Stephen urges Government to invest in jobs

On 17 March, the Government responded to an urgent question on the Department for Work and Pensions’ office closures, by confirming these proposals will go ahead.

During the statement, Stephen urged the Minister to invest in jobs. He explained that recent employment figures show 580,000 fewer people in jobs than before the pandemic He also said there are many older workers choosing to retire early without claiming benefit.

Speaking in the House of Commons, Stephen said “we all want a full labour market recovery. Does the Minister recognise this is going to require major Government investment rather than the disinvestment which I think he is announcing this morning?”

You can watch Stephen’s full question - and the Minister’s response - below.

Stephen urges Government to review No Recourse to Public Funds policy

On 17 March, the Government gave a statement on its response to the Commission on Race and Ethnic Disparities. During the Minister's statement, Stephen raised the No Recourse to Public Funds policy.

In March 2021, the Commission on Race and Ethnic Disparities published a report on race and ethnic disparities in education, employment, crime and policing, and health across the UK. A year later, the Government has set out a plan to tackle inequality based on these recommendations. The Inclusion Britain strategy was published on Wednesday evening.

Equalities Minister, Kemi Badenoch, gave a statement to the House of Commons about the strategy. During the statement, Stephen raised the plight of families with No Recourse to Public Funds. He said “the No Recourse to Public Funds condition meant that many got no support at all. The Work and Pensions Select Committee has heard harrowing testimony of the hardship that resulted. Will the action plan she has announced review No Recourse to Public Funds, which has driven ethnic disparity?”

You can watch Stephen’s full question, and the Minister’s response, below.

Stephen pledges support to Working Minds campaign

On Wednesday 9 March, Stephen attended the Health and Safety Executive’s parliamentary drop-in, to discuss the support they offer for workplaces in East Ham and beyond.

At the event, Stephen pledged his support to the Health and Safety Executive’s Working Minds campaign, which calls on businesses to join the effort to improve wellbeing within the workplace by becoming a Working Minds Champion.

The Working Minds campaign is calling for a culture change across Britain’s workplaces, to ensure psychological risks are treated the same as physical ones in health and safety risk management.

Speaking after the event, Stephen said “I enjoyed meeting with the Health and Safety Executive in Parliament last week to discuss their work around helping my constituents lead healthier and safer lives. I fully support their campaign to prevent work-related stress and encourage good mental health in the workplace.

Mental health does not exist in isolation. It is fundamentally bound up with how we live our lives, and the stresses and strains of modern life. Some of the best action employers can take to improve productivity and profitability is to invest in the health and mental wellbeing of their workforce, which is paramount.”

Stephen calls on government to protect access to cash

Stephen has written to the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rishi Sunak, urging him to look at the issue of access to cash in East Ham.

Research from the consumer body Which? found that 32% of free-to-use-cashpoints in East Ham vanished between August 2018 and December 2021. The research followed a report by the Financial Conduct Authority which showed that 5 million adults still use cash for their purchases. Many of these individuals are from low-income families or the elderly, who have little access to the internet.

In his letter to the Chancellor, Stephen asked what plans the government has on introducing legislation to protect access to cash. Ministers previously committed to doing this in March 2020, but two years later this required legislation is yet to be introduced to the house of commons.

Speaking about the campaign Stephen said, "Cash remains essential to people's lives. My constituents, who rely on cash, are troubled by the fact that there is a third fewer cashpoints in East Ham than there were four years ago.

“It is vital that the Government find ways to protect access to cash and ensure that a decline in cash use does not contribute to inequality."

Stephen tours new UCL campus in Stratford

Stephen has visited UCL’s brand new campus on Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park ahead of its first building opening this autumn. 

Stephen was accompanied on his visit by UCL President and Provost Dr Michael Spence, UCL East Director Professor Paola Lettieri, UCL Pro-Provost for London Professor Alan Thompson and UCL Vice-Provost for External Engagement Professor Dame Hazel Genn.  

