Summer 2026 Monthly Report
HACKNEY'S HIDDEN GEM
Kingsland Lifeline Hub
I was pleased to attend the launch of the Kingsland Lifeline Hub in July. Delivered by Peter Bedford housing association and anti-poverty charity St Giles, the Hub supports residents who struggle to buy food and are often isolated, as well as providing money management support and digital inclusion courses. To find out more about using the services or volunteering at the hub you can email learn@peterbedford.org.uk or call 0203 815 4100. Or fill in this form to self-refer to the Pantry (for free and low-cost food for those who struggle to buy food).
PARLIAMENT
The cladding blight on leasehold flats
Hackney residents continue to live with unsafe cladding which affects many leasehold blocks of flats. Homeowners are living in limbo because they are still waiting for the necessary works to remove cladding and make their building safe.
The Government has committed to speeding up remediation work through new legislation, and we must not lose momentum.
In a Parliamentary debate I again pressed the housing minister on the issues of skills training, insurance premiums and a stronger building safety system.
Israel and Palestine
The expansion of Israeli settlements into the Palestinian West Bank is illegal and unacceptable, threatening the viability of a secure two-state solution in the region. The Foreign Secretary has announced a package of measures to sanction goods and services from these illegal settlements which will come into force in the coming months. The Government is also strengthening the UK’s human rights sanctioning regime, so that when human rights abuses are committed, there are stronger powers to sanction. The detail of this is due soon. My colleagues and I have been pressing the Government to sanction these settlements for some time so I am pleased to see decisive action from the new Foreign Secretary.
Fixing social care
The new Prime Minister has pledged to establish a national care service modelled on the National Health Service. Many people rely on adult social care to live independently but the current system is patchy and expensive for the individual.
This would be partly funded through a reform to the triple lock on the state pension (which means the state pension rises by 2.5 per cent, Consumer Price Index (CPI) inflation or average earnings growth) From April 2030, the state pension will rise every year by either inflation or 2.5 per cent, whichever is higher. It will also rise by more than this if needed in some years, to ensure it holds its value relative to average worker earnings.
Baroness Casey is currently leading a review of Adult Social Care. The Commission she leads has launched the Big Conversation on Care. This is an online platform where the public can feed in views on the current state of social care and what needs to be done in future. See here for more information. If you or a loved one have an experience of social or palliative care that you'd like to share, please do get in touch.
Housing
I pressed the new Prime Minister at his first appearance in the House of Commons about the desperate need for more affordable and social homes in Hackney. He has agreed to work with me on securing land for new homes. I will continue to speak up about the shortage of secure and affordable homes in our borough.
Everyone deserves a safe and secure place to call home. But an unacceptable number of families are left in limbo, stuck in ‘temporary’ accommodation for years on end. I visit families regularly who are living in severely overcrowded homes and see the direct impact on their health, wellbeing and life opportunities.
We currently have 11 different rent regimes in Hackney – a sign of the many attempts to make renting (particularly in the private sector) more affordable. As well as social housing we need homes that allow those who can sustain a mortgage to own a home. I also raised these issues with London's Deputy Mayor for Housing in September.
Smart technology and privacy
Smart glasses, such as those produced by Meta, are a gamechanger as an assistive technology - glasses featuring cameras, speakers, and inbuilt AI assistants to answer questions. But there are concerns about the use of cameras and the impact of this on privacy. I raised this with the Minister for Women and Equalities. She assured me that there are existing criminal offences, including around voyeurism, which are applicable where this technology is misused, and platforms may be obliged to remove unlawful content. I'm working with colleagues across Parliament to ensure that in regulating the use of these glasses, accessibility and privacy are balanced so it is the person who misuses them rather than the technology itself that is penalised.
Assisted dying
A bill which would have legalised assisted dying in England and Wales was voted down by MPs, meaning it will not progress. I voted against this bill. Our attention must now turn to improving and investing in social and palliative care, which the Prime Minister has been clear is one of his priorities.
My colleague Ashley Dalton, who is herself terminally ill, spoke movingly in the debate and highlighted that most deaths of people with terminal illnesses are gentle as a result of excellent palliative care. We need to ensure that this care is available to all. You can see her speech here.
