Kevan’s latest Parliamentary update is available here: Parliamentary Update – September 2023
RAAC in schools
I have been in constant contact with parents, schools and the Department for Education since we learned that two
local schools were affected by potentially dangerous reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC).
I responded to the Education Secretary’s statement in the House of Commons on 4 September to raise the schools
affected in our area and the Government’s shambolic response.
You can watch a clip of this here: fb.com/KevanJonesMP
Parents need to know that their children are safe at school. Like many of my constituents, I was shocked to learn that Rishi Sunak, when he was Chancellor, cut funding for school repair works in half in 2021. The Government’s
negligence is plain, and my constituents are rightly angry. I will continue working with our local schools until these
issues are resolved and provide updates directly to parents and on my website here.
Licensing scheme for non-surgical cosmetic procedures
In 2022, after efforts by campaigners and myself, the Government amended its Health and Care Act to give itself the power to bring into force a national licensing scheme for non-surgical cosmetic procedures in England.
I am pleased that a consultation on such a scheme has now been launched. It is open until 28 October and I encourage all those who have an interest in this issue to submit their views. You can find more details on my website here.
NATO Parliamentary Assembly visit to Germany
It was great to spend some time with NATO Parliamentary Assembly colleagues as part of a delegation to Germany this month.
We had meetings in Berlin, Hamburg and Kiel on a range of security and foreign policy matters, from AI and seabed warfare to food and maritime security. You can find out more about the visit and the role of NATO Parliamentary Assembly here: fb.com/NATOParliamentaryAssembly
Compensation for sub-postmasters
The Government announced new compensation arrangements for sub-postmasters with overturned convictions as a result of the Post Office Horizon scandal.
All those with an overturned conviction will now be offered a lump sum of £600,000. While I believe this is a small and welcome step, I think the Government must go further to encourage people to come forward and deal with cases quickly.
As a member of the independent Advisory Board, I will continue to press for justice for all affected by this scandal.
Security update
On 11 September I responded to a statement by the Deputy Prime Minister about security, following reports of individuals being charged with espionage offences. I raised the Government’s continued obstruction to the work of Parliament’s Intelligence and Security Committee (ISC), on which I sit.
A key part of democracy is the ability to scrutinise the executive. Yet the Government seems to be increasingly
trying to avoid this. For example, the Prime Minister is still to sign off one of the ISC’s reports 10 months after he was given it – this should usually take 10 days.
You can watch my response to the Deputy Prime Minister here: fb.com/KevanJonesMP