Dear Friend
I hope this finds you well,
It feels like autumn is here and we’ve given in and put the heating on! This year anyone on means tested benefits will receive a £150 warm homes discount so please help to spread the word so people know they are getting it. It’s for adults of any age, not just pensioners. Eligible pensioners will receive the Warm Homes Discount in addition to the Winter Fuel Allowance. Please see here for more information: Warm Home Discount: eligibility statement, England and Wales, 2025 to 2026 – GOV.UK
There is also a local Green Doctor Scheme which is a free, impartial energy advice service run by Groundwork, available to all residents to help save energy, reduce bills, and access support services. Click here for more information: Green Doctor | Neighbourhood Network Hull
As the weather gets wetter and we move from worrying about drought to worrying about flooding you’ll be pleased to learn about the £26.4m investment into flood defences in our local area to help protect homes from surface water flooding. Key schemes include the Fleet Drain pumping station, the Springhead Lane drainage pipe, and blue-green corridors along Anlaby Common and Anlaby Park Road. These are part of the wider Living With Water partnership, and public consultations are expected to begin early next year.
Manchester terror attack
The shocking and appalling events in Manchester will have deeply affected Jewish communities everywhere, and I have visited both the synagogues in the constituency to personally offer my sympathy and support, and to listen to their concerns.
I was deeply moved by the calls for peace and understanding at the Sukkot service I was invited to attend.
I have always believed that as human beings there is more that unites us than divides us, and I will always support those who work to overcome division, bring people together and discuss our differences with empathy and respect.
In the face of this mindless act of violence, I stand firmly with our local Jewish community here in Hull West and Haltemprice.
Putting more money into our communities
What would you do with £20 million if you lived in St Andrews and Boulevard? Well, we’re about to find out!
I’ve managed to secure £2 million a year, every year for the next decade for St Andrews and Boulevard, and the best thing is, the local community gets to decide exactly how it’s spent!
We want to form a board of local people who will oversee how the money is spent, and we want ideas from everyone in the community.
If you live in St Andrews and Boulevard, then fill in this questionnaire to have your say
https://forms.gle/RszwSigi3uDKiWCu6
Orchard Park and Greatfield have also been awarded this funding, so that’s £60 million over the next ten years being spent by communities in the city on their priorities.
As well as the money I’ve secured in St Andrews, I’m also delighted to say Hull City Council will receive £1.5 million worth of Pride in Place funding, to be spent anywhere in the city.
On top of that, your Labour government is making funding for councils fairer, to reflect the additional costs that areas like ours face, so watch this space for more good news.
Back in parliament it was an incredibly busy few weeks before conference recess with lots of progress being made on huge pieces of legislation.
Supporting parents with baby loss
A few months ago, I met with the charity Chasing Rainbows and spoke to parents who had suffered a miscarriage. One in three women have a miscarriage and the stories I hear of how they have been treated in the workplace vary greatly. Some bosses have been incredibly supportive, but others have insisted they immediately return to work when they are still grieving the loss of their child. I am so pleased and proud that we have amended our landmark Employment Rights Bill to expand the bereavement leave entitlements to include pregnancy loss occurring before 24 weeks.
This is in addition to the rest of the bill including:
- Day one worker’s rights, including against unfair dismissal
- Zero-hours contracts restricted, giving workers rights to guaranteed hours and notice of shifts.
- Fire and rehire practices curtailed, making dismissals for refusing contract changes automatically unfair.
- Statutory Sick Pay rights strengthened
- Fair Work Agency established, to enforce employment rights and fair work standards.
- Trade union laws modernised, including recognition, bargaining, and strike action reforms.
Hillsborough Law
After decades of tireless campaigning by the families of the 97 people who died at Hillsborough, the Hillsborough Law has been introduced to Parliament.
This legislation is a direct response to the injustice suffered not only by those who died at Hillsborough, but also by people who live in our community here in Hull West and Haltemprice who have been affected by the Post Office Horizon scandal, infected blood scandal and other state related injustices.
We promised we would pass a law to prevent these kind of cover-ups, and we have. It will mean
- A legal duty of candour, ensuring public officials must act with honesty and integrity.
- This duty backed up by a new criminal offence for misleading the public.
- Non-means-tested legal aid for bereaved families at inquests, ending the financial imbalance between ordinary people and powerful institutions.
This will ensure those seeking justice will no longer see the truth delayed, diluted or denied.
This is true social justice in action. A law driven by the belief that nobody should ever have to fight for the truth alone.