I visited Hackney's own St Joseph’s Hospice this month to discuss its five-year strategy which includes extending its reach so more people have access to palliative care and exploring new ways to care for people, at home and on site.
Compensation schemes
When the state fails it is right and important that it takes responsibility for its errors. But frequently compensation schemes are cumbersome, complicated, and slow to roll out.
In early 2024 I asked the National Audit Office to look into Government compensation schemes. I had seen a number of schemes set up with varying levels of success. The NAO published a follow-up report in April this year tracking the Government's progress.
The Public Accounts Committee has since released a report recommending that the Government set up an independent body to manage compensation schemes so that they serve people better and quicker. The Government will respond to the recommendations by the end of the year.
In the case of the infected blood compensation scheme, problems with the scheme mean that people are dying before receiving their compensation. So I pressed the Government on improving the rollout of the infected blood compensation scheme and raised my wider concern about the slow progress of compensation schemes.
COMMITTEES
I chair the Treasury Select Committee, which is tasked with examining the expenditure, administration and policy of HM Treasury, HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC), and associated public bodies, including the Bank of England and the Financial Conduct Authority. We have looked at the following:
Student loans
In our report on student finance and repayment programmes (see here) we concluded that the burden on young workers is too heavy and recommended that the Chancellor reverse the freeze on repayment thresholds (the level of earnings at which graduates start repaying their loan). In its response to our recommendations the Government did not rule out reversing the threshold freeze, but since then the financial challenges facing the Government have worsened. We will continue to press for action on this to better support the 20s-30s generation. I gave a statement on student loans in the House of Commons – see here.
Defence spending
The Treasury Committee joined forces with our sister committee, the Defence Select Committee, to question ministers about the Defence Investment Plan. This outlines the Government's plan for sustained investment to make sure Britain is prepared in the increasingly volatile global situation. We heard from Treasury and Defence ministers on their plans for investment. The Government has pledged to increase defence spending in the light of the war in Ukraine and we will continue to work together to hold the Government to account.
New Chair of the Office for Budget Responsibility
One of the Treasury Committee's roles is to hold pre-appointment hearings for senior positions in bodies responsible for fiscal oversight and monetary policy – one of which is the Chair of the Office for Budget Responsibility. The OBR is an independent body that holds the Treasury to account by evaluating its performance and providing forecasts for how measures in the Budget will impact the economy. The Government cannot appoint or sack the Chair of the OBR unless the Treasury Select Committee agrees. We confirmed the appointment of Professor Jonathan Haskel, an expert economist who previously served on the Monetary Policy Committee and was a Professor at Imperial College London, to the role.
HACKNEY
Supporting disabled people into work
Graeae Theatre Company in Hoxton is one of the country’s foremost disabled-led theatre companies. For more than 45 years it has supported disabled artists and performers into an historically inaccessible industry. But not only is Graeae renowned for its art, it is also expert in supporting disabled people into creative employment. I was pleased to welcome the Minister for Social Security and Disability to meet with Graeae and Access All Areas, a theatre company that supports learning disabled people into the creative industries based at Graeae. We had a productive discussion about the limitations and failings of the current employment support scheme for disabled people – Access to Work – and Personal Independence Payments. The input of Graeae and Access All Areas is invaluable, and I am pleased they will continue to engage with the DWP.
It was wonderful to attend Access All Areas' community theatre company, the Black Cab Company's 50th anniversary performance of the Knowledge at Hoxton Hall. I was also delighted to meet Elsie who founded the Black Cab Company – then called Rainbow Drama - in 1976. The company is led by learning disabled and autistic artists – find out more here.
Bus route 38
I continue to campaign to save bus route 38. Transport for London has agreed to some changes – its new route 10 will extend to Newington Green (south side) instead of terminating at Mildmay Park and the N38 will run an extra hour either side of its current operation, helping shift workers plan their journeys better.
I invited TfL officials to Hackney to show them first-hand the value of the 38 and some of the issues on the route which slow the buses down. The traffic on Graham Road up to Dalston Junction is often at standstill. The team from TfL is looking at what mitigations could improve speed on the route. I will continue to work on this. Please help – time your journey on segments of the route – particularly between Hackney Central and Dalston Junction and from there to the junction of Essex Road and Southgate Road. Send me a quick email with how long your journey took so I can use this to argue for the 38 to continue to run to Victoria.