UCL East in Stratford will give the Bloomsbury based university the additional scale and space it needs to bring together the public, scientists, students, business and industry to create the knowledge and tools needed to tackle the challenges of tomorrow’s world. 

As part of the tour, Stephen visited the East Marshgate building that stands next to the ArcelorMittal Oribit tower and London Stadium. It comprises a vast atrium and eight floors housing labs, learning and teaching areas as well as workshops, a library, a refectory and quiet contemplation and prayer space.  He also met a group of young apprentices from east London who are working for the construction company MACE on the Marshgate campus building as part of UCL East’s commitment to employment and training opportunities at East Bank.  

Speaking afterwards, Stephen said:  “I thoroughly enjoyed my visit to UCL East.  The buildings are really striking.  UCL’s new campus will provide a major hub for learning, research and innovation for this part of London for decades to come.  It is an excellent contribution to the fastest growing part of London.” 

Stephen hosts NatWest reception

On 9 March, Stephen hosted a reception in Parliament with the NatWest Group and Citizens Advice, to mark the publication of their joint report, “Strengthening the safety net: supporting NatWest Group’s most vulnerable customers”.

Over the past year, specialist advisers from NatWest have been working with local Citizens Advice branches to deliver support to financially vulnerable customers in parts of the UK. The report measures the impact of the service from the previous 12 months, which has reached over 2,000 people –  nearly 60% of whom were not previously in contact with Citizens Advice. Customers have been seeking support mainly around issues relating to debt, benefits and family. The pandemic, rising living costs and Universal Credit cuts have increased the need for these services.

Speaking at the event, Stephen said “it’s important that my constituents can access support when experiencing financial difficulty. As we continue to recover from the pandemic – and in the face of rising living costs – it is encouraging that organisations such as NatWest Group and Citizens Advice are working together to meet the wider needs of vulnerable customers. I hope that others might look at this partnership as a model of what can be achieved.”

You can read the full report here.

Stephen hosts community roadshow in Parliament

On Thursday 3 March, Stephen hosted an event in the House of Commons, with Never Such Innocence, to celebrate the work of students in East Ham.

Never Such Innocence is a charity aiming to give young people across the world a voice on conflict. Their practitioners recently visited Brampton Manor, Little Ilford School and Plashet School to host free workshops on poetry, speech writing and song writing.

The students who took part were invited to Parliament to showcase their work. One of those students was Bakirathe, from Brampton Manor. She was awarded first place in the 11-14 age group in Never Such Innocence’s poetry, art, speech and song competition last year. She delivered her winning speech, Cultural Conflict, at the roadshow in Parliament, in which she shared her experience of living in the UK as a Tamil.

Speaking after the event, Stephen said “I enjoyed the roadshow, and hearing and seeing the students’ work on conflict. I applaud Never Such Innocence for supporting young people to achieve their full potential. There is a great deal of talent amongst young people in Newham. We need to hear their voices, and support local initiatives which enable them to flourish.”

Stephen welcomes announcement on Online Safety Bill

Credit: Glenn Carstens-Peters, Unsplash

Stephen has welcomed the announcement from the Government that the forthcoming Online Safety Bill is to impose a new legal duty on social media platforms and search engines to crackdown on scam adverts.

The Work and Pensions Committee, which Stephen chairs, first called for a crackdown on online fraud in its report on pension scams in March last year. In its response, the Government rejected the recommendation that financial online harms should be included in the Bill.

In December, a joint committee published a report on the draft Bill, which is due to be introduced to Parliament this year.

Speaking about the announcement, Stephen said: "We are pleased that nearly 12 months after we first called for the inclusion of paid-for adverts in the proposed legislation, the Government has finally taken this important first step to protect people online from the devastating financial and psychological harm that scams have been causing.