The Sentencing Bill
Crime and justice are always hot topics of discussions whenever I go out and speak to local residents, and they are often astounded that only 500 prison places were added over the last fourteen years leaving us on the brink of crisis.
We have opened 2,500 new prison places since the election, and are on target for 14,000 by 2031, but we cannot just build our way out of the problems. This bill will reform sentencing and help deliver a justice system that works.
- Replace short prison terms that don’t work, offenders will do visible unpaid work in their communities like clearing litter and scrubbing graffiti to pay back the communities their actions hurt. Please let me know if you know a local area which would benefit from a community payback scheme.
- Courts will now have stronger powers to put offenders with drug and alcohol problems into treatment and rehab programmes with close supervision to keep the public safe. This will help reduce reoffending as so many crimes are linked to addiction.
- No more automatic early release. Good behaviour is rewarded; bad behaviour means more time behind bars – and stricter supervision after release.
- New programmes using medical treatment (“chemical suppression”) alongside therapy piloted to reduce the risk of reoffending for the most dangerous sex offenders.
Safer West Park
Following concerns about safety on West Park, Cllr Tracy Dearing and I arranged a meeting with Hull City Council and Humberside Police to discuss how we can work together to improve things.
Following this meeting Hull City Council have committed to looking into refreshing the existing lighting and upgrading CCTV in the area. This is a positive step forward and we will continue working together to ensure the park is safe for everyone.
Businesses of the month
Stewart is an artist based at The Weir in Hessle where he creates stunning paintings and ceramics inspired by Yorkshire and the east coast.
His shop is also his workshop, where he also holds painting workshops. His work is amazing, and he does commissions too. If you’re looking for a beautiful, original art that celebrates our local landscape and heritage you should definitely get acquainted with his work.
Brew is a lovely café-bar on Bond Street in town, serving coffees, teas, craft beers and cocktails. It’s has a welcoming and relaxed atmosphere, with a range of board games to try. The host games nights, music events, craft sessions and more. As well as their web site (link in title) you can check out what’s on at their Instagram brew_hull
Tapasya is a gorgeous Indian restaurant on the Marina, which features authentic Indian cuisine of the highest quality. They also do a range of cocktails and mocktails. As I was ‘on duty’ I tried one of their mocktails and it was fantastic! Whatever you are looking for. Tapasya has it covered, with everything from a light lunch, five-course tasting menu, private hire functions or an evening with friends and family. If you’re looking for something a bit special, I would thoroughly recommend it.
HMS Iron Duke visits Hull
HMS Iron Duke was granted Freedom of the City in 2011, and I was delighted to be invited onboard for its latest visit by Commodore Tom Knowles, Naval Regional Commander Northern England.
Over 3,000 visitor tickets were made available to the public through a lottery system, and if you were one of the lucky ones I’m sure you had a fantastic experience.
Just 48 hours before their arrival, Cdr Armstrong and his crew escorted a Russian frigate out of UK waters, a reminder of the vital work everyone in the Royal Navy does to protect us.
Digital I.D. – what is proposed and what is NOT proposed
I’m sure you’ve heard about the plans to make a free Digital ID available to everyone aged 16 and over.
The proposed new digital ID will only be mandatory to check a person’s Right to Work, to help stop those with no right to be here from being able to find work.
If you don’t need to prove your right to work, you will not need a digital ID and will not be required to have one.
The proposals are that it includes only name, date of birth, information on nationality or residency status, and a photo – just like a passport.
My full statement is available on my website here.
Pick you own at Pickering Road Community Orchard
The next two Saturdays are the last pick your own days this year at the Pickering Road Community Orchard. With over a hundred trees in the orchard they have a huge variety of apples. They are all organic and locally grown at only £2/kg (windfalls £1 a tray!). Children very welcome. They also have honey available – made by their own bees from the spring blossom. Open 12 – 2pm. Please bring CASH!
And finally,
As always, I’m here to support you. I do a face-to-face surgery every week so you can always come and see me. If you have any questions, concerns, or ideas about how I can help, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.
You can email me at emma.hardy.mp@parliament.uk or call my office at 01482 219211. Leave a message if I’m unavailable, and I’ll get back to you as soon as I can.
Best wishes,
Emma Hardy MP
Hull West and Haltemprice
P.S. Have you seen the new “Hullywood” mural in the train station? I think it looks fab!
P.P.S. Ocean’s Treaty ratified
Good news for the planets’ oceans! As the minister responsible, I am proud to have introduced the bill for the UK to ratify the Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction Agreement. It’s the first international agreement for the creation of protected areas in international waters, covering approximately two-thirds of the world’s oceans.