Aside from the usual internal meetings, it was good to talk again in the Chamber during the final stages of the government’s Business Rates Bill, where we considered the amendments put forward by the House of Lords. Once past these final stages and given Royal Assent, this law will provide certainty by introducing a permanent tax cut for retail, hospitality & leisure properties to bake-in relief for the long-term.
Our high streets are more than just a place to do business, they are the backbone of communities across Britain; which is why the measures in this Bill taken together will mean that more than 1 million business properties will be protected from any inflationary increases next year.
It was great to be in East Anglia on Thursday, spending the morning in Ipswich and the afternoon in Norwich. Met with local and county council leads about the Devolution priority programme, given our plans to devolve powers and funding to Suffolk and Norfolk.
While there, it was great to meet students and see world-leading tech at the DigiTech Centre at BT’s Adastral Park in Martlesham; and also tour of Norwich Castle, a beautiful site which is a real asset to the City.
Took part in a Statutory Instrument debate on proposed changes to elections in local authorities. It is very important we are clear on what the effects are of our plans are so that concerns raised MPs can be addressed. We have been clear on our manifesto commitment to widen and deepen devolution across England, and we have moved at pace to realise the benefits of devolution to more people in more places. We are creating simpler and more clear local government structures alongside transferring power out of Westminster and to communities.
While doing so only when a high bar has been met, we have allowed for some local authorities to postpone elections so that we can help to smooth the transition process and deliver the benefits of Mayoral devolution, supported by strong and stable local government reorganisation, as quickly as possible
The Chancellor gave the government’s Spring Statement to the Commons in Wednesday, one of the two main fiscal events of the year, which set out the government’s plans in response to updated economic forecasts, which showed growth increasing year on year for this Parliament, driven in part of our work to end the housing crisis which has resulted in the highest level of housebuilding in 40 years.
Our Plan for Change is working. Real wages are up, with the National Living Wage rising by £1400. NHS spending is up, with waiting lists falling for the last 5 months in a row. Spending on education is up, with our free breakfast club programme for every primary school ready to be rolled out next month. The Employment Rights Bill is on its way to becoming law, with a once in a generation reform to rights at work to ban fire-and rehire, strengthen sick pay, and end exploitative zero-hour contracts. A local transport revolution is taking place, with the integration of Bee Network ticketing, renationalisation of rail, and an almost £1.7 billion boost for local buses, roads and trams in the North this year.
This is the change we promised and every single one of the policies were pushed through by Labour while being opposed by the Tories and Reform. In an era of global change, we will deliver security for working people and renewal for our country.
And now a later than usual return back to Oldham covering call duty rota for the Friday sitting Private Members Bills….
Jim McMahon OBE MP 