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  • Jeremy Corbyn – 2019 Speech on Brexit

    Below is the text of the speech made by Jeremy Corbyn, the Leader of the Opposition, in Wakefield on 10 January 2019.

    It’s a pleasure to be here in Wakefield and thank you to OE Electrics for kindly hosting us.

    We are now two and a half years on from the EU referendum and we are finally reaching the moment when the House of Commons will have its say on Theresa May’s Brexit deal.

    In those two and a half years many of the most pressing problems facing people in their daily lives, here in Yorkshire and across the country, have been ignored or relegated to the back of the queue by a Conservative Party consumed by its own internal battles over Brexit.

    Years of Tory failure have left our society more divided than ever:

    Poverty is growing, homelessness is up, personal debt is rising and crime is up too.

    The truth is, the real divide in our country is not between those who voted to Remain in the EU and those who voted to Leave. It is between the many – who do the work, who create the wealth and pay their taxes, and the few – who set the rules, who reap the rewards and so often dodge taxes.

    The Conservative Party’s main concern, as ever is to protect the interests of the few and is prepared to set everybody else against each other divide and rule style to stay in power.

    That’s why at every turn during the Brexit negotiations the Prime Minister has acted in ways that have exacerbated division.

    In fact her only success in bringing people together has been to unite both people who voted leave and those who voted remain against her botched and damaging deal.

    Now she is facing the inevitable consequence of that failure, defeat in the House of Commons.

    Let there be no doubt. Theresa May’s deal is a bad deal for our country and Labour will vote against it next week in Parliament.

    And remember, the only reason Parliament is having what has become known as the meaningful vote is because Labour secured that concession from the government.

    I would like to pay tribute to Keir Starmer and his team for all their hard work throughout this process.

    If the government cannot pass its most important legislation then there must be a general election at the earliest opportunity.

    A government that cannot get its business through the House of Commons is no government at all.

    It has lost its mandate so must go to the country to seek another.

    And the government defeat on Tuesday, after the amendment put down by Yvette Cooper was passed, is the first time a government has been defeated on a Finance Bill since 1978.

    So I say to Theresa May: if you are so confident in your deal then call that election and let the people decide.

    If not, Labour will table a motion of no confidence in the government at the moment we judge it to have the best chance of success.

    Clearly, Labour does not have enough MPs in parliament to win a confidence vote on its own.

    So members across the House should vote with us to break the deadlock.

    This paralysis cannot continue. Uncertainty is putting people’s jobs and livelihoods at risk.

    And if a general election cannot be secured then we will keep all options on the table, including the option of campaigning for a public vote.

    But an election must be the priority. It is not only the most practical option, it is also the most democratic option.

    It could give the winning party a renewed mandate to negotiate a better deal for Britain and secure support for it in Parliament and across the country.

    Defeat for the government’s central policy on Tuesday would be historic.

    It would not only signal the failure of Theresa May’s premiership but the failure of the Conservative Party as a party of government.

    This is after all a party that for decades claimed to be the natural party of government. A safe bet for the country.

    Now we see the reality.

    They don’t know what they’re doing. They have led us from chaos to crisis. And they have no answers or legislation to fix the many crises of their own making whether it’s the cost of living, housing, personal debt, escalating inequality, rising crime or collapsing public services.

    But there are solutions to these crises and Theresa May’s botched Brexit deal is not “the only deal possible.”

    It is a deal that reflects the kind of country that the Tories want to create.

    It should be no surprise that this Tory deal allows workers’ rights and environmental protections to fall behind minimum European basic standards.

    The government boasts that this will give the UK “flexibility.”

    But flexibility for whom?

    Flexibility for employers to exploit workers. Flexibility for big corporations to pollute our environment.

    Flexibility for multinational giants to undercut our neighbours and drive down standards everywhere.

    Meanwhile Theresa May’s refusal to countenance negotiating a new customs union is based on the Tory dream of a sweetheart trade deal with Donald Trump which could deliver chlorinated chicken to our dinner tables and open up our NHS to giant profit-seeking American healthcare corporations.

    Labour has very different priorities because we represent the interests of the many, not the few.

    We have given voice to policies that command majority public support but which the political class has long refused to endorse such as fair taxation and new forms of public ownership.

    When Labour goes into government we will support new high tech industries that will provide high wage secure jobs. And we will bring real investment and prosperity to areas such as Yorkshire and the Midlands, to Scotland and Wales which for too long have been held back by successive governments.

    And so the alternative plan that Labour has set out for a sensible Brexit deal that could win broad support is designed to enable us to fulfil those ambitions while respecting the democratic result of the referendum.

    Any political leader who wants to bring the country together cannot wish away the votes of 17 million people who wanted to leave, any more than they can ignore the concerns of the 16 million who voted to remain.

    I know people are genuinely scared by the prospect of no deal. I meet people who are frightened and going through real stress.

    I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the EU nationals who have enriched our society and made such a fantastic contribution to our industries and services. With Labour your future here is secure.

    And I know many people were appalled at the bigotry and racism that some politicians stoked during the referendum campaign and are still trying to exploit out of the small number of desperate refugees risking their lives to cross the English Channel.

    Let’s never forget that whatever circumstances people are living in whether in tents camps or trying to survive on dangerous dinghies, everyone is a human being and we must reach out the hand of humanity in all circumstances.

    And that is exactly what Labour’s Home team does, led so well by Diane Abbott.

    People want to live in a country that’s tolerant, that’s diverse, that’s open. We won’t let that openness, that generosity be crushed. Let’s not lower our horizons, let’s raise them up.

    I also know that in many places like Wakefield, people feel they’ve been ignored. They lost industries and no one seemed to care. They’ve been robbed of their future by a lack of investment.