“Over the last year, the Committee, along with a growing number of voices from Parliament and beyond, have been warning of the pernicious effects of online scams. It is only right that those internet giants, which have been profiting from hosting fraudulent adverts, should be compelled to take action. We look forward to seeing more details on how the proposals will work when the Bill is introduced to Parliament."

Statement about Ukraine

Credit: Yehor Milohrodskyi, Unsplash

Like many residents in East Ham, I am deeply troubled by the desperate situation in Ukraine.

The UNHCR has estimated that over 1.7 million people have had to leave Ukraine, particularly mothers and children. The majority of people want to stay in the region, but others are looking to travel further afield. The UK must play its part in offering protection to those who want to come here.

I have been in touch with a number of constituents in recent weeks who are looking to bring family members to the UK. Unfortunately, the Home Office has been trying to respond to the crisis through the existing visa system, with just limited changes. That is totally wrong and fails to recognise the gravity of the crisis or the urgency of the situation. It has led to the shameful situation of family members fleeing war in Europe being asked for their finances or their English language skills, elderly parents being turned away in Paris, and Ministers even suggesting that Ukrainians should use the Seasonal Agricultural Workers Visa to come to the UK. 

I am hopeful that Ministers will soon set out a clear, simple route to sanctuary in the UK for people fleeing Ukraine. At the moment there is a huge gap between their rhetoric and the reality of those trying to make their way here.

Many Ukrainian relatives of UK residents are still not able to come here. These include family members of people here on work, study and visitor visas. It also excludes those who came here on UK Spouse Visas who would be unable to bring over family members. Nevertheless, I would urge any constituent with relatives in Ukraine to contact me as soon as possible to see if I can do anything to help. Please click here should you wish to get in touch.

Stephen responds to Government's higher education proposals

Credit: UEL, Stephen Timms

Stephen has released a joint statement with the University of East London on the Government’s proposed reforms to higher education.

On 24 February, the Education Secretary announced a package of reforms as part of the Government’s response to the Augar Review of Post-18 Education, which made 53 recommendations for the sector in May 2019. The Department for Education is running a consultation on introducing minimum GCSE and A-level grade requirements for students to qualify for a loan.

Stephen, along with the Vice-Chancellor and President of UEL - Professor Amanda Broderick - have released a joint statement outlining their concerns with these proposals. Stephen has said “it is important that universities continue to be a pipeline to success for the local area. They should be able to level up opportunity for students and the local community. Instead, the Government is treating them as a political battleground.”

You can read Stephen and Amanda’s full statement here.

Stephen asks Government again to introduce Alternative Student Finance

On Monday 21 February, Stephen spoke in the Skills and Post-16 Education Bill's Remaining Stages debate and pressed the Government to introduce shariah-compliant student finance.

A significant number of Muslim young people do not apply to study at university because the only form of student finance available involves payment of interest, which is not shariah-compliant. In 2014, the Government consulted on Alternative Student Finance for students and committed to offering support for students who feel unable to take interest-bearing loans for religious reasons.

In December 2021, the Government said it has been considering an Alternative Student Finance product, within wider reforms to Higher Education. An update is expected alongside the conclusion to the Review of Post-18 Education and Funding.

In the House of Commons on Monday, Stephen explained how this delay to introduce Alternative Student Finance is impacting thousands of Muslim young people, who wish to study at university but are being prevented from doing so. He said “some Muslim young people defer university until they have saved to pay the fees outright. Some, with a very heavy heart, take out a loan and feel bad about it ever after. Some do not attend at all. This is the reality facing young British Muslims today.”

You can watch Stephen’s full speech below.

Stephen urges the Prime Minister to reform Statutory Sick Pay

On Monday 21 February, the Prime Minster gave a statement to the House of Commons on Living with Covid-19. Stephen urged him to improve Statutory Sick Pay (SSP).

