February 2010

Parliamentary Business

Energy Bill

The energy bill passed its third reading at the end of February. The bill covers three key areas; discount energy bills for those on low incomes, strengthening the energy watchdog Ofgem and investing in carbon capture and storage.

At the moment more than 800,000 households receive help with their energy bills as part of a voluntary agreement between Government and energy companies. This agreement will end in March 2011. The energy bill will make social pricing support mandatory.

The bill will also strengthen Ofgem making its principle objective the protection of the consumer and environment. It will also give Ofgem greater powers to crack down on companies engaging in anti-competitive behaviour.

The bill also introduces a financial incentive for the development of commercial-scale carbon capture and storage. The bill aims to make the UK the world leader in carbon capture and storage technology creating jobs and investment.

Constitutional Reform and Governance

The constitutional reform and governance bill has been through the House of Commons. The bill proposes a number of important constitutional changes.

Part three of the bill now provides for a referendum to be held on 31 October 2011 on changing the voting system for elections to the House of Commons to the Alternative Vote (AV). This is the same voting system used in elections for the London Mayor and assembly.

Other measures include reforms to the civil service and code of conduct for special advisors and formalises treaty ratification (currently Parliament has no formal role inscrutiny of treaties and cannot directly block ratification although parliamentary scrutiny does take place). The bill puts this scrutiny on a statutory footing, if the House of Commons agrees that a treaty should not be ratified, it will be illegal for the Government to do so.

The bill also changes the tax status of all MPs and peers so they are deemed resident and domiciled in the UK for the purposes of income tax, capital gains tax and inheritance tax. Other items include removing limits to protests around Parliament and introducing one-year time limits on human rights cases under the devolution acts. The bill is now being considered by the Lords.

Backing Young Britain

The Government has introduced a young person's guarantee to address youth unemployment. It is available to all jobseekers aged 18-24 from January 2010. The Government is funding over 400,000 training places, internships, work experience placements and job opportunities over the next 15 months. This includes 16,000 apprenticeship places.

Graduates also have access to the new guarantee which guarantees access to an internship, training or help to become self-employed after six months unemployment.

All unemployed young people will get a personal adviser who will help create an individual back-to-work plan accessing jobs and opportunities from a range of programmes.

Already there have been over 104,000 successful bids from employers to create jobs for young people through the Government scheme. Almost 100,000 young people have been placed in work through the local employer partnership scheme and over 50,000 employers have signed up to work with Jobcentre Plus through this partnership.

Other matters

Green homes

Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, Ed Miliband announced a new initiative earlier this month which aims to transform our homes over the next ten years, making them warmer and cheaper to run.

The strategy is focussed on three areas, cutting emissions (with the aim of cutting emissions from UK homes by 29 per cent by 2020), cutting bills by introducing a 'Warm Homes' standard for social housing (which will lead to savings of up to £300 a year on bills) and creating jobs through boosting the green home industry, making space for up to 65,000 jobs.

The initiative, supported by the Energy Savings Trust and UK Green Building Council, is taking on a new local approach by ensuring energy companies and local authorities participate in targeting homes to become more energy efficient, with a particular focus on those on lower incomes.

The initiative is not just aimed at individuals, but communities, schools, hospitals and small businesses. Already 5 million homes have become more energy efficient.

Compensation for injury at work

The Government has set out plans to help people get compensation if they have been injured at work. Currently thousands of people with industrial diseases miss out because they cannot trace their employers' insurance records. This can be because some industrial diseases only appear decades later when employers may have ceased trading or lost records.

The new proposals would create an employers' liability tracking office to help people track down their employers' policy and a bureau to provide funding for those who are unable to trace them.

The consultation 'Accessing Compensation - supporting people who need to trace Employers' Liability Insurance' is available at www.dwp.gov.uk/consultations

Help for private tenants

Housing minister John Healey has announced further measures to protect tenants in privately rented accommodation.

The new measures include better regulation of letting and managing agents, a legal requirement for written tenancy agreements to ensure tenants and landlords are clear on their rights and responsibilities, a housing hotline for tenants with free help and advice should things go wrong and an online directory (similar to tripadvisor) for tenants to share information on landlords' track records.

The full consultation can be found at www.communities.gov.uk/publications/ housing/prsconsultresponse

Olympics - jobs and skills

Working on the Olympic park

I recently met with the Olympic Delivery Authority team responsible for the employment and skills programmes on the Olympic Park to press for more Hackney jobs.

I am keen to see as many opportunities from the Olympics for Hackney residents as possible. Currently there are 6,277 people working on the Olympic Park, two percent of whom are Hackney residents but there could and should be more. The total workforce is expected to peak at approximately 11,000 in 2010.

There are a number of training and employment opportunities available to Hackney residents. Apprenticeships are available in construction plant mechanics, plant maintenance, mechanical engineering, painting and decorating, dry lining, carpentry and joinery and the ODA team recently ran an apprenticeships event for 16 - 24 year olds at Hackney Town Hall.

For more information call the Hackney 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games Unit on 020 8356 3126.

The Olympic Delivery Authority also runs women in construction project which to date has helped more than 100 women into jobs on the Olympic site.

If you are interested in any of the work placements or training opportunities on the Olympic site call 0845 155 2012. It's your Games so don't miss out.

Hackney issues

Victoria Park Estate

In February the Crown Estate launched a consultation on proposals to sell 1500 homes in London including properties in Victoria Park. Many of these properties are currently at affordable and key worker rents.

I am deeply concerned about the proposals and what they might mean for residents, current and future. Alongside Frank Dobson and Bridget Prentice, I have submitted representations to the Treasury Select Committee. I share residents' concerns that this settled community is not broken up and that essential affordable rents are maintained.

I have been in discussion with the Treasury minister responsible for the Crown Estate and the housing minister. They are now looking into the proposals.

The Crown Estate is proposing to sell to a combination of a private landlord and registered social landlord. I have been in touch with all the large housing associations to ask if they have been approached about the sale.

Frank Dobson raised these issues in an adjournment debate which I attended. The minister made some reassurances and I met with her shortly afterwards to discuss the issues further.

It is a worrying time for residents and for future generations who should be able to benefit from this much needed affordable family housing.
If you are a resident and would like to be kept informed of actions I am taking please drop me an e-mail.

Healthy eating for kids

The World Cancer Research Fund is running a free children's health education programme for children aged four to seven.

The Great Grub Club programme has its own free quarterly magazine available for any child. There are also materials for parents and teachers.

For more information or to sign up visit http://www.greatgrubclub.com/Home_page

Olympics tickets

Over 9 million tickets will be available for the Games which will go on sale in 2011.

You can register your interest now by signing up at www.tickets.london2012.com where you can indicated which sports you are interested in to receive updates.

75% of tickets will be available directly to the public via a ballot process. I will keep you posted with developments.