It was another policy packed week in Parliament. Our new Labour Government is determined to deliver the change people voted for.

The week started with a Government statement on our response to the Post Office Horizon scandal. This outrageous miscarriage of justice was left to languish unresolved by the Tory Government, and within weeks of coming into power we have announced the Horizon conviction redress scheme, which has already begun to issue payments. We have also announced a new independent appeals service for postmasters to have their cases reassessed. These measures cannot fully make up for what happened to victims of this scandal, but they will hopefully provide a step towards giving those affected closure.

On Monday, we also announced increased powers for local transport authorities to enable them to run their own bus services.  The Bee Network is already up and running in parts of Manchester, and is due to be  fully rolled out in Stretford and Urmston early next year. It’s improved efficiency and led to lots more people using buses which is great for the environment and reduces congestion in the city. Taking buses under local control also means that we have been able to deliver better working conditions for drivers, and allows our councils to develop services that focus on our priorities, such as improving the safety of women and girls. It’s great to see plans to replicate the success of the Bee Network across the country.

On Tuesday we were updated by the Defence Secretary on our commitment to Ukraine. We have committed to a new package of military support, and promised to speed up the support already pledged. We’ve also committed £3 billion of military support to Ukraine every year it is needed, as well as  more defence missiles, and training to Ukrainian troops.

Ukraine is doing a remarkable job and has made impressive progress recently, but Russia continues with its aggression, and we are committed, working closely with our allies, to actively deter and defend against Russian threats.

Wednesday saw a debate on the Winter Fuel Payment. I know the changes to Winter Fuel payments are of great concern to constituents, but public finances were in a far worse state than we could ever have imagined, and the Winter fuel payment is simply not fit for purpose, with money being given to some wealthy pensioners, while families and the disabled are left struggling.

We will be making concerted efforts to make sure that every pensioner entitled to pension credit begins to claim it, opening the door to a range of support which many of our most vulnerable pensioners are currently not accessing. We will also be continuing to offer cold weather payments and warm homes discount to those who are eligible.  Pensioners will see substantial rises in their pensions next year because of the triple lock, which would have been at risk without these changes, and we are planning a range of measures, such as social tariffs, increasing insulation programmes and much better management of our energy supply, which will reduce bills for everyone in the future.  Make no mistake,  Labour is committed to standing up for the most vulnerable – including our pensioners, and I am confident that pensioners and other vulnerable groups will be better off under a Labour Government.

Wednesday also saw a debate on building safety and resilience, prompted by the final report of the Grenfell enquiry. A number of constituents have been in touch with me because they are living with the legacy of unsafe cladding. Families are unable to move, buyers are unable to get mortgages, and homeowners are being charged thousands of pounds for repairs they cannot afford.

Action on this was far too slow, and Labour are committed to resolving the issue of unsafe cladding. This Autumn we will be announcing a Remediation Acceleration Plan to force action from manufacturers, freeholders and developers, and we are also strengthening enforcement  of building safety. There is no excuse for building owners to delay.

In addition, we are looking to reform the construction products industry, and proposing much better fire safety legislation in high rise buildings, to protect the most vulnerable residents. Our Government is committed to making the changes needed so Grenfell can never happen again, and I know many residents of Stretford and Urmston will benefit from the measures we have announced.

Thursday saw the Health Secretary make a statement in the House of Commons following Lord Darzi’s independent investigation of the NHS, which concluded that it is in ‘critical condition’. This damning report has laid bare the Conservatives’ appalling legacy of mismanagement, and Lord Darzi’s findings and recommendations will inform our ten year plan to fix our broken NHS and ensure that is fit for the future. We will focus on moving from an analogue to digital NHS,  shift more care from hospitals to our local communities, and make sure that we are not just treating sickness but channelling efforts to prevent people from getting ill in the first place. This bold plan will halt the decay of our precious NHS, and residents will be pleased to hear that the local and preventive services they value, which the Tories ran into the ground, will be valued and extended.

After a busy week in Parliament, it was great to spend some time in Stretford and Urmston.

On Friday I held a Coffee morning at the St John’s Centre in Old Trafford. It was great to spend time with residents discussing what matters to them, and to also raise funds for Action Aid.I went on to join my fellow Trafford MPs, Connor Rand and Mike Kane to meet with Trafford Council leader, Tom Ross and Chief Executive, Sara Todd at the Trafford Partnership networking event, and finished my day with a fantastic trip to Odd Arts – a local organisation that supports young people through creative arts.

Parliament is now in recess while Party Conferences take place, and we will return on 7^th October to continue with our programme for change. I’m looking forward to spending time in the constituency, visiting local schools and other organisations. I also have a coffee morning planned in Partington, and I would love you to join me there.