Since report publication in July 2018, the immigration system in the UK has undergone significant reforms, in addition to leaving the European Union, the covid-19 pandemic had a major impact on immigration.
The Scottish Secretary points out in his response that non-EEA work visa applications are back to pre-pandemic levels, and EEA work visas have been increasing since the end of EU free movement.
At the time of publishing its report – July 2018 – the Committee raised concern that the points-based immigration system was complicated and bureaucratic.
In the Scottish Secretary’s response, he states that reforms are ongoing to streamline and simplify the system. He also offers an update on the latest quarterly statistics on EU immigration, showing that as of 31 December 2021, more than six million EU nationals and their families have been granted status under the EU Settlement Scheme, of which nearly 300,000 are in Scotland.
Scottish Affairs Committee Chair, Pete Wishart MP, said: “I am pleased that our Committee has finally received the Government’s response to the predecessor Committee’s report on immigration.
“However, such a delayed response has made it almost impossible for the Committee to track and scrutinise the impact immigration reforms are having on the people of Scotland.
“The predecessor Committee, which I chaired, would no doubt be disappointed that the Government response failed to address recommendations that could have benefited Scotland.
“This includes helping to tailor the immigration system to the needs of Scotland, such as through a Scotland specific shortage occupation list.”
Over 347,000 unemployed people on benefits have found work in just four months through the government’s Way to Work campaign – an ambitious national push to get half a million more people into jobs by the end of June.
new figures show 347,000 people have moved into work since January – thanks to a government-backed drive to fill vacancies
with one month to go until the campaign ends, the government is calling on UK employers to join forces with Jobcentres to help more people find work
alongside vital job support to lift incomes, the new £15 billion package to help with the cost of living will help millions of households
The Prime Minister and Work and Pensions Secretary haveurged employers of all sizes to use the free recruitment support from their local Jobcentre to help fill the record number of vacancies in the jobs market and support the continued economic recovery by getting people into work.
Since January, DWP jobcentres across the UK have been ramping up operations with weekly jobs fairs – bringing employers in for face-to-face appointments and offering jobs on the spot to thousands of people.
Jobseekers walking away with roles have also secured an income, with those getting full time work set to be thousands of pounds better off than if they were on benefits. Helping households improve their finances and manage current cost of living pressures is a key priority for the government, with a £15 billion package announced on Thursday to support almost all of the eight million most vulnerable households across the UK.
On a visit to the North East of England, the Prime Minister and Work and Pensions Secretary Therese Coffey visited CityFibre, a new employer to the Way to Work campaign who have already benefitted from 200 new recruits from around the UK, hired through their local Jobcentres.
During the visit, they also met local employees who have secured skilled jobs as a result of the campaign and the support of their local Jobcentre.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson said: ““I was only ten years old when unemployment was last this low.
“But with a vast number of vacancies in the jobs market, it is more critical than ever to access the huge pool of untapped talent in towns and cities right across the country, which is why I am thrilled with the progress we have made with the Way to Work scheme.”
Secretary of State for Work and Pensions Thérèse Coffey said: “Unemployment is at its lowest since the 1970s with full time workers across the UK £6000 better off than if they were on benefits.
“And there are still vacancies to fill. That’s why our jobcentres are helping employers short circuit the recruitment process so they can get talent in fast.
“So, if you’re hiring, make the most of the help on offer from us.”
Greg Mesch, Chief Executive at CityFibre said: “CityFibre is rolling out the UK’s finest digital infrastructure to millions of homes and businesses nationwide. To build these new Full Fibre networks, we’re creating thousands of new network construction jobs and providing industry training to those that need it.
“We and our construction partners are working closely with DWP nationally, and local Jobcentres, by engaging with schemes like Way to Work. We look forward to increasing our involvement in the future.”
Alongside vital job support to help jobseekers secure an income, the new £15 billion cost of living support package will help almost all of the eight million most vulnerable households across the UK as they are set to receive help of at least £1,200 this year, including a new one-off £650 cost of living payment.
The government has also announced a £500 million increase for the Household Support Fund, delivered by local authorities, extending it to March 2023. This brings the total Household Support Fund to £1.5 billion.
To find out more about how DWP can help fill vacancies with quality candidates, please visit the Way to Work page on GOV.UK
A trickle of Tory MPs have submitted letters of no confidence in Boris Johnson following the publication of the Sue Gray report.
Unless that trickle becomes a flood over the weekend as MPs attend constituency surgeries it appears Johnson has got away with it. Again.
Madam Deputy Speaker, The high inflation we are experiencing now is causing acute distress for the people of this country. I know they are worried, I know people are struggling. I want to explain what is happening, why it is happening, and what we propose to do about it.
I trust the British people, and I know they understand no government can solve every problem, particularly the complex and global challenge of inflation.
But this government will never stop trying to help people, to fix problems where we can, to do what is right – as we did throughout the pandemic.
We need to make sure that for those whom the struggle is too hard…and for whom the risks are too great…they are supported.
This government will not sit idly by whilst there is a risk that some in our country might be set so far back… they might never recover.
This is simply unacceptable. I will never allow that happen.
And I want to reassure everybody – we will get through this.
We have the tools and the determination we need to combat and reduce inflation.
We will make sure the most vulnerable and the least well off get the support they need at this time of difficulty.