    These are proud, generous communities that pull together and support each other. Communities that have real pride in their towns, in their cities, in their regions, but they know they could be so much more. I understand that many of them wanted to send the politicians a message in the referendum and I hear them. Labour is the party of the working class and we’ll stand up for you.

    That’s why our alternative plan prioritises jobs growth and rights.

    That is why we have called for a new customs union with a British say in future trade deals; a strong single market relationship; and a guarantee to keep pace with EU rights and standards.

    Combined with the election of a radical Labour government our alternative plan will allow us to make the fundamental changes that are so badly needed in our country, while respecting those who voted both leave and remain.

    Why is a customs union necessary?

    It’s because a new customs union and a radical Labour government with an active industrial strategy will allow a renaissance in our manufacturing sector, which will create good, secure jobs and help restore pride and prosperity to parts of our country that have been ignored for too long.

    Why do we need a strong relationship with the single market?

    It’s because frictionless trade and a radical Labour government with a plan to invest in every region and nation of our country, will give us the chance to kick-start real growth in our economy, allowing the wealth created by this country’s workforce to be shared more fairly.

    Finally, why are we absolutely insistent on at least keeping pace with EU rights at work environmental standards and consumer protections?

    It’s because with those guarantees and a radical Labour government that stands up for people against powerful vested interests, we can give workers and consumers more control over their lives.

    The alternative deal Labour has proposed is practical and achievable, and clearly has the potential to command majority support in parliament.

    But it is not an end in itself. The task of the Labour party and the Labour movement is the long-overdue transformation of our country.

    We will bring people together by addressing the deep-seated and common problems across our country and fulfilling the aspirations that led people to vote both leave or remain.

    I would put it like this: if you’re living in Tottenham you may well have voted to Remain.

    You’ve got high bills rising debts. You’re in insecure work. You struggle to make your wages stretch and you may be on universal credit, and forced to access food banks.

    You’re up against it.

    If you’re living in Mansfield, you are more likely to have voted to Leave.

    You’ve got high bills, rising debts, you’re in insecure work, you struggle to make your wages stretch and you may be on universal credit and forced to access food banks.

    You’re up against it.

    But you’re not against each other.

    People across the country, whether they voted Leave or Remain know that the system isn’t working for them.

    Some see the EU as a defence against insecurity and hostility. Others see the EU as part of an establishment that plunged them into insecurity and hostility in the first place.

    But it’s the failed system rigged against the many to protect the interests of the few that is the real cause of inequality and insecurity whether it’s in Tottenham or Mansfield.

    And, the real solution is to transform Britain to work in the interests of the vast majority by challenging the entrenched power of a privileged elite.

    That is how we can help to overcome our country’s divisions.

    Because for both sides the EU referendum was about much more than our relationship with our biggest trading partner and its rules.

    It was about what has happened to our people over decades and how to build a better future.

    The Conservatives are never going to tackle the burning injustices in our country or act to overcome the deep and growing inequalities.

    They are incapable of leading us out of a crisis they created.

    Britain deserves a government that can govern.

    The need for a government with a clear purpose and direction for the country could not be more urgent.

    A general election is the right answer and the best way to break the deadlock.

    Labour is ready to bring Leave and Remain voters together to rebuild Britain for the many not the few.

  • Theresa May – 2019 Statement Made Alongside Shinzo Abe of Japan

    Below is the text of the statement made by Theresa May, the Prime Minister, at Downing Street on 10 January 2019.

    Prime Minister Abe. It is a pleasure to welcome you to Downing Street.

    The UK and Japan are natural partners. Thriving, innovative, island nations – committed to defending the global rules that we have shaped together.

    Your visit comes at a crucial time. As the UK prepares to leave the EU and raise our horizons towards the rest of the world, our relationship with countries such as Japan will be increasingly important, and your Presidency of this year’s G20 allows us to work together towards our shared goals on the global stage.

    Our people face many of the same challenges. But we also both have immense opportunities. And today we agree a deep and dynamic partnership to shape the 21st Century together.

    Japan and the UK, as the world’s third and fifth largest economies, are already close economic partners. Japanese companies employ 150 thousand people here in Britain and trade between our two countries totalled £28 billion in the past year.

    Our exit from the EU provides an unprecedented opportunity to strengthen this trade and investment relationship.

    I welcome your renewed commitment, Prime Minister Abe, to us securing an ambitious bilateral arrangement, building on the deal already agreed between Japan and the EU. This gives businesses the stability and confidence to plan for the future, supports jobs, and gives more choice and lower prices to consumers.

    Our enhanced bilateral relationship will also allow us to explore ways to go further.

    We are already opening up export markets by ending the ban on sales of British beef and lamb to Japan. This will create opportunities worth over £120 million over five years, supporting farmers from the valleys of South Wales to the Highlands of Scotland.

    Our enhanced co-operation shows that, at a time when global tensions are escalating, we stand together to promote free and fair trade.

    As two of the world’s most innovative economies, we are uniquely placed to address the Grand Challenges of our time: an ageing society, the need for clean growth, how we respond to the increasing use of AI and data, and the future of mobility.

    Today we mark the start of a significant joint programme of research and collaboration that will transform the way people live in the 21st Century.

    British and Japanese experts, working side by side, will help people live independently in their home for longer, develop new treatments for chronic conditions like dementia and heart failure, and ensure a cleaner world for future generations.

    Together we will also ensure businesses and innovators are able to use big data legally, ethically and safely in the future. This is our modern Industrial Strategy in action.

    Our two cultures already inspire one another’s people. A quarter of a million Japanese tourists come to the UK each year, and we see growing numbers of British tourists visiting Japan.

    As part of our cultural exchange the National Gallery will send a major exhibition to Japan – including the famous ‘Sunflowers’ by Vincent Van Gogh, a painter himself inspired by Japanese art.

    And with Japan set to host the Rugby World Cup in 2019 and the Olympics and Paralympics in 2020, the UK is sharing our experience of delivering these events safely and successfully.

