Grenfell Tower

Rachael Maskell Excerpts

Thursday 22nd June 2017 Commons Chamber

[The Prime Minister]

The hon. Lady raises an interesting issue. At the heart of this is ensuring that the service given to people interacting with various Government Departments is focused on and identifies their particular needs. I will consider the issue of data sharing.

[Rachael Maskell (York Central) (Lab/Co-op)]

Cuts have consequences. According to Home Office figures, the number of home fire safety checks has fallen by 25% since 2010. Will the Prime Minister now give the service the funding it needs to carry out 100% of the checks required?

Debate on the Address

Rachael Maskell Excerpts

Wednesday 21st June 2017 Commons Chamber

[Rachael Maskell (York Central) (Lab/Co-op)]

There are so many challenges facing our country at this time, yet today we heard a Queen’s Speech that is trying to save a Government in crisis but does not address the crises facing our nation, nor those of my constituents as they face them day by day.

This is a time for listening and reflecting on the challenges that we see as a nation, and of course we have been stopped in our tracks to do so. Lives have been completely shattered by the Grenfell Tower tragedy and the terrorist attacks, not least those of a lovely family in my constituency, when Angelika and Marcin Klis were taken from their children as they just went out in Manchester to enjoy an evening together. All who loved and cared for those people should not have to face such real hardship. It must make us reflect and change our ways, too.

The past few days have been particularly devastating. I think about Mr Omar al-Haj Ali, who described his brother Mohammad’s final moments—my heart broke with his. As I saw the faces of the victims and those missing, many who were just little children, there was only word in my mind that would fit: “Why?” Firefighters were confronted with dangers and scenes that no one should have to bear. Paramedics and surgeons fought for lives, as ever, and the community rose up to show every aspect of humanity, selflessly serving all those in need. It is all so numbing. As a politician, I want to have answers. I want the “because” that follows that “why?”

Three things have stood out for me. First, people knew. The concerns over fire safety had been raised by residents and by chief fire officers. They were raised at every level. After all, eight years ago, at Lakanal House in Camberwell, there was also a tragedy and lives were lost. Investigations had been made and reports were written, but then, as always seems to happen, the implementation was woeful. The plea from residents was ignored. Experts in fire safety were rebuffed and pushed away. Politicians voted against measures to create tenants’ rights. There were other priorities—a driven ideology to cut red tape, no matter the cost. There was not enough money in the right places, so corners were cut, but of course mainly for the poor. In one of the richest communities in the country, no one had the capacity and time to listen to one of the poorest. While they were clearly proved to be right, the price they have had to pay is all too costly.

While I welcome the announcement of a full public inquiry in today’s Queen’s Speech and the independent public advocate to act on behalf of the bereaved, the Government should have introduced legislation to replace the current failed system, deal with gaps in safety, and provide a capacity for redress when those in a position of trust fail in their duty. When politicians fail the public, we need an independent centre for whistleblowing where concerns can be raised. We can no longer have a system in which failed politicians and their failed legislation suppress ordinary people. Everyone needs an authoritative outlet for their concerns, whether they are residents or professionals working across services. These issues not only must have a space to be aired; they must be investigated, and action must follow. Let us have the inquiry to avoid a tragedy rather than afterwards. This, of course, affects all sectors.

Secondly, we need a robust system for assessing risk. The Health and Safety Executive has been slashed in two, the Care Quality Commission is running on a budget that is not matching growth in demand, and fire authorities across the nation have been cut deeply. In North Yorkshire, 25.4% has been cut out of the fire service. The very institutions that are meant to keep us safe have been cut while increased demands are made on them. As we have heard in recent days, policing and our national security have also been compromised, with 20,000 police officers being cut, and indeed border staff. Even our armed forces have been cut, as we have heard in today’s debate—the Army by 20%. While Her Majesty’s Speech recognises the issue of security and the risks that we have been raising for the past couple of years that I have been here, we all have to recognise that cuts have consequences. We therefore need proper governance over systems.