And we will turn this moment of difficulty into a springboard for economic renewal and growth.
With more jobs, higher skills, greater investment – our plan for a stronger economy.
Madam Deputy Speaker, Before I turn to the details of our plan, let me put into context for the House, the challenge we face.
This country is now experiencing the highest rate of inflation we have seen for forty years.
The Bank of England expect inflation to average around 9% this year.
Our exposure to global shocks continues to explain most of the inflation above the 2% target.
Supply chain disruption as the world reopened from Covid…
…combined with Russia’s invasion of Ukraine…
…and potentially exacerbated by recent lockdowns in China…
…are all contributing to significant price increases for goods and energy.
However, over the course of this year, the situation has evolved and has become more serious.
There are areas of particular concern.
Even excluding energy and food, core inflation has become broader based and elevated.
Of the basket of goods and services we use to measure inflation, a record proportion are seeing above average price increases.
Also, we are acutely exposed to the European energy price shock and, like the US, we have a tight labour market.
Make no mistake – the lowest unemployment in almost 50 years, just months after averting a jobs crisis during the pandemic, is good news.
But combined with the shock to European energy prices, it does contribute to the UK’s relatively high rate of inflation.
And lastly, as the Bank have noted, longer-term inflation expectations have risen above their historical averages, by more than they are in the US and Europe.
We cannot and must not allow short term inflationary pressures to lead people to expect that high inflation will continue over the long term.
Because Madam Deputy Speaker
We can get inflation under control.
It is not some abstract force outside our grasp.
It may take time, but we have the tools we need and the resolve it will take to reduce inflation.
Madam Deputy Speaker,
We have three specific tools available to combat and reduce inflation – and we are using them all.
Independent monetary policy. Fiscal responsibility. And supply side activism.
First, our primary tool is a strong, independent monetary policy.
Since control of monetary policy was taken out of the hands of politicians 25 years ago, inflation has averaged precisely 2%.
It is right the Bank of England are independent.
And I know the Governor and his team will take decisive action to get inflation back on target and ensure inflation expectations remain firmly anchored.
Second, we need responsible fiscal policy.
That means providing fiscal support where required but not making the situation unnecessarily worse…causing inflation, interest, and mortgage rates to go up further than they otherwise would.
Excessively adding fiscal stimulus into a supply constrained economy…
…especially one in which households and businesses have built up over £300 billion of excess savings…
…risks being counterproductive and increasing inflationary pressures.
In other words, fiscal support should be timely, targeted, and temporary.
Timely, because we need to help people when the shock is at its worst.
Targeted, because unconstrained stimulus will make the problem worse.
And temporary, because if we do not meet our fiscal rules, and ensure the public finances are resilient in the longer run…
…we create even greater risks on inflation, interest rates, and the trend rate of economic growth.
And third, we are taking an activist approach to supply side reforms.
This will increase our productive capacity, ease inflationary pressures, and raise our long-term growth potential.
The PM’s energy security strategy will, over time, reduce bills by increasing energy supply and improving energy efficiency.
The W&P Secretary is moving half a million jobseekers off welfare and into work…
…and doing more to support older people back into the jobs market.
The Home Secretary is making our visa regime for high-skilled migrants one of the most competitive in the world.
And, in the autumn, we will bring forward tax cuts and reforms to encourage businesses to invest more, train more, and innovate more – the path to higher growth.
So, independent monetary policy.
Fiscal responsibility.
Supply side reform.
The country should have confidence, that using these three tools…
…we will combat inflation – and reduce it over time.
But of course, we know that households are being hit hard, right now.
So today, Madam Deputy Speaker, we will provide significant support to the British people.
But as I have said, a critical part of how we are dealing with inflation is responsible fiscal policy.
What this means in practical terms is that as we support people more, we need to think about the fairest way to fund as much of that cost as possible.
The oil and gas sector is making extraordinary profits.
Not as the result of recent changes to risk taking or innovation or efficiency.
But as the result of surging global commodity prices – driven in part by Russia’s war.
And for that reason, I am sympathetic to the argument to tax those profits fairly.
But as ever, there is a sensible middle ground.
We should not be ideological about this…we should be pragmatic.
It is possible to both tax extraordinary profits fairly…and incentivise investment.
And so, like previous governments, including Conservative ones – we will introduce a temporary, targeted, Energy Profits Levy.
But, we have built into the new Levy a new Investment Allowance, similar to the super-deduction…
…that means companies will have a new and significant incentive to reinvest their profits.
The new Levy will be charged on profits of oil and gas companies at a rate of 25%.
It will be temporary, and when oil and gas prices return to historically more normal levels, the Levy will be phased out – and with a sunset clause written into the legislation.
And, crucially, with our new investment allowance, we are nearly doubling the overall investment relief for oil and gas companies.
This means that, for every £1 a company invests, they’ll get back 90 per cent in tax relief.
So the more a company invests, the less tax they will pay.
And we understand that certain parts of the electricity generation sector are also making extraordinary profits.
The reason for this is the way our market works.
The price electricity generators are paid is linked not to the costs they incur in providing that electricity…but rather to the price of natural gas – which is extraordinarily high right now.
Other countries like France, Italy, Spain and Greece have already taken measures to correct this.