    Global economic growth is underpinned by security.

    In Tokyo, we signed a Joint Declaration that transformed our defence partnership and stepped up our collective response to the threats we both face.

    We saw the strength of our relationship when Japan added its voice to condemn the nerve agent attack in Salisbury. I want to thank you, Shinzo, for the support your nation showed.

    This year, we are increasing the number of combined exercises between our defence forces – on sea, land and air.

    And we will deploy the Royal Navy warship HMS Montrose to the region, following on from three naval visits in the past twelve months.

    This will help us to enforce sanctions against the DPRK as part of our joint determination to a peaceful resolution to tension in the region and the complete denuclearisation of North Korea.

    I also welcome our collaboration on new technologies, including exploring co-operation on future combat aircraft and missile development that will ensure our forces remain an effective deterrent, while supporting high-skilled jobs and industries.

    Working closely with Japan and our partners in the region ensures a more connected Asia that is free, open and stable.

    And British expertise will help deliver infrastructure projects in the Pacific region, unlocking commercial opportunities for companies across the UK.

    2019 is an historic year for Japan. We look forward to working closely with you to ensure a more peaceful, prosperous world.

    And I am confident that our shared optimism and close friendship will see our nations stand together to shape our shared future.

  • Margot James – 2019 Speech on Audience of the Future Launch

    Below is the text of the speech made by Margot James, the Minister for Digital and the Creative Industries, on 10 January 2019.

    I am delighted to be here at Unit 6, a showcase of the UK’s world leading contemporary art. Contemporary art is at the cutting edge. Its practitioners are always innovating and engaging people in new ways. So it is fitting that we’re here today to launch the ‘Audience of the Future’ demonstrators, which will be doing the same.

    Imagine being inside the world of a Shakespeare play, or in a video game as professional players battle it out for millions of dollars, or immersed in a national museum, solving a detective narrative involving dinosaurs and robots with fellow virtual museum-goers.

    These are only some of the experiences that will be afforded to everyone by immersive technology. The number of possibilities is only set to grow with the rate of technological change and our creative expertise.

    It is estimated that by 2023 the global immersive technology market will be worth between $95 billion and $105 billion. In the UK, we have around 1,000 companies specialising in immersive, generating £660 million in sales. I have a feeling these predictions will turn out to be underestimates.

    With our world-class creative businesses, researchers and technologists, and our expertise in arts, design, and computer science, Government has seen the opportunity for the UK to establish itself as the world’s most innovative economy.

    The Industrial Strategy includes a range of measures to improve our ability to turn new ideas into commercial products – including investing £725m in new Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund programmes.

    The Creative Industries Sector Deal was announced in March 2018 and leverages £72 million of this funding to support creative innovation – with a further £50 million being committed by industry.

    The Audience of the Future Demonstrators programme is a key part of this Deal, backed by £16 million of Government Industrial Strategy Challenge Funding and £6 million from industry.

    The programme will bring together globally renowned intellectual property, storytellers and technology companies to explore and pioneer cutting-edge immersive experiences.

    Today, I’m delighted announce the winning Demonstrators for three areas which UKRI have identified as having major opportunities to grow new audiences through immersive technology:

    In Performance, the Demonstrator will be led by the Royal Shakespeare Company and involve 15 specialist immersive organisations from theatre, music, video production, gaming and research.

    They will explore what it means to perform live, and use emerging technologies like virtual reality, augmented reality and mixed reality.

    Using devices such as mobile phones, extended reality headsets and streams into live performance environments, or even in the home, audiences will experience live performance like never before.

    In the field of Visitor Experience, the demonstrator will be a pioneering collaboration led by Factory 42 and involving the National History Museum and the Science Museum that will bring dinosaurs and robots to life by placing audiences in new worlds and giving them the ability to interact with them.

    Two multi-sensory and interactive worlds will be created in the iconic rooms of the Natural History Museum and the Science Museum, combining mixed reality technology and immersive theatre.

    Finally, the Sports Entertainment Demonstrator will focus on esports – which has the fastest growing global live sports audience. The consortium will include ESL, the largest esports content producer in the world, as well as leading academics and innovators across immersive technologies, data-driven content production and broadcast.

    This demonstrator will produce a new platform called Weavr to leverage the data-rich environment of esports and transform how the hundreds of millions of remote esports viewers can use virtual to reality to experience esports. Further down the line, Weavr could even change how we play physical sports.

    So I would like to offer my congratulations to the winning Demonstrators. I have every confidence that you will build incredible experiences that will change the way we engage with art, theatre, sports and more.

    One of the greatest privileges of the job I do is getting to experience the cutting edge. The experiences are truly transformative, and the more people we can bring them to, the faster we will build the market and the faster we will build more world-leading businesses.

    I am thrilled that we here in the UK are able to lead the world on immersive experiences. I’m excited to see what you all do.

  • Fiona Onasanya – 2018 Message to Parliamentarians After Being Found Guilty of Perverting the Course of Justice

    Below is the text of the comments made by Fiona Onasanya, the then Labour MP for Peterborough, on 19 December 2018, following her conviction for perverting the course of justice.

    I campaigned for justice and for the interests of ordinary people throughout my entire working life to date. Regardless of what you believe or suspect, the fact remains that I, Fiona, sought to be the choice and voice of change – but this may now take a different path. More than ever before, I am asking that you commit time in prayer for my family.

    In times like these, the natural inclination of believers is to ask God: why? I personally do not, because in my experience the answers are usually far above and beyond my reach. What I do know is that I am in good biblical company, along with Joseph, Moses, Daniel and his three Hebrew friends, who were each found guilty by the courts of their day.

