This week in Westminster, key announcements were made on housing and tax policy, alongside a rare recall of Parliament to secure the future of British Steel, following the start of the Easter recess.
On Monday, during Oral Questions, Housing Minister Matthew Pennycook confirmed that the Government will launch a consultation later this year on new regulations for property management companies. For the first time, these proposals would introduce mandatory professional qualifications, an important step in strengthening leaseholders’ rights and rebalancing the relationship between leaseholders and freeholders.
Here in Stretford & Urmston, we’ve seen time and again why this regulation is so urgently needed. Too often, residents are at the mercy of unscrupulous management companies, charged excessive fees for poor-quality services and left trapped in unfair arrangements, with little justification and no real recourse. That simply cannot be allowed to continue.
Alongside these proposals, the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) is working to ensure the Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024 is implemented as soon as it is legally watertight. Labour remains fully committed to ending the outdated and unfair leasehold system by the end of this Parliament.
During Treasury Questions on Tuesday, Exchequer Secretary James Murray set out the Government’s latest plans to tackle tax evasion, work that is essential to closing the tax gap and properly funding public services like our NHS and schools.
One key measure announced will target ‘phoenixing’, where company directors deliberately shut down businesses to avoid paying tax or debts, only to restart under a new name. This abuse leaves taxpayers, suppliers and creditors out of pocket, while those responsible face no consequences.
We’ve seen the impact of this kind of behaviour across communities like Stretford & Urmston, where small businesses that play by the rules are undercut by those abusing the system. Cracking down on phoenixing is part of our wider effort to ensure fairness, protect honest firms, and make sure every penny owed to the public purse is collected and invested where it is needed most.
Later in the day, the Commons began its Easter recess, and I travelled back to the constituency. On Tuesday evening, I joined a meeting of Positive Partington, a local community group. We discussed a range of local issues specific to Partington and I am working with local councillors to resolve these.
On Thursday afternoon, I held the first in a new series of advice surgeries in Gorse Hill, following an increase in casework from local residents. Since being elected I have held four surgeries a month – one each in Stretford, Urmston, Partington and Old Trafford. As an MP, I want everyone to have easy access to support, and it is clear that Gorse Hill will benefit from having a dedicated surgery.
For this extended first session, I was pleased to be joined by the local councillors for Gorse Hill and Cornbrook, who brought their expertise on matters relating to Trafford Council. Their presence meant that residents were able to get direct advice and action on a broader range of local issues, from housing and waste collection to highways and neighbourhood services.
On Friday, I met with residents and business owners from Urmston Meadows to discuss the issues they have seen since the awful flooding they experienced in early January.
Several months on, residents are still facing uncertainty and are understandably frustrated by the lack of visible action from the Environment Agency. I am continuing to press the EA to carry out the necessary work to protect homes and businesses.
The flooding in January was a stark reminder that precautionary work is needed to mitigate future floods as extreme rainfall becomes more common due to climate change.
After hosting a regular surgery in Urmston, I was recalled to Parliament on Saturday morning as Labour took urgent action to secure the future of British Steel and protect thousands of jobs at the Scunthorpe site.
This swift and decisive action was necessary after it became clear that the site’s Chinese owners, Jingye, had no intention of engaging in meaningful negotiations with the Department for Business and Trade and were prepared to let the UK’s last remaining blast furnaces go cold and move production to China.
In recent days, the Government has taken more decisive steps to keep the site in operation, including by securing the iron ore and coking coal it needs after Jingye cancelled orders of the vital materials needed to keep going.
We cannot afford to be the only G20 country unable to produce primary steel, particularly given our need for new infrastructure and global trade tensions. Labour is stepping in where the Tories failed, taking action in the national interest to protect jobs, back British industry, and ensure we are not left reliant on overseas supply chains for something so fundamental.
I am proud to support this work to secure our national infrastructure and protect jobs.
Andrew Western MP