As set out in the Energy Security Strategy, we are consulting with the power generation sector and investors…
…to drive forward energy market reforms and ensure that the price paid for electricity is more reflective of the costs of production.
Those reforms will take time to implement.
So, in the meantime, we are urgently evaluating the scale of these extraordinary profits…and the appropriate steps to take.
So, Madam Deputy Speaker,
Our Energy Profits Levy will encourage investment, not deter it.
It raises around £5bn revenue over the next year so that we can help families with the cost of living.
And it avoids having to increase our debt burden further.
Because there is nothing noble in burdening future generations with ever more debt to pay…
…because politicians of the day were too weak to make the tough decisions.
Madam Deputy Speaker,
I know the whole House will agree we have a responsibility to help those who…
…through no fault of their own…
…are paying the highest price for the inflation we face.
To help with the cost of living, we are going to provide significant, targeted support to millions of the most vulnerable people in our society:
Those on the lowest incomes, pensioners, and disabled people.
First, people on the lowest incomes.
Over eight million households already have incomes low enough for the state to be supporting their cost of living through the welfare system.
They could be temporarily unemployed and looking for work.
Unable to work because of long-term sickness or disability.
Or on low pay and using benefits to top up their wages.
Right now, they face incredibly difficult choices.
So, I can announce today we will send, directly to around eight million of the lowest income households, a one-off Cost of Living Payment of £650.
Support worth over £5bn to give vulnerable people certainty that we are standing by them at this challenging time.
DWP will make the payment in two lump sums – the first from July, the second in autumn, with payments from HMRC for those on Tax Credits, following shortly after.
There is no need for people to fill out complicated forms or bureaucracy – we will send the payment straight into their bank accounts.
Our policy will benefit over eight million households in receipt of means-tested benefits, from July.
Uprating, in that time frame, could only be done for those on Universal Credit.
And our policy will provide a larger average payment this year of £650.
Whereas uprating the same benefits by 9% would only be worth, on average, £530.
There are two further groups who will need targeted extra support.
Many pensioners are disproportionately impacted by higher energy costs.
They can’t always increase their incomes through work.
And, because they spend more time at home, and are more vulnerable, they often need to keep the heating on for longer.
And we estimate many people who are eligible for Pension Credit are not currently claiming it…
…which means there will be many vulnerable pensioners not receiving means-tested benefits.
So, I can announce today that, from the autumn, we will send over eight million pensioner households who receive the Winter Fuel Payment – an extra, one-off Pensioner Cost of Living Payment of £300.
Disabled people also face extra costs in their day-to-day lives – like having energy-intensive equipment around the home or workplace.
So, to help the 6 million people who receive non-means tested disability benefits, we will send them, from September…
…an extra, one-off Disability Cost of Living Payment, worth £150.
Many disabled people will also receive the payment of £650 I have already announced, taking their total cost of living payments to £800.
And I can reassure the House that next year, subject to the Secretary of State’s review, benefits will be uprated by this September’s CPI…
…which, on current forecasts, is likely to be significantly higher than the forecast inflation rate for next year.
Similarly, the triple lock will apply for the state pension.
Of course, we recognise the risk that, as with any policy, there may be small numbers of people who fall between the cracks.
For example, it is not possible right now for DWP or HMRC to identify people on Housing Benefit who are not also claiming other benefits.
So, to support them and others, we will extend the Household Support Fund, delivered by Local Authorities, by £500m from October.
This is a significant set of interventions to support the most vulnerable in our country.
We will legislate to deliver this support on the same terms in every part of the United Kingdom – including Northern Ireland.
And, taken together, our direct cash payments, will help one third of all UK households with the cost of living, support worth over £9bn.
So, Madam Deputy Speaker,
We are meeting our responsibility to provide the most help to those on the lowest incomes.
I believe that is fair and I’m confident the House would agree.
But there are many other families who do not require state support in normal times.
They are also facing challenging times.
Is it fair to leave them unsupported?
The answer must surely be no.
While it is impossible for any government to solve every problem, we can and will ease the burden as we help the entire country through the worst of this crisis.
So, we will provide more support with the rising cost of energy – and that support will be universal.
Earlier this year, we announced £9bn to help with the cost of energy.
Including a Council Tax rebate of £150 for tens of millions of households.
And we plan to provide all households with £200 off their energy bills from October, with the cost of that repaid over the following five years.
Since then, the outlook for energy prices has changed.
I’ve heard people’s concerns about the impact of these repayments on future bills.
So I have decided that those repayments will be cancelled.
So, for the avoidance of doubt, this support is unambiguously a grant.
And furthermore, I have decided that the £200 of support for household energy bills will be doubled to £400 for everyone.
We’re on the side of hard-working families, with £6bn of financial support.
So, Madam Deputy Speaker,
To summarise:
Our strategy is to combat and reduce inflation over time through independent monetary policy, fiscal responsibility, and supply side activism.
We are raising emergency funds to help millions of the most vulnerable families who are struggling right now.
And all households will benefit from universal support for energy bills of £400 – with not a penny to repay.
In total, the measures I’ve announced today provide support worth £15bn.
Combined with the plans we’ve already announced…that means we are supporting families with the cost of living to the tune of £37bn or 1.5% of GDP.
That’s higher or similar to countries like France, Germany, and Italy.
And I’m proud to say that around three quarters of the total support will go to vulnerable households.