    While God did not save them from a guilty verdict, he did save them in it and ensured that their greatest days of impact were on the other side of a guilty verdict. Of course this is equally true of Christ, who was accused and convicted by the courts of his day and yet this was not his end but rather the beginning of the next chapter in his story.

  • Fiona Onasanya – 2017 Maiden Speech in the House of Commons

    Below is the text of the maiden speech made in the House of Commons by Fiona Onasanya, the then Labour MP for Peterborough, on 5 July 2017.

    It is with both a humble heart and abiding pride that I stand to make my first speech in the House of Commons. As is customary, I would like to pay tribute to my predecessor. There is nothing that highlights a person’s character more than when they are faced with adversity, and I will never forget the grace, kindness and authentic good wishes that Mr Jackson expressed to me on the night of the election. I hope that his life beyond Parliament is as fulfilling as he intends.​

    Also, I would like to speak briefly about my home constituency of Peterborough. It is rich in history. Its cathedral is a true gem: it was a temporary resting place for Mary Queen of Scots, and it is also where Catherine of Aragon, Henry VIII’s first wife, is buried. One could say that Peterborough attracts its share of powerful women!

    But when I look at Peterborough, my home, I see so much more than the legacies and treasures of its past; I see a city that cherishes its diversity. People have come to Peterborough from every corner of the globe, and many nations are represented. My presence here may be a symbol of this increasing diversity: I am the first black female MP ever elected by my constituency. In Peterborough, I see a place that has much to be proud of. Our major employers, like Perkins Engines and Peter Brotherhood, are world class. We also have entrepreneurs that are cutting edge, and our local newspaper, the Peterborough Telegraph, is dynamic and well read. Peterborough is also notable for its beauty, and there are rural parts of the constituency that serve as our own Gardens of Eden.

    Peterborough has a bright future and so much going for it, but my constituency and our country also have their share of challenges, which I intend to address as a Member of Parliament. When I began my campaign, one of the very first issues I said I wanted to tackle was housing. We all need a decent place to live. Never in my darkest nightmares did I expect to see this proposition so starkly illustrated as it was by the Grenfell Tower fire. It still seems incredible that such a disaster could happen in one of the richest parts of one of the richest cities in one of the richest countries in the world. It is incumbent upon the Government and Members of this House to do their utmost to ensure that such a tragedy can never happen again. With this in mind, the Government must ensure that adequate funding is provided to those councils that require it. Fine words and opaque promises of support are insufficient.

    We must also help those who do not have a home. According to Shelter, in December 2016 some 600 people in Peterborough were without a place to live. Homelessness is an increasing problem for the country as a whole. Shelter estimates that 150 British families become homeless every day. Far from any stereotype, these are often people who work or are willing to work. Some are veterans who have served our country with distinction. Some have physical and mental health problems. All deserve decent treatment.

    I am also very concerned about education. Peterborough had amongst the lowest SATs results in the country. Our schools are trying very hard to make do with ever-shrinking resources that have been tied up in experiments such as free schools. Beyond improvements in primary and secondary education, Peterborough needs a university. So many bright and talented young people in my city feel they have to leave home to achieve their dreams, which is why I am pleased to note that some progress has been made in that area.

    The NHS is also one of my key concerns. Cuts to the health service have left my constituents facing long waiting times for appointments. The healthcare “reforms” as implemented by this Government led to the fiasco of the UnitingCare Partnership, which collapsed in 2015 after only eight months. Attempts to marry up public service ​and private profit have tended to favour the latter over the former, which leads me to a final observation: we need balance in our policies, placing people at the centre. We need to acknowledge that there is a role for Government and regulation, as the markets we create are not necessarily compassionate, understanding or even humane.

    We need not only to hear but to listen to the voices of those we were elected to serve and we need to look around us. Those at the top continue to get wealthier, while those at the bottom are seeing their living standards eroded. Contrary to what some may think, austerity is expensive. Cutting budgets does not always save money, let alone lives. We cannot make a rich country out of one that makes the majority of its people poorer.

    I am motivated in all that I do by my abiding faith in God. As we look at the issues facing Palestine and Israel, there is the temptation to see religion as something that divides rather than unites people, but I believe that it is mankind’s frailties that cause conflict and strife, not one’s faith. I sincerely hope for a future in which the peoples of the middle east live in the harmony that God intends for them.

    It is on this note of faith that I would like to conclude my speech. Hon. Members who have encountered my acronyms will know that I refer to myself as MP FI because I endeavour to “Make People Feel Inspired” and my acronym for faith is “For All In This House”. As stated on the floor in Central Lobby:

    “Except the Lord build the House, they labour in vain that build it”.

    With His help, Mr Deputy Speaker, I intend to do right.

  • Alok Sharma – 2019 Statement on Universal Credit

    Below is the text of the statement made by Alok Sharma, the Minister for Employment, in the House of Commons on 8 January 2019.

    Universal credit is a vital reform that overhauls a legacy system that trapped people out of work; with six different benefits, administered by three different Government Departments, it was utterly confusing for claimants. All new claimants now receive universal credit. In the future, we will move claimants who have not changed circumstances from legacy benefits to universal credit in an approach known as managed migration. It is right that the Government should seek to align provision for all, in order to eventually operate one welfare system. The Department has long planned to initially support 10,000 people through this process in a test phase, before increasing the number of those migrated. The first phase will give us an opportunity to learn how to provide the best support, while keeping Parliament fully informed of our approach. Universal credit is proceeding as planned, with no change to the timetable of completing managed migration by December 2023.

  • Caroline Nokes – 2019 Statement on Asylum

    Below is the text of the written statement made by Caroline Nokes, the Minister for Immigration, in the House of Commons on 8 January 2019.

    The United Kingdom has a proud history of providing an asylum system that protects and respects the fundamental rights of individuals seeking refuge from persecution. This system includes supporting asylum seekers who would otherwise be destitute while their asylum claim is assessed. I am grateful for the attention Members of this House, including the Home Affairs Committee, have given to this matter.