During the pandemic, SSP was available from day one of isolating from Covid-19. In other cases, it is paid when the employee is sick for at least four days in a row. A recent survey of over 2,000 workers in England and Wales found that 20% of those who could not work while isolating did not receive sick pay or wages. SSP is not currently available to everyone, meaning that millions of people did not receive it during the pandemic.

Speaking in the House of Commons, Stephen reminded the Prime Minister that the Government have postponed reforms to SSP because of the pandemic. He then asked “will he now bring forward the much-needed and long-delayed reforms to Statutory Sick Pay?”

You can watch Stephen’s full question - and the Prime Minister’s response - below.

Stephen hosts Royal College of Midwives’ reception

Stephen has hosted a reception for the Royal College of Midwives in Parliament.  The event saw the launch of the RCM pocket guide on caring for vulnerable migrant women.

Over 82 million people were forcibly displaced globally by the end of 2020, driven mainly by conflict. Stephen heard how migrant women face myriad challenges, including violence, exploitation, FGM, and mental health problems. In the context of Afghanistan and Ukraine, RCM’s work is more relevant than ever. Women are disproportionately affected by these conflicts and are forced to flee without warning.

Stephen was pleased to introduce the event, and listened to experts such as Dr Ross-Davie, Director of Professional Midwifery at the Royal College of Midwives, Memuna Sowe, Specialist Midwife (vulnerable and marginalised women) at Croydon Health Services NHS Trust, and Naomi Delap, Director at the Birth Companions charity. A key theme was migrant women’s access to pregnancy care.

Speaking afterwards, Stephen said “A woman’s immigration status should never be a deciding factor on whether she can access pregnancy care, but for some women this is the case. This is shameful.”

You can read a copy of the guidance here.

Stephen raises East London Family Court delays with Government

On 8 February, Stephen spoke in the House of Commons about delays in the East London Family Court and asked the Government to help.

The Magistrates Court, based in Westferry Circus, has the longest delays in London, with families facing a minimum wait of seven months for a hearing. There are plans to tackle the backlog by transferring some East London postcodes to the family courts in Central and West London, but the move has not yet begun.

During Justice Questions in Parliament, Stephen raised this with the Justice Minister. He asked “when are we finally going to see some progress on this? Do we not need additional court capacity?” The Minster responded with an offer to meet with Stephen.

You can watch Stephen’s full question, and the Minister’s response, below.

Stephen presses Government on the cost of living

Stephen has spoken in the House of Commons about the cost of living, benefit levels and pension awareness.

On Monday 7 February, MPs debated social security and pensions. Stephen urged the Government to uprate benefits in line with the rapidly rising inflation rates and explained how households are struggling with the cost of living. He reminded the House that the Work and Pensions Select Committee, which he chairs, called on the Government to extend the temporary increase of £20 a week to Universal Credit for at least a year. This call was rejected.

During his speech, Stephen also spoke about the low rates of pension credit take-up - with six out of 10 of those entitled to pension credit actually claiming it.

Speaking in the chamber, Stephen said “I very much welcome the debate we have had this afternoon about what is the appropriate level for increasing benefits in this very difficult time. Like others, I would say to the Government: ‘you are going to have to go further’.”

You can watch Stephen’s full speech below.

Stephen raises disabled people's trust with the Government

During Work and Pension questions in the House of Commons on Monday 7 February, Stephen asked the Secretary of State what steps she is taking to build trust with disabled people.

The Work and Pensions Select Committee, which Stephen chairs, was forced to publish research the DWP had commissioned from the National Centre for Social and Economic Research (NatCen), which falls within the Government’s own protocol for publication. The report focuses on the disabled people’s experiences of the benefits system.

Speaking in Parliament, Stephen said “the DWP’s own Social Security Advisory Committee highlighted just over a year ago the serious problem: disabled people do not trust the department. Burying the NatCen report in breach of the cross-governmental protocol has made matters worse.”

You can watch Stephen’s full question, and the Minister’s response, below.

Stephen visits Links Studios in Canning Town

On Friday 28 January, Stephen visited the newly opened Links Studio, which is based in Community Links on Barking Road.