As a result of the measures we’ve announced today, and the action we’ve already taken this year:
The vast majority of households will receive £550.
Pensioners will receive £850.
And almost all of the eight million most vulnerable households in the country will, in total, receive support of at least £1,200.
Let me put this into context.
The House will have noted the news from Ofgem earlier this week.
They currently expect the energy price cap to rise in October to £2,800.
That’s an average increase in people’s bills this year of just under £1,200.
The same amount our policies will provide for the most vulnerable this year.
I know there are other pressures.
I am not trying to claim we have solved the entire problem for everyone.
No government could.
But I hope that when people hear the significant steps we are taking…
…the millions we are helping…
…they will feel some of the burden eased, some of the pressures lifted.
And they will know, this Government is standing by them.
And Madam Deputy Speaker in conclusion,
Supporting people with the cost of living is only one part of our plan for a stronger economy…
…A plan that is creating more jobs…
…Cutting taxes for working people…
…Reducing our borrowing and debt…
…Driving businesses to invest and innovate more…
…unleashing a skills revolution…
…Seizing the benefits of Brexit…
…And levelling up growth in all parts of the United Kingdom.
The British people can trust this government because we have a plan for a stronger economy and I commend this Statement to the House.
Government blocks evidence session with Cabinet Secretary
The Government have blocked the Cabinet Secretary, Simon Case, and Government ethics chief, Darren Tierney, from appearing before the Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee on Tuesday 24 May.
The session was confirmed several weeks ago as part of the Committee’s inquiry into the propriety of governance in light of Greensill. It was due to discuss the management of conflicts of interest and unregulated appointments in the Civil Service, the Downing Street parties and the recent announcement on the Government’s intention to reduce the size of the Civil Service by almost 100,000 jobs.
The Committee has been told by officials that ministerial approval for the Cabinet Secretary to give evidence on Tuesday has been pulled. The session will not take place on 24 May and has been rescheduled for the 28 June.
Chair of PACAC William Wragg MP said: “The session with the Cabinet Secretary was an important one considering the number of propriety and ethics issues on the agenda. We had also hoped to get clarity on the Government’s plans for civil service reform, public scrutiny of which was much needed after they were briefed to the press last weekend.
“The intervention to pull the session at such short notice evades timely parliamentary scrutiny of these plans and puts government transparency in a poor light.”
Tens of thousands of British Sign Language (BSL) users are anticipating a momentous day today as a Bill that will see BSL become a recognised language in Britain is expected to clear its final hurdle on the way to becoming law.
The British Sign Language Bill, a Private Member’s Bill introduced by Rosie Cooper MP last year and backed by the government, will receive its third reading in the House of Lords today before it passes into law following Royal Assent.
The BSL Act will recognise BSL as a language of England, Wales and Scotland in its own right. It is also supported by a duty on the Secretary of State for the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) to regularly report on what each relevant government department has done to promote or facilitate the use of British Sign Language in its communications with the public.
The Act further places a requirement on the DWP Secretary of State to issue guidance to departments on the promotion and facilitation of BSL. The guidance will be developed together with D/deaf BSL signers.
Minister for Disabled People, Health and Work Chloe Smith MP said: “Today is a momentous day and I truly hope it will transform the lives of D/deaf people across the country.
“The BSL Bill will help remove barriers faced by the D/deaf community in daily life and is a further welcome step towards a more inclusive and accessible society.
“I am so grateful to the efforts of Rosie Cooper MP and the wonderful campaigners who have brought the BSL Bill to the point of passing into law and I’m proud to have played a small part in its journey.”
Rosie Cooper MP said: “At long last, the Deaf community will be able to say that their language is legally recognised.
“Working across party lines and with the Deaf community, I really believe we have made history by creating a mechanism for Deaf people to achieve equal access to public services. Their voices will be heard loud and clear and there will be no excuse for failing to respect BSL as a language.
“The hard work doesn’t stop here however, but the door is now open for the Deaf community make real progress fixing the injustices that they continue to face.”
David Buxton, Chair of the British Deaf Association, said: “We are extremely pleased to see the UK Parliament finally vote to recognise British Sign Language as a language of Great Britain in law today, after 19 long years of campaigning.
“Today is a historic day for the Deaf community in the UK, and an inspiration for other countries around the world where the national sign language has not yet been recognised in law.
“The British Deaf Association looks forward to working hand in hand with the government and civil servants to implement and monitor the progress of the BSL Act 2022.
“While today is a day to celebrate, we are aware that this marks the first step on a long path towards providing truly equal access to public services, information and opportunities for Deaf BSL users in Great Britain.”
Mark Atkinson, Chief Executive at RNID, said: “RNID and our supporters join with the Deaf community today to celebrate this historic moment as British Sign Language passes the final hurdle before it is legally recognised in England, Wales and Scotland.
“We’re immensely proud to have worked alongside other deaf organisations and parliamentarians to support this campaign. We look forward to the BSL Bill getting Royal Assent soon and to working with the government to make sure the BSL Act makes a real difference to the lives of Deaf people in the UK.”
The Third Reading of the BSL Bill takes place today in the House of Lords and following this it will receive Royal Assent.
The BSL Bill was first introduced on 16 June 2021 and passed through the House of Commons on 17 March 2022, receiving unanimous cross-party support.