    I have always been clear about this Government’s commitment to ensuring service users are provided with safe, secure and suitable accommodation and are treated with dignity and respect. I have listened to the concerns of local authorities and have reinforced my commitment to working in partnership with them in this area. I am also mindful of this Government’s commitment to provide value for money for the taxpayer. Today I am pleased to inform the House that we have procured contracts for asylum accommodation and support to deliver on each of these commitments.

    New contractual arrangements will be put in place in September of this year.

    Initial accommodation, dispersed accommodation, transport and associated support services will be managed as integrated services on a regional basis.

    Clearsprings Ready Homes has been awarded the contracts in the south of England and Wales;

    Mears Group has been awarded the contracts in Northern Ireland, Scotland and the north-east, Yorkshire and Humber region; and

    Serco has been awarded the contracts in the north-west of England, and the midlands and east of England regions.

    Advice, issue reporting and eligibility assistance services will be integrated into a single, nationally operated end-to-end service; the contract for these services has been awarded to Migrant Help.

    The contracts were designed after extensive engagement with local government, non-governmental organisations and potential providers. The contracts offer a number of improvements on the current arrangements to make them more sustainable and include changes to improve the customer journey and conditions for service users, addressing many of the recommendations in the Home Affairs Committee’s reports on asylum accommodation. In particular, the contracts will:

    Provide assistance to asylum seekers to apply for support and throughout their time in the accommodation and support system.

    Require accommodation providers to develop close working relationships with local authorities, liaise and consult with local authorities on the location of properties and share appropriate information with them.​

    Require providers to establish working relationships with the voluntary sector and local community-based support organisations and networks in order that they can signpost SUs to local services.

    Set clear requirements for the standards of the accommodation that meet the standards used for social housing across the UK.

    Require providers to have proactive maintenance plans and to regularly inspect and report on the findings of the inspections of their accommodation.

    Provide service users with a single point of contact, independent from accommodation providers and the Home Office, to report issues with their accommodation and to provide advice in relation to their support throughout the whole process.

    Set clear timescales within which repairs must be made, with a clear escalation process for service users.

    Enhance the approach to safeguarding through a range of measures including improved health screening and support in registering with a GP, improved safeguarding training and awareness of staff, the provision of more adapted rooms for service users with specific needs, and the provision of face-to-face advice and support for those who need it.

    Ensure that service users receive clear induction materials to help them settle into their initial accommodation and dispersed accommodation in local areas. This will seek to ensure a better understanding of the support that is being provided as well as how to navigate services in local communities.

    Support service users into mainstream services if they are granted asylum or to return to their home country if are refused.

    Gather feedback from service users about their experience of accommodation and support to monitor provider performance and improve the services that are provided.​

    Following the award of the contracts today, the Home Office will work closely with the providers to mobilise the contracts and transition services users to the new arrangements. We will communicate directly with our services users and stakeholders to ensure they are aware of the changes and how they will affect them.

    We will be working extremely closely with local authorities to ensure a smooth transition and will be involving them ever more closely in the operation of the new contracts as they go live.

  • James Brokenshire – 2019 Speech at LGA Finance Conference

    Below is the text of the speech made by James Brokenshire, the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, at the LGA Finance Conference on 9 January 2019.

    Thank you so much for the kind introduction John [Councillor John Fuller, Vice-Chair, Resources Board, Local Government Association].

    It’s a genuine pleasure to be with you on my birthday – there’s nowhere I’d rather be. And you will recall that a year ago I had to step down from my role to fight lung cancer, so it’s great to be here with you, and in good health.

    As you highlighted, in many ways I feel as if I grew up with local government and certainly one of the favourite parts of my job is the chance to find out more about the work of your great councillors – our great councillors.

    You live and breathe the issues affecting your areas. You make the places you live in better and improve lives as a consequence of that. That’s why I certainly couldn’t be prouder to be working alongside you.

    But I’m under no illusion about the changes in local government. Challenging finances, shifting demographics and changing lifestyles can sometimes make it all feel like, just when you think you’ve got the answers, the questions then change again.

    And through all this, I’ve been impressed with how you continue to deliver quality public services and satisfaction remains high. I know that that is no small task.

    Local Government Finance Settlement

    But I have been determined you get the support you deserve, and the resources you need to grow your economies and ensure opportunity for all – where no one is left behind.

    It’s why, at last month’s provisional local government finance settlement, we provided a cash-increase of 2.8%: from £45.1 billion this year, to £46.4 billion next year.

    It’s a real-terms increase in resources and I’m pleased the settlement has been broadly welcomed. And in that context I’m very grateful to my colleague, Rishi Sunak, the Minister for Local Government, for his tireless efforts on this work which will continue into the coming weeks, and we look forward setting out the final settlement in early February.

    And today is another important part of that conversation.

    A conversation that addresses the immediate pressures we face, yes. But equally, it’s a conversation about a longer-term vision for a resilient, self-sufficient and innovative local government.

    A discussion that transcends numbers and duties, and reaches directly into the heart of communities.

    Or in other words: we need to explain ‘why place matters’.

    Meeting today’s pressures

    But there’s no hiding from the pressures that you face. Our additional funding will support some of our most vulnerable groups, with £650 million for social care in 2019-20.

    We’ve allocated £240 million of that to ease winter pressures – and that’s in addition to the £240 million we announced in October to alleviate winter pressures this year.

    The remaining £410 million can be used flexibly – either on adult or children’s social care and, where necessary, to relieve the demands on our NHS.

    As you know too well, adult social care is a complex issue. It’s something we need to get right.

    But I don’t think it should simply be seen as some sort of problem; it’s also very firmly an opportunity. An opportunity to reaffirm our commitment as a society to those who need our support.