I witnessed this when the floods came to York on Boxing day in 2015, with 453 households and 174 businesses flooded. There was no plan to act if the River Foss flooded, and no risk assessment on the Foss barrier if it should flood. Therefore, we ended up with the local authority and the Environment Agency marking their own homework. We have to ensure that there is independent external scrutiny of all safety measures.

Thirdly, we have to ask what politicians in this Parliament are doing. In my two years here, I have had to chase, chase and chase again on the issues that impact on my constituents. I had to wait four months to get a debate on the closure of Bootham Park hospital, which closed in just three days. That closure left the mental health community in York in crisis, and it has been in crisis ever since. I have chased Ministers down corridors and fought for my constituents. I received a promise two years ago that a Minister would visit the mental health community in my constituency, but that still has not happened. The measures in the Gracious Speech must be more than just words; they must be turned into action. The Government have to listen to the real needs of our communities.

The housing crisis, which I have talked about so much, is getting worse and worse in York. There are still 1,600 people on the waiting list and people are living in tiny rooms, but the Government fail to build the houses that are needed, which we have been promised for so long.

Around 2,500 job losses have been announced over the past six months, including those of 156 Nestlé workers just before Dissolution. The Prime Minister could only point those workers to the job centre, rather than fighting for our future economy.

Yes, the system seems so broken. It is the poor, the sick and those who face the greatest challenges who are really struggling at this time. We have to stop the games and the name-calling—they must end. The questions must be answered and the Government must now respond.

Oral Answers to Questions

Rachael Maskell Excerpts

Wednesday 26th April 2017 Commons Chamber

[The Prime Minister]

My hon. Friend is absolutely right on this issue. I know that she has been a strong campaigner and a strong champion for her constituents in Cheadle. I can assure her that we are very clear that the green belt must be protected. What we have set out in the White Paper is that boundaries should be altered only when local authorities have fully examined all other reasonable options, such as making use of brownfield sites, as she herself has suggested. I know there was a great deal of interest in the consultation on the Greater Manchester spatial framework. I commend my hon. Friend for the work she did to gather the views of her constituents in Cheadle, and I am sure that those views will be taken into account as the response is developed.

[Rachael Maskell (York Central) (Lab/Co-op)]

Q6. Over the past six months, it has been announced that 2,000 jobs will be lost in York. Yesterday, Nestlé announced 300 job losses, 156 of them in my constituency, which is devastating for workers, their families and the community. Jobs, not products, are being exported to the EU, and as ever, York’s skilled jobs are being replaced by low-wage, insecure work. In the light of the special deal at Nissan in Sunderland, will the Prime Minister meet me, trade unions and the company to strike a special deal to save these jobs and avert the losses both now and in the future?

[The Prime Minister]

First, the hon. Lady is right to raise this issue of the announcement from Nestlé, which arose, as she says, only yesterday. We should be clear that Nestlé has itself been clear that this is not a decision that was affected by leaving the European Union—it says it has made it irrespective of that—but of course it is a worrying time for the workers and their families at Nestlé in both York and Newcastle. I can assure her that we are already in contact with the company to understand its plans and the next steps. My right hon. Friend the Business Secretary will speak with senior Nestlé representatives later today. The Department for Work and Pensions of course stands ready to put in place its rapid response service to support any workers made redundant by helping them back into employment as quickly as possible, and there are various ways in which Jobcentre Plus can help. What is important is that we ensure that the support is there, and as I have said, the Business Secretary will be speaking to Nestlé representatives later today.

Article 50

Rachael Maskell Excerpts

Wednesday 29th March 2017 Commons Chamber

[The Prime Minister]

I absolutely agree. As we look at the negotiation, it is important that at every level and in every part of those negotiations we maintain a constructive and positive approach. That is the best way of getting the best possible agreement at the end.

[Rachael Maskell (York Central) (Lab/Co-op)]

On 23 June, my constituents were not asked whether they wanted to leave the single market or the customs unions. If we do not reach a tariff-free trade agreement with the EU, does the Prime Minister agree that membership of the single market and the customs union is better than no deal or a bad deal?

