Julian welcomes Queen’s Speech
May 11, 2021
Julian has welcomed today’s Queen’s Speech, outlining the government’s draft laws and proposals for the new session of Parliament. The Speech focused on the government’s plan to spread economic growth and opportunity more fairly across all regions of the country, fight crime with tougher sentences, widen home ownership, create new adult retraining and skills options, and improve broadband and mobile services.
Having lobbied Ministers to support York’s health service to prevent a backlog of non-covid care, Julian was reassured by the planned Health and Care Bill that will join-up care across different NHS bodies, and improve access to health technology and new innovations. Given recent significant funding boosts for York NHS, with nearly £6.5 million for upgrades across York Hospital Trust and A&E in late 2020, he was pleased by the firm confirmation that all necessary funding is guaranteed to tackle coronavirus.
Julian has campaigned for successive improvements in broadband and mobile coverage across the city, and was therefore glad to see a new draft telecoms infrastructure bill to facilitate gigabit-capable broadband and 5G.
Jobs-focused education and training opportunities in York will also be further enhanced by a draft law creating a ‘lifetime skills guarantee’ of funding to obtain new adult qualifications, a useful addition to York’s Institute of Technology for post-16 students opened by the government last year with Julian’s strong support.
The Speech also confirmed Minsters’ plans to boost the region’s economic recovery from coronavirus with new employer-friendly ‘free ports’ on Humberside and Teeside, with lower customs, taxes and planning rules to attract investment and new jobs. The government is also acting on Julian’s advocacy of big new investment in science to secure the skilled, high-wage jobs of tomorrow by including a new law establishing a special agency to channel money into cutting-edge science and technology research.
After the Speech, Julian said: “Given the economic wrecking ball of coronavirus, and the impact on young people in particular, I am glad there is such a clear focus on supporting growth and getting people into skilled work through education and training, more infrastructure and digital coverage, and investment in tech and innovation.
I will hold Ministers to today’s commitment to give our local NHS all the resources it needs as it recovers from the pandemic. I am glad to see they are listening to the public on the need to crack down on crime, and support more people onto the housing ladder.
I know many of my constituents will appreciate confirmation that proposals to reform social care are being brought forward, but I will watch carefully to ensure these are fair and produce a genuine solution. On the Speech’s proposed planning reforms to widen home ownership, I back the overall aim, but am very clear that this must not lead to relaxing protections against inappropriate or speculative development.”