    It’s why the NHS long-term plan which was announced yesterday I think will be a real game changer – giving us more flexibility to treat more patients at home or in their communities.

    Because better integration of the health and care systems remains the key, and the upcoming green paper on the future of adult social care will chart how we can do this.

    The Better Care Fund is already showing us how this might be done, for instance by improving patient inflow and freeing up nearly 2000 hospital beds. It’s a testament to the excellent work councils have been doing with their NHS partners.

    In addition, at the latest Budget the Chancellor pledged an extra £84 million over the next 5 years to expand our Children’s Social Care programmes. This will support more councils with high or rising numbers of children in care.

    It builds on the excellent work my department has already been doing to improve all services for families with complex problems, through our Troubled Families programme.

    Brexit

    But as we meet today and as we look to those pressures, we must also rise to tomorrow’s challenges.

    Brexit will generate a number of opportunities for local government. I’m grateful for how you’ve worked to prepare, to ensure we can be confident about our departure from the European Union.

    But I know that many of you, like me, have heard the same message on the doorstep – get on with the job and deliver Brexit.

    And looking ahead to next week’s vote – I’m clear that the deal we have on offer is a fair one.

    It meets the objectives the Prime Minister set out at the start of negotiations, and involves significant concessions from the EU.

    It delivers on the referendum result. It takes back control of our borders, our money and our laws. It protects jobs, security and the union.

    And the alternatives simply take us back to square one. More division and more uncertainty.

    We all have a duty to ensure every community can benefit from a modern, outward-looking Britain after Brexit.

    And no one is better placed to deliver that than you, and local authorities will be, I think, at the heart of our success.

    I am committed to ensuring local government and local leaders are adequately prepared to respond to any Brexit scenario.

    I have set up a delivery board to support the implementation of changes linked to Brexit within local government – and the work of this group will expand in the coming weeks and months.

    And I will shortly be announcing the allocation of £35 million to fund local authorities to support with their work on Brexit preparations.

    Self-sufficient local government

    But I’m mindful that our long-term thinking does require long-term funding – and I know you have called for greater certainty as we reach the end of the current multi-year deal.

    Next year we will finalise the new formula. A formula that makes the link between funding and local circumstances much clearer.

    And I’m encouraged by the strong consensus on the principles of our review of relative needs and resources. Because it doesn’t matter if you’re north or south, rural or urban, large or small – it simply has to work for everyone.

    Our business rates retention reform consultation will build on my department’s existing work with the sector to improve the way local government finance works.

    Because business rates retention will be at the heart of this change – the engine of a self-sufficient growth-led local government of the future.

    Under today’s system, local authorities estimate they will retain around £2.4 billion in business rates growth in 2018-19 – a significant revenue stream on top of the core settlement funding.

    And I recognise business rates appeals are an issue – and our consultation will address this too.

    Ultimately, we want to give local authorities – give you – more control over the money you raise. Our plans to increase business rates retention from 75% from 2020 does that and more.

    As well as continuing our existing pilots, at the draft settlement, I announced plans for a further 15 new pilots for 2019-20 and will also be piloting the 75% retentions rates in London.

    21st century local government

    Every authority stands to reap the rewards of increased growth in business rates income. And as we look ahead to the really important Spending Review, we have a unique chance to rethink and recast what local government in the 21st century can do.

    The days of people passively accepting what’s offered, I think, are long gone. In our digital age, the ability to feed-back, interact with and shape services is the new norm and government – central and local – needs to reflect that.

    It’s something my colleague Rishi Sunak has been looking at with his digital declaration: exploring how to apply new technology and new thinking to old problems, and transforming the ways we think about essential services.

    But the future of local government isn’t just in the cloud – it’s also on our high streets and in our communities.

    It’s why we provided a £1.5 billion support package for our high streets, with a further £420 million to repair and improve our roads and highways.

    And the lifting of the HRA (Housing Revenue Account) cap will put local government back on the front line of house building – local authorities can now borrow more to build more.

    And at the provisional settlement, I committed a further £20 million to maintain the New Homes Bonus baseline in 2019-20, to ensure we continue to reward councils for delivering the homes our country needs.

    Since it began in 2011, we’ve allocated £7.9 billion to reward 1.6 million additional homes.

    Because the success of our communities very much depends on all parts of our community having a decent, affordable, secure home – the challenge of a generation.

    Conclusion

    So, in conclusion, I’m pleased to be celebrating my 51st birthday with you.

    It’s a turning point for me personally after a challenging year – and equally I know the different challenges that you have faced too.

    But I am full of admiration for how you have responded – showing what world-class local government looks like.

    And while the year ahead could inevitably provide some new challenges, perhaps new surprises, there’s no question that we’re all better placed to face it – and thrive.

    And I look forward to working with you: to meet the challenges and to use the opportunities that lie ahead.

    To build the homes our country needs.

    To strengthen our communities.

    To encourage growth, helping ensure every part of our country can prosper.

    It’s the reason why we’re all here and why I’m genuinely so proud and privileged to work alongside you.

    Thank you.

  • Chris Grayling – 2019 Statement on Drones

    Below is the text of the statement made by Chris Grayling, the Secretary of State for Transport, in the House of Commons on 7 January 2019.

    I should like to make a statement about the action the government are taking on our future policy on drones.

    The disruption caused by drones to flights at Gatwick airport last month was deliberate, irresponsible and calculated, as well as illegal. It meant days of chaos and uncertainty for over 100,000 passengers at Christmas, one of the busiest times of the year. Carefully planned holidays were disrupted, long-expected reunions between friends and relatives missed. Families were forced to spend hours at an airport, not knowing if or when they would reach their destinations – completely unacceptable and utterly illegal. I pay tribute to all at Gatwick and other airports who worked very hard to make sure people did get away, albeit belatedly, for their Christmas breaks, and I thank all those in the defence world and the police who worked hard to get the airport back together again, and of course Sussex police are now leading the investigation into this criminal activity.

