Britain is a nation of animal lovers, and so it’s great news that the Government has announced a cap on vet prescription fees.

It’s a simple change, but one that will make a real difference, helping people manage the cost of caring for their pets with a £21 prescription cap.

I’ve always had dogs around growing up and our house wouldn’t be the same without Alfie now, but I also know the worry when they become unwell.

This change comes alongside our flagship Renters’ Right Act which means from May this year tenants will get the right to request a pet. It’s not right that responsible pet owners are forced to choose between a roof over their head and keeping the pet they love.

I’ll keep pushing to make sure this is delivered properly and that pet owners here in our borough see the benefit.

A good final week in Westminster before the Easter recess, here’s a snapshot of what I’ve been up to:

𝗠𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗳𝗶𝘁 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗱𝗶𝘁 𝘂𝗻𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀

The government’s commitment to credit unions and fair access to finance will help millions across our country, I am really pleased to see this. This commitment is only possible thanks to such a strong co-op party presence in this government, Labour’s sister party which I am proud to Chair.

𝗜𝗻 𝗜𝗿𝗲𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗕𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝘀𝗵-𝗜𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗵 𝗣𝗮𝗿𝗹𝗶𝗮𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝗔𝘀𝘀𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗹𝘆

Backbench MPs contribute to representing the UK Parliament on a range of bodies, and I’m pleased to have been nominated to sit on the British-Irish Parliamentary Assembly. This meant the week began on Sunday in County Kerry, Ireland for the 68th plenary meeting in Tralee . It was good to discuss a range of issues which affect both our nations and we can learn from each other on such as Votes at 16, growth of the co-operative sector, and the war in the Middle East.

𝗣𝘂𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗯𝗶𝗿𝘁𝗵 𝗿𝗲𝗴𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻

Following a meeting at one of my regular advice surgeries I am supporting the calls of constituents Cassie & Ryan Claydon for parents of stillborn babies to be able register remotely, as they can already in Scotland. it was encouraging to hear in response to my question to the Leader of the House about this that the General Register Office is considering options for registering births and deaths over the telephone or online to minimise the burden on bereaved families.

𝗩𝗶𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗺𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗖𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘁𝘀 𝗕𝗶𝗹𝗹

Members voted on Lords amendments to our Victims & Courts Bill as it reaches its final stages of the legislative process in Parliament before becoming law. The changes in this bill will put victims at the heart of the justice system by forcing criminals to attend sentencing hearings, as well as protecting survivors of rape & abuse through restricting parental rights for child sex offenders and strengthening the Victims’ Commissioner’s power to hold agencies accountable.

𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗕𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗻 𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗼 𝗰𝗼-𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗵𝗼𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴

Great to join my friend Angela Rayner as the Co-op party launched our latest report ‘Yes In Our Backyard, which celebrates the role of community-led housing in delivering not just houses but real homes. From one end of the country to the other, communities are building their own answers to the housing crisis.

𝐌𝐢𝐥𝐞𝐬 𝐛𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫!

This week I also received news that our campaign to update the HMRC mileage rates had been heard by the Treasury, who have now committed to reviewing the 15 year old 45p rate to bring it up to date. With the work of Unison and RAC Foundation it’s a win to chalk up and I’m hopeful we’ll get a good result.

We are now in Easter recess. I’d like to wish all Christian constituents a wonderful Easter.

Great to be at the opening of our brand-new market hall in the heart of the town, a proud day for Oldham & a major milestone in the regeneration of our town centre.

The heart of a market is its people, it’s the stallholders and customers who make it what it is, and they were out in force today.

After the time preparing to make and what was for many an emotional few days moving across there was an air of anticipation as the doors opened.

Please do visit, shop and sing its praises, we all need to back it to thrive.

Head to my Facebook page to see a few photos from this morning I managed to get along the way…

One of the most important responsibilities of an MP is to hold advice surgeries to hear directly what issues are affecting local constituents and organisations, and to talk through more complex casework where face to face is better than email.

We support over 8,000 cases a year thanks to my fantastic team, most of which we can deal with quicker there and then by email or telephone, but where it needs my direct intervention such as raising an issue in parliament or supporting a local project or campaign I like to be involved personally.

