November Monthly Report

Criminalisation of Squatting

This month, the Government has legislated to criminalise squatting.

I am concerned about householders who are unable to return to their homes because they have been squatted when the owner is on holiday, or having their home refurbished. There are existing legal measures which can be taken to evict illegal occupants in these circumstances.

I am not convinced that criminalising those who squat empty and/or derelict long term unoccupied premises is necessary or desirable. My concern is that the Government responded to understandable concern about certain cases (such as the heavily pregnant woman unable to return to her home) with little thought for the consequences. Knee jerk reactions rarely make good law.

I am keen that legal owners can sell or use their property as they see fit. I would never condone those who damage other people"Ÿs property.

Overall the Government needs to do more to tackle the shortage of affordable housing in London. Measures such as reducing housing benefit will only make matters worse.

Robin Hood Tax

The financial transactions tax, or Robin Hood tax, has gained a great deal of momentum in the past few weeks before the G20 summit.
There is much merit in the introduction of the tax, however, as no agreement on a proposal was reached at the G20 in Cannes this month, and without full Government support it is unlikely that it will be introduced.

The previous Government put forward a similar proposal in 2009 that all countries agree to work together to establish a tax of a fraction of one percent which could be levied on financial transactions, millions of which happen every day in the City.

This would be a tax on the kind of speculative trading carried out by many banks and financial institutions which did the best out of the economy before the global financial crisis and were bailed out by tax payers after it.

We need a financial transaction tax but one that is implemented with the widest possible international agreement. Evidence from Sweden and elsewhere suggests that a single country levying a tax such as this on its own may risk losing business abroad.

Legal aid bill

Many people have been concerned about the effects of the cuts to legal aid. The Government has cut the Ministry of Justice budget by 23 per cent. These cuts to social welfare legal aid will leave the most vulnerable without any legal support when things go wrong. The Government intends to stop funding social welfare legal aid and advice centres. These centres provide, amongst other things, representation for people with problems in education, employment, welfare benefits, debt, housing matters and clinical negligence.

The Government needs to rethink these proposals. We believe that the reforms do not even make financial sense as social welfare legal aid saves more money than it costs. Intervening early helps avoid crises developing later which can cost much more to solve
Immigration and border control

Immigration and border control

The Home Secretary and other Home Office ministers have been busy naming and shaming a civil servant in the UK Border Agency while demonstrating their own lack of grip. I raised concerns in a House of Commons debate about the lack of ministerial leadership in the Home Office.

Until September this year the chief executive of the UK Border Agency had been filled in an acting capacity for six months. Most other senior posts were filled by acting directors during this period. Ministers had a strong responsibility to ensure leadership at a time of instability. It is not appropriate for ministers to pass the buck and publicly condemn officials.

There have also been significant cuts in the border agency budgets. I am concerned that the lack of ministerial leadership and the cuts in budgets have put the security of our borders at risk.

Material inciting gang violence

I recently supported my colleague Heidi Alexander MP"Ÿs 10 minute rule bill Internet Regulation (Material Inciting Gang Violence).
The bill aims to ask Government to give the police power to order internet service providers to remove certain material which incites gang violence.

I share Heidi"Ÿs concerns about the number of videos and material online which could glorify gang violence. It is often very difficult to get these videos removed.

A 10 minute rule bill is not going to become law. It serves to highlight an issue but could be adopted as a private member"Ÿs bill in future or influence Government policy making. I will continue to work with Heidi Alexander and like minded colleagues of all parties to make sure the Government acts.

Metal theft

The increase in the theft of metal from churches, buildings and railways has recently hit the headlines.

As a result households face power cuts, commuters face more delays and public buildings are being damaged. As a trustee of the War Memorials Trust I am particularly concerned about the increasing theft of metal from war memorials.

We need a much tougher licensing regime for dealers including requiring people selling to scrap metal dealers to prove their identity, and stronger powers for the police to investigate.
The War Memorials Trust is a partner in In Memoriam 2014 with the SmartWater Foundation.

SmartWater is a fluid which contains identifiable synthetic DNA-type identifier which is traceable back to any stolen artefact which has been marked. Police can trace stolen items based on any residue of SmartWater found on people and property.

NHS risk register

The Government has decided not to publish the NHS risk register.
The NHS reforms, which are now being debated in the House of Lords, are a major reorganisation of the structure of the NHS. The register identifies the risks to NHS services of re-organisation.

The risk register could be very relevant to debates and votes taking place in the House of Lords over the coming weeks. Shadow Health Secretary, Andy Burnham has written to Andrew Lansley to demand that the document is released in full.

Housing Reform

Grant Shapps MP, Minister for Housing recently announced the Government"Ÿs strategy for housing.

Measures included in the strategy include underwriting an industry-led indemnity scheme to reduce the size of deposits required to buy new-build homes; increasing the discounts available for right to buy tenants; and using money from right to buy to build new homes.