[The Prime Minister]

Constituents were asked on 23 June whether they wanted us to remain a member of the European Union, with everything that membership entailed. The majority of people throughout the United Kingdom decided to vote to leave the European Union. That has a number of consequences. I have been clear that we want to negotiate a comprehensive free trade agreement that will provide for continuing free trade between the UK and the European Union, but it will be a different relationship in future.

Voter Registration

Rachael Maskell Excerpts

Wednesday 8th June 2016 Commons Chamber

[Matthew Hancock]

We are consulting and working closely with the Electoral Commission and lawyers to make sure that anything we bring forward is watertight. We all want the referendum to take place on 23 June, and we all want everyone who wants to and is eligible to vote to be able to do so.

[Rachael Maskell (York Central) (Lab/Co-op)]

Clarity is key. When is the deadline for bringing forward legislation, and is there any reason why it cannot be done today?

[Matthew Hancock]

We want to get the legislation exactly right to ensure that the referendum takes place on an entirely legal and unchallengeable basis, as I am sure the hon. Lady will accept, which is why we are being careful to get the details exactly right.

ISIL in Syria

Rachael Maskell Excerpts

Wednesday 2nd December 2015 Commons Chamber

[Rachael Maskell (York Central) (Lab/Co-op)]

I have held the Prime Minister’s proposal to the fire with experts, academics, people from the region, and military personnel. I have read more than 2,000 communications, and on Monday night I had a meeting in my constituency with more than 400 people present. More than 99% of those said no to the Prime Minister’s plans.

Daesh exhibits the most heinous and murderous ideology, but how will precision weapons find their target without co-ordination on the ground? We have heard how important ground forces are, but Daesh integrates into local populations. Local people work for Daesh to avoid being murdered—they do not share its ideology, but they do so to save their lives. Without a concrete military force, people will be put at risk and there will be serious casualties.

We have heard about the Free Syrian Army. On 20 October the Foreign Secretary came to the House and said that it was 80,000 strong, and on 26 November the Prime Minister said it was 70,000 strong. Yesterday I heard that there are 40,000 moderates, and today I hear that there are 15,000 people with whom we can work. In reality, those fighters are a disparate group. We have heard about the shifting sands, and many groups are co-ordinated under an umbrella. We do not know whether they will jump to western orders. They are fighting another, more conventional war, and will they move to fighting a more difficult conflict and a different enemy? People have fought against Assad to protect land. Will they be willing to move across the country to fight in a different area and give up the land that they have protected or tried to gain? We must ask such questions before we proceed. To take more time is not to admit defeat. It is about us being politicians and scrutinising what is before us. There is no loss of face in stepping back in order to step forward.

We must also listen to the people living on the ground who have said no to this action. No one in this place has the wisdom of Solomon, but it is clear that this strategy is weak and the sequencing is wrong. I will be voting to reject the motion. I ask the Government to come back with a more comprehensive ground plan, which we would be able to scrutinise. Hopefully, we can move forward to deal with Daesh and its evil plot.

Syria: Refugees and Counter-terrorism

Rachael Maskell Excerpts

Monday 7th September 2015 Commons Chamber

[The Prime Minister]

My hon. Friend is absolutely right to praise those countries. They have borne a huge burden in terms of the people they have taken in and looked after. We must go on supporting them and the work they do.

[Rachael Maskell (York Central) (Lab/Co-op)]

What criteria has the Prime Minister used to arrive at a figure of just six refugees per constituency per year? In the light of the compassionate acts of constituents, will he review that figure?

[The Prime Minister]

I believe that 20,000 Syrian refugees is a generous and correct figure for Britain. What we should do now is get on with it and move as rapidly as we can to process those people. It takes time because we have to work with the UNHCR to go through those in the camps and find suitable people to come here. It also takes time to work with local councils. I do not want to make a pledge that we then cannot deliver properly on the ground, and I believe that this 20,000 pledge can be delivered properly.