The Minister for Disabled People, Health and Work has worked closely with Labour MP Rosie Cooper and D/deaf people’s charities and organisations, such as the Royal National Institute for Deaf People (RNID) and the British Deaf Association (BDA), to ensure the Bill effectively meets the needs of those who will benefit most.
Figures from the British Deaf Association suggest that 151,000 people use BSL in the UK, 87,000 of whom are D/deaf.
Materials barred from high-risk buildings over 11 metres
Legislation to improve fire safety and boost Scotland’s Net Zero ambitions has been laid before the Scottish Parliament.
Under the legislation, developers will be banned from using combustible cladding on high-rise buildings. Since 2005, new cladding systems on high rise blocks of flats have either had to use non-combustible materials or pass a large-scale fire test.
The building standards legislation removes the option of a fire test, completely prohibiting such materials from use on domestic and other high-risk buildings, such as care homes and hospitals, above 11m.
The highest risk metal composite cladding material will be banned from any new building of any height, with replacement cladding also required to meet the new standards.
The legislation also includes improvements to energy performance standards, aiming to make buildings easier to heat while ensuring they are well ventilated and comfortable to live in.
Building Standards Minister Patrick Harvie said: “This is the third set of changes made to fire safety standards for cladding in Scotland since the tragic Grenfell Tower Fire, requiring any cladding on domestic or other high risk buildings above 11m to be strictly non-combustible.
“Taken together with our new fire alarms regulations, covering all homes in Scotland regardless of ownership, this is yet another step on the Scottish Government’s mission to minimise the risk of deaths and injuries from fire.
“The energy improvements will deliver another important step toward improved energy and emission performance of our buildings, and we’ll be going further on this in 2024 with regulations requiring new buildings to use zero-emissions heating systems.”
Changes to requirements on fire safety of cladding systems will be introduced on 1 June 2022, while improvements to energy and environmental standards will apply from 1 October 2022.
The changes have been brought in following public consultations in 2021 on the fire safety of cladding systems and on energy and environmental standards.
Supporting Technical Handbooks, which set out the full detail of changes, will be published from the start of May.
The combustible cladding ban will apply to all buildings with a storey 11m or more above the ground, and which contain:
a dwelling
a building used as a place of assembly
or as a place of entertainment or recreation
a hospital
a residential care building or sheltered housing complex or a shared multi-occupancy residential building.
MPs back TUC’s calls for asbestos removal from public buildings
On Thursday, MPs backed calls from the TUC for all asbestos to be removed from public and commercial buildings.
Westminster’s Work and Pensions Select Committee published a report from its inquiry into asbestos management in which it cites TUC calls for stronger asbestos removal.
Asbestos remains the biggest cause of work-related deaths in the UK according to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), with 5,000 deaths recorded in 2019. And Britain has the highest rates of mesothelioma cases in the world.
Asbestos is classed as carcinogenic, which means it can cause cancer and other serious lung conditions when fibres are inhaled.
According to figures from the HSE asbestos is still found in around 300,000 non-domestic buildings despite a ban on the use of the substance in new buildings in 1999.
Committee report
The new report by MPs cites concerns that the likely dramatic increase in retrofitting of buildings in response to net zero ambitions means that more asbestos-containing material will be disturbed in the coming decades.
The TUC says current asbestos management is not fit for purpose and has long called for new legislation requiring removal of all asbestos from public buildings.
Today MPs have called for a 40-year deadline to remove all asbestos from public and commercial buildings. The TUC welcomes the news but says a 40-year deadline is not ambitious enough.
The report also calls for more funding for the HSE to support this increased programme of work.
Asbestos dangers
There is no safe threshold of exposure to asbestos fibres – inhalation even of small quantities can lead to mesothelioma decades after exposure.
This means that where asbestos is still present, it is not safe to assume there will be no disturbances that put working people in danger.
The only way we will eradicate mesothelioma in Britain is with a legal duty to safely remove asbestos, and a clear timetable for its eradication. Only then can we ensure that future generations will not have to experience the same deadly epidemic from asbestos-related diseases that we suffer today.
TUC General Secretary Frances O’Grady said: “Everyone should be safe at work. Asbestos exposure at work continues to cause thousands of deaths every year. Asbestos is still with us in workplaces and public buildings across the country. As a result, more than 22 years after the use of asbestos was banned, hundreds of thousands of workers are still put at risk of exposure every day.
“The only way to protect today’s workers and future generations is through the safe removal of asbestos from all workplaces and public buildings.
“Today’s report by MPs is welcome, but a 40-year deadline isn’t ambitious enough: hundreds of thousands of workers risk dangerous exposure in that time. Ministers must commit to removing all asbestos to keep future generations safe.”
Westminster government steps up support for England’s social housing tenants
Sub-standard social landlords to be publicly shamed if failing to meet standards
Resident Panel will give tenants a voice to raise their complaints at the heart of government
Social housing reforms will transform the experiences of residents by tightening regulation and holding landlords to account
Measures will help ensure we meet target to half number of non-decent homes by 2030
The UK Government will “name and shame” failing social housing providers as part of major reforms to give residents a stronger voice and drive up standards.
Today’s move means social landlords providing sub-standard housing and services would be publicly called out on the government’s website and across social media channels.