The studio was opened last July by Ronnie Wood from the Rolling Stones. It is purpose-built, with state of the art equipment and is used to host a variety of workshops for young people. Links Studios also offer Level 2 qualifications for young people aged 11-19 in music technology and sound engineering, with English and maths woven into the courses.

During the visit, Stephen was given a tour of the studios and listened to some tracks produced, written and played by the students. Speaking afterwards, he said: “young people have been hit hard by the pandemic. They face huge obstacles to finding work now, but new opportunities are opening up too. Links Studios opens doors for youngsters, and offers an alternative route forward.

I enjoyed hearing during my visit about the range of programmes Links Studios offer, from music production to podcast workshops. It was great to meet the education and pastoral team and hear about how they support local young people. I applaud their work, giving local people great opportunities to explore their creativity and develop their passions.”

Stephen signs Holocaust Educational Trust Book of Commitment

Stephen has signed the Holocaust Educational Trust’s Book of Commitment, in doing so pledging his commitment to Holocaust Memorial Day and honouring those who were murdered during the Holocaust as well as paying tribute to the extraordinary Holocaust survivors who work tirelessly to educate young people today.

This year we are marking 77 years since the liberation of the concentration camps of Europe and the end of the Second World War. On the 27th January, the anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau, people across the globe will remember.

In the lead up to and on Holocaust Memorial Day, thousands of commemorative events will be arranged by schools, faith groups and community organisations across the country, remembering all the victims of the Holocaust and subsequent genocides. The theme for this year’s commemorations is ‘One Day’.

After signing the Book of Commitment, Stephen commented: “Holocaust Memorial Day is an important opportunity for people from East Ham to reflect on the darkest times of European history. As the Holocaust moves from living history, to history, it becomes ever more important that we take the time to remember the six million Jewish victims and also pay tribute to the survivors.”

Karen Pollock CBE, Chief Executive of the Holocaust Educational Trust, added: “As the Holocaust fades from living memory, it falls on all of us to ensure that their stories and the stories of the 6 Jewish million men, women and children brutally murdered by the Nazis and their collaborators, are never forgotten. We all have a duty to remember the Holocaust and to stand up against antisemitism and hate, now more than ever.”

Stephen urges Government to tackle economic crime

On Wednesday 26 January, Stephen spoke in the House of Commons about the increase in fraud and pressed the Government to introduce an economic crime Bill.

The Government was asked to make a statement on plans to bring forward an economic crime Bill. This followed claims by Lord Agnew that they had dropped this Bill from the legislation due in the next parliamentary session. Lord Agnew resigned as a Treasury Minister on 24 January.

Speaking in the chamber, Stephen said “the current growth of economic crime and corruption pose an existential threat to financial services - one of our biggest and most successful business sectors - and therefore the UK economy as a whole.”

You can watch Stephen’s full question and the Minister’s response below.

Stephen attends Open Doors report launch

Stephen has attended the launch of the Open Doors World Watch List. It is an annual report on the persecution of Christians around the world.

Henrietta Blyth, CEO of Open Doors UK and Ireland, shared key trends from the World Watch List, and that Afghanistan was now number one - despite persecution having got worse in North Korea, previously number one since 2002. "The Taliban are actively hunting Christians to eliminate them," she said. "If Christian men are discovered, they are almost always killed. If Christian women and girls are found, they are given to Taliban fighters as the spoils of war."

MPs also heard that the rise of the Taliban in Afghanistan has in turn encouraged jihadist activity across the world, from Boko Harem in Chad & Niger in West Africa to Al-Shabaab in East Africa.

Speaking afterwards, Stephen said: “This report notes that the persecution of Christians has reached its highest level since the Watch List began. This is deeply troubling.

“Members from across the House of Commons must continue to advocate for adoption of the Truro Report and for the rights of Christians around the world to practice their faith.”