A big thank you to those who came along this week to discuss a wide range of issues including road safety, youth provision and more. Most advice surgeries are understandably confidential but I’ll follow up a couple of the issues raised with separate posts in the coming week to share some public campaigns wider.

If you need help or advice please email me at jim.mcmahon.mp@parliament.uk

Cassie and Ryan Claydon suffered the loss of their unborn child Matilda at 36 weeks, and want to see a simple but important change in the law to help others.

Like every parent in England and Wales who goes through that trauma, they were required to attend the Registrar’s Office in person to register the stillbirth, sitting in a waiting room with new parents and babies, making the grief even harder than it needed to be.

I am supporting their calls for parents of stillborn babies to be able register remotely, as they can already in Scotland.

It was encouraging to hear from the Leader of the House that the General Register Office is considering options for registering births and deaths over the telephone or online to minimise the burden on bereaved families.

Being able to take a campaign from a constituency advice surgery to the floor of the House of Commons is one of the most important duties of an MP, and I commend Cassie and Ryan’s determination in leading this campaign, and if you’d like to sign their petition, head to https://www.change.org/p/allow-online-death-registrations-in-england?recruiter=1396436291&recruited_by_id=619a1cd0-cafa-11f0-a2e2-49746759b744&utm_source=share_petition&utm_campaign=share_petition&utm_term=petition_dashboard&utm_medium=copylink&utm_content=cl_sharecopy_490902043_en-GB%3A4&share_id=4wmzVBWYL4&fbclid=IwY2xjawQzidZleHRuA2FlbQIxMABzcnRjBmFwcF9pZA81MTQ3NzE1NjkyMjgwNjEAAR6zcXSlBmiUTgZsb9n-WHaBr__V1_lVlUfLEGLLSirC09e77cGzooAprRtBqw_aem_SA2idEZFVM8P16_1V4GQrQ

Positive news that the government has agreed to review HMRC’s outdated mileage rates ahead of the next budget. Long overdue after *15 years* of inaction by the previous government!

Working people shouldn’t have to pay to drive for work, it hits social care workers especially hard, taking some well below the living wage as they pay out of their own pocket to get to and from home visits. This affects millions including the self employed.

𝐂𝐀𝐌𝐏𝐀𝐈𝐆𝐍 𝐖𝐈𝐍

Thanks to Unison, the RAC Foundation & The Mirror for keeping the pressure on with support in my Parliamentary interventions, letters to relevant ministers, and with my Op-ed and supporting article in The Mirror.

The old 45p a mile rate set in 2015 no way reflects the true cost of running a car or van today, with some estimates placing it at 67p, and that was before the recent spike in petrol prices.

Given the ongoing cost of living crisis, and the sudden rise in oil prices following the recent escalation of conflict in the Middle East, it’s only right that mileage rates reflect the real costs people are facing every day.

Head to the link in the comments to see more

Call out the selfish dumpers.

Not a week goes by that there isn’t a mountain of household, commercial and builders waste ruining our borough. Added to the routine littering it is making our country lanes, parks and open spaces dumping grounds, its not okay and its honestly baffling that some believe its normal behaviour.

Here’s what’s proposed by the Labour government…

𝟮𝟬 𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝘀𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗶𝗰𝗲 for fly-tippers to pick up their own rubbish

Fines of 𝘂𝗽 𝘁𝗼 £𝟯𝟬𝟬

Potential for criminals to be 𝗯𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗱 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗱𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴

And locally the council…

Relaunched 𝗗𝗼𝗻’𝘁 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝘀𝗵 𝗢𝗹𝗱𝗵𝗮𝗺 𝗰𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗶𝗴𝗻 𝗻𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 of Oldham West, Chadderton & Royton

These new proposals from this Labour government are badly needed. Too many of our countryside areas are being used as dumping grounds by rogue developers, landlords, and illegal waste firms. This crackdown is a vital step to tackle fly-tipping and protect our communities.

It is selfish, harms residents’ quality of life, and leaves taxpayers to pick up the bill. The message is clear: dump rubbish and you will be caught, made to join clean up efforts, and pay the price.