Measures announced today also include a Resident Panel that will allow tenants who live in social housing to be heard directly by government. Around 250 social tenants from across England will be invited to share their experiences and help us ensure our reforms work to drive up standards.
As set out in the Social Housing White Paper, our reforms – due to be delivered through legislation – will transform the experiences of residents, with a major reform of the way in which social landlords are regulated and held to account for the homes and services they deliver.
The Westminster government has already set out a wide range of measures designed to drive up standards and fix a broken complaints system including by strengthening regulation of the sector, improving the Housing Ombudsman Service, and empowering residents to know and exercise their rights.
A package of measures announced today goes even further. It includes:
Publicising on social media where landlords have breached the Regulator’s consumer standards or where the Housing Ombudsman has made its most serious finding – severe maladministration – against them.
The launch of a Resident Panel, inviting residents to have their say on how to improve the quality of social housing. The Panel will allow residents to scrutinise and influence measures to strengthen the Decent Homes Standard, training and qualification for staff, a new Access to Information Scheme and other planned reforms.
Publishing draft clauses to legislation that will reform the regulation of social housing through tougher consumer powers, greater enforcement tools to tackle failing landlords and new responsibilities on social landlords.
A new factsheet explaining the role of the Regulator of Social Housing and Housing Ombudsman Service.
A single gov.uk page, setting out our progress on implementing the measures in the Social Housing White Paper and further measures being introduced to improve quality of social housing.
Minister for Social Housing Eddies Hughes MP said:“Everyone in this country deserves to live in a safe and decent home. It is unacceptable that anyone should have mould covering their walls, risk slipping on a wet floor or have water dripping from the ceiling.
“We have published draft legislation today to toughen up regulation of social housing landlords. This includes naming and shaming those landlords who fail to meet acceptable living standards and giving tenants a direct channel to raise their concerns with government.
“This package will help to deliver on our commitment in the Levelling Up White Paper to halve the number of non-decent rented homes by 2030.”
The UK Government’s ‘Make Things Right’ campaign helps residents raise complaints if they are unhappy with their landlord’s services and struggling to get problems resolved, with clear advice on how to progress issues to the Housing Ombudsman if necessary.
Adverts have run on digital and social media channels, as well as music streaming sites, to raise awareness of the complaints process and barriers to these being progressed.
Foreign Secretary Liz Truss updated the House of Commons on the situation in Ukraine and on the NATO and G7 Leaders meetings in Brussels last week:
With permission, I want to update the House, on behalf of my Rt Hon Friend the Prime Minister, on the NATO and G7 Leaders meetings in Brussels last week.
Together with our allies, we agreed to keep the pressure up on Putin to end his appalling war in Ukraine: through tougher sanctions to debilitate the Russian economy; supplying weapons to Ukraine and boosting NATO’s Eastern Flank; providing humanitarian aid and dealing with the wider consequences of this crisis; and supporting Ukraine in any negotiations they undertake.
Strength is the only thing Putin understands.
Our sanctions are pushing back the Russian economy by years.
We owe it to the brave Ukrainians to keep up our tough approach to get peace. We owe it to ourselves to stand with them for the cause of freedom and democracy in Europe and across the world.
It is vital we step up this pressure.
We cannot wait for more appalling atrocities to be committed in Ukraine. We know that the impact of sanctions degrades over time.
That is why we need to act now.
Next week, NATO Foreign Ministers will meet to follow up on the statements of Leaders, and I will be pressing allies over the next week for all of us to do more.
We must agree a clear timetable with our partners across the G7 to end dependence on Russian oil and gas permanently.
On banks, we’ve already sanctioned 16 major Russian banks. We have hit Gazprombank and we have placed a clearing prohibition on Sberbank, Russia’s largest bank. We want to see others adopt these sanctions and go further.
As refugees come into countries like Poland, we are working with the UNHCR so they are informed about the UK’s Homes for Ukraine scheme.
This scheme has already got over 150,000 applications, thanks to the generosity of the British public.
We know Putin is not serious about talks. He is still wantonly bombing innocent citizens across Ukraine. And that is why we need to do more to ensure he loses and we force him to think again.
We must not just stop Putin in Ukraine, but we must also look to the long-term.
We need to ensure that any future talks don’t end up selling Ukraine out or repeating the mistakes of the past. We remember the uneasy settlement in 2014, which failed to give Ukraine lasting security. Putin just came back for more.
That is why we cannot allow him to win from this appalling aggression and why this Government is determined Putin’s regime should be held to account at the International Criminal Court.
We will work to restore Ukraine’s territorial integrity and sovereignty.
We have set up a negotiations unit to ensure the strongest possible support is available to the Ukrainians, alongside our international partners.
We have played a leading role alongside our G7 allies in driving the response to Putin’s war. And I want to ensure that unity continues.
Sanctions were put on by the G7 in unison and they shouldn’t be removed as long as Putin continues with his war and he still has troops in Ukraine.
That is not all. We need to ensure that Putin can never act in this aggressive way again.
Any long-term settlement needs to include a clear sanctions snapback which would be triggered automatically by any Russian aggression.
In the aftermath of Putin’s war, Ukraine will need our help to build back.
In these exceptional circumstances, we have a duty to step up with a new reconstruction plan for rebuilding Ukraine. And we will work with the international community to do this.