    I am clear that, when caught, those responsible should face the maximum possible custodial sentence for this hugely irresponsible criminal act, and I want to assure the House that my department is working extremely closely with airports, the Home Office, the Ministry of Defence, the Civil Aviation Authority and the police to make sure our national airports are fully prepared to manage any repeat of what was an unprecedented incident. I spoke personally to the heads of the major UK airports before Christmas, and later this week the aviation minister, Baroness Sugg, will meet them again for an update on progress. In the meantime the Ministry of Defence remains on standby to deal with any further problems at Gatwick or any other airport if required.

    This incident was a stark example of why we must continue to ensure drones are used safely and securely in the UK. Today I am publishing the outcome of our recent consultation, “Taking flight: the future of drones in the UK.” We received over 5,000 responses to that consultation reflecting a broad range of views. Those responses underlined the importance of balancing the UK’s world-leading position in aviation safety and security with supporting the development of this emerging industry. The government are taking action to ensure that passengers can have confidence that their journeys will not be disrupted in future, aircraft can safely use our key transport hubs, and criminals misusing drones can be brought to justice.

    The UK is where technology companies want to build their businesses, invest in innovation and use science and engineering to bring immense benefits to this country. Drones are at the forefront of these technological advances and are already being used in the UK to great effect. Our emergency search and rescue services use drones on a regular basis. Drones can also reduce risks for workers in hazardous sectors such as the oil and gas industries, and this technology is also driving more efficient ways of working in many other sectors, from delivering medicines to assisting with building work.

    However, the Gatwick incident has reinforced the fact that it is crucial that our regulatory and enforcement regime keeps pace with rapid technological change. ​We have already taken some big steps towards building a regulatory system for this new sector. It is already an offence to endanger aircraft. Drones must not be flown near people or property and have to be kept within visual line of sight. Commercial users are able to operate drones outside of these rules, but only when granted CAA permission after meeting strict safety conditions.

    Education is also vital to ensure everyone understands the rules about drone use. That is why the CAA has been running its long-standing Dronesafe campaign and Dronecode guide – work that is helping to highlight these rules to the public. And on 30 July last year (2018) we introduced new measures that barred drones from flying above 400 feet and within 1 km of protected airport boundaries. In addition, we have introduced and passed legislation that will mean that from November all drone operators must register and all drone pilots complete a competency test.

    However, we now intend to go further. Today’s measures set out the next steps needed to ensure that drones are used in a safe and secure way and that the industry is accountable. At the same time these steps will ensure that we harness the benefits that drones can bring to the UK economy.

    A common theme in those 5,000 consultation responses was the importance of the enforcement of safety regulations. The government share that view. The majority of drone users fly safely and responsibly, but we must ensure that the police have the right powers to deal with illegal use. We will therefore shortly be introducing new police powers. These include allowing the police to request evidence from drone users where there is reasonable suspicion of an offence being committed, as well as enabling the police to issue fixed penalty notices for minor drone offences. Those new powers will help to ensure effective enforcement of the rules. They will provide an immediate deterrent to those who might misuse drones or attempt to break the law.

    My department has been working closely with the Home Office on the legislative clauses that will deliver these changes. It is of course crucial that our national infrastructure, including airports and other sites such as prisons and energy plants, are also adequately protected to prevent incidents such as that at Gatwick. We must also ensure that the most up-to-date technology is available to detect, track and potentially disrupt drones that are being used illegally, so we have also consulted on the further use of counter-drone technology. Those consultation responses will now be used by the Home Office to develop an appropriate means of using that technology in the UK.

    Of course, aviation and passenger safety is at the heart of everything we do. While airlines and airports welcomed our recent airport drone restriction measures, they also asked for the current airport rules to be amended in order to better protect the landing and take-off paths of aircraft. We have listened to those concerns, and we have been working with the CAA and NATS to develop the optimum exclusion zone that will help to meet those requirements. It is important to stress that any restriction zone would not have prevented a deliberate incident such as that at Gatwick. However, it is right that proportionate measures should be in place at airports to protect aircraft and to avoid potential conflict with legitimate drone activity. We will therefore introduce additional protections around airports, with ​a particular focus on protected exclusion zones from runway ends, alongside increasing the current aerodrome traffic zone restrictions around airports. Drone pilots wishing to fly within these zones must do so only with permission from the aerodrome air traffic control. We will amend the Air Navigation Order 2016 to implement these changes.

    I want to address some of the rather ill-judged comments that have been made by Labour Members. Let me remind them of three things. First, the event at Gatwick airport was a deliberate criminal act that can carry a sentence of life imprisonment. We can pass new laws until the cows come home, but that does not stop people breaking them, and the law is as tough as is necessary to punish the perpetrators of an attack such as this. Secondly, this was an entirely new type of challenge. It is noteworthy that, since the events at Gatwick, we have been approached by airports around the world for our advice on how to handle something similar. Thirdly, the issue was solved only by the smart and innovative use of new technology. For security reasons, I am not going to give the House details of how this was achieved, but I want to extend my thanks to the Ministry of Defence for moving rapidly to put a new kind of response into the field.

    There is no question but that lessons have to be learned from what happened at Gatwick. Passengers have to be able to travel without fear of their trips being disrupted by malicious drone use. Airports must be prepared to deal with incidents of this type, and the police need the proper powers to deal with drone offences. We must also be ready to harness the opportunities and benefits that the safe use of drones can bring. The measures I have announced today in response to the consultation will take us forward on that front, and I commend this statement to the House.

  • Sajid Javid – 2019 Statement on Migrant Crossings

    Below is the text of the speech made by Sajid Javid, the Home Secretary, in the House of Commons on 7 January 2019.

