I hope you are looking forward to – or are already enjoying! – a well-deserved break over the summer.
July was another busy month, both here in Witney and in Westminster. Thank you, as always, for taking the time to read about what I’ve been up to.
Witney Update
At the start of the month, I joined the Carterton Armed Forces Festival which showcased the long-standing connection between the town and the Armed Forces community. It was great to see many of you there. There was an impressive display of military vehicles and equipment, as well as lots of fun for children and families during the day.
I was delighted to welcome Ed Davey , leader of the Lib Dems, to the constituency this month. First we joined a session of Walking Netball with the Carterton Wigglers at Carterton Leisure Centre. Then we had a get-together with local party members on Church Green in Witney. It was great fun to show Ed around our area. Thank you to everyone who came along!
It was also great to judge the Witney Carnival parade. Everyone who took part put 110% into the event – especially given what a swelteringly hot day it was!
Well done again to Windrush Bike Project and West Witney Primary School on your wins; and a huge thank you to Witney Lions Club, the Witney Rotary Club and to 2120 Squadron Royal Air Force Cadets for all the work you put in to make it happen.
July also marked my one-year anniversary of being elected as your local MP. I’ve spent a lot of time reflecting on what an honour that is. Not to mention what an adventure this year has been! I'm proud of what I’ve been able to achieve so far with the support of my team – from helping people with issues they are facing locally; to being Witney’s voice in Westminster on national and international issues.
There is still so much I want to achieve for our community – from cleaning up our beautiful rivers which have been badly polluted, to finding a sustainable transport solution to congestion on our roads, getting more support for children and their families with SEND, and bringing more healthcare provision into our community.
Westminster Update
We have continued to witness appalling and heart-breaking atrocities being committed in Gaza, and in Parliament I challenged Ministers on: whether they accept that Israel is committing breaches of international humanitarian law, that F35 components manufactured in the UK are contributing to this and therefore whether we are in breach of our own arms export laws. I found the Ministers response really frustrating – we need to halt all arms sales to Israel, now.
Among many debates this month before Parliament takes a break for summer, the Government’s Welfare Bill drew particular attention. Ultimately I could not support this Bill and voted against the Government’s plan to cut Personal Independence Payments. This Bill will take away support from thousands of unpaid carers and leave some of the most vulnerable without support.
The Government need to completely rethink these proposals, which in their current form will increase pressure on our NHS and social care services and make it harder for disabled people to stay in work. They must also properly consult with the people who will be most affected by the changes they are making.
I also joined a meeting of the Transport Select Committee this month where they were talking about investment in rail infrastructure, and was pleased to have the chance to speak to the Rail Minister and senior officials from the Department for Transport about the benefits of rebuilding the rail link between Carterton, Witney and Oxford. They responded very positively to the idea that we hope to secure a big proportion of the funding for the project from landowners along the route, who will also benefit from having a new train line in the area.
On the Business and Trade Sub-Committee on Economic Security, Arms and Export Controls I had the chance to quiz Ministers on the importance of ensuring that when we sign trade agreements, they include obligations to uphold human rights protections. This is particularly important while the Government are negotiating an agreement with the GCC, given the reports of arms exports from the UAE to Sudan, during the ongoing humanitarian crisis.
The Business and Trade Select Committee have talked to representatives of small business, as part of our inquiry into how we can support our high streets to thrive. I asked what action the Government should be taking to tackle the alarming rise in shoplifting.
I also highlighted the concerns which have been raised with me by small businesses in Witney, about the move to quarterly financial reporting, which will add a big additional admin burden to small businesses.
In another session we spoke to regulators. I asked the Competition and Markets Authority about my concern that the Government are giving too much leeway to big tech companies when it comes to buying-out competitors, and that this will stifle innovation and free competition.
I also quizzed Ofwat on their failure to get to grips with Thames Water – from their failure to take a view on who the ‘Ultimate Controller’ of Thames Water is, to whether they agree with independent and Government assessments that there would be no cost to the tax payer of taking Thames Water into a Special Administration Regime; to the fact that they are letting Thames Water operate without having any investment grade credit ratings – a direct breech of their operating licence.
Thank you again for taking the time to read my update and I wish you all a happy and restful summer.
As ever, if there is anything you want to raise with me, or you need my help with anything, please contact my team on Charlie.maynard.mp@parliament.uk.
Best wishes,
Charlie Maynard MP