At this defining moment, the free world has shown a united response.
Putin is not making the progress he craves. And he is still not serious about talks.
President Zelenskyy and the Ukrainian people know that everybody in the United Kingdom stands firm with them.
We were the first European country to recognise Ukraine’s independence from the Soviet Union. Thirty years on, we are the first to strengthen their defences against Putin’s invasion, and lead the way in our support.
Over the next week, I will be working to drive forward progress in unison with our allies.
Together, we can secure a lasting peace, which restores Ukraine’s sovereignty. Together, we can ensure Putin fails and Ukraine prevails.
PM Boris Johnson made a statement on the long-awaited Sue Gray report in the House of Commons yesterday:
Mr Speaker, with permission I would like to make a statement.
First I want to express my deepest gratitude to Sue Gray, and all the people who have contributed to this report, which I have placed in the Library of this House and the government has published in full today, for everyone to read.
I will address its findings in this statement – but firstly I want to say: sorry. Sorry for the things we simply did not get right and sorry for the way that this matter has been handled. It is no use saying that this or that was within the rules. It is no use saying that people were working hard.
This pandemic was hard for everyone. We asked people across this country to make the most extraordinary sacrifices, not to meet loved ones, not to visit relatives before they died, and I understand the anger that people feel.
But, Mr Speaker, it is not enough to say sorry. This is a moment when we must look at ourselves in the mirror and we must learn. And while the Metropolitan Police must yet complete their investigation – and that means there are no details of specific events in Sue Gray’s report – I, of course, accept Sue Gray’s general findings in full, and above all her recommendation that we must learn from these events and act now.
With respect to the events under police investigation, she says – and I quote – “No conclusions should be drawn, or inferences made from this other than it is now for the police to consider the relevant material in relation to those incidents.”
But more broadly she finds that – “There is significant learning to be drawn from these events which must be addressed immediately across Government. This does not need to wait for the police investigations to be concluded.”
That is why we are making changes now to the way Downing Street and the Cabinet Office run so that we can get on with the job, the job that I was elected to do and that this government was elected to do.
First, it is time to sort out what Sue Gray rightly calls the “fragmented and complicated” leadership structures of Downing Street which she says have not evolved sufficiently to meet the demands of the expansion of Number ten.
And we will do that, including by creating an Office of the Prime Minister, with a Permanent Secretary to lead Number ten. Second, Mr Speaker, it is clear from Sue Gray’s report that it is time not just to review the Civil Service and Special Adviser codes of conduct wherever necessary to ensure they take account of Sue Gray’s recommendations but also to make sure those codes are properly enforced.
And third, I will be saying more in the coming days about the steps we will take to improve the Number ten operation and the work of the Cabinet Office to strengthen Cabinet Government and to improve the vital connection between Number ten and parliament.
Mr Speaker, I get it and I will fix it. And I want to say to the people of this country. I know what the issue is, it is whether this government can be trusted to deliver and I say yes we can be trusted yes we can be trusted to deliver.
We said we would deliver Brexit and we did. We are setting up freeports across the whole United Kingdom, I’ve been to one of them today, which is creating tens of thousands of new jobs Mr Speaker.
We said we would get this country through Covid and we did, we delivered the fastest vaccine roll out in Europe and the fastest booster programme of any major economy so that we have been able to restore people’s freedoms faster than any comparable economy and at the same time as we have been cutting crime by fourteen per cent and building 40 new hospitals and rolling out gigabit broadband, and delivering on all the other promises of that 2019 agenda so that we have the fastest economic growth in the G7.
We have shown that we can do things people thought were impossible and that we can deliver for the British people.
The reason we are coming out of Covid so fast is at least partly because we doubled the speed of the booster rollout and I can tell the House and this country, that we are going to bring the same energy and commitment to getting on with the job to delivering for the British people and to our mission to unite and level up across the country.
And I commend this Statement to the House.
Opposition leader Keir Starmer’s response:
Thank you, Mr Speaker.
I would like to thank Sue Gray for the diligence and professionalism with which she has carried out her work.
It is no fault of hers that she only been able to provide an update. And not yet the full report.
The Prime Minister repeatedly told the House that all guidance were followed at all time.
We now know that 12 cases, 12 cases, have reached the threshold for criminal investigation – which I remind the House means that there is evidence of serious and flagrant breaches of lockdown, including:
The party on 20 May 2020, which we know the PM attended, and the party on the 13 November 2020 in the PM’s flat. There can be no doubt the Prime Minister is now under criminal investigation.
The PM must keep his promise to publish Sue Gray’s report in full when it is available, but it is already clear that the report discloses the most damning conclusion possible.
Over the last two years the British public have been asked to make the most heart wrenching sacrifices.
A terrible collective trauma. Endured by all, enjoyed by none.
Funerals have been missed. Dying relatives unvisited.
Every family has been marked by what we’ve been through.
And revelations about the Prime Minister’s behaviour have forced us all to relive and rethink those darkest moments.
Many have been overcome by rage, grief, and even guilt.
Guilt – that because they stuck to the law they did not see their parents one last time.
Guilt – that because they didn’t bend the rules their children went months without seeing friends.
Guilt – that because they did as they were asked they didn’t go and visit lonely relatives.
But people shouldn’t feel guilty. They should feel pride in themselves and in their country. Because by abiding by those rules. They have saved the lives of people they will probably never meet.