In reality these measures are very limited. I will report more fully in my next report.

Legal Ombudsman

The office of the Legal Ombudsman is now full functioning. It is an independent organisation with official powers to resolve complaints about legal services.

The Legal Ombudsman is free, impartial and open to all. It deals with all complaints it receives. If it judges the customer service a client has received to be unsatisfactory it can make sure that the lawyer, or law firm, puts it right.

The Ombudsman advises that you should complain to your lawyer first and give them time to resolve your complaint before going to the Ombudsman"Ÿs office.

For more information visit the website here

Youth unemployment

This month saw another big increase in the number of unemployed young people in the UK. Youth unemployment now stands at 1.02 million. This is the highest level since comparable records began in 1992.

In Hackney South and Shoreditch there were 1,345 people under 24 claiming Job seekers allowance in October 2011. This is an increase of 14% since October last year. I raised this issue in a recent debate in the House.

I also posed the question to ministers about post-A level students and university graduates who are applying for apprentice schemes. In the past these would normally been available to young people with fewer academic qualifications.

I am particularly concerned about a lost generation of young people unable to find a job including after A Levels or university.

I worry that there will be a whole group of young people with lower incomes and worse life chances unless action is taken.

Home Swap scheme

This month saw the introduction of the National Home Swap Scheme.
Homeswap direct is a new initiative introduced by the Government which provides the opportunity for tenants of social housing the chance to move anywhere in the UK.

The scheme links together all the existing home-swap services so that tenants looking to move will be able to see all the available home swaps.

For further information on the Home Swap scheme visit the Communities and Local Government website

Giving voice together

Giving Voice is a campaign to recognise the importance and value of speech and language therapy. I recently met with a team of enthusiastic and committed therapists from the Homerton and community services.

Speech and language therapy has a vital role in many areas of society, health, education, social care and criminal justice. A leading economic consultancy report found that language therapy delivers a net benefit of £765 million to the UK economy.

In Hackney the Homerton Hospital already offers many speech and language therapies.

These include community rehabilitation and specialist assessment for people living in Hackney and have the current resources to tailor therapy to the specific conditions and needs of patients.
Good local management is preserving this multi disciplinary team this year. Wider cuts to the NHS threaten this service along with many others.

Hoxton station war memorial

This memorial to railwaymen who died on active service in World War One was relocated to Hoxton station earlier this year. I felt that we should use this new architectural focal point as a focus of remembrance. I approached local churches about holding a Remembrance service here in November. Rev Graham Hunter of St John the Baptist and Fr James Wescott organised and led the event with local school children, faith leaders railway workers and members of the public. The turnout was so good that I hope this will become an annual event to be held on Armistice Day (11 November) every year.

Help Hackney's high streets

In partnership with the Hackney Gazette I recently launched a shopfront awards.

The awards will be given to the best shops in Mare Street and the Narroway in four categories: most attractive shop front, most accessible for people with disabilities and parents with pushchairs; friendliest and most helpful staff, and best window display.

The deadline for nominations is 12 January. You can return the form in the Hackney Gazette by post to Meg Hillier MP, House of Commons, London SW1A 0AA or by emailing me through my website

The Fashion project

The three year fashion project or Threads has been launched in Hackney. Funded by Children in Need and run by the Peabody Trust, it is aimed at young women aged 10-19 and aims to teach a range of skills, as well as keeping them away from gangs.

The girls and young women will learn skills such as sewing, pattern cutting, and styling as well as improving numeracy, literacy and budgeting. The project also hopes to provide work placements in London"Ÿs top fashion design schools.

Sessions are every Saturday and Wednesday in the Pembury community centre. For more information you can call Ebun Atinmo at Peabody 0207 021 4886 or at info@peabody.org.uk.

Fashion in Shoreditch

I recently visited a range of fashion businesses based in Shoreditch and operating in the global market. Companies include Not just a label which is an on-line platform for designers and Start which is a fashion retail company which has been selling designer fashion in Shoreditch for nearly 10 years.

I am keen to see Hackney young people gain the skills and interest to take up jobs in this locally-based industry. I will be working with a range of bodies over the coming year to promote paid work and training opportunities across the sector. We need more apprenticeships.
Communities and Victims Panel The Communities and Victims Panel, was set up by the three main party leaders to examine and understand why the August 2011 riots took place. The panel is chaired by Job Centre Plus chief executive Darra Singh. The other members are Baroness (Maeve) Sherlock, Simon Marcus founder of the Boxing Academy (which is based in Hackney and Haringey) and Heather Rabbatts. All panel members come with a detailed knowledge of London and I was impressed with their work so far.

The panel has been talking directly to people affected in their communities. The panel came to Hackney this month and listened to the views of residents, businesses and community leaders. If the session in Hackney is reflected in their report I am hopeful that we will see a report which focuses on achievable outcomes. The panel"Ÿs interim report is due at the end of November.