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Late and missing post
Many constituents have been in touch frustrated by postal delays in Hackney – with vital hospital letters, bills, and polling cards not arriving until deadlines have long passed. I met with Royal Mail to highlight the poor service and real impact of these delays, pressing them on the importance of post arriving on time and the negative impact these unacceptable delays having on my constituents.
Royal Mail informed me they are aware of the delays, and they are taking steps to resolve these issues. Please see here their letter following the meeting.
I am continuing to pursue this issue with Royal Mail and the Communication Workers Union because despite assurances the service is not improving. Please do get in touch if this affects you.
Civil Service pension delays
Retiring Civil Servants and their bereaved partners have been facing unacceptable delays with receiving their pensions – their main income in retirement. Private company Capita administrates the pensions, and I have raised some heart-breaking cases of delay with them. I also raised this with the Secretary of State on the floor of the House of Commons. If you have been affected, please do get in touch.
Supporting young people into work
The Hackney Opportunity Youth Hub has now opened at the pre-existing Opportunity Hub on Bowling Green Walk, bringing together support from the Department for Work and Pensions and local services - including the NHS, Hackney Council's support services, and local employers. The Hub is delivered in partnership by local services and the Government as part of its drive to support young people into employment.
Designed to support young people aged 16-24 overcome barriers to training and work, the youth hub will provide tailored support so that no young person is excluded from opportunities. For young people on benefits who are already looking for work, they can be referred by their Work Coach. And for other young people, they can walk in and access career and employment support and see what opportunities are available.
Sustainable careers
Upskilling our workforce so that we prioritise sustainability and innovation is one way of helping tackle the climate crisis. I was pleased to attend the Hackney Green Futures jobs fair, where employers and residents came together to explore career paths that put the planet first – from construction to transport to clean energy. Hackney has many businesses and individuals with huge experience of sustainable and green skills which should become a reservoir of knowledge for those beyond Hackney.
35 years of Bangla Housing Association
Bangla Housing Association was established 35 years ago to meet the needs of the Bangladeshi community in East London. The community was living in challenging housing conditions and facing overt discrimination and the then Chair of Housing in Hackney, Cllr Simon Matthews, worked to support its establishment.
In the 35 years since it has been delivering housing and community support. I was pleased to support its registration with the Housing Corporation which has helped it survive as an entity when so many smaller and specialist housing associations were swallowed up or became part of larger housing groups.
Bangla manages 234 homes for people from Bangladeshi and other backgrounds. Bashir Uddin, its Chief Executive, ensures that it stays true to its roots while also meeting new challenges.
I was pleased to join Bangla for its 35th anniversary celebrations.
Victoria Park
Many constituents have contacted me to voice their concerns about Tower Hamlets Council’s planning application for Victoria Park. These proposals would allow the use of large parts of Victoria Park for festivals and concerts for 75 days per year, every year over a period of 6 years - more than double the current allowance of 28 days per year.
I am concerned about the negative impact this could have on the park and its residents, particularly the biodiversity and wildlife of the park, as well as noise and light pollution, and a potential increase in antisocial behaviour.
I have written to the Mayor of Tower Hamlets Council which runs the park, Lutfur Rahman, to outline my concerns about the proposals. I am working hard with other east London MPs to coordinate our opposition and voice residents' concerns. You can see more on this from my Hackney Gazette column in July – see here.
HAVE YOUR SAY
The Government and other bodies regularly consult on policy proposals. Below are a few areas that are open for consultation. Click on each option to find out more and to share your thoughts.
Government consultations:
Using the professional title ‘nurse’ - GOV.UK - Closes 8 October.
Equal pay and pay discrimination - GOV.UK - Closes 27 October.
Select Committee calls for evidence:
How can we make safer journeys for women and girls? - Closes 9 October
HOW TO CONTACT ME
Via email on meg.hillier.mp@parliament.uk or you can call 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 allocated a small number of tickets for tours of Big Ben. I operate a ballot for these four times a year. The next ballot is for tours in early 2027.
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 December.
To apply for a tour, or be entered into 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.
