foodbank. All food given out by the foodbank is donated.

The Hackney food bank has opened because of the need of local people to get the basics to feed a family. It’s a sad sign of the times that it’s so necessary in Hackney today.

The distribution centre is based at 8 Orsman Road. To be eligible for a food parcel you will need a referral from one of a number of Hackney agencies. Packs are limited to two per year to help support families in short term crisis.

The foodbank is also currently recruiting volunteers. For further information and dates and times of distributions you can ring them on 020 7033 0244 or visit their website here.

City and Hackney working together

I recently spoke to a group of Hackney mental health users at their working together forum.

They raised a number of issues including the relationship between the police and people with mental health issues, cuts in welfare and in particular the fitness for work assessments and the potential impact of universal credit.

I have serious concerns about the impact of back to work assessments on some of my most vulnerable constituents and will continue to raise this with ministers.

Back to work programme

I have heard from a number of constituents regarding the problems they have experienced with their jobseeker's allowance (JSA) when they have been sent on a short course by one of the Government's work programme providers.

People in receipt of JSA are allowed to take up courses which involve fewer than 15 hours per week of study. I have been contacted by constituents who are on courses but have had their JSA stopped.

If you have had, or know of similar experiences please email me at meghilliermp@parliament.uk.

Hackney University Technical College

I was delighted to attend the opening of Hackney University Technical College by the Duke of York. It is the first University Technical College in London.

The college opened its doors to 100 fourteen year old students on 6 September. It will specialise in digital and health technologies on top of the normal curriculum. It is based in a new state of the art building on the campus of Hackney Community College including Shoreditch's largest digital television suite and a scaled down hospital ward.

This college is sponsored by Hackney Community College and the University of East London. It has already forged strong links with local employers. Pupils are set a challenge from industry every half term to solve in the classroom.

BBC radio 4's Today in Parliament spoke to Principal, Annie Blackmore about breaking down barriers to social mobility.

For further information, please click here.

Local policing

The London Mayor has threatened to axe local borough police commanders as he implements Government cuts to policing.

I am most concerned about any changes to the number of police officers available locally on the beat than about the number of senior officers. I do, however, have concerns about accountability if the person running Hackney police is also running another borough. The Mayor seems to have backtracked on the idea after a storm of criticism.

While emergency patrols and specialist teams have a place the police who work at neighbourhood level have a far better understanding of Hackney and can work alongside residents for a safer borough.

There is also discussion about London police stations being closed. Hackney has three main stations and a number of local shops hosting neighbourhood teams. The latter are more accessible to most constituents. Central police stations are not accessible to the public - queues are long and slow.

I want local people to be able to access the police quickly and get a response. Unlike fire stations location is less important.

Shoreditch summit

Hackney Community College hosted the second Shoreditch summit which focussed on jobs and skills.

The main barrier identified by employers was the skills gap but there is a real willingness to work to ensure local people have the right training and access to work.

Hackney Law Centre Dalston pop-up

Hackney Community Law Centre has launched a new pop-up debt and consumer law service in Dalston.

If you live or work in Hackney you can phone 020 7633 4531.

If your problem cannot be resolved over the phone, the Law Centre will make an appointment to see a lawyer on a Tuesday evening between 6pm and 8pm in Dalston CLR James Library.

For further information about Hackney Community Law Centre provide please click here.

DIGS

I attended the launch of a new organisation set up for tenants in the private rented sector in Hackney.

DIGS are a group of Hackney renters who have come together to campaign for a better deal for people renting locally. I am delighted that this growing group of tenants will now have a voice in Hackney. In areas such as Hoxton and Dalston there have been a large number of new homes built in recent years. A high percentage of them are for private rent.

The Opposition is looking at a policy in the private rented sector as part of its wider review of housing policy.

Digs next meeting is at 7pm on 8 November at Cafe Z, Stoke Newington High Street. Further information can be found here.