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Dear Constituent,
Welcome to my latest newsletter to keep you updated on my work in Parliament and around Amber Valley.
As always, you’ll find a selection of what I’ve been up to over the last few months and details of upcoming events. You’ll also find the usual information about my columns, surgeries and how to contact me.
Budget 2018 – what it means for Amber Valley residents:
The Chancellor recently presented this Government’s Budget, which set out funding priorities and spending for the year ahead.
I welcome the policies and spending announced, which will help constituents with the cost of living, tackle tax avoidance and evasion, support our local High Streets, and provide money for schools and reforms to Universal Credit. You can find my full blog post on the policies announced, and what they’ll mean for Amber Valley residents, here.
You can also read my speech on the Budget here, and you can access the Budget in full here.
Universal Credit:
One of the main political topics being discussed in Parliament, and in the news, at the moment is Universal Credit; a major reform that will transform the welfare state across Britain. Universal Credit aims to simplify and streamline the benefits system, and I continue to support and welcome this change. We want a welfare system that helps people into work, supports those who need help, and is fair to those who pay for it. The staff from the jobcentres in Amber Valley, who are assisting with the transition to Universal Credit, value the simplicity of the new system, and I hope my constituents will too for the continuation of the rollout.
To support this, I recently spoke on a debate on the changes in the House. I stressed the importance of getting the transition right for everyone, and reiterated concerns discussed during my meeting with representatives from MIND; that Universal Credit should only be rolled out when it is absolutely sure that everyone gets what they are entitled to. It remains of the utmost importance to me that the movement of people on to is as seamless and possible, and I will continue to work with this Government to ensure this happens.
In addition, as a member of the Work and Pensions Committee, I am continuing to scrutinise the changes made to Universal Credit, and calling on the Government to make a number of improvements. I want to ensure that people don’t have gaps in their funding upon transitioning to Universal Credit. I believe that the Department of Work and Pensions position on migration needs to adapt; to ensure that vulnerable individuals are moved on to Universal Credit, rather than expecting individuals to make more claims when they may not be in a position to do so. Finally, I believe that better funding is required to ensure that lone parents and second earners are always better off in work.
I will continue to raise improvements to Universal Credit, to ensure it is a system that supports the vulnerable, and a system that ultimately makes work pay.
You can read the full recent debate on Universal Credit in the House, and my contributions, here.
Northern Ireland Affairs Committee & Northern Ireland Bill:
Alongside further Northern Ireland Affairs Committee meetings on future funding priorities for the area and the order after Brexit, I was also took part in a debate in the House on the Northern Ireland Bill, to extend the period for the formation of a new Executive in the country.
As part of the debate, I presented two amendments: one to increase parliamentary scrutiny of appointments to key bodies in Northern Ireland, and the other to set out the future government of the country if an agreement on a new Executive is still not reached.
You can find the full debate here.
Public Accounts Committee:
After serving on the Public Accounts Committee in the previous two Parliaments, I’ve now been able to rejoin the Committee, which looks at public spending and value for money.
I’m pleased to be on the Committee again, and we have some important upcoming inquiries on issues such as the Department for Transport’s implementation of Brexit, Universal Credit and mental health services for children and young people. You can find out more about the Committee, and the upcoming sessions, here.
Derby Telegraph Column:
You can read my latest local newspaper column, which looked at the rollout of Universal Credit, here.
Street Watch:
As always, if there are any street repairs in your area, such as potholes, pavement repairs or broken street lights, you can report these issues and concerns to me quickly and easily here so I can ask for the repairs to be investigated and addressed.
Surgeries:
I regularly hold surgeries to give you the opportunity to meet with me and discuss any concerns or problems you may have. These are held on Friday evenings between 5pm and 7pm.
If you would like to meet me and discuss any issues, the dates of my upcoming surgeries are:
- Riddings – 16th November 2018
- Codnor – 30th November 2018
- Waingroves – 14th December 2018
Please contact my office on 01773 744341 to book an appointment for any of the above, or to arrange an alternative meeting.
GDPR and privacy notice:
Data laws have recently changed with the introduction of the new GDPR legislation. You can find my office’s privacy policy here and, if you don’t want to receive these emails anymore, you can unsubscribe here.
Tours and Public Gallery Tickets
As your MP, I am able to book tours of the Houses of Parliament and arrange public gallery tickets for constituents. If you would be interested in having a tour of Parliament or arranging public gallery tickets to sit in on the business of the House or Prime Minister’s Questions, please do get in touch.
Get in Touch!
As always, you can contact me by hitting the ‘reply’ button on this email, or you can ring my office on 01773 744341.
Twitter and Facebook
You can also follow me on Twitter @NigelMills and like me on Facebook here to stay up to date with news and events in Amber Valley throughout the month.
Yours sincerely,
Promoted by Nigel Mills MP, of Unicorn House, Wellington Street, Ripley, Derbyshire, DE5 3EH.
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