Dear Friend,
I hope this finds you well. It continues to be a busy time for me in Westminster, with a full ministerial diary and so much still to do. I count myself fortunate to have such hard-working staff who provide support and outreach work in the community when I’m in Parliament, and the best part of my week is still the time I spend in the constituency meeting residents and attending local events. This week is Parliament Week, an annual event to inform and educate people about the work and role of Parliament across the UK. As a part of that I’m really looking forward to visiting schools in the constituency to talk to pupils about the job of an MP and how government works.
Bus service for Well Lane/Parkway
Good news! East Yorkshire buses now have a service for Well Lane and The Parkway in Willerby. It’s something constituents have contacted me about and I have written to East Yorkshire buses asking them to implement, so I am very pleased they have listened. It’s a revised number 26 service, which runs between Beverley, Cottingham, Castle Hill, Willerby, Anlaby and Hessle. Full timetable here.
Labour is determined to improve our bus services and this week the Transport Secretary announced £1 billion of funding to support, improve and protect crucial bus services across the country. Every region in England will benefit from the funding – but particularly those areas which have been historically underserved, like rural areas and small towns. We are introducing new powers for every community to take back control of services and reforms to speed up the delivery of public control, alongside a new Buses Bill to end the postcode lottery of services.
Green Energy boost for Hull
Labour’s commitment to decarbonising the economy, making the country a leader in green technologies and achieving energy security has paid off for Hull and our region. Siemens Gamesa has landed a £1 billion contract to produce wind turbine blades for the East Anglia TWO offshore wind farm at their factory in Hull.
This will support over 1,300 jobs in our area, with Hull at the heart of the UK’s clean energy revolution. The new turbines will provide clean energy to power almost 1 million homes.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer said: “Our mission to make Britain a clean energy superpower is creating good jobs in towns like Hull while protecting future generations from the climate crisis.”
Medical Aesthetic treatments
Recently, a few people have contacted me with concerns over the regulation and licensing for Medical Aesthetic treatments.
I’m really interested to hear local residents experiences of this and what their feeling are around licensing and regulation so I’d be really grateful if you could fill in this quick survey and I’ll use the results to help guide my next steps.
If you have suffered from poor treatment or you have concerns about someone offering treatments, you can now raise the issue with the Joint Council for Cosmetic Practitioners. Because the sector is currently unregulated, the JCCP is collecting evidence to help press the case for change. They also promise to look into what you say and provide you with support, advice and guidance. They want to hear from both the public and professionals in the sector. You can raise your concerns or experiences here.
Bathing water improvements
Another topic I would like your views on is something I am involved in as Minister for Water. These are proposals on modernising bathing water rules. Bathing waters are officially designated outdoor swimming sites and there are over 500 in England and Wales. I know many people love to wild swim whatever the weather which is why the proposals include flexibility in extending season dates. We would also like to put a greater focus on water quality and include other water users like surfers and paddle boarders too.
You can read the full proposals and have your say here.
Small business awards nominations
It’s Small Business Saturday on 7 December and to mark the day I am running my annual celebration of small businesses in the community with the Emma Hardy Small Business Award 2024. Make sure your favourite local business is in the running by nominating them here
Too soon to mention Christmas?
I’m not one to put up decorations in November, but I am starting to look forward to Christmas and the festive season. As always, there are lots of events on and these are some in the constituency:
Women in Business Awards
It was my great pleasure to be invited to the Women in Business Awards last week and meet some of the incredible nominees. It was wonderful to meet so many inspirational women and hear of their achievements. There was a celebrity presence in the form of Janet Street-Porter, who is still going strong!
Dawn from the HU4 Community Trust and Katie and Victoria from Endo Buddies were nominated for their outstanding work in the Voluntary Category. I have been a proud supporter of their work over the years, and I know how much they put into it, so it was great to see their efforts recognised.
Irregular immigration
The Prime Minister promised to tackle the dangerous Channel crossings by targeting the people smugglers who exploit vulnerable individuals for profit. That promise is now turning into action. Last week, a Turkish man known as the “Boat King” was arrested in Amsterdam, accused of supplying hundreds of boat motors to smuggling networks. He has since been extradited to Belgium to face charges. This is a significant step in dismantling the supply chains fueling this illegal and exploitative trade, as part of a Europe-wide effort led by the UK to target the ringleaders of these criminal gangs.
These achievements are thanks to the establishment of the new Border Security Command, which coordinates action across agencies. Labour has bolstered the National Crime Agency (NCA) by recruiting specialist intelligence and investigation officers tasked with targeting organised immigration crime networks. The number of NCA officers stationed in Europol has also been increased by 50% to ensure international collaboration.
The Prime Minister also promised swift action for those who do not have a genuine claim to asylum. Since July 5th, 25 bespoke returns flights have taken off, including the three largest in history. 9,400 individuals with no legal right to remain in the UK have been returned to their home countries, including nearly 2,600 forced deportations – a 19% increase compared to 2023. Labour has also overseen a 14% rise in the removal of foreign criminals in the same period.
Labour is also committed to tackling the exploitation of migrant workers by unscrupulous employers. Intensive Immigration Enforcement teams have conducted inspections at over 275 businesses, leading to 135 penalty notices issued to employers and 85 illegal workers detained for removal. These measures send a clear message that the exploitation of workers and undercutting of wages and conditions will not be tolerated.
This Labour government is delivering real results where others have failed. In just four and a half months, it has begun implementing effective, fair, and humane solutions to tackle illegal immigration and exploitation. Workers and communities deserve action, and Labour is proving it can deliver.
Legacy ministerial meeting
We’re all aware of how deeply upsetting the events surrounding Legacy Funeral Directors have been for the families concerned and the wider community. It is shocking that the industry is unregulated, and this must change so that those awful events can never be repeated.
Until the trial has taken place, there are limitations on what can be said publicly, but I felt it was vital that the voices of those directly affected should be heard by those whose responsibility it is to frame any new legislation.
I arranged for Tristan and Claire, whose Nana was one of the 35, to travel to Westminster and meet Alex Davies-Jones, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Victims. Together, they watched a video in which they and other victims of Legacy told their stories. It was difficult to watch, even as someone familiar with the events, and the minister was clearly moved. I was impressed by her empathy and understanding as she spoke with Tristan and Claire after the video. She was able to assure them that work was underway between the three departments involved – Justice, Home Office and Local Government – and that the families would have advance notice of any announcements before they became public.
We then made our way to Downing Street where Tristan and Claire presented a letter for the Prime Minister to an official on the steps of Number 10. The visit was covered by Look North.
I’m so pleased Tristan and Claire felt they had been listened to and that the meeting was worthwhile. Of course, I will continue to push for regulations to be introduced as soon as possible.
And finally…
As always, if you are a constituent and think I can support you in any way, please contact me either by mail at emma.hardy.mp@parliament.uk or ring my office phone, 01482 219211. Do leave a message if it goes to answerphone – the messages are monitored daily and someone will get back to you.
Best wishes
Emma