April Monthly Report

 HACKNEY'S HIDDEN GEM

Great Beyond Brewing 

Nestled in Haggerston, inside a railway arch on Union Walk, is one of Hackney’s many excellent independent craft breweries: Great Beyond Brewing. Founded by three beer loving friends and experienced brewers (Ollie, Nick and John), Great Beyond Brewing’s approach emphasises sustainability, community, and quality. As part of this, it is has teamed up with Hackney Foodbank and is hosting a food drive event on Saturday 26 April called A Can For A Can. In return for donating a can of food you’ll receive a free can of beer. And during the event, £1 from every pint sold of their bestsellers, Hoxton Lager and Hoxton Fresh, will be donated to Hackney Foodbank. And if you’re unable to make it on the day itself, Great Beyond Brewing is now a permanent donation point for Hackney Foodbank so you can pop anytime to donate some food.  

PARLIAMENT

Temporary Accommodation 

In Hackney more than 3000 households are in temporary accommodation. These include over 3700 children - enough to fill eight primary schools. As well as creating uncertainty for the families living there the cost of this kind of housing is also mounting. It’s intolerable that so many families and young people are living in limbo. Hackney Council is doing its best in difficult circumstances, but more needs to be done at a national level to help provide stable, healthy housing for these families. The Select Committee for Housing, Communities and Local Government recently announced its recommendations for Government action on temporary accommodation - see here. The severe lack of affordable housing is part of this problem. The Government has committed to building 1.5 million new homes this Parliament, and I am continually pressing to make sure this includes a significant amount of affordable housing. I most recently raised this with the Deputy Prime Minister – see here. 

Child poverty 

One-in-two Hackney children live in poverty after housing costs are taken into account. Soon after the change in Government, the Prime Minister announced a taskforce to deliver an ambitious strategy to clamp down on child poverty. As part of this, I’ve been looking closely at the two-child benefit limit, which is the most cost-effective way to quickly and efficiently support children living in poverty. I've met with Ministers to raise this and co-hosted a briefing event for MPs with the Child Poverty Action Group, Save The Children, and academics to discuss the next best step forward. The Government has inherited a very difficult fiscal situation, tying its hands in what it is able to quickly do. But I’ll keep raising this issue and will keep a close eye on the child poverty taskforce, which is due to publish its report soon. 

Housing 

Hackney has the second-highest number of buildings with cladding in London. The previous Government failed to adequately address cladding and related issues. 

Lives are often put on hold and families are left in limbo as they face eye-watering insurance and service charge costs without being able to move on. 

The current Government has announced the Remediation Acceleration Plan, a set of clear target dates for when building remediation needs to be completed and introducing tough penalties for those who do not meet the targets. This includes a deadline of the end of 2029 for all 18m+ (high-rise) buildings with unsafe cladding in a Government-funded scheme to be fixed, or developers with face severe penalties. By the same deadline, 11m+ buildings with unsafe cladding will either have been fixed or have a date for completion. If not, the landlords will be liable for severe penalties. I know that 2029 seems too far away, but at least there is now a clear timetable. 

Cladding is a particularly big problem for social housing and housing associations. That’s why I met with the National Housing Federation, which represents housing associations in England, to discuss the ongoing challenges around building safety remediation. 

If you would like to receive my email updates on cladding, please reply to this email. 

For Women Scotland case 

The Supreme Court has ruled on a definition of woman under the Equalities Act 2010. This Act is one of the previous Labour Government’s crowning achievements – it enshrines protections against discrimination on the basis of various protected characteristics, including sex and gender reassignment. However in recent years some have raised concerns about how sex is defined. In response to a Scottish case, the Supreme Court ruled that terms sex, man, and woman in the Equality Act 2010 refer to biological sex and that Gender Recognition Certificates do not redefine sex for the purposes of the Act.  

For organisations that operate on a single-sex basis, this ruling does provide some clarity over what they can and can’t do. However, the ruling on its own has thrown up huge concerns about the impact on trans people and how they will be treated. I have been contacted by many people who feel scared and uncertain because of this ruling. 

Amidst this uncertainty it is vital that clear guidance is provided about how the Equality Act will be delivered. As it stands it already included provisions for what would happen if the rights of one group potentially clashed with the rights of others. I have pressed the Government on ensuring that clarity is provided as soon as possible – so that all people are supported and can go about their lives with dignity and respect. Hackney is a welcoming borough and we do not stand for hatred of any kind. I am following this issue closely and engaging with trans people and other groups in Hackney to ensure their voices are heard. See here for my question to the Minister for Women and Equalities. 

