Parliamentary Report

2nd November, 2020

Please find below an update of my work through October. Please do get in touch if you have a case you wish me to raise or would like to let me know your views. You can email me at jessica.morden.mp@parliament.uk, or call my office on 01633 841725. For updates on my work please follow me on Twitter @jessicamordenmp, Facebook (Jessica Morden MP) or Instagram (@jessicamorden2020)

Speaking up for Newport East during Covid-19 debates

I spoke in the recent Westminster Hall debate on the impact of coronavirus on people and businesses in Wales. In the debate, which was led by fellow Gwent Labour MP Chris Evans, I highlighted the concerns of constituents who have been excluded from government support schemes – including furlough and the Self-Employed Income Support Scheme. I had referenced the impact of this exclusion during a recent Welsh Questions session, and was invited to bring examples forward to the minister – I took the opportunity to do just that in the debate. I also talked about how the new Jobs Support Scheme and Universal Credit are falling short for people on low incomes at this worrying time. You can read my full speech from the debate on Hansard here.I also spoke about the lack of a plan for those deemed by the Chancellor to be in ‘unviable’ jobs or professions during the recent general debate on Covid-19. In that debate I emphasised the need for a Covid recovery plan to help young people. I also voiced my support for the more cautious approach taken by Welsh Government First Minister Mark Drakeford, and Usdaw’s campaign for a legislation to protect shopworkers. You can read my full speech in Hansard here.

Food poverty

Free school meals have been extended here in Wales until Easter 2021, including during school holidays, because of the decisive steps taken by the Welsh Labour Government.

The Prime Minister should listen to Keir Starmer, footballer Marcus Rashford and many others and do the same for school children in England – no child should go hungry in the school holidays. Disappointingly, Conservative MPs voted down Labour’s recent motion on extending access to free school meals by 322 votes to 261. I highlighted the Welsh Government’s free schools meals policy in a recent DEFRA Question time – read more here.

Firebreak lockdown
Between Friday October 23 and November 9, everyone in Wales will be required to stay at home as part of a targeted ‘firebreak’ lockdown. This is a sensible, proportionate response to the national rise in cases we’ve seen over recent weeks, and I know it is something that Newport East residents – whilst accepting the challenges it will pose – will understand. For information on guidelines relating to the lockdown – visit https://gov.wales/coronavirus-firebreak-frequently-asked-questions

Premier League must meet obligations to Football League clubs

Like many industries, Football League clubs like Newport County AFC have been hard hit by the pandemic, with usual sources of revenue completely disrupted in these unprecedented times.

This makes it all the more important that the Premier League – which is of course one of the most lucrative in global sport – sticks to its obligations to provide assistance to lower league clubs who are the bedrock of the game in this country. In the Commons I recently asked the Prime Minister to ensure the government is doing all it can to make the Premier League adhere to its responsibilities as swiftly as possible. He told me that he would make this happen – we will hold him to account on that. You can read my question here.

Rights during the pandemic

In Parliament I have been highlighting the need for additional resources for workplace rights enforcement body ACAS (the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service) in the light of redundancies linked to the coronavirus pandemic.Citizens’ Advice Bureau research shows that one in six workers currently face redundancy; and that parents, carers and those who shielded are twice as likely to be made redundant. The Government should now provide additional emergency resources to enforcement bodies to ensure people are treated fairly, equally and safely during this extremely worrying time for workers. Without action, poor practice from employers and inadequate enforcement threatens to undermine progress in increasing the number of women and disabled people in work. The Government needs to address these concerns. You can read my recent BEIS Question on this here.The Government must also address a deeply unfair situation whereby lower paid workers who fall ill after returning to work from being on furlough risk losing their entitlement to Statutory Sick Pay. GMB union research shows that low-paid workers who have been furloughed during the pandemic (and only received 80% of their salaries) may lose their entitlement to Statutory Sick Pay as their furloughed salary over the previous eight weeks falls below the ‘Lower Earnings Limit’ of £120 per week – even if their ‘normal’ level of pay is above this threshold. You can read my recent Business Question on this here.

Agriculture and Environment Bills

In October there were important votes on the Fisheries and Agriculture Bills – with disappointing outcomes in Parliament in both instances. During the votes on the Agriculture Bill, the Tories voted to let Welsh farmers be undercut by poor quality food produced elsewhere. Labour supported amendments to enshrine food & animal welfare standards in UK law; set climate change targets for agriculture & limit pesticide use to protect the public. It was disappointing to see these amendments voted down by the Government. You can read more about the votes on the Bill here.

I’d also like to thank all the Newport East constituents who contacted me about supertrawlers ahead of the votes on the Fisheries Bill, which came before the Commons the day after the Agriculture Bill. Labour voted to ban supertrawlers over 100 metres in length from wrecking our marine protected areas. Unfortunately the Tories voted against that ban.

Campaign for a real living wage of £10 per hour

Following concerns I raised about wages at Prime Minister’s Questions last month, there are now reports that the Chancellor of the Exchequer wishes to freeze the minimum wage.I support the Labour Unions call for a real living wage of at least £10 an hour. You can read more and sign the petition here.

Other activity

🔴 South Wales Argus column – read online here.🔴 Tabled written questions to the DWP on Personal Independence Payments – read media coverage of this here.🔴 Wrote letter to the Welsh Government with John Griffiths MS, asking for clarity on the Town Centre Adaptation Grant on behalf of businesses in Magor. Read Free Press coverage here.🔴 Questioned Health Secretary on the fortification of flour with folic acid to reduce the number of babies born with spinal defects. Read more here.🔴 Took part in meetings with Aneurin Bevan Health Board, Gwent Police, Welsh Government, the Secretary of State for Wales, Magor Action Group On Rail, the South East Wales Transport Commission, Caldicot Food Bank, Wastesavers, the Western Gateway All Party Group, the EFL, Cats Protection, and Results UK.🔴 Took part in a virtual tour of Morello’s Clinic, Langstone.🔴 Attended virtual launch of Pobl’s ‘Book of Strength’ written by Newport women.🔴 Attended Newport and Gwent Literary Society’s online event with Newport Rising.