    With permission Mr Speaker, I would like to make a statement about the number of migrants trying to cross the English Channel in small boats and what the government is doing in response.

    But before that, I know the whole House will want to join me in sending our thoughts and prayers to those injured in the attack at Manchester’s Victoria station on New Year’s Eve and to all those affected by this cruel and senseless act.

    I would also like to thank the emergency services for their courageous response.

    Thankfully Mr Speaker there were no fatalities.

    And I am pleased to say that all three victims have now been discharged from hospital.

    Mr Speaker, let me now turn to the issue of English Channel migrant crossings.

    Over recent weeks, we saw a sharp increase in the number of migrants attempting to cross the Channel to the UK in small boats.

    Over 500 migrants – mostly Iranian – attempted to travel to the UK on small vessels in 2018.

    80% of them attempted this in the last three months of the year.

    Around 40% of the attempts were either disrupted by French law enforcement or returned to France via French agencies.

    Since 1 January, a further 25 have attempted to cross the Channel but they were disrupted.

    In addition, just this morning, a dinghy was discovered along the Kent coast.

    A number of individuals are now going through UK immigration procedures and 1 person has been arrested.

    Mr Deputy Speaker, I’m sure the House will want to join me in thanking all the law enforcement agencies and all those involved in the response for their tireless efforts over Christmas and the new year.

    This includes: Border Force, Immigration Enforcement, the Coastguard, the National Crime Agency, and the RNLI many of whom I met in Dover last week.

    I would also like to thank our French law enforcement partners for their efforts to date which have been collaborative, swift and thorough.

    The English Channel contains some of the busiest shipping lanes in the world the weather conditions are often treacherous and the inflatable boats that are being used are woefully ill-equipped to make such dangerous journeys.

    The migrants who choose to make the trip are putting their lives in grave danger and can, at times, also create dangerous situations for our rescue services.

    The reasons behind the increased crossings are diverse – and in many cases, are outside of our control.

    First, instability in the regions such as the Middle East and North Africa are driving people out of their homes in search of better lives in Europe.

    Second, organised crime groups are preying on and profiting from these vulnerable and often desperate people.

    They are falsely promising them safe crossings to the UK – even though the journey is one of the most hazardous and the most dangerous possible.

    Third, strengthened security at the French / UK border has meant it has become increasingly difficult for stowaways to illegally enter the UK in trucks and cars leading to more reckless attempts by boat.

    I have been very clear that robust action is needed to protect people, our borders and to deter illegal migration.

    Over the festive period, I took the decision to declare the situation a ‘Major Incident’.

    I appointed a dedicated Gold Command and I stepped up the UK’s response.

    As part of joint action agreed with the French, I have ordered two UK Border Force boats to be redeployed from overseas to patrol the Channel.

    This is in addition to the two already undertaking enhanced patrols in these waters.

    This will mean 4 Border Force Cutters in total.

    And this is in addition to the 2 Coastal Patrol Vessels currently operating and aerial surveillance of the area.

    Last week, I also requested additional help from the Ministry of Defence while we await the return of the 2 boats currently overseas.

    I am grateful that the Royal Navy has kindly offered the use of HMS Mersey which started patrols on Friday.

    I am also continuing to discuss with the French, what more they can do to stop people from attempting to make these crossings from France in the first place.

    I welcome the action plan that the French have outlined just this Friday which includes a commitment to increased surveillance and security in maritime areas prevention campaigns in French coastal areas to stop people from setting off in the boats in the first place and a reinforced fight against smuggling gangs.

    I’m also pleased to say that The National Crime Agency has also redoubled its efforts.

    Last week, two men were arrested on suspicion of the illegal movement of migrants.

    In addition, we’re doing important work in the home countries of the would be migrants to reduce factors which compel them to make these dangerous journeys in the first place.

    For example, we’re helping to create jobs, to build infrastructure, tackling modern slavery, providing education and delivering life-saving humanitarian assistance in response to conflicts and natural disasters.

    We’re also doing important work to undermine organised crime groups and we’ve committed £2.7 billion to the humanitarian response in Syria making us the second biggest unilateral donor to the region.

    We are also on track to resettle 20,000 refugees fleeing the conflict in Syria by 2020 as well as up to 3,000 of the most vulnerable people from the Middle East and North Africa, including children at risk of exploitation and abuse.

    In 2017, the UK resettled more refugees under national resettlement programmes than any other EU state.

    Let me reassure the House that I am continuing to monitor the issue of Channel crossings daily.

    Rt Hon and Hon Members will know that these crossings have also provoked a debate.

    But I’m not afraid to say that I think there are some legitimate questions that need to be asked.

    Why, for instance, are so many people choosing to cross the Channel from France to the UK when France itself is a safe country?

    The widely accepted international principle is that those seeking asylum should claim it in the first safe country that they reach – be that France or elsewhere.

    Indeed, many asylum seekers do just this.

    Domestic legislation from 2004 clearly states that if an individual travels through a safe third country and fails to claim asylum, it will be taken into account in assessing the credibility of their claim.

    Following these recent events, I have instructed my officials to look at how we can tighten this further and ensure these provisions are working effectively.

    Mr Deputy Speaker, Britain has a proud tradition of welcoming and protecting asylum seekers.

    We also have a long history of accepting economic migrants too – people like my very own parents.

    But all these routes need to be safe and they need to be controlled.

    Getting in a rubber dinghy is not.

    That is why I will not accept these Channel crossings as just a matter of a fact of life.

    Safeguarding lives and protecting the UK border are crucial Home Office priorities.

    And while we have obligations to genuine asylum seekers and we will uphold we will not standby and allow reckless criminals to take advantage of vulnerable people.

    Encouraging people to dangerously cross the Channel to come here is not an act of compassion.

    So I will continue to do all I can to stop these dangerous crossings.

    I commend this statement to the House.