SELECT COMMITTEES

Liaison Committee quizzes the Prime Minister 

I have the privilege of chairing the Liaison Committee, a supercommittee made up of the Chairs of the House of Commons Select Committee. The Committee has the opportunity to question the Prime Minister several times a year and he was in front of us in early April. See here for more information about the Committee’s work. 

Spring Statement 

I also chair the Treasury Select Committee, which examines the expenditure, administration and policy of HM Treasury, HM Revenue & Customs, and associated public bodies, such as the Bank of England. One of our responsibilities is holding the Chancellor to account. We heard evidence from economists and officials from the Office for Budget Responsibility, as well as from the Chancellor herself, about her Spring Statement. See here for more details. 

Fiscal rules 

As part of her Budget the Chancellor announced a commitment to new fiscal rules - restrictions on fiscal policy the Government sets itself to constrain its own decisions on spending and taxes. The Government has been firm in sticking to these rules so far, but the world has changed since the Chancellor announced her first Budget last Autumn. The tariffs introduced by President Trump and the escalation of the war in Ukraine have changed the global economic situation, and this has led to speculation as to the best way to manage taxpayers’ money. I asked the Chancellor what her plans were for her fiscal rules in light of the changing situation - see here. 

HACKNEY

Minister visits Hackney school 

Hackney has a high number of children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) and it is leading the way on inclusion and mainstreaming practices. City Academy in Homerton has been doing some fantastic work on inclusion for children with SEND and recently I joined Education Minister Stephen Morgan and the Mayor of Hackney to hear more about this. It is so important that every child feels valued and supported at school and it is great to see the Government wanting to learn from Hackney’s excellent example. 

Royal Mail delays 

Residents have frequently been in touch with me about postal delays in Hackney. People often receive their post in one bulk delivery, including hospital letters. This is simply not good enough. I have raised this with Royal Mail. If you have been impacted by this situation and would like to be kept updated, please do let me know by emailing me at meghilliermp@parliament.uk. 

Jobcentre visit 

It was great to visit the team at Jobcentre Plus on Mare Street this month. I am always struck by the calm and supportive atmosphere in the building, and constituents often feed back to me how much help they have received from the team.  

With the social security changes recently announced in the Government’s Pathways to Work Green Paper, it was a timely catch up on the work being done to support people, including those with health issues, into work. We discussed measures including training and upskilling, community outreach, and engagement with employers. 

Hackney is a young borough, with over half of the population under 35 years old, and almost a third aged under 24. Post-covid, one in eight young people (16 to 24) in the UK are not in education, employment or training, which is a shocking statistic, with the likely impact clear – a cohort of people ‘left behind’ and facing significant hurdles in subsequent years. There is really good work being done in Hackney around support for young people, including job fairs, internships, work placements, training and mentoring. 

As the consultation on the Green Paper proceeds, I will be monitoring the changes closely and feeding into government examples of the support measures that are proving effective in Hackney. You can submit to the consultation here. 

Can you help someone seeking a new job – donate your smart workwear 

Clothing appropriate for job interviews and work can be expensive, and is a barrier for many people who are seeking a job. To tackle this need, several charities have initiatives to provide smart clothes for people who are unemployed to set them up well for job interviews. Only new or lightly worn clothes and shoes are accepted but contact the organisations for more information. Some nearby initiatives include 

• Dress for Success, a Camden charity offering outfits for unemployed women, free interview clothing and interview preparation and training as part of one appointment. 

• Smart Works  also offers free outfits for unemployed women.  

• Suited & Booted provides clothes for unemployed men and women with a confirmed interview.  

Cancer roadshow 

It was good to visit Cancer Research’s Cancer Awareness Roadshow at Ridley Road earlier in the month, where volunteers spoke about preventing and spotting cancer with Hackney residents. The Government will announce the National Cancer Plan in the coming months and Cancer Research is developing recommendations to help Britain back to world-leading status on tackling cancer. See here to access Cancer Research’s awareness-raising resources. The Roadshow will be in Hackney again on 8 May, outside Marks and Spencer on Mare Street, so do pop along and you can privately discuss any health related concerns with a nurse or other member of the team. 

@cr_uk @CRUK_Policy

Love Dalston shopfront award 

Hackney is known for its bustling high streets, filled with local businesses that are integral to its culture and community. As one of our major shopping centres Dalston is home to many thriving businesses. To showcase businesses and celebrate everything Dalston has to offer, I have joined forces with the Hackney Gazette to launch a Love Dalston Shopfront Award. This is a competition where you can nominate your favourite shopfront, which makes it stand out from the crowd – it can be any type of business, as long as it is in Dalston. To nominate your favourite business, see here.  

