This week in Parliament

Another good week down in Westminster, with debates, votes and raising questions on the issues people raise with me most often locally.

𝗗𝗲𝗯𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘃𝗼𝘁𝗲𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗞𝗶𝗻𝗴’𝘀 𝗦𝗽𝗲𝗲𝗰𝗵

Parliament debated the Government’s plans for the year ahead following the King’s Speech last week. The focus now has to be delivery, people need to see real improvements in living standards, public services and confidence in the future.

𝗧𝗮𝗰𝗸𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗵𝗶𝗴𝗵 𝗰𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗰𝗮𝗿 𝗶𝗻𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲

I raised the issue of soaring car insurance costs with ministers. Too many people in Oldham and Greater Manchester feel they’re being penalised simply because of where they live. For working people already stretched, these increases are becoming impossible to absorb.

𝗠𝗶𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀 𝗰𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗶𝗴𝗻 𝘄𝗶𝗻

There was positive movement this week on HMRC mileage rates, with the Chancellor confirming an increase from 45p to 55p per mile ahead of the completion of the wider review. This follows sustained campaigning alongside Unison and will make a real difference for carers, frontline workers and self-employed people who rely on their car for work.

𝗔 𝗕𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝘁𝗼 𝗡𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘀𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗲𝗹 𝗜𝗻𝗱𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗿𝘆

Members voted on the Steel Industry Bill. Steel matters for jobs, national resilience and Britain’s industrial future. After years of decline and uncertainty, the industry needs long-term backing, not short-term sticking plasters.

𝗗𝗮𝘁𝗮 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝘄𝘀 𝗺𝗶𝗴𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗳𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘀 𝗮𝗴𝗮𝗶𝗻

New figures this week showed net migration falling again. The system has needed reform for a long time with stronger enforcement, proper workforce planning and a focus on skills and training here at home.

𝗕𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘁 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗣𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗠𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗕𝗶𝗹𝗹𝘀

Sadly my name didn’t come out in the Private Members’ Bill ballot this time round. It’s naturally disappointing, but there are still plenty of ways to push campaigns and legislation forward through Parliament.

𝗢𝘂𝗿 𝘀𝘂𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗿 𝘀𝗮𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝘄𝗮𝘆

The Government announced a new summer support package for hospitality, tourism and attractions. These sectors employ huge numbers of people and are vital to local economies, but many businesses are still feeling the effects of rising costs and changing consumer habits. Measures includes reductions of VAT from 20% to 5% on children’s menus, concerts, amusement parks, and much more

𝗠𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗹𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘀𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁

Extension of the 5p cut in fuel duty for the rest of the year, free buses over the summer for children aged 5-15, and a 12-month road tax holiday for HGVs are just some of the action taken this week by the Chancellor to ease cost of living pressures working people face. We can do this because thanks to our economic plan growth has been higher than forecast, borrowing is down, and now inflation is falling further than expected.

𝗖𝗼-𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁𝘆 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗹𝗶𝗮𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝗺𝗲𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴

Another great meeting of the Co-op Parliamentary Group this week discussing progress in landing our key campaigns including double the size of the co-operative economy, with a discussion on areas like agriculture. It was also great to finish the week having news that both Co-op Group and Our Co-op have voted to maintain their support for the Co-op Party.

Time to head back up North for meetings with local people and stakeholders in Oldham. As always, if there’s an issue affecting you locally, please get in touch at jim.mcmahon.mp@parliament.uk.