They have shown the deep public spirit. And the love and respect for others that has always characterised this nation at its best.
Our national story about Covid is one of a people that stood up when it was tested. But that will forever be tainted by the behaviour of this Conservative Prime Minister.
By routinely breaking the rules he set, the Prime Minister took us all for fools. He held people’s sacrifice in contempt. He showed himself unfit for office.
His desperate denials since he was exposed have only made matters worse.
First, the Prime Minister said there were no parties. Then he said he was sickened and furious about the parties.
Then it turned out he was there. Rather than come clean, every step of the way he has offended the public’s intelligence.
Finally, he’s fallen back on his usual excuse – it’s everybody’s fault but his. They go, he stays.
Even now, he is hiding behind a police investigation into criminality in his home, and in his office. He gleefully treats what should be a mark of shame as a welcome shield.
But, Prime Minister, the British public aren’t fools.
They never believed a word of it. They think the Prime Minister should do the decent thing and resign.
Of course, he won’t. Because he is a man without shame.
And just as he has done throughout his life. He is damaging everyone and everything around him along the way.
His colleagues have spent weeks defending the indefensible.
Touring the TV studios parroting his absurd denials. Degrading themselves and their offices.
Fraying the bond of trust between the Government and the public, eroding our democracy and the rule of law.
Margaret Thatcher once said: ‘The first duty of Government is to uphold the law. If it tries to bob and weave and duck around that duty when it is inconvenient, then so will the governed.’
To govern this country is an honour. Not a birth-right. It’s an act of service to the British people. Not the keys to a court to parade to your friends.
It requires honesty. Integrity. And moral authority.
I cannot tell you how many times people have said to me that this Prime Minister’s lack of integrity is somehow “priced in”.
That his behaviour and character don’t matter. I have never accepted that. And I never will accept that.
Whatever your politics. Whatever party you vote for. Honesty and decency matter. Our great democracy depends on it. And cherishing and nurturing British democracy is what it means to be patriotic.
There are members opposite who know that. And they know the Prime Minister is incapable of it.
The question they must ask themselves is what are they going to do about it?
They can go on degrading themselves. Eroding trust in politics. And insulting the sacrifice of the British public.
They can heap their reputations, the reputation of their party, and the reputation of this country, on the bonfire that is his leadership.
Or they can spare the country from a Prime Minister totally unworthy of his responsibilities.
It is their duty to do so.
They know better than anyone how unsuitable he is for high office.
Many of them knew in their hearts that we would inevitably come to this moment.
And they know that as night follows day, continuing his leadership will mean further misconduct, cover-up, and deceit.
It is only they who can end this farce. The eyes of the country are upon them. They will be judged on the decisions they take now.
Searches for ‘Boris Resign’ soar 458% after Sue Gray report is released
Analysis of Google search data reveals that online searches for ‘Boris Resign’ exploded 458% in the UK on the 31st of January, hours after Sue Gray’s report was published on the Downing Street parties, held whilst lockdown restrictions were in place.
A new finding by online tax calculator Income Tax UK reveals that online searches for ‘Boris Resign’ skyrocketed to almost five times the average volume in a matter of hours, an unprecedented spike in people Googling for the Prime Minister to leave his position in No.10.
The report, published on Monday 31st January, detailed the breaches of lockdown rules by members of the government including the Prime Minister, resulting in calls for Boris Johnson to step down.
A spokesperson for Income Tax UK commented on the findings: “The Sue Gray report finds that events held by senior members of the government ‘shouldn’t have been allowed to take place’, leading Brits to question the leadership of those running the country.
“These findings reveal the bitter taste that the public hold towards the actions of the Prime Minister and his cabinet, with the report prompting the highest rise in searches calling for the Prime Minister to resign in the last year. It will be fascinating to see if these searches will translate to votes in future elections.”
The Speaker urged people to “learn the lessons of the past” as he hosted a special commemoration for Holocaust Memorial Day in the House of Commons.
The international date remembers the six million Jews murdered under Nazi persecution, and the victims of subsequent genocides in Cambodia, Rwanda, Bosnia and Darfur.
‘One Day’ is the theme chosen by the Holocaust Memorial Trust – which focuses on a moment in time that changed forever the lives of those affected by genocide.
Sir Lindsay Hoyle, who was joined by faith leaders, MPs and the parliamentary community to light candles and read personal accounts from victims of past atrocities, urged colleagues “to remember, to learn and to hope there may be One Day in the future with no genocide.”
“Holocaust Memorial Day prompts us to learn the lessons of the past and recognise that genocide does not just take place on its own – it’s a steady process which can begin if discrimination, racism and hatred are not checked and prevented,” he said.
“As we have heard, so much can happen in one day. Lives can be changed; they can be ended, but they must never be forgotten.”
Commons Leader Jacob Rees-Mogg, former minister Dame Margaret Hodge and shadow foreign secretary David Lammy, Rabbi Debbie Young-Somers and Laura Marks, chair of the Holocaust Memorial Day Trust, were among those taking part in the ceremony in Portcullis House led by Speaker’s Chaplain Revd Tricia Hillas.
The House of Commons was among iconic buildings and landmarks across the country to be lit up in purple last night to commemorate Holocaust Memorial Day.