Smithfield and Billingsgate markets 

A Private Bill which would close Smithfield meat market in the City of London and Billingsgate fish market in Tower Hamlets has been laid in Parliament. Private Bills are a rare form of legislation where external organisations can propose bills to the House of Commons – see here for more information. The City of London is currently bound by law to provide these markets, but it wants to close them. It requires a change in the law in order to do this. However they have not guaranteed any provision for where the traders will go instead (a site in Dagenham which had been purchased and earmarked as a replacement for Billingsgate is now not going ahead). There are fishmongers in Hackney who will be affected by this decision. I know many businesses in East London rely on these markets – if you or your business will be affected by the proposed closures, please do let me know. I am working with other East London MPs to make sure that traders have alternative places to sell and to protect this important part of our city’s heritage. 

School closures 

A number of Hackney primary schools have seen a decline in pupil numbers due to a drop in the school age population. This trend is seen across London and has led to the closure of some schools which have unsustainably low intakes, including in Hackney. A summary of the Council’s School Estate Strategy on this issue can be found here. 

It is very sad to lose a school and I have been working with parents, staff and the council to see if there was any prospect of a merger in place of a closure for St Dominic’s in Balance Road, Homerton. It is a difficult time for the school community but we are united in ensuring that the children and staff are supported. Sadly a combination of a drop in numbers and a large budget deficit means this is not possible. I am now in discussions about what will happen to the site (the Government has to agree, for example, if there is a change of use).  

Hackney Council has put together a support package for parents, pupils and staff to support them through upcoming changes. See here for the handbook for parents and carers and here for FAQs for staff. 

Summer Hype fundraiser  

Summer Hype is a Hackney charity which runs a residential summer camp and leadership training programme for young people from Hackney. It is designed to help them to grow in confidence, resilience and aspiration and to be part of a positive, empowering community. From the age of 16, participants train to become leaders, ensuring that Summer Hype is peer-led. So far, 40 young people have graduated from Summer Hype's leadership training, becoming inspiring and relatable role models, leading Summer Hype's residential camps. I attended the most recent cohort’s graduation ceremony, and it was great to hear about the important impact that the course is having on so many young people. On 18 May a group of Summer Hype leaders and one of the founders will be running the Hackney Half to raise money for the charity. To find out more and donate to the fundraiser, see here. 

Santander branch closure 

Santander is closing its Mare Street branch (which was in the Narroway), It will close on 15 July 2025. It is disappointing to hear that Santander will be closing locally. Many people in our community rely on cash and face-to-face interactions, including elderly residents and disabled people. This is something the Public Accounts Committee looked into when I was Chair. 

The Mare Street Santander team will be there to support customers until the branch closes. Support will also be available in other branches in Islington (15-17 Islington High Street, N1 9LQ) and Stratford (38 The Broadway, E15 4QN) 

Santander is working with LINK to make sure that the right customer support and cash services are still available for customers after this branch closes. For more information, please visit Santander’s Access to cash page. 

Happily Nationwide building society (which expanded only a couple of years ago) remains on the Narroway. We have seen NatWest and other banks close of the high street in recent years. 

The Treasury Select Committee will be questioning the large banks and building societies in the coming weeks on a range of issues. 

The loss of high street banking can reduce both access to cash and access for businesses to bank cash which in turn can reduce a business’s desire to accept cash.  

Post office on Kingsland High Street update 

The Post Office directly manages 108 branches within its network of over 11,500 branches. As part of a wider restructuring of its directly managed branches, the Post Office had earmarked its directly managed branch on Kingsland High Street (120 Kingsland High St, E8 2NS) as at risk of closure. I urged the Government to ensure that Dalston would not miss out on post office services and pressed the Minister to ensure all services that are available at a directly managed branch will also be available at the replacement franchise branch. A franchise post office will now be operating either at or in close proximity to the closed directly managed branch and will host all the services that were previously available at the directly managed branch. These include passport applications, DVLA Photocard Renewals, SIA (Security Industry Authority) license applications, and foreign currency exchange. 

HOW TO CONTACT ME

Via email on meg.hillier.mp@parliament.uk or you can call me on 020 7219 5325. The main phone line is open Monday to Friday 10am to 5pm.  

Visiting Parliament and Prime Minister’s Questions 

Tours of the Houses of Parliament can be arranged for groups of up to 20 people. Tours last up to 75 minutes and start between 9am and 12pm Monday to Wednesday, and between 9am-1:30pm and 3.30pm-5pm on Fridays. MPs are also given a very limited number of tickets for Prime Minister’s Questions. I operate a ballot system each month. The ballot is now open to attend PMQs in July. 

To apply for a tour, or be entered onto the ballot, please send your name, and full postal address (you must live in Hackney South and Shoreditch) to meg.hillier.mp@parliament.uk. If you would like to enter the PMQs ballot, please also supply a contact number. It is easier to arrange viewing tickets for other departmental question times or debates